After the enormous success of the new costume for Spider-Man, introduced in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, several of Marvel's top heroes got fashion refreshes -- and, as this Marvel Age cover shows, fall 1987 was Captain America's turn for an update. Of course, this Captain America was not Steve Rogers, but John Walker, who calls himself "the Captain." 

In Stan's Soapbox this month, Stan discusses Captain America, Spider-Man, and upcoming movie and TV releases from Marvel's parent company, New World.

Blood: A Tale gets an article in this issue. It's an allegorical comic with beautifully painted artwork and a story I never quite understood, as written by J.M. DeMatties and illustrated by Kent Williams.

Mr. DeMatteis also is featured in the article on Captain Justice, a two-issue miniseries based on the TV series Once a Hero, which ran just seven episodes in 1987 and 1988. The comic featured art by Steve Leialoha, and it's interesting to note the differences between this version of cover #1, as seen in Marvel Age, and the final cover, below. 

Marvel Age #57

Price: $0.50 US 

Pages: 36 (32 interior plus four covers)

On sale: September 8, 1987

Cover date: December, 1987 

Copyright © 1987 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. 

• Tom DeFalco: Editor in Chief

• Jim Salicrup: Editor and Design Director

• Dwight Jon Zimmerman: Assistant Editor

• Dawn Geiger: Designer

• Sholly Fisch: Coming Attractions 

• Fred Hembeck: Sage of Marvel Age

• Craig Anderson, Adam Blaustein, Steve Buccellato, Bob Budiansky, Bobbie Chase, Daniel Chichester, Margaret Clark, Don Daley, Daryl Edelman, Archie Goodwin, Mark Gruenwald, Larry Hama, Bob Harras, Glenn Herdling, Michael Higgins, Laura Hitchcock, Sid Jacobson, Terry Kavanagh, Ralph Macchio, Howard Mackie, Rosemary McCormick-Lowy, Al Milgrom, Ann Nocenti, Carl Potts, Pat Redding, Mike Rockwitz, Marc Siry, Joanne Spaldo, and Greg Wright: Consulting Editors

• John Romita: Art Director

• Don Perlin: Managing Art Director

• Donald C. Hudson, Christopher Ivy, and Rodney Ramos: The Raiders

• Jim Novak: Art/Production Coordinator

• Hector Collazo and Doreen Frederick: Production Assistants 

• Brenda Mings: Typesetter

• Jack Abel: Proofreader

• Paul Becton, Janet Jackson, George Roussos, and Greg Wright: Colorists

• Tom Morgan and Joe Sinnott: Cover art

• Paul Becton, Alan Bensew, Pat Brosseau, Rob Carosella, Harry Eisenstein, Barbara Johnston, Cindy Kruhn, Veronica Lawlor-Carlin, Ken Lopez, Ed Magalong, Michael Maier, Eddie Marcaro, Alan Mintz, Bill Oakley, Kent Peterson, Dumuria Rumph, and Peter Watson: Production

• Lynn Cohen: Administrative Manager

• Virginia Romita: Traffic Manager

• Christine Aurilia, Tom Fardy, Sue Flaxman, Len Kaminsky, Michelle Tirado and Dan Raspler: Friendly Assistance 

• Steve Sheffler: Rights and Permissions Editor

• Carol Kalish: Director of Specialty Sales

• Dan Kanzler: Assistant Direct Sales Manager/Administrative

• Lou Bank: Assistant Direct Sales Manager/Customer Service

• Steve Saffel: Promotions Manager 

• Irving Forbush: Boy Toy

Front cover 

• Characters: Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain America

 Inside front cover

• Salicrup's Section 

• Marvel Agenda (contents) 

• Masthead 

• Indicia 

Pages 1 - 5

Marvel Coming Attractions

Titles on sale September 22

• Daredevil #250
• The New Mutants #59
• Psi Force #15
• Web of Spider-Man #34
• Strikeforce: Morituri #14
• The Punisher #5
• Masters of the Universe #11
• Heathcliff Funhouse #5
• Thundercats #19
• Conan the King #44
• The Transformers Universe trade paperback 

Titles on sale September 29

• Captain America #337
• Solo Avengers #2
• The Amazing Spider-Man #296
• Strange Tales #10
• Groo the Wanderer #35
• Headmasters #4
• Alpha Flight #54
• Power Pack #34
• Video Jack #2
• Spider-Man Comics Magazine #7
• Savage Sword of Conan #143
• Moebius Graphic Novel #3: The Airtight Garage

Titles on sale October 6

• Marvel Age Magazine #58
• The Avengers #287
• The Incredible Hulk #339
• D.P. 7 #15
• Justice #15
• Marvel Tales #207
• Silver Surfer #7
• Air Raiders #3
• Conan the Barbarian #202
• G.I. Joe #67
• Muppet Babies #17
• Visionaries #2
• Bullwinkle and Rocky #2
• The Uncanny X-Men #205
• Marvel Fanfare #36

Titles on sale October 13

• The Fantastic Four #310
• Iron Man #226
• The 'Nam #14
• The Spectacular Spider-Man #134
• The Star Brand #11
• Thor #387
• X-Factor #24
• Care Bears #14
• Classic X-Men #17
• Elfquest #30
• The Transformers #36
• Spellbound #1
• The Transformers Comic Magazine 37
• Conan Saga #8
• The Official Marvel Index to the X-Men #5
• The Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe trade paperback
• Blood #1
• I Whom the Gods Would Destroy graphic novel

Pages 6 - 7 

More Coming Attractions

Titles Shipping October 

Titles Shipping November 

Page 8 

Newswatch 

Item: John Byrne is back to write and draw a six-issue run on Star Brand. 

Item: Peter David has published the novel Knight Life, which may become a made for TV movie. Peter has left the Marvel staff to focus on writing. 

Item: Larry Hama is leaving staff to concentrate on writing. Michael Higgins will take Larry's spot as an editor. 

Item: Doug Murray, writer of The 'Nam, won the Veterans Achievement Award for Entertainment by the Brotherhood Rally of America Veterans Organization. 

Item: Bill Sienkiewicz and Jon J Muth were included in an article in In Fashion magazine as pop culture icons. 

The Top Ten 

May 1987

1. X-Men #221
2. X-Factor #20
3. Silver Surfer #3
4. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21
5. G.I. Joe #63
6. Amazing Spider-Man #292
7. The 'Nam #10
8. Fallen Angels #6
9. Classic X-Men #13
10. The New Mutants #55

Page 9 

The Mutant Report

"Persecution, Betrayal, and Death in 'The Fall of the Mutants'"

"The X-Men in 'The Best of Marvel Comics'"

"It's Genetic," by Kyle Baker 

 

Pages 10 - 13

Article: "Captain America," by Glenn Herdling

Pages 14 - 15

Stan's Soapbox

Page 15

Willie Lumpkin, by Stan Lee and Dan DeCarlo

Pages 16 - 17 

Hembeck's page in Marvel Age 

Pages 18 - 21

Article: "Blood: A Tale," by Bill Slaviscek

Pages 22 - 23

Article: "Captain Justice," by Ken Hart 

Pages 24 - 25

Star Spotlight: Air Raiders, by Sandy Hausler

Pages 26

Marvel Trivia Quiz, by Brian Nelson

Pages 27 - 29

The Marvel Age: 1975 (Pt. 4), by Brian Nelson 

Pages 30 - 32

Letters column: "From the Files of Willie Lumpkin," suggested by Nate Metcalf

Inside back cover

Ad for D.P. 7

Back cover

The 1987 Marvel Age Calendar for September

Mike Carlin - writer

Ron Zalme - artist

Paul Becton - colorist 

 

The Marvel team celebrates the life of Sol Brodsky in Marvel Age #22. Brodsky was, of course, an artist, occasional writer, production manager, special projects maven, and much more. The quotes in this issue's extensive article from folks like Stan Lee, Mike Esposito, Jim Galton and others, he was a beloved member of extended Marvel family, and even when he went off to co-found Skywald Publications, he received encouragement from Stan, and was welcomed back when Skywald folded. 

Most of this issue is dedicated to Sol Brodsky. Besides the usual departments, like Coming Attractions and Newswatch, the only article is about the Iceman miniseries. Even "Hembeck's Page in Marvel Age" took a break this month so as not to interrupt the tribute to the man who designed the original Fantastic Four logo, among many other accomplishments. Below are a portrait of Sol by Marie Severin and a Millie the Model page he drew. 

In fact, this issue may be unique in Marvel Age history. Only issue #138, which followed the death of Jack Kirby, comes close to the depth that this issue provides. 

Marvel Age #22

Price: $0.35 US 

Pages: 36 (32 interior plus four covers)

On sale: October 9, 1984

Cover date: January, 1985

Copyright © 1984 Marvel Comics Group, a division of Cadence Industries Corporation. 

• Jim Shooter: Editor in Chief

• Jim Salicrup: Editor and Design Director

• Sandy Hausler: Assistant Editor

• Norman Gosney: Designer

• Dwight Jon Zimmerman: Coming Attractions

• Dan Crespi: Art/Production Coordinator

• Ron Zalme: Assistant Art/Production Coordinator

• Harry Candelario, Rob Carosella, Phil Felix, Morrie Kuramoto, Ken Lopez, John Morelli, 

  and Barry Shapiro: Production

• Brenda Mings: Typesetter

• Paul Becton, Ken Feduniewicz, and George Roussos: Colorists

• Craig Anderson and Lynn Cohen: Friendly Assistance 

• John Romita: Cover 

• Carol Kalish: Direct Sales Manager

• Peter David: Assistant Direct Sales Manager

• Steve Saffel: Assistant Promotions Manager for Direct Sales

• Irving Forbush: Official Marvel Mascot

Front cover 

• Character: Sol Brodsky

 Inside front cover

• Ad for G.I. Joe Yearbook

 

Page 1

• Marvel Agenda (contents) 

• Masthead 

• Indicia 

Editorial by Jim Salicrup (untitled)

Pages 2 – 5

Marvel Comics Coming Attractions

Titles on sale October 23

• The Thing #20

• Daredevil #215

• New Mutants #24

• Red Sonja #6

• Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #10

• Iceman #2

• Beauty and the Beast #2

• Buckaroo Banzai #2

• Crash Ryan #3

Titles on sale October 30

• Spider-Man #261

• Captain America #302

• Power Pack #7

• Indiana Jones #26

• Micronauts #5

• Alpha Flight #19

• Dr. Strange #69

• Crystar #11

• Savage Sword of Conan #108

• Alien Legion #5

• Sisterhood of Steel #1

Titles on sale November 6

• Incredible Hulk #304

• Avengers #252

• Conan #167

• Marvel Tales #172

• X-Men #190

• Rom #63

• Power Man and Iron Fist #114

• G.I. Joe #34

• Kull the Conqueror #8

• Sheena of the Jungle (sic) #2

• Marvel Age Magazine #23

• Marvel Graphic Novel #14 -- Swashbucklers (sic) 

Titles on sale November 13

• Fantastic Four #275

• Iron Man #191

• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #99

• Defenders #140

• Thor #352

• Starriors #4

• Kitty and Wolverine (sic) #4

• Marvel Team-Up #150

• Star Wars #92

• Doctor Who #5

• Dreadstar #16

• Time Spirits #2

Pages 6 - 7

More Coming Attractions

Shipping in November

• The Thing #21

• Daredevil #216

• New Mutants #25

• Red Sonja #7

• Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #11

• Conan the King #27

• G.I. Joe Yearbook #1

• Crash Ryan #4

• Starstruck #1

• Amazing Spider-Man #262

• Captain America #303

• Indiana Jones #27

• Power Pack #8

• Micronauts #6

• Alpha Flight #20

• Transformers #4

• Conan the Destroyer #2

• Groo (sic) #1

• Savage Sword of Conan #109

• Swashbucklers (sic) #1

• Marvel Super Special #36 -- Dune

• Marvel Age Magazine #24

• Incredible Hulk #305

• Avengers #253

• Conan #168

• Marvel Tales #173

• X-Men #191

• Rom #64

• Power Man and Iron Fist #115

• G.I. Joe #33

• Marvel Fanfare #19

• Void Indigo #2

• Fantastic Four #276

• Iron Man #192

• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #100

• The New Defenders #141

• Star Wars #93

• Thor #353

• Kitty and Wolverine (sic) #5

• Doctor Who #5

• Coyote #10

• Epic Illustrated #28

Titles shipping in December

• The Thing #22

• Daredevil #217

• New Mutants #26

• Web of Spider-Man #1

• Red Sonja #8

• Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #12

• Iceman #3

• Beauty and the Beast #3

• Amazing Spider-Man #263

• Captain America #304

• Indiana Jones #28

• Power Pack #9

• Micronauts #7

• Alpha Flight #21

• Dr. Strange #70

• Groo (sic) #2

• Dune #1

• Savage Sword of Conan #110

• Dreadstar #17

• Alien Legion #6

• Sisterhood of Steel #2

• Incredible Hulk #306

• Avengers #254

• Conan #169

• Marvel Tales #174

• X-Men #192

• Rom #65

• Power Man and Iron Fist #116

• G.I. Joe #34

• Kull the Conqueror #9

• Marvel Age Magazine #25

• Fantastic Four #277

• Iron Man #193

• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #101

• The New Defenders #142

• Star Wars #92

• Thor #352

• Kitty and Wolverine (sic) #6

• Spider-Man Index #1

• Doctor Who #6

• Time Spirits #3

Page 8

Newswatch

Item: Transformers will get an ongoing series.

Item: Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham, will get his own series.

Item: X-Men #193 will be a double-sized issue celebrating 100 issues since the debut of the new team. Issue #195 will be a crossover with Power Pack. And the X-Men will appear in Marvel Team-Up #150.

Item: The Gladiators, from the pages of the Beauty and the Beast miniseries, will appear in New Mutants #28 and 29, which guest-star the Dazzler and will be drawn by Bill Sienkiewicz.

Item: Marvel is publishing the first in a series of indices in December, starring Spider-Man and featuring a cover by John Byrne.

Item: Jim Owsley will take over as writer of Conan the Barbarian with issue #172. 

Item: Gordy, agent of S.M.I.L.E. (Special Military Intelligence Law Enforcement division) will return in Power Man and Iron Fist #114. Also, issues #114 and 115 will have covers by John Byrne. 

Pages 9 - 11

Article: "The Iceman Cometh," by Sandy Hausler

Page 12

Stan Lee's message about the death of Sol Brodsky

Pages 13 - 25

Article: "Sol Brodsky Remembered," by Dwight Jon Zimmerman

Pages 26 - 28

Article: "The Marvel Age -- 1966 (Part V)," by Warren Reece

Page 29

Bullpen Bulletins 

Pages 30 - 32

Letters column: "Mail from Marvelites," suggested by Todd Wages

Inside back cover

Ad for the Star Comics line

Back cover

Ad for Groo the Wanderer

 

Void Indigo, one of the most controversial comics of its day, is the cover feature on Marvel Age #21. Writer and series creator Steve Gerber explains the title in the feature article -- that it refers to the ambience of the series rather than a specific character, since none of the cast's survival was necessarily guaranteed from one issue to the next. Of course, the series would only run two issues before being pulled from Marvel's publishing schedule due to outcry from critics over its violent contents. While the comic was published through the Epic Comics line, this was before the advent of the mature readers label, which probably would have helped. 

Void Indigo wasn't the only new Epic Comics title covered in this issue. There was also Sisterhood of Steel, by writer Christy Marx with artist Mike Vosburg, as well as Moonshadow, written by J.M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Jon J Muth (here spelled John Jay Muth). While the Sisterhood of Steel art looks fun and engaging, the Moonshadow art is presented in black and white, and really doesn't capture the beauty of the final publication. DeMatteis interviews himself for the article, and he almost comes off as a hostile witness, sometimes refusing to explain his oblique answers. 

Other odd moments in this issue include the use of a great piece of style-guide Hulk art in the Coming Attractions section, and a full page for a current Thor cover by Walter Simonson. 

Marvel Age #21

Price: $0.35 US 

Pages: 36 (32 interior plus four covers)

On sale: September 11, 1984

Cover date: December, 1984

Copyright © 1984 Marvel Comics Group, a division of Cadence Industries Corporation. 

• Jim Shooter: Editor in Chief

• Jim Salicrup: Editor and Design Director

• Norman Gosney: Designer

• Dwight Jon Zimmerman: Coming Attractions

• Dan Crespi: Art/Production Coordinator

• Ron Zalme: Assistant Art/Production Coordinator

• Harry Candelario, Rob Carosella, Phil Felix, Morrie Kuramoto, Ken Lopez, John Morelli, 

  and Barry Shapiro: Production

• Brenda Mings: Typesetter

• Paul Becton, Ken Feduniewicz, and George Roussos: Colorists

• Craig Anderson and Lynn Cohen: Friendly Assistance 

• Val Mayerik: Cover 

• Carol Kalish: Direct Sales Manager

• Peter David: Assistant Direct Sales Manager

• Steve Saffel: Assistant Promotions Manager for Direct Sales

• Irving Forbush: Lost in the Void

Front cover 

• Character: Ath'Agaar 

 Inside front cover

• Ad for Marvel Graphic Novel #13: Starstruck

 

Page 1

• Marvel Agenda (contents) 

• Masthead 

• Indicia 

Editorial: "A Big Hand for the Big Guy," by Jim Salicrup

Pages 2 – 5

Marvel Comics Coming Attractions

Titles on sale September 25

• The Thing #19

• Daredevil #214

• New Mutants #23

• Dazzler #35

• Muppets Take Manhattan (sic) #3

• Red Sonja #5

• Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #9

• Machine Man #4

• Conan the King #26

• Crash Ryan #2

Titles on sale October 2

• Spider-Man #260

• Captain America #301

• Indiana Jones #25

• Power Pack #6

• Micronauts #4

• Alpha Flight #18 

• Transformers #3

• Conan the Destroyer #1

• New Mutants Annual #1

• Savage Sword of Conan #107

Titles on sale October 9

• Incredible Hulk #303

• Avengers #251

• Conan #166

• X-Men #189

• Rom #62

• Power Man and Iron Fist #113

• Marvel Tales #171

• G.I. Joe #31

• Dreadstar #15

• Void Indigo #1

• Marvel Age Magazine #22

Titles on sale October 16

• Fantastic Four #274

• Iron Man #190

• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #98

• Defenders #139 

• Marvel Team-Up #149

• Star Wars #91

• Thor #351

• Starriors #3

• Kitty and Wolverine (sic) #3

• Coyote #9

• Epic Illustrated #27

Page 6

More Coming Attractions

Titles shipping in October

• The Thing #20

• Daredevil #215

• New Mutants #24

• Red Sonja #24

• Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #10

• Crash Ryan #3

• Spider-Man #261

• Captain America #302

• Questprobe (no issue number listed)

• Indiana Jones #26

• Power Pack #7

• Micronauts #5

• Alpha Flight #19

• Dr. Strange #69

• Crystar #11

• Savage Sword of Conan #108

• Alien Legion #5

• Incredible Hulk #304

• Avengers #252

• Conan #167

• Marvel Tales #172

• X-Men #190

• Rom #63

• Power Man and Iron Fist #114

• G.I. Joe #32

• Kull the Conqueror #8

• Sheena of the Jungle (sic) #2

• Marvel Age #23

• Swashbucklers (Marvel Graphic Novel) (sic) #14

• Fantastic Four #275

• Iron Man #191

• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #99

• Defenders #140

• Thor #352

• Starriors #4

• Kitty and Wolverine (sic) #4

• Marvel Team-Up #150

• Star Wars #92

• Doctor Who #5

• Dreadstar #16

• Time Spirits #2

Page 7

Thor #351 cover art by Walter Simonson

Page 8

Newswatch

• Item: Details on release schedule and creative teams on the Star Comics line

• Item: Groo the Wanderer will be a new title from the Epic Comics line

• Item: Marvel will adapt the upcoming movies Dune and 2010

• Item: Marvel will publish the G.I. Joe Yearbook, a "who's who" style title

• Item: Editorial offices are being shuffled -- Jim Owsley has been promoted to editor, and has hired Keith Williams as his assistant. Larry Hama's new assistant editor is Pat Redding. Dan Daley will be Denny O'Neil's new assistant, replacing Linda Grant, who leaves staff to pursue her writing career. 

Page 9 

Star Comics subscription ad

Pages 10 - 15

Article: "Void Indigo," by Dwight Jon Zimmerman

Pages 16 - 17

Hembeck's Page in Marvel Age

Pages 18 - 21

Article: "The Sisterhood of Steel," by Dwight Jon Zimmerman

Pages 22 - 24

Article: "J.M. DeMatteis Interviews Himself about his new Epic Comics Series Moonshadow" 

Pages 25 - 27

Article: "The Marvel Age - 1966 (Part IV)," by Warren Reece

Page 28

Ad for The Official Marvel Comics Try-Out Book

Page 29

Bullpen Bulletins 

Pages 30 - 32

Letters column: "Marvel Page" 

Inside back cover 

Ad for The Official Marvel Comics Try-Out Book (yes, again) 

Back cover

Ad for Time Spirits