Editing Marvel Comics (section)

== History ==
=== Timely Publications ===
 {{Main|Timely Comics}}
[[File:MarvelComics1.jpg|left|thumb|''[[Marvel Mystery Comics|Marvel Comics]]'' #1 (Oct. 1939), the first comic from Marvel precursor [[Timely Comics]]. Cover art by [[Frank R. Paul]].]]

[[Pulp-magazine]] publisher [[Martin Goodman (publisher)|Martin Goodman]] created the company later known as Marvel [[Comics]] under the name Timely Publications in 1939.<ref name=marvelcomics1>Postal indicia in issue, per [http://www.comics.org/issue/556/ ''Marvel Comics'' #1 &#91;1st printing&#93; (October 1939)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103110511/http://www.comics.org/issue/556/ |date=November 3, 2014 }} at the [[Grand Comics Database]]: "Vol.1, No.1, MARVEL COMICS, Oct, 1939 Published monthly by Timely Publications, ... Art and editorial by Funnies Incorporated..."</ref><ref name="MMC4">Per statement of ownership, dated October 2, 1939, published in ''[[Marvel Mystery Comics]]'' #4 (Feb. 1940), p. 40; reprinted in ''Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics'' Volume 1 (Marvel Comics, 2004, {{ISBN|0-7851-1609-5}}), p. 239</ref> Goodman, who had started with a [[Western fiction|Western]] pulp in 1933, was expanding into the emerging—and by then already highly popular—new medium of comic books. Launching his new line from his existing company's offices at 330 West 42nd Street, New York City, he officially held the titles of [[editing|editor]], [[managing editor]], and [[business manager]], with Abraham Goodman (Martin's brother)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bell |first1=Blake |last2=Vassallo |first2=Michael J. |year=2013 |title=The Secret History of Marvel Comics: Jack Kirby and the Moonlighting Artists at Martin Goodman's Empire |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=978-1-60699-552-5 |page=299}}</ref> officially listed as publisher.<ref name="MMC4" />

Timely's first publication, ''[[Marvel Mystery Comics|Marvel Comics]]'' #1 ([[cover date]]d Oct. 1939), included the first appearance of [[Carl Burgos]]' [[Android (robot)|android]] [[superhero]] the [[Human Torch (android)|Human Torch]], and the first appearances of [[Bill Everett]]'s [[anti-hero]] [[Namor|Namor the Sub-Mariner]],<ref>Writer-artist [[Bill Everett]]'s Sub-Mariner had actually been created for an undistributed movie-theater giveaway comic, ''[[Motion Picture Funnies Weekly]]'' earlier that year, with the previously unseen, eight-page original story expanded by four pages for ''Marvel Comics'' #1.</ref> among other features.<ref name=marvelcomics1 /> The issue was a great success; it and a second printing the following month sold a combined nearly 900,000 copies.<ref name="fromm">Per researcher Keif Fromm, ''[[Alter Ego (magazine)|Alter Ego]]'' #49, p. 4 (caption), ''Marvel Comics'' #1, cover-dated October 1939, quickly sold out 80,000 copies, prompting Goodman to produce a second printing, cover-dated November 1939. The latter appears identical except for a black bar over the October date in the inside front-cover [[indicia (publishing)|indicia]], and the November date added at the end. That sold approximately 800,000 copies—a large figure in the market of that time. Also per Fromm, the first issue of ''[[Captain America Comics]]'' sold nearly one million copies.</ref> While its contents came from an outside packager, [[Funnies, Inc.]],<ref name=marvelcomics1 /> Timely had its own staff in place by the following year. The company's first true editor, writer-artist [[Joe Simon]], teamed with artist [[Jack Kirby]] to create one of the first patriotically themed superheroes,<ref>{{cite book |last=Goulart |first=Ron |title=Comic book culture: an illustrated history |publisher=Collectors Press, Inc. |year=2000 |page=173 |isbn=978-1-888054-38-5}}. Preceding Captain America were [[MLJ Comics]]' the [[Shield (Archie Comics)|Shield]] and [[Fawcett Comics]]' [[Minute-Man]].</ref> [[Captain America]], in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 (March 1941). It, too, proved a hit, with sales of nearly one million.<ref name="fromm" /> Goodman formed Timely Comics, Inc., beginning with comics cover-dated April 1941 or Spring 1941.<ref name=daniels27/><ref>[http://www.comics.org/indicia_publisher/98/ "Marvel : Timely Publications (Indicia Publisher)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128205434/http://www.comics.org/indicia_publisher/98/ |date=January 28, 2012 }} at the [[Grand Comics Database]]. "This is the original business name under which Martin Goodman began publishing comics in 1939. It was used on all issues up to and including those cover-dated March 1941 or Winter 1940–1941, spanning the period from ''[[Marvel Mystery Comics|Marvel Comics]]'' #1 to ''[[Captain America Comics]]'' #1. It was replaced by Timely Comics, Inc. starting with all issues cover-dated April 1941 or Spring 1941."</ref>

While no other Timely character would achieve the success of these three characters, some notable heroes—many of which continue to appear in modern-day [[Retroactive continuity|retcon]] appearances and flashbacks—include the [[Whizzer (Robert Frank)|Whizzer]], [[Miss America (Madeline Joyce)|Miss America]], the [[Destroyer (Keen Marlow)|Destroyer]], the original [[Vision (Timely Comics)|Vision]], and the [[Angel (Thomas Halloway)|Angel]]. Timely also published one of humor cartoonist [[Basil Wolverton]]'s best-known features, "[[Powerhouse Pepper]]",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comics.org/search.lasso?type=character&query=powerhouse+pepper&sort=chrono&Submit=Search |title=GCD :: Story Search Results |work=comics.org |access-date=April 4, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211130225/http://www.comics.org/search.lasso?type=character&query=powerhouse+pepper&sort=chrono&Submit=Search |archive-date=December 11, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]]/[[Abrams Books|Harry N. Abrams]] |year=1981}}</ref> as well as a line of children's [[talking animals in fiction|talking animal]] comics featuring characters like [[Super Rabbit]] and the duo [[Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal]].

Goodman hired his wife's 16-year-old cousin,<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Stan Lee |first1=Stan |last1=Lee |last2=Mair |first2=George |title=Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group|Fireside Books]] |year=2002 |page=22 |isbn=0-684-87305-2}}</ref> Stanley Lieber, as a general office assistant<!--note: not his personal assistant--> in 1939.<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Joe Simon |last1=Simon |first1=Joe |last2=with Simon |first2=Jim |title=The Comic Book Makers |publisher=Crestwood/II Publications |year=1990 |page=208 |isbn=1-887591-35-4}}</ref> When editor Simon left the company in late 1941,<ref name=mylife113-14>{{cite book |title=Joe Simon: My Life in Comics |author-link=Joe Simon |first=Joe |last=Simon |publisher=[[Titan Books]] |year=2011 |location=London, UK |isbn=978-1-84576-930-7 |pages=113–114}}</ref> Goodman made Lieber—by then writing pseudonymously as "[[Stan Lee]]"—interim editor of the comics line, a position Lee kept for decades except for three years during his military service in [[World War II]]. Lee wrote extensively for Timely, contributing to a number of different titles.

Goodman's business strategy involved having his various magazines and comic books published by a number of corporations all operating out of the same office and with the same staff.<ref name=daniels27 /> One of these [[Shell corporation|shell companies]] through which Timely Comics was published was named Marvel Comics by at least ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #55 (May 1944). As well, some comics' covers, such as ''All Surprise Comics'' #12 (Winter 1946–47), were labeled "A Marvel Magazine" many years before Goodman would formally adopt the name in 1961.<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/75617/cover/4/ Cover, ''All Surprise Comics'' #12] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628231428/http://www.comics.org/issue/75617/cover/4/ |date=June 28, 2011 }} at the [[Grand Comics Database]]</ref> The company begin identifying the group of its comic division as '''Marvel Comic Group''', on some comics cover-dated November 1948, when the company set up an in-house editorial board to compete with the likes of [[DC Comics|DC]] and [[Fawcett Comics|Fawcett]], even though the legal name is still Timely.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seduction of the Innocent: More Anti-Comics Items |url=http://www.lostsoti.org/MoreAntiComics.htm |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=www.lostsoti.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2021 |title=TheComicBooks.com - The History of Graphic Novels |url=http://www.thecomicbooks.com/nsp1-21.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308020359/http://www.thecomicbooks.com/nsp1-21.html |archive-date=March 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=V |first=Doc |date=2011-02-06 |title=Timely-Atlas-Comics: Part 1: Fredric Wertham, Censorship & the Timely Anti-Wertham Editorials |url=http://timely-atlas-comics.blogspot.com/2011/02/frederic-wertham-censorship-anti.html |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=Timely-Atlas-Comics}}</ref>

=== Magazine Management / Atlas Comics ===

{{Main|Atlas Comics (1950s)}}
The post-war American comic market saw superheroes falling out of fashion.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wright |first=Bradford W. |title=Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America |publisher=The [[Johns Hopkins University]] Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-8018-6514-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/comicbooknationt00wrig/page/57 57] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/comicbooknationt00wrig/page/57 }}</ref> Goodman's comic book line dropped them for the most part and expanded into a wider variety of genres than even Timely had published, featuring [[horror fiction|horror]], [[Westerns]], humor, [[talking animals in fiction|talking animal]], [[men's adventure]]-drama, giant monster, [[crime fiction|crime]], and [[war comics]], and later adding [[jungle]] books, [[Romance comics in the United States (1946–1975)|romance]] titles, [[spy fiction|espionage]], and even [[medieval]] adventure, [[Bible stories]] and sports.

Goodman began using the globe logo of the Atlas News Company, the newsstand-distribution company he owned,<ref name=stjames /> on comics [[cover-date]]d November 1951 even though another company, [[Kable News]], continued to distribute his comics through the August 1952 issues.<ref name=gcdatlasglobe>[http://www.comics.org/brand/93/ Marvel: Atlas <nowiki>[wireframe globe]</nowiki> (Brand)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117195008/http://www.comics.org/brand/93/ |date=January 17, 2012 }} at the Grand Comics Database</ref> This globe branding united a line put out by the same publisher, staff and freelancers through 59 shell companies, from Animirth Comics to Zenith Publications.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comics.org/publisher/78/indicia_publishers/|title=Marvel Indicia Publishers |website=comics.org|publisher=Grand Comics Database|access-date=November 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208004451/http://www.comics.org/publisher/78/indicia_publishers/|archive-date=December 8, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

Atlas, rather than innovate, took a proven route of following [[fashion|popular trends]] in television and films—[[Western fiction|Westerns]] and war dramas prevailing for a time, [[Drive-in theater|drive-in film]] monsters another time—and even other comic books, particularly the [[Entertaining Comics|EC]] [[horror (genre)|horror]] line.<ref>Per [[Les Daniels]] in ''Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics'', pp. 67–68: "The success of EC had a definite influence on Marvel. As Stan Lee recalls, 'Martin Goodman would say, "Stan, let's do a different kind of book," and it was usually based on how the competition was doing. When we found that EC's horror books were doing well, for instance, we published a lot of horror books{{' "}}.</ref> Atlas also published a plethora of children's and teen humor titles, including [[Dan DeCarlo]]'s ''[[Homer the Happy Ghost]]'' (similar to ''[[Casper the Friendly Ghost]]'') and ''Homer Hooper'' (à la [[Archie Andrews (comics)|Archie Andrews]]). Atlas unsuccessfully attempted to revive superheroes from late 1953 to mid-1954, with the Human Torch (art by [[Syd Shores]] and [[Dick Ayers]], variously), the [[Namor|Sub-Mariner]] (drawn and most stories written by [[Bill Everett]]), and [[Captain America]] (writer [[Stan Lee]], artist [[John Romita Sr.]]). Atlas did not achieve any breakout hits and, according to Stan Lee, survived chiefly because it produced work quickly, cheaply, and at a passable quality.<ref>{{cite news |last=Boatz |first=Darrel L. |date=December 1988 |title=Stan Lee |work=[[Comics Interview]] |issue=64 |pages=15–16 |publisher=[[Fictioneer Books]]}}</ref>

In 1957, Goodman switched distributors to the [[American News Company]]—which shortly afterward lost a [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] [[lawsuit]] and discontinued its business.<ref>Jones, Gerard. ''Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book'' (Basic Books, 2004).</ref> Atlas was left without distribution and was forced to turn to [[Independent News]], the distribution arm of its biggest rival, [[DC Comics|National (DC) Comics]], which imposed draconian restrictions on Goodman's company. As then-Atlas editor [[Stan Lee]] recalled in a 1988 interview, "[We had been] turning out 40, 50, 60 books a month, maybe more, and ... suddenly we went ... to either eight or 12 books a month, which was all Independent News Distributors would accept from us."<ref name="Stan and Roy">{{cite news|url=http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/02stanroy.html |title=Stan the Man & Roy the Boy: A Conversation Between Stan Lee and Roy Thomas |work=[[Comic Book Artist]] |issue=2 |date=Summer 1998 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218033757/http://www.twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/02stanroy.html |archivedate=February 18, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The company was briefly renamed to Goodman Comics in 1957 under the distribution deal with [[Independent News]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-08-12 |title=Which was the first Marvel comic? |url=https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/259095-which-was-the-first-marvel-comic/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=CGC Comic Book Collectors Chat Boards |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Marvel Comics ===
<!--[[Marvel Age of Comics]] redirects here-->
[[File:Fantastic Four Vol 1 01 Cover.jpg|thumb|''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|The Fantastic Four]]'' #1 (Nov. 1961). Cover art by [[Jack Kirby]] (penciler) and an unknown inker.]]

The first modern comic books under the Marvel Comics brand were the [[science-fiction]] anthology ''[[Journey into Mystery]]'' #69 and the teen-humor title ''[[Patsy Walker]]'' #95 (both [[cover date]]d June 1961), which each displayed an "MC" box on its cover.<ref>[http://www.comics.org/brand/36/ Marvel : MC (Brand)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307234958/http://www.comics.org/brand/36/ |date=March 7, 2011 }} at the [[Grand Comics Database]].</ref> Then, in the wake of [[DC Comics]]' success in reviving superheroes in the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly with the [[Barry Allen|Flash]], [[Hal Jordan|Green Lantern]], [[Batman]], [[Superman]], [[Wonder Woman]], [[Green Arrow]], and other members of the team the [[Justice League|Justice League of America]], Marvel followed suit.{{refn|Apocryphal legend has it that in 1961, either [[Jack Liebowitz]] or [[Irwin Donenfeld]] of DC Comics (then known as [[National Periodical Publications]])<!--also known as name is mentioned here because Stan Lee says "National Comics" in quote directly below this paragraph--> bragged about DC's success with the Justice League (which had debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 [February 1960] before going on to its own title) to [[publisher]] [[Martin Goodman (publisher)|Martin Goodman]] (whose holdings included the nascent Marvel Comics) during a game of golf.

However, film producer and comics historian [[Michael Uslan]] partly debunked the story in a letter published in ''Alter Ego'' #43 (December 2004), pp. 43–44
{{Blockquote|Irwin said he never played golf with Goodman, so the story is untrue. I heard this story more than a couple of times while sitting in the lunchroom at DC's 909 Third Avenue and 75 Rockefeller Plaza office as [[Sol Harrison]] and [production chief] [[Jack Adler]] were schmoozing with some of us … who worked for DC during our college summers.... [T]he way I heard the story from Sol was that Goodman was playing with one of the heads of Independent News, not DC Comics (though DC ''owned'' Independent News). … As the distributor of DC Comics, this man certainly knew all the sales figures and was in the best position to tell this tidbit to Goodman. … Of course, Goodman would want to be playing golf with this fellow and be in his good graces. … Sol worked closely with Independent News' top management over the decades and would have gotten this story straight from the horse's mouth.}}

Goodman, a publishing trend-follower aware of the JLA's strong sales, confirmably directed his comics editor, [[Stan Lee]], to create a comic-book series about a team of superheroes. According to Lee in ''[[Origins of Marvel Comics]]'' ([[Marvel Fireside Books|Simon and Schuster/Fireside Books]], 1974), p. 16:
"Martin mentioned that he had noticed one of the titles published by National Comics seemed to be selling better than most. It was a book called ''The'' {{sic}} ''Justice League of America'' and it was composed of a team of superheroes. … ' If the Justice League is selling ', spoke he, 'why don't we put out a comic book that features a team of superheroes?{{' "}}|group=n}}

In 1961, writer-editor [[Stan Lee]] revolutionized [[superhero]] comics by introducing superheroes designed to appeal to older readers than the predominantly child audiences of the medium, thus ushering what Marvel later called the '''Marvel Age of Comics'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA-->.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Marvel Legacy of Jack Kirby |publisher=Marvel |year=2015 |page=50 |isbn=978-0-785-19793-5}}</ref> Modern Marvel's first superhero team, the titular stars of ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|The Fantastic Four]]'' #1<!--first 14 issues had "The" in the title--> (Nov. 1961),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comics.org/series/1482/ |title=Fantastic Four |publisher=[[Grand Comics Database]] |access-date=March 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315125926/http://www.comics.org/series/1482/ |archive-date=March 15, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> broke convention with other comic book archetypes of the time by squabbling, holding grudges both deep and petty, and eschewing anonymity or secret identities in favor of celebrity status. Subsequently, Marvel comics developed a reputation for focusing on characterization and adult issues to a greater extent than most superhero comics before them, a quality which the new generation of older readers appreciated.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Roberts |first1=Randy |first2=James S. |last2=Olson |title=American Experiences: Readings in American History: Since 1865 |edition=4 |publisher=[[Addison–Wesley]] |year=1998 |page=317 |isbn=978-0-321-01031-5 |quote=Marvel Comics employed a realism in both characterization and setting in its superhero titles that was unequaled in the comic book industry.}}</ref> This applied to ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' title in particular, which turned out to be Marvel's most successful book. Its young hero suffered from self-doubt and mundane problems like any other teenager, something with which many readers could identify.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Dunst |first1=Alexander |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fUpnDwAAQBAJ&dq=Spider-Man+comic+suffered+mundane+problems+like+any+other+teenager&pg=PA76 |title=Empirical Comics Research: Digital, Multimodal, and Cognitive Methods |last2=Laubrock |first2=Jochen |last3=Wildfeuer |first3=Janina |date=July 3, 2018 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-73388-5 |language=en |access-date=December 17, 2022 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406013516/https://books.google.com/books?id=fUpnDwAAQBAJ&dq=Spider-Man+comic+suffered+mundane+problems+like+any+other+teenager&pg=PA76 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Stan Lee and [[freelancer|freelance artist]] and eventual co-plotter [[Jack Kirby]]'s Fantastic Four originated in a [[Cold War]] culture that led their creators to revise the superhero conventions of previous eras to better reflect the psychological spirit of their age.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Genter |first=Robert |title=With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility': Cold War Culture and the Birth of Marvel Comics |journal=[[The Journal of Popular Culture]] |volume=40 |issue=6 |date=2007 |pages=953–978 |doi=10.1111/j.1540-5931.2007.00480.x}}</ref> Eschewing such comic book tropes as secret identities and even costumes at first, having a monster as one of the heroes, and having its characters bicker and complain in what was later called a "superheroes in the real world" approach, the series represented a change that proved to be a great success.<ref>Comics historian Greg Theakston has suggested that the decision to include monsters and initially to distance the new breed of superheroes from costumes was a conscious one, and born of necessity. Since DC distributed Marvel's output at the time, Theakston theorizes that, "Goodman and Lee decided to keep their superhero line looking as much like their horror line as they possibly could," downplaying "the fact that [Marvel] was now creating heroes" with the effect that they ventured "into deeper waters, where DC had never considered going". See Ro, pp. 87–88</ref>

Marvel often presented flawed superheroes, freaks, and misfits—unlike the perfect, handsome, athletic heroes found in previous traditional comic books. Some Marvel heroes looked like villains and monsters such as [[the Hulk]] and [[Thing (comics)|the Thing]]. This [[naturalism (literature)|naturalistic]] approach even extended into topical politics. Comics historian Mike Benton also noted:

{{Blockquote|text=In the world of [rival [[DC Comics]]'] [[Superman]] comic books, communism did not exist. Superman rarely crossed national borders or involved himself in political disputes.<ref>{{cite book |first=Mike |last=Benton |title=Superhero Comics of the Silver Age: The Illustrated History |publisher=Taylor Publishing Company |location=Dallas, Texas |isbn=978-0-87833-746-0 |year=1991 |page=35}}</ref> From 1962 to 1965, there were more communists [in Marvel Comics] than on the subscription list of ''[[Pravda]]''. Communist agents attack Ant-Man in his laboratory, red henchmen jump the Fantastic Four on the moon, and [[Viet Cong]] guerrillas take potshots at Iron Man.<ref>Benton, p. 38.</ref>}}

All these elements struck a chord with the older readers, including college-aged adults. In 1965, Spider-Man and the Hulk were both featured in ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' magazine's list of 28 college campus heroes, alongside [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Bob Dylan]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Howe |first1=Sean |title=Marvel Comics: The Untold Story |year=2012 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |location=New York, NY |isbn=978-0-06-199210-0 |page=4}}</ref> In 2009, writer Geoff Boucher reflected that,

<blockquote>Superman and DC Comics instantly seemed like boring old [[Pat Boone]]; Marvel felt like [[The Beatles]] and the [[British Invasion]]. It was Kirby's artwork with its tension and [[psychedelia]] that made it perfect for the times—or was it Lee's bravado and melodrama, which was somehow insecure and brash at the same time?<ref name=laxgb>{{cite news |last=Boucher |first=Geoff |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2009/09/jack-kirby-the-forgotten-hero-in-marvels-grand-hollywood-adventure.html |title=Jack Kirby, the abandoned hero of Marvel's grand Hollywood adventure, and his family's quest |work=Los Angeles Times |date=September 25, 2009<!-- (online); longer version of September 27, 2009 (print version) --> |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725154424/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/09/25/jack-kirby-the-forgotten-hero-in-marvels-grand-hollywood-adventure/ |archive-date=July 25, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote>

In addition to [[Spider-Man]] and the Fantastic Four, Marvel began publishing further superhero titles featuring such heroes and antiheroes as the [[Hulk]], [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]], [[Ant-Man]], [[Iron Man]], the [[X-Men]], [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]], the [[Inhumans]], [[Black Panther (character)|Black Panther]], [[Doctor Strange]], [[Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)|Captain Marvel]] and the [[Silver Surfer]], and such memorable antagonists as [[Doctor Doom]], [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]], [[Galactus]], [[Loki (Marvel Comics)|Loki]], the [[Green Goblin]], and [[Doctor Octopus]], all existing in a shared reality known as the [[Marvel Universe]], with locations that mirror real-life cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Marvel even lampooned itself and other comics companies in a [[parody]] comic, ''[[Not Brand Echh]]'' (a play on Marvel's dubbing of other companies as "Brand Echh", à la the then-common phrase "Brand X").<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,938716,00.html |title=The Real Brand X |magazine=Time |date=October 31, 1960 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629022930/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C938716%2C00.html |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Originally, the company's publications were branded by a minuscule "Mc" on the upper right-hand corner of the covers. However, artist/writer [[Steve Ditko]] put a larger masthead picture of the title character of ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' on the upper left-hand corner on issue #2 that included the series' issue number and price. Lee appreciated the value of this visual motif and adapted it for the company's entire publishing line. This branding pattern, being typically either a full-body picture of the characters' solo titles or a collection of the main characters' faces in ensemble titles, would become standard for Marvel for decades.<ref>{{cite web |title=Branding Failure: The Rise and Fall of Marvel's Corner Box Art |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sk7BAuUCFc  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/6sk7BAuUCFc| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|website=YouTube | date=August 31, 2021 |publisher=ComicTropes |access-date=September 13, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[File:Avengers4.jpg|thumb|Cover of ''[[Avengers (comics)|The Avengers]]'' #4 (Mar 1964), featuring the return of [[Captain America]]. Art by [[Jack Kirby]].]]

=== Cadence Industries ownership ===
In 1968, while selling 50&nbsp;million{{citation needed|date=October 2023}} comic books a year, company founder Goodman revised the constraining distribution arrangement with [[Independent News]] he had reached under duress during the Atlas years, allowing him now to release as many titles as demand warranted.<ref name=stjames/> Late that year, he sold Marvel Comics and its parent company, [[Magazine Management]], to the [[Cadence Industries|Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation (later known as Cadence Industries)]], though he remained as publisher.<ref>Daniels, Les (September 1991). ''Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics'', Harry N Abrams. p. 139.</ref> In 1969, Goodman finally ended his distribution deal with Independent by signing with [[Curtis Circulation|Curtis Circulation Company]].<ref name=stjames>{{cite book |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Marvel-Entertainment-Group-Inc-Company-History.html |chapter=Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. |title=International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 10 |publisher=[[Gale (publisher)|Gale]] / St. James Press, via FundingUniverse.com |year=1995 |location=Farmington Hills, Michigan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711054637/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Marvel-Entertainment-Group-Inc-Company-History.html |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1971, the [[United States Department of Health and Human Services|United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare]] approached Marvel Comics editor-in-chief [[Stan Lee]] to do a comic book story about drug abuse. Lee agreed and wrote a three-part [[Spider-Man]] story portraying drug use as dangerous and unglamorous. However, the industry's self-censorship board, the [[Comics Code Authority]], refused to approve the story because of the presence of narcotics, deeming the context of the story irrelevant. Lee, with Goodman's approval, published the story regardless in ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #96–98 (May–July 1971), without the Comics Code seal. The market reacted well to the storyline, and the CCA subsequently revised the Code the same year.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nyberg |first1=Amy Kiste |title=Seal of Approval: The Origins and History of the Comics Code |date=1994 |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |isbn=9781604736632 |page=170 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WGDschFUKRQC}}</ref>

Goodman retired as publisher in 1972 and installed his son, Chip, as publisher.<ref name=Ronin /> Shortly thereafter, Lee succeeded him as publisher and also became Marvel's president<ref name=Ronin /> for a brief time.<ref name="autobio">Lee, Mair, p. 5.</ref> During his time as president, he appointed his associate editor, prolific writer [[Roy Thomas]], as editor-in-chief. Thomas added "Stan Lee Presents" to the opening page of each comic book.<ref name=Ronin />

[[File:Howard The Duck -8.jpg|left|thumb|''[[Howard the Duck]]'' #8 (Jan. 1977). Cover art by [[Gene Colan]] and [[Steve Leialoha]].]]
A series of new editors-in-chief oversaw the company during another slow time for the industry. Once again, Marvel attempted to diversify, and with the updating of the Comics Code published titles themed to [[horror (genre)|horror]] (''[[The Tomb of Dracula]]''), martial arts (''[[Master of Kung Fu (comics)|Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu]]''), [[sword-and-sorcery]] (''[[Conan (Marvel Comics)|Conan the Barbarian]]'' in 1970,<ref name="bcnr">{{cite news|last1=Wickline|first1=Dan|title=Conan the Barbarian Returns to Marvel Comics – Bleeding Cool News|url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/01/12/conan-barbarian-returns-marvel-comics/|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=Bleeding Cool News And Rumors|date=January 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118064641/https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/01/12/conan-barbarian-returns-marvel-comics/|archive-date=January 18, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Red Sonja]]''), satire (''[[Howard the Duck]]'') and science fiction (''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (comics)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', "[[Killraven]]" in ''[[Amazing Adventures]]'', ''[[Battlestar Galactica (comics)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', ''[[Star Trek (comics)|Star Trek]]'', and, late in the decade, the long-running ''[[Star Wars (1977 comic book)|Star Wars]]'' series). Some of these were published in larger-format black and white magazines, under its [[Curtis Magazines]] imprint.

Marvel was able to capitalize on its successful superhero comics of the previous decade by acquiring a new newsstand distributor and greatly expanding its comics line. Marvel pulled ahead of rival [[DC Comics]] in 1972, during a time when the price and format of the standard newsstand comic were in flux.<ref>{{cite book |quote=Marvel took advantage of this moment to surpass DC in title production for the first time since 1957, and in sales for the first time ever. |author-link=Paul Levitz |last=Levitz |first=Paul |title=75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking |publisher=[[Taschen|Taschen America]] |year=2010 |isbn=978-3-8365-1981-6 |page=451}}</ref> Goodman increased the price and size of Marvel's November 1971 cover-dated comics from 15 cents for 36 pages total to 25 cents for 52 pages. DC followed suit, but Marvel the following month dropped its comics to 20 cents for 36 pages, offering a lower-priced product with a higher distributor discount.<ref>Daniels, ''Marvel'', pp. 154–155.</ref>

In 1973, Perfect Film & Chemical renamed itself as Cadence Industries and renamed Magazine Management as Marvel Comics Group.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rhoades|first=Shirrel|title=A Complete History of American Comic Books|year=2008|publisher=Peter Lang Publishing|location=New York, NY|page=103|isbn=9781433101076|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O16BXbITZwEC&q=Al+Landau+Marvel+President&pg=PA103}}</ref> Goodman, now disconnected from Marvel, set up a new company called [[Atlas/Seaboard Comics|Seaboard Periodicals]] in 1974, reviving Marvel's old Atlas name for a new [[Atlas/Seaboard Comics|Atlas Comics]] line, but this lasted only a year and a half.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Cooke |first=Jon B. |title=Vengeance, Incorporated: A history of the short-lived comics publisher Atlas/Seaboard |url=http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/16goodman.html |access-date=September 28, 2011 |magazine=[[Comic Book Artist]] |issue=16 |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date=December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201104708/http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/16goodman.html |archive-date=December 1, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In the mid-1970s a decline of the newsstand distribution network affected Marvel. Cult hits such as ''Howard the Duck'' fell victim to the distribution problems, with some titles reporting low sales when in fact the first specialty comic book stores resold them at a later date.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}} But by the end of the decade, Marvel's fortunes were reviving, thanks to the rise of [[direct market]] distribution—selling through those same comics-specialty stores instead of newsstands.

Marvel ventured into audio in 1975 with a radio series and a record, both had Stan Lee as narrator. The radio series was [[Fantastic Four#In other media|Fantastic Four]]. The record was ''Spider-Man: Rock Reflections of a Superhero'' concept album for music fans.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McMillan|first1=Graeme|title=Marvel Partners With Stitcher for Scripted 'Wolverine' Podcast|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/wolverine-long-night-podcast-coming-marvel-stitcher-1064525|access-date=December 12, 2017|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=December 5, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213010606/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/wolverine-long-night-podcast-coming-marvel-stitcher-1064525|archive-date=December 13, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Secretwars1.png|thumb|''[[Secret Wars|Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars]]'' #1 (May 1984). Cover art by [[Mike Zeck]] depicting Captain America, Wolverine, Cyclops, Hawkeye, Rogue, She-Hulk, The Thing, Colossus, Monica Rambeau, Nightcrawler, Spider-Man, Human Torch, Hulk, Iron Man and Storm.<ref>Both pencils and inks per UHBMCC; GCD remains uncertain on inker.</ref>]]
Marvel held its own [[comic book convention]], Marvelcon '75, in spring 1975, and promised a Marvelcon '76. At the 1975 event, Stan Lee used a [[Fantastic Four]] panel discussion to announce that [[Jack Kirby]], the artist co-creator of most of Marvel's signature characters, was returning to Marvel after having left in 1970 to work for rival [[DC Comics]].<ref>[[Bullpen Bulletins]]: "The King is Back! 'Nuff Said!", in Marvel Comics [[cover date]]d October 1975, including ''[[Fantastic Four]]'' #163</ref> In October 1976, Marvel, which already licensed reprints in different countries, including the UK, created a superhero specifically for the British market. [[Captain Britain]] debuted exclusively in the UK, and later appeared in American comics.<ref>Specific series- and issue-dates in article are collectively per GCD and other databases given under References</ref> During this time, Marvel and the Iowa-based [[Register and Tribune Syndicate]] launched a number of syndicated [[comic strips]]—''[[The Amazing Spider-Man (comic strip)|The Amazing Spider-Man]]'', ''[[Howard the Duck]]'', ''[[Conan the Barbarian (comics)|Conan the Barbarian]]'', and ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic strip)|The Incredible Hulk]]''. None of the strips lasted past 1982, except for ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', which is still being published.

In 1978, [[Jim Shooter]] became Marvel's editor-in-chief. Although a controversial personality, Shooter cured many of the procedural ills at Marvel, including repeatedly missed deadlines.  During Shooter's nine-year tenure as editor-in-chief, [[Chris Claremont]] and [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]]'s run on the ''[[Uncanny X-Men]]'' and [[Frank Miller]]'s run on ''[[Daredevil (Marvel Comics series)|Daredevil]]'' became critical and commercial successes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Howe |first1=Sean |title=After His Public Downfall, Sin City's Frank Miller Is Back (And Not Sorry) |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/08/frank-miller-sin-city-a-dame-to-kill-for/ |access-date=January 21, 2015 |magazine=Wired |publisher=Condé Nast |date=August 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122001104/http://www.wired.com/2014/08/frank-miller-sin-city-a-dame-to-kill-for/ |archive-date=January 22, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Shooter brought Marvel into the rapidly evolving [[direct market]],<ref>{{cite journal |title=Marvel Focuses On Direct Sales |journal=[[The Comics Journal]] |number=59 |date=October 1980 |pages=11–12}}</ref> institutionalized creator royalties, starting with the [[Epic Comics]] imprint for [[creator ownership|creator-owned]] material in 1982; introduced company-wide crossover story arcs with ''[[Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions|Contest of Champions]]'' and ''[[Secret Wars]]''; and in 1986 launched the ultimately unsuccessful [[New Universe]] line to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Marvel Comics imprint. [[Star Comics]], a children-oriented line differing from the regular Marvel titles, was briefly successful during this period, although hampered by legal action by the owners of the recently defunct [[Harvey Comics]] for purposefully plagiarizing their house style.<ref>"Harvey Sues Marvel Star Comics, Charges Copyright Infringement", ''The Comics Journal'' #105 (Feb. 1986), pp. 23–24.</ref>

=== Marvel Entertainment Group ownership ===
In 1986, Marvel's parent, [[Marvel Entertainment Group]], was sold to [[New World Communications|New World Entertainment]], which within three years sold it to [[MacAndrews and Forbes]], owned by [[Revlon]] executive [[Ronald Perelman]] in 1989. In 1991 Perelman took MEG public. Following the rapid rise of this stock, Perelman issued a series of [[junk bond]]s that he used to acquire other entertainment companies, secured by MEG stock.<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/11/business/marvel-reaches-agreement-to-emerge-from-bankruptcy.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607193918/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/11/business/marvel-reaches-agreement-to-emerge-from-bankruptcy.html |archive-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Marvel Reaches Agreement to Emerge from Bankruptcy |work=The New York Times |date=July 11, 1997 |page=D3 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Marvel Comics 1990 logo.svg|thumb|left|Marvel's logo, {{Circa|1990s}}]]
Marvel earned a great deal of money with their 1980s children's comics imprint [[Star Comics]]{{citation needed |date=October 2023}} and they earned a great deal more money and worldwide success during the comic book boom of the early 1990s, launching the successful [[Marvel 2099|2099]] line of comics set in the future (''[[Spider-Man 2099]]'', etc.) and the creatively daring though commercially unsuccessful [[Razorline]] imprint of [[superhero]] comics created by novelist and filmmaker [[Clive Barker]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clivebarker.com/html/visions/bib/comics/ |title=Clive Barker official site: Comics |publisher=Clivebarker.com |date=November 28, 1999 |access-date=August 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513233839/http://www.clivebarker.com/html/visions/bib/comics/ |archive-date=May 13, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/r/razorlin.htm |title=Independent Heroes from the USA: Clive Barker's Razorline |publisher=Internationalhero.co.uk |access-date=August 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004070553/http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/r/razorlin.htm |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1990, Marvel began selling [[Marvel Universe Cards]] with trading card maker [[SkyBox International]]. These were collectible trading cards that featured the characters and events of the Marvel Universe. The 1990s saw the rise of [[variant cover]]s, cover enhancements, [[Marvel Swimsuit Special|swimsuit issues]], and company-wide crossovers that affected the overall continuity of the [[Marvel Universe]].

[[File:Spiderman1cover.jpg|thumb|''[[Peter Parker: Spider-Man|Spider-Man]]'' #1, later renamed "Peter Parker: Spider-Man" (August 1990). Cover art by [[Todd McFarlane]].]]
In early 1992, seven of Marvel’s prized artists—[[Todd McFarlane]] (known for his work on ''[[Peter Parker: Spider-Man|Spider-Man]]''), [[Jim Lee]] (''[[X-Men]]''), [[Rob Liefeld]] (''[[X-Force]]''), [[Marc Silvestri]] (''[[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]]''), [[Erik Larsen]] (''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]''), [[Jim Valentino]] (''[[Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team)|Guardians of the Galaxy]]''), and [[Whilce Portacio]] (''[[Uncanny X-Men]]'')—left to form [[Image Comics]]<ref name="TCJ">{{cite journal |title=Bye Bye Marvel; Here Comes Image: Portacio, Claremont, Liefeld, Jim Lee Join McFarlane's New Imprint at Malibu |journal=[[The Comics Journal]] |number=48 |date=February 1992 |pages=11–12}}</ref> in a deal brokered by [[Malibu Comics]]' owner [[Scott Mitchell Rosenberg]].<ref name="MULLIGAN">{{Cite news |title=Holy Plot Twist : Marvel Comics' Parent Sees Artists Defect to Rival Malibu, Stock Dive |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-19-fi-2444-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=February 19, 1992 |access-date=February 1, 2016 |issn=0458-3035 |language=en-US |first=Thomas S. |last=Mulligan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510195922/http://articles.latimes.com/1992-02-19/business/fi-2444_1_marvel-comics |archive-date=May 10, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Three years later, on November 3, 1994, Rosenberg sold Malibu to Marvel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9805E2DF173EF932A25752C1A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title=Phenomenon – Comic Genius?|author=Ehrenreich, Ben|date=November 11, 2007|work=[[The New York Times]] magazine|access-date=February 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807071154/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9805E2DF173EF932A25752C1A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|archive-date=August 7, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Reynolds, Eric. "The Rumors are True: Marvel Buys Malibu", ''The Comics Journal'' #173 (December 1994), pp. 29–33.</ref><ref>"News!" ''Indy'' magazine #8 (1994), p. 7.</ref> In purchasing Malibu, Marvel now owned computer coloring technology that had been developed by Rosenberg,<ref name="Wizard World">{{cite web |title=Scott Rosenberg |url=http://www.wizardworld.com/scottrosenberg.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111003/http://www.wizardworld.com/scottrosenberg.html |website=Wizard World |access-date=October 14, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> and also integrated the [[Ultraverse]] line of comics and the [[Protectors (comics)|Genesis Universe]] into Marvel's [[Multiverse (Marvel Comics)|multiverse]].<ref name="Webber 2019">{{cite web | last=Webber | first=Tim | title=The Ultraverse: How Marvel Absorbed the Malibu Comics World | website=[[Comic Book Resources]] | date=November 12, 2019 |url=https://www.cbr.com/ultraverse-marvel-malibu-comics-world/ | access-date=June 27, 2022}}</ref> Earlier that year, the company secured a deal with [[Harvey Comics]], whereas Marvel took on the publishing and distribution of Harvey's titles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marvel allies with Harvey Comics - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1994/05/13/Marvel-allies-with-Harvey-Comics/4445768801600/ |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=UPI |language=en |archive-date=September 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928023308/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1994/05/13/Marvel-allies-with-Harvey-Comics/4445768801600/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In late 1994, Marvel acquired the comic book distributor [[Heroes World Distribution]] to use as its own exclusive distributor.<ref name="DuinCC">Duin, Steve and [[Mike Richardson (publisher)|Richardson, Mike]] (ed.s) "Capital City" in ''Comics Between the Panels'' ([[Dark Horse Comics|Dark Horse Publishing]], 1998) {{ISBN|1-56971-344-8}}, p. 69</ref> As the industry's other major publishers made exclusive distribution deals with other companies, the ripple effect resulted in the survival of only one other major distributor in North America, [[Diamond Comic Distributors Inc.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.milehighcomics.com/tales/cbg131.html |last=Rozanski |first=Chuck |title=Diamond Ended Up With 50% of the Comics Market |publisher=MileHighComics.com |date=n.d. |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716200256/http://www.milehighcomics.com/tales/cbg131.html |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="bNet">{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_July_26/ai_18526328 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525104325/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_July_26/ai_18526328 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2012 |title=Diamond Comic Distributors acquires Capital City Distribution; Comic distribution industry stabilized by purchase |publisher=bNet: Business Wire via Findarticles.com |date=July 26, 1996 |access-date=April 27, 2010 }}</ref> Then, by the middle of the decade, the industry had slumped, and in December 1996 MEG filed for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] bankruptcy protection.<ref name="NYT"/> In early 1997, when Marvel's Heroes World endeavor failed, Diamond also forged an exclusive deal with Marvel<ref>"Hello Again: Marvel Goes with Diamond", ''The Comics Journal'' #193 (February 1997), pp. 9–10.</ref>—giving the company its own section of its comics catalog ''Previews''.<ref name="DuinDiamond">Duin, Steve and [[Mike Richardson (publisher)|Richardson, Mike]] (ed.s) "Diamond Comic Distributors" in ''Comics Between the Panels'' ([[Dark Horse Comics|Dark Horse Publishing]], 1998) {{ISBN|1-56971-344-8}}, p. 125-126</ref>

Marvel in the early to mid-1990s expanded their entries in other media, including [[Saturday-morning cartoon]]s and various comics collaborations to explore new genres. In 1992, they released the ''[[X-Men: The Animated Series]]'' which was aired on [[Fox Kids]], they later released ''[[Spider-Man (1994 TV series)|Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]'' on the network as well. In 1993, Marvel teamed up with [[Thomas Nelson (publisher)|Thomas Nelson]] to create [[Christian media|Christian media genre]] comics, including a Christian superhero named The Illuminator, they made adaptions of [[Christian novel]]s too, including ''[[In His Steps]]'', ''[[The Screwtape Letters]]'', and ''[[The Pilgrim's Progress]]''.<ref name="Huckabee 2021">{{cite web | last=Huckabee | first=Tyler | title=Meet the 1990s Marvel Christian Superhero Disney Doesn't Want You to Know About | website=RELEVANT | date=June 15, 2021 | url=https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/movies/meet-the-1990s-marvel-christian-superhero-disney-doesnt-want-you-to-know-about/ | access-date=May 8, 2022 | archive-date=May 21, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521115227/https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/movies/meet-the-1990s-marvel-christian-superhero-disney-doesnt-want-you-to-know-about/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=" Grand Comics Database ">{{cite web | title=GCD :: Brand Emblem :: Marvel Comics; Nelson | website=Grand Comics Database | url=https://www.comics.org/brand_emblem/3183 | access-date=May 8, 2022 | archive-date=May 8, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508135528/https://www.comics.org/brand_emblem/3183/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In 1996, Marvel had some of its titles participate in "[[Heroes Reborn (1996 comic)|Heroes Reborn]]", a crossover that allowed Marvel to relaunch some of its flagship characters such as the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]] and the [[Fantastic Four]], and [[Outsourcing|outsource]] them to the studios of two of the former Marvel artists turned Image Comics founders, Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld. The relaunched titles, which saw the characters transported to a parallel universe with a history distinct from the mainstream Marvel Universe, were a solid success amidst a generally struggling industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Capital Sale Tops Turbulent Year: The Top 10 Comics News Stories of 1996 |last=Miller |first=John Jackson |author-link=John Jackson Miller |url=http://www.cbgxtra.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1672 |publisher=[[CBGXtra]] |access-date=December 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107094202/http://www.cbgxtra.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1672 |archive-date=November 7, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Marvel Enterprises ===
In 1997, [[Toy Biz]] bought Marvel Entertainment Group to end the bankruptcy, forming a new corporation, [[Marvel Entertainment|Marvel Enterprises]].<ref name="NYT" /> With his business partner [[Avi Arad]], publisher [[Bill Jemas]], and editor-in-chief [[Bob Harras]], Toy Biz co-owner [[Isaac Perlmutter]] helped stabilize the comics line.<ref>{{cite book |title=Comic War: Marvel's Battle for Survival |author-link=Dan Raviv |first=Dan |last=Raviv |publisher=Heroes Books |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-7851-1606-6}}</ref>

In 1998, the company launched the imprint [[Marvel Knights]], taking place “with reduced [Marvel] continuity,” according to one history, with better production quality.<ref name="Newsarama" /> The imprint was helmed by soon-to-become editor-in-chief [[Joe Quesada]]; it featured tough, gritty stories showcasing such characters as the [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]], the [[Inhumans]], and [[Black Panther (comics)|Black Panther]].<ref name=Newsarama>McMillan, Graeme. Page 10. [http://www.newsarama.com/15662-leaving-an-imprint-10-defunct-marvel-publishing-lines.html "Leaving an Imprint: 10 Defunct MARVEL Publishing Lines"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012025607/http://www.newsarama.com/15662-leaving-an-imprint-10-defunct-marvel-publishing-lines.html |date=October 12, 2014 }}. ''Newsarama'' (January 10, 2013).</ref><ref name="VAJournal">Glaser, Brian. "Q+A: Joe Quesada". ''Visual Arts Journal''. School of Visual Arts. Fall 2011. pp. 50–55.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Marnell |first=Blair |date=June 23, 2020 |title=The Legacy of Marvel Knights Black Panther |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/the-legacy-of-marvel-knights-black-panther |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Marvel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dietsch |first=TJ |date=July 28, 2017 |title=Inhuman Nature: Marvel Knights |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/inhuman-nature-marvel-knights |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Marvel}}</ref>

With the new millennium, Marvel Comics emerged from bankruptcy and again began diversifying its offerings. ''X-Force'' #116 ''[[X-Force (comic book)|X-Force]]'' #119 (October 2001) was the first Marvel Comics title since ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man (comic)|The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #96–98 in 1971 to not have the [[Comics Code Authority]] (CCA) approval seal, due to the violence depicted in the issue. The CCA, which governed the content of American comic books, rejected the issue, requiring that changes be made. Instead, Marvel simply stopped submitting comics to the CCA.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Capitanio |first1=Adam |title=The Ages of the X-Men: Essays on the Children of the Atom in Changing Times |date=13 August 2014 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=9780786472192 |editor-last=Darowski |editor-first=Joseph J. |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |page=158 |chapter=Race and Violence from the "Clear Line School": Bodies and the Celebrity Satire of ''X-Statix'' |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yKHyAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA158}}</ref><ref name="Newsarama2">{{cite news |last1=Ching |first1=Albert |date=18 January 2012 |title=Looking Back on X-FORCE and X-STATIX with Mike Allred |url=https://www.newsarama.com/8959-looking-back-on-x-force-and-x-statix-with-mike-allred.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820004904/https://www.newsarama.com/8959-looking-back-on-x-force-and-x-statix-with-mike-allred.html |archive-date=August 20, 2014 |access-date=12 December 2019 |work=Newsarama}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2001 |title=X-Force #116 To Be Non-Code |url=https://icv2.com/articles/comics/view/338/x-force-116-to-be-non-code |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=[[ICv2]] |language=en}}</ref> It then established its own [[Marvel Rating System]] for comics.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 8, 2001 |title=Marvel Considers the Comics Code |url=https://icv2.com/articles/comics/view/369/marvel-considers-comics-code |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=[[ICv2]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Walton |first=Michael |title=The Horror Comic Never Dies: A Grisly History |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-4766-7536-7 |location=Jefferson (North Carolina) |pages=158}}</ref> Marvel also created new [[Imprint (trade name)|imprints]], such as [[MAX (comics)|MAX]] (an explicit-content line)<ref>{{cite web |author=Rosemann |first=Bill |date=July 5, 2001 |title=Marvel's New Ratings System... Explained! |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015205742/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24 |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=February 8, 2011 |work=[[Comic Book Resources]] |type=[[Press release]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harn |first=Darby |date=2022-05-24 |title=10 Best Marvel MAX Comic Books |url=https://screenrant.com/best-marvel-max-comic-books-punisher/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> and [[Marvel Adventures]] (developed for child audiences).<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2010 |title=Marvel Announces Spider-Man And Super Heroes All Ages Series |url=https://comicbook.com/news/marvel-announces-spider-man-and-super-heroes-all-ages-series/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=[[ComicBook.com]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lawson |first=Corrina |date=May 11, 2011 |title=Comic Spotlight on Marvel Adventures Thor |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/05/comic-spotlight-on-marvel-adventures-thor/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> The company also created an [[Multiverse|alternate universe]] imprint, [[Ultimate Marvel]], that allowed the company to [[reboot (continuity)|reboot]] its major titles by revising and updating its characters to introduce to a new generation.<ref name="secret">{{cite web |author=Abraham Riesman |date=May 25, 2015 |title=The Secret History of Ultimate Marvel, the Experiment That Changed Superheroes Forever |url=http://www.vulture.com/2015/05/secret-history-of-ultimate-marvel.html |access-date=July 26, 2017 |publisher=Vulture}}</ref>

Some of the company's properties were adapted into successful film franchises, such as the ''[[Men in Black (franchise)|Men in Black]]'' film series (which was based on a Malibu book), starting in 1997, the ''[[Blade (1998 film)|Blade]]'' film series, starting in 1998, the ''[[X-Men (film series)|X-Men]]'' film series, starting in 2000, and the highest grossing series, ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]'', beginning in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=marvelcomics.htm |title=Franchises: Marvel Comics |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301183838/http://boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=marvelcomics.htm |archive-date=March 1, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Marvel's ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' title was canceled in 1993 after 275 issues, while the ''Savage Sword of Conan'' magazine had lasted 235 issues. Marvel published additional titles including miniseries until 2000 for a total of 650 issues. Conan was picked up by [[Dark Horse Comics]] three years later.<ref name="bcnr"/>

In a cross-promotion, the November 1, 2006, episode of the CBS soap opera ''[[Guiding Light]]'', titled "She's a Marvel", featured the character Harley Davidson Cooper (played by [[Beth Ehlers]]) as a superheroine named the Guiding Light.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.682.guiding_light |title=Guiding Light Comes to Comics! &#124; Marvel.com News |publisher=Marvel.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512190858/http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.682.guiding_light |archive-date=May 12, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The character's story continued in an eight-page backup feature, "A New Light", that appeared in several Marvel titles published November 1 and 8.<ref>{{cite news |author-link=George Gustines |last=Gustines |first=George |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/arts/television/31guid.html?_r=1&ref=arts |title=Pulpy TV and Soapy Comics Find a Lot to Agree On |work=The New York Times |date=October 31, 2006 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217083102/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/arts/television/31guid.html?_r=1&ref=arts |archive-date=February 17, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Also that year, Marvel created a [[wiki]] on its Web site.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marvel.com/universe/Main_Page |title=Marvel Universe wiki |publisher=Marvel.com |date=June 11, 2007 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429142802/http://marvel.com/universe/Main_Page |archive-date=April 29, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Marvel Logo.svg|thumb|left|Marvel Comics logo introduced in 2008]]
In late 2007 the company launched ''[[Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited]]'', a digital archive of over 2,500 back issues available for viewing, for a monthly or annual subscription fee.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-11-12-comics-online-main_N.htm|author=Colton, David|title=Marvel Comics Shows Its Marvelous Colors in Online Archive|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=November 12, 2007|access-date=August 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223200027/http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-11-12-comics-online-main_N.htm|archive-date=December 23, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> At the December 2007 the New York Anime Fest, the company announcement that [[Del Rey Manga]] would published two original English language Marvel manga books featuring the X-Men and Wolverine to hit the stands in spring 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacDonald |first1=Heidi |title=Marvel, Del Rey Team for Manga X-men |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/new-titles/adult-announcements/article/17700-marvel-del-rey-team-for-manga-x-men.html |access-date=February 27, 2020 |work=Publishers Weekly |date=December 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228000138/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/new-titles/adult-announcements/article/17700-marvel-del-rey-team-for-manga-x-men.html |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2009 Marvel Comics closed its Open Submissions Policy, in which the company had accepted unsolicited samples from aspiring comic book artists, saying the time-consuming review process had produced no suitably professional work.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090403-cebeulski-marvel-submissions.html |title=C.B. Cebulski on Marvel's Closed Open Submissions Policy |last=Doran |first=Michael |date=April 3, 2009 |publisher=[[Newsarama]] |access-date=April 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406105316/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090403-cebeulski-marvel-submissions.html |archive-date=April 6, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> The same year, the company commemorated its 70th anniversary, dating to its inception as [[Timely Comics]], by issuing the one-shot ''[[Marvel Mystery Comics]] 70th Anniversary Special'' #1 and a variety of other special issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookbin.com/Marvel_Mystery_Comics_70th_Anniversary_Special_1.html|author=Frisk, Andy|title=''Marvel Mystery Comics 70th Anniversary Special'' #1 (review)|publisher=ComicBookBin|date=June 6, 2009|access-date=October 19, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812015010/http://www.comicbookbin.com/Marvel_Mystery_Comics_70th_Anniversary_Special_1.html|archive-date=August 12, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22344 |title=Celebrate Marvel's 70th Anniversary with Your Local Comic Shop |publisher=Marvel Comics [[press release]] via [[Comic Book Resources]]|date=July 31, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803200600/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22344 |archive-date=August 3, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Disney conglomerate unit (2009–present)===
[[File:6.21.10BrubakerGageFractionBendisByLuigiNovi1.jpg|thumb|Writers of Marvel titles in the 2010s include (seated left to right) [[Ed Brubaker]], [[Christos Gage]], [[Matt Fraction]], and [[Brian Michael Bendis]].]]
On August 31, 2009, [[The Walt Disney Company]] announced it would acquire Marvel Comics' parent corporation, Marvel Entertainment, for a cash and stock deal worth approximately $4&nbsp;billion, which if necessary would be adjusted at closing, giving Marvel [[shareholder]]s $30 and 0.745 Disney shares for each share of Marvel they owned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ditm-twdc-us.storage.googleapis.com/2015/10/2009-Annual-Report.pdf|title=Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Financial Report And Shareholder Letter|date=November 23, 2015|publisher=[[The Walt Disney Company]]|page=78|orig-year=2009-10-03 USSEC Form 10-K|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723182335/https://ditm-twdc-us.storage.googleapis.com/2015/10/2009-Annual-Report.pdf|archive-date=July 23, 2018|via=[[Google Developers#Google Data APIs|Google API]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/disney-to-acquire-marvel-entertainment-for-4b-2009-08-31|title=Disney to acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4B|last=Wilkerson|first=David B.|date=August 31, 2009|website=[[MarketWatch]]|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608001308/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/disney-to-acquire-marvel-entertainment-for-4b-2009-08-31|archive-date=June 8, 2011|access-date=April 26, 2020}}</ref>  As of 2008, Marvel and its major competitor [[DC Comics]] shared over 80% of the American comic-book market.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2008/10/10/news/companies/siklos_marvel.fortune/ |publisher=CNN |title=Spoiler alert: Comic books are alive and kicking |date=October 13, 2008 |access-date=May 1, 2010 |first=Richard |last=Siklos |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317010956/http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/10/news/companies/siklos_marvel.fortune/ |archive-date=March 17, 2010}}</ref>

As of September 2010, Marvel switched its bookstore distribution company from [[Diamond Comic Distributors|Diamond Book Distributors]] to [[Hachette Distribution Services]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Marvel Goes With Hachette |url=http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17247.html |access-date=May 12, 2014 |newspaper=ICV2 |date=May 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513055226/http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17247.html |archive-date=May 13, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Marvel moved its office to the Sports Illustrated Building in October 2010.<ref name=cbr/>

Marvel relaunched the [[CrossGen]] imprint, owned by [[Disney Publishing Worldwide]], in March 2011.<ref>{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Calvin |title=Marvel Revives CrossGen with New Creators, New Stories |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/45594-marvel-revives-crossgen-with-new-creators-new-stories.html |access-date=October 12, 2011 |newspaper=Publishers Weekly |date=December 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117183104/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/45594-marvel-revives-crossgen-with-new-creators-new-stories.html |archive-date=January 17, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Marvel and Disney Publishing began jointly publishing ''Disney/Pixar Presents'' magazine that May.<ref>{{cite web |title='Cars' Creative Team On Marvel's Pixar Move |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=30902 |access-date=October 28, 2011 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |date=February 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119202207/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=30902 |archive-date=November 19, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Marvel discontinued its [[Marvel Adventures]] imprint in March 2012,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=35998 |title=Marvel Ends Current Kids Line of Comics |date=December 19, 2011 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=July 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415075038/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=35998 |archive-date=April 15, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> and replaced them with a line of two titles connected to the [[Marvel Universe (TV)|Marvel Universe TV block]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36580 |title=Marvel Launches All-Ages "Avengers" & "Ultimate Spider-Man" Comics |date=January 24, 2012 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=July 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511233055/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36580 |archive-date=May 11, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in March, Marvel announced its Marvel ReEvolution initiative that included Infinite Comics,<ref name=lat>{{cite news |title=Marvel, circus company join forces for superhero arena show |url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/comics/marvel-circus-company-join-forces-for-superhero-arena-show/#/2 |access-date=May 11, 2013 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516093247/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/comics/marvel-circus-company-join-forces-for-superhero-arena-show/#/2 |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> a line of [[digital comics]], Marvel AR, a software [[application software|application]] that provides an [[augmented reality]] experience to readers and [[Marvel NOW!]], a relaunch of most of the company's major titles with different creative teams.<ref name="ReEvolution1">{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=37478 |title=Marvel Wants You To Join The ReEvolution |date=March 12, 2012 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=February 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708025341/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=37478 |archive-date=July 8, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NOW!">{{cite web |author=[[Alonso, Axel]] |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40532 |title=Axel-In-Charge: "Avengers Vs. X-Men's" Final Phase |date=August 17, 2012 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=February 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514082100/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40532 |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Marvel NOW! also saw the debut of new flagship titles including ''[[Uncanny Avengers]]'' and ''[[All-New X-Men]]''.<ref name="launch">{{cite web |url=http://marvel.com/news/story/19008/marvel_now |title=Marvel NOW! |last=Morse |first=Ben |date=July 5, 2012 |publisher=Marvel Comics |access-date=August 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003130253/http://marvel.com/news/story/19008/marvel_now |archive-date=October 3, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2013, Marvel and other Disney conglomerate components began announcing joint projects. With [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], a ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)#Graphic novel|Once Upon a Time]]'' graphic novel was announced for publication in September.<ref>Sands, Rich. (April 12, 2013) [https://tvguide.com/News/Once-Time-Graphic-Novel-1063959.aspx First Look: The Once Upon a Time Graphic Novel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104224232/http://www.tvguide.com/News/Once-Time-Graphic-Novel-1063959.aspx |date=November 4, 2013 }}. TV Guide.com. Accessed on November 4, 2013.</ref> With Disney, Marvel announced in October 2013 that in January 2014 it would release its first title under their joint "Disney Kingdoms" imprint "Seekers of the Weird", a five-issue miniseries.<ref name=spi>{{cite news |title=Marvel, Disney unveil 1st comic under new imprint |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Marvel-Disney-unveil-1st-comic-under-new-imprint-4878283.php |access-date=October 17, 2013 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |date=October 8, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018022343/http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Marvel-Disney-unveil-1st-comic-under-new-imprint-4878283.php |archive-date=October 18, 2013}}</ref> On January 3, 2014, fellow Disney subsidiary [[Lucasfilm]] announced that as of 2015, [[Star Wars comics|''Star Wars'' comics]] would once again be published by Marvel.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 3, 2014 |title='Star Wars' Comics Go to Marvel in 2015, Dark Horse Responds |url=http://www.newsarama.com/19945-star-wars-comics-go-to-marvel-in-2015.html/ |work=[[Newsarama]] |access-date=January 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204324/http://www.newsarama.com/19945-star-wars-comics-go-to-marvel-in-2015.html/ |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the events of the company-wide crossover "[[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]]" in 2015, a relaunched Marvel universe began in September 2015, called the [[All-New, All-Different Marvel]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://io9.com/marvel-will-launch-an-all-new-all-different-universe-1708974973 |title=Marvel Will Launch An "All-New, All-Different" Universe This September |last=Whitbrook |first=James |work=io9 |date=June 4, 2015 |access-date=June 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623202906/http://io9.com/marvel-will-launch-an-all-new-all-different-universe-1708974973 |archive-date=June 23, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Marvel Legacy]] was the company's Fall 2017 relaunch branding, which began that September. Books released as part of that initiative featured [[Lenticular printing|lenticular]] variant covers that required comic book stores to double their regular issue order to be able to order the variants. The owner of two Comix Experience stores complained about requiring retailers to purchase an excess of copies featuring the regular cover, which they would not be able to sell in order to acquire the more sought-after variant. Marvel responded to these complaints by rescinding these ordering requirements on newer series, but maintained it on more long-running titles like ''Invincible Iron Man.'' As a result, [[Lone Star Comics|MyComicShop.com]] and at least 70 other comic book stores boycotted these variant covers.<ref>{{cite news|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|title=Comic Store Owners Refusing to Carry 'Marvel Legacy' Issues|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/comic-store-owners-announce-they-wont-offer-marvel-legacy-issues-1032851|access-date=January 2, 2018|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=August 25, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103073042/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/comic-store-owners-announce-they-wont-offer-marvel-legacy-issues-1032851|archive-date=January 3, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the release of ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2]]'', ''[[Logan (film)|Logan]]'', ''[[Thor: Ragnarok]]'', and ''[[Spider-Man: Homecoming]]'' in theaters, none of those characters' titles featured in the top 10 sales and the ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' comic book series was canceled.<ref>{{cite news|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|title=DC Takes Over a Declining Market: Which Comics Sold Best in 2017|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/best-selling-comics-2017-1070490|access-date=January 2, 2018|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=December 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102095317/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/best-selling-comics-2017-1070490|archive-date=January 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Conan Properties International announced on January 12, 2018, that Conan would return to Marvel in early 2019.<ref name="bcnr"/>

On March 1, 2019, [[Serial Box]], a digital book platform, announced a partnership with Marvel, in which they would publish new and original stories tied to a number of Marvel's popular franchises.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/books/serial-box-to-partner-with-marvel.html|title=Digital Book Platform Serial Box Will Partner With Marvel to Release New Stories|last=León|first=Concepción de|date=March 1, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 1, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301132126/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/books/serial-box-to-partner-with-marvel.html|archive-date=March 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the wake of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], from March to May 2020, Marvel and its distributor [[Diamond Comic Distributors]] stopped producing and releasing new comic books.<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=April 17, 2020 |title=Confirmed: Diamond Comics Makes Plan to Return to Distribution in May |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/diamond-comics-plan-return-distribution-may/ |work=[[Bleeding Cool]] |location= |access-date=March 20, 2021 |archive-date=March 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302230744/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/diamond-comics-plan-return-distribution-may/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Thielman |first=Sam |date=April 20, 2020 |title='This is beyond the Great Depression': will comic books survive coronavirus? |url=https://theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/20/great-depression-will-comic-books-survive-coronavirus-marvel-cuts |work=[[The Guardian]] |location= |access-date=March 20, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Arrant |first=Chris |date=January 7, 2021 |title=Canceled or..? The nine 2020 Marvel titles that never came out – and the latest |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/missing-marvel-titles-2020/ |work=[[GamesRadar+]] |location= |access-date=March 20, 2021 |archive-date=May 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519232837/https://www.gamesradar.com/amp/missing-marvel-titles-2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On March 25, 2021, Marvel Comics announced that they planned to shift their direct market distribution for monthly comics and graphic novels from Diamond Comic Distributors to [[Penguin Random House]]. The change was scheduled to start on October 1, 2021, in a multi-year partnership. The arrangement would still allow stores the option to order comics from Diamond, but Diamond would be acting as a wholesaler rather than distributor.<ref name=Penguin/>

On March 29, 2023, as a part of a corporate restructuring to fold [[Marvel Entertainment]] into [[The Walt Disney Company]], Marvel Comics was transferred to Disney Publishing Worldwide.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Brooks |date=March 29, 2023 |title=Disney Lays Off Ike Perlmutter, Chairman of Marvel Entertainment |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/29/business/media/disney-marvel-ike-perlmutter.html |access-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329181159/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/29/business/media/disney-marvel-ike-perlmutter.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vary |first=Adam |date=March 29, 2023 |title=Disney Absorbs Marvel Entertainment Amid Layoffs, Dismisses Chairman Ike Perlmutter |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disney-marvel-entertainment-ike-perlmutter-layoffs-1235567927/ |access-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329174551/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disney-marvel-entertainment-ike-perlmutter-layoffs-1235567927/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2024, Marvel unveiled a new logo for Marvel Comics, similar in style to the logos for [[Marvel Studios]] and [[Marvel Studios Animation]]. This logo was meant to be used for more "corporate" purposes and on new social media channels for Marvel Comics, and would not appear on comics themselves.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=June 17, 2024 |title=Marvel Comics Gets A Brand New Logo (Update) |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel-comics-gets-a-brand-new-logo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617181814/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel-comics-gets-a-brand-new-logo/ |archive-date=June 17, 2024 |access-date=June 17, 2024 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Gordon |date=June 17, 2024 |title=Marvel Comics' New Logo Kind of Sucks, Actually |url=https://gizmodo.com/marvel-comics-new-logo-marvel-studios-mcu-1851543812 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617142658/https://gizmodo.com/marvel-comics-new-logo-marvel-studios-mcu-1851543812 |archive-date=June 17, 2024 |access-date=June 17, 2024 |website=[[Gizmodo]]}}</ref>