This year saw the formative stories of most of the classic Marvel characters. Nearly every issue of Spider-Man introduced a new villian that would remain A-List for decades. The Avengers and the X-Men both formed this year. Dr. Strange starts getting published at this time in Strange Tales, even though according to Marvel: The Lost Generation his early stories actually took place earlier.

We have the first Marvel Silver Age crossover with the Hulk appearing in Fantastic Four #12. This is followed with the FF's appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #1, and then an Ant-Man appearance in Fantastic Four #16. We also start to see villains moving between books, as Dr. Doom shows up in Amazing Spider-Man #5, and the Human Torch fights the Sandman in Strange Tales #115.

These characters evolve. The Sub-Mariner searches for, and eventually finds, his lost kingdom and takes control of it. Ant-Man becomes Giant Man. Iron Man's armor starts off clunky and grey and winds up looking generally the way we think of it.

Stan Lee writes nearly every story here and Jack Kirby and Steve Dikto illustrate just about everything, except Iron Man (Don Heck) and the occassional fill-in.

There are some nice continuity inserts during this period. Kurt Busiek's Amazing Fantasy and Untold Tales of Spider-Man add some much appreciated character development (and just some fun stories) to Spidey. He also gives Pepper Potts (and Tony Stark) some depth in the Iron Age. Roger Stern provides an early Avengers fight against Dr. Doom. Inner Demons provides a human perspective on the Sub-Mariner. And John Byrne adds a little back-story to Namor's origin in the reprint of Fantastic Four annual #1.

First appeances: Iron Man, Wasp, Chameleon, Tinkerer, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Lizard, Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast, Iceman, Magneto, Crimson Dynamo, Tyrannus, Odin, Loki, Impossible Man, Chameleon, J. Jonah Jameson, Red Ghost, Uatu the Watcher, Radioactive Man, Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts, Super-Skrull, Crimson Dynamo, Plantman, Ranma-Tut, Cobra, Melter, Vanisher, Molecule Man, Hate Monger, Mr. Hyde

Journey Into Mystery #85-92 1st Asgardians (Loki, Odin, etc) in modern age. 1st Zarrko the Tomorrow Man 
Hulk #5 1st Tyrannus 
Strange Tales #104 1st Paste Pot Pete 
Tales To Astonish #40  
Fantastic Four #11 1st Impossible Man 
Strange Tales #105 (Human Torch)  
Fantastic Four #12 1st Silver Age crossover: the FF meets the Hulk! 
Hulk #6  
Tales of Suspense #39 1st Iron Man 
Amazing Fantasy #16-18  
Iron Man: The Iron Age #1  
Amazing Spider-Man #1 1st Chameleon 
Strange Tales #107 (Human Torch)  
Fantastic Four #13 1st Red Ghost. 1st Watcher in modern age 
Amazing Spider-Man #2 1st Vulture & Tinkerer 
Fantastic Four #14  
Journey Into Mystery #93 1st Radioactive Man 
Strange Tales #116 (Dr. Strange)  
Fantastic Four #15 1st Mad Thinker & Awesome Android 
Amazing Spider-Man #3 1st Dr. Octopus 
Tales Of Suspense #43  
Fantastic Four #16  
Tales of Suspense #44 (Iron Man)  
Fantastic Four #17  
Amazing Spider-Man #4 1st Sandman 
Journey Into Mystery #94-96  
Strange Tales #112 (Human Torch) 1st Eel 
Inner Demons  
Fantastic Four annual #1 Sub-Mariner finds Atlantis 
Avengers #1 Formation of the Avengers 
Uncanny X-Men #1 1st X-Men (Professor X, Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl). 1st Magneto 
Tales of Suspense #45  
Fantastic Four #18 1st Super-Skrull 
Amazing Spider-Man #5 1st villain cross-pollination: Dr. Doom vs. Spider-Man! 
Journey Into Mystery #97  
Tales of Suspense #46 1st Crimson Dynamo 
Strange Tales #113 (Human Torch) 1st Plantman 
Fantastic Four #19 1st Ranma-Tut (Kang) 
Amazing Spider-Man #6 1st Lizard 
Untold Tales of Spider-Man #1  
Strange Tales #117 (Dr. Strange)  
Untold Tales of Spider-Man #2  
Journey Into Mystery #98 1st Cobra 
Tales of Suspense #47 1st Melter 
Strange Tales #114 (Human Torch)  
Uncanny X-Men #2 1st Vanisher 
Fantastic Four #20 1st Molecule Man 
Tales To Astonish #49 Henry Pym becomes Giant-Man 
Amazing Spider-Man #7  
Avengers #1.5  
Strange Tales #115 (Human Torch)  
Untold Tales of Spider-Man #3  
Fantastic Four #21 1st Hate-Monger. 1st Nick Fury in modern age. 
Tales of Suspense #48 Iron Man creates his classic suit 
Journey Into Mystery #99-100 1st Mr. Hyde 
Strange Tales #118 (Dr. Strange)