Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
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1963
 This year saw the formative stories of most of the classic Marvel characters. Nearly every issue of Spider-Man introduced a new villain 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.
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. 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. |
Creator notes: Stan Lee writes nearly every story here and Jack Kirby and Steve Dikto illustrate just about everything, except Iron Man (Don Heck) and the occasional fill-in. |
| Notable events: 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. | |
| New characters: 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, Rama-Tut, Cobra, Melter, Vanisher, Molecule Man, Hate Monger, Mr. Hyde |
