The January Bullpen Bulletin talks about how comic book specialty shops are starting to pop up around the country. Fans looking for back issues have been imploring Marvel to open its own chain of stores, but the Bullpen note suggests that fans check out these new outlets instead. This is the beginning of the direct market, which result in some major changes in the industry.

We also start seeing the two page ads from Mile High Comics. There's an interesting history behind those ads; it's the first time that ads for comics featured actually prices, which gave readers a sense of how much their comics were worth, and shifted perceptions a bit to make comics more of a collectible.

The quality continues to improve. Roger Stern begins to write the Spectacular Spider-Man, sort of a precursor to his definitive Amazing Spider-Man a few years later. And Frank Miller writes and draws Daredevil, to critical acclaim. Even on books where there isn't a hot writer or artist, the general level of professionalism is up quite a bit from the mid-70s. There's still a decent amount of junk in the line, but even the not-so-good stuff doesn't approach the sloppy nonsense that was put out in 70s. Things are definitely looking up.

Marvel runs an essay contest, offering cash for the best essay in three age groups. For the month that this contest is announced, there are messages on the covers that say "This Marvel Comic could be worth $2,500 to you!". They also promise to run the names of everyone who enters the contest in future issues. Fulfilling that promise takes many months due to the number of entries. Later in the year, Marvel runs ads for a Toys R Us shopping spree contest on the covers.

The historic Dark Phoenix saga runs this month in X-Men. Also, the notorious "Ms. Marvel kidnapped and raped by Marcus, the son of Immortus" issue. Moon Knight gets his own book. Bobbi Morse, former SHIELD agent and Ka-Zar supporting character, becomes Mockingbird.

A lot of significant new characters: Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, White Queen, Taskmaster, Sidewinder, Anaconda, Black Mamba, Death Adder, Roderick Kingsley (eventually revealed to be the Hobgoblin), Calypso, Marcus Immortus, the U-Foes, Madame Web, Hydroman

Dr. Strange #42-44  
Captain America #246  
Uncanny X-Men #129-131 1st Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, White Queen 
Defenders #78-83  
Captain America #247  
Marvel Team-Up #89  
Iron Man #130  
Defenders #84-85  
Captain America #248-249  
Power Man & Iron Fist #61-62  
Defenders #86  
Iron Man #131-133  
Micronauts #14-17  
Avengers #192-193  
Fantastic Four #215-216  
She-Hulk #1  
Hulk #244  
Amazing Spider-Man #201-202  
Marvel Team-Up #90  
Hulk #245-248  
Marvel Team-Up #91  
Marvel Two-In-One #61-63  
Hulk Magazine #20
Marvel Preview #21 (Moonknight)  
Fantastic Four #217  
Spider-Woman #25  
Uncanny X-Men #132-135 1st Dark Phoenix 
Shogun Warriors #16  
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #42  
Fantastic Four #218  
Uncanny X-Men #136-137 Death of Phoenix 
Iron Man #134-135  
Amazing Spider-Man #204-205  
Power Man & Iron Fist #63-64  
Uncanny X-Men #138  
Hulk #249  
Marvel Two-In-One #64-66 1st Sidewinder, Anaconda, Black Mamba, Death Adder 
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #43 1st Roderick Kingsley (Hobgoblin) 
Marvel Two-In-One #67  
She-Hulk #6  
Avengers #194-196 1st Taskmaster 
Marvel Team-Up #95 1st Mockingbird 
Marvel Two-In-One #68  
Avengers #197  
Captain America #250  
Fantastic Four #219  
ROM #8-9  
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #44-45  
Fantastic Four #220-221  
Amazing Spider-Man #206  
Avengers #198-199  
Iron Man #136  
She-Hulk #7-8  
Shogun Warriors #19-20  
Spider-Woman #29  
Iron Man #137  
Hulk #250  
Amazing Spider-Man #207  
Defenders #87  
Marvel Team-Up #97  
Marvel Team-Up annual #3  
Marvel Spotlight #8  
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #46  
Iron Man #138-139  
Hulk #251  
Amazing Spider-Man #208  
Hulk #252-253  
Amazing Spider-Man #209 1st Calypso 
Avengers #200 1st Marcus 
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #47-48  
Fantastic Four annual #15  
Amazing Spider-Man annual #14  
Hulk #254 1st U-Foes 
Moon Knight #1  
Avengers #201  
Power Man & Iron Fist #65  
Micronauts #23  
Defenders #88  
Uncanny X-Men #139-140  
Machine Man #18  
Doctor Strange #45  
Amazing Spider-Man #210 1st Madame Web 
Avengers #202  
Avengers #203  
Captain America #251-252  
Micronauts #24-28  
Iron Man #140-141  
Defenders #89-91  
Power Man & Iron Fist #66  
Uncanny X-Men annual #4  
Amazing Spider-Man #211-212 1st Hydroman 
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #49-52  
Moon Knight #2  
Marvel Team-Up #100 1st Karma 
Marvel Two-In-One #70