Marvel continues a winning streak under Jim Shooter's editorial leadership. Superstar creators on all the core books, including John Byrne on Fantastic Four and Hulk, Roger Stern/John Buscema/Tom Palmer on Avengers, and Chris Claremont/John Romita Jr. on X-Men. The Spider-Man books become much more tightly coordinated under editor Jim Owsley (aka Christopher Priest), with Amazing and Spectacular having solid creative teams in DeFalco/Frenz, and Peter David (with alternating artist, mostly Rich Buckler and Mark Beachum) respectively. Web of Spider-Man doesn't have a consistent creative team, but the cross-title continuity on the Spider-titles becomes so tight it's difficult to represent in my project, with some stories occuring during other stories. The rest of the line has creative teams that only feel secondary compared to how amazing the ones i've already mentioned are, including a solid Denny O'Neil/M.D. Bright Iron Man, Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema on Thor, Peter Gillis and Mark Badger on Dr. Strange, Louise Simonson on Power Pack, and more. It's absolutely a banner year. And that's appropriate for Marvel's 25th anniversary, which is celebrated on the November cover date books with special portrait covers that have the banner that i've got a poorly cropped version of running down the right side of my website here. What's amazing to consider is that there is actually a lot of upheaval going on behind the scenes at Marvel. Jim Shooter has described himself as being under fire from both above and below, fighting with executives that were selling the company and with creators and editors that felt that he was micromanaging. John Byrne eventually leaves Marvel. Chris Claremont is overruled when Marvel decides to bring back Jean Grey to launch a new X-Factor title by Bob Layton, and his plots for the Mutant Massacre are derailed thanks to legal challenges from Alan Moore. Editors Denny O'Neil and Mike Carlin are fired. Marvel is unable to bring Steve Gerber back to write issues of a Howard the Duck revival timed to coincide with the release of a major George Lucas-produced movie (which bombed). Marvel publically fought with Jack Kirby over the return of his original art (and the phantom of his claiming ownership of Marvel's characters while Marvel was for sale). Books like Power Man & Iron Fist, The Thing, Dazzler, Defenders, and Micronauts were cancelled to make room for Marvel's launch of a separate New Universe line (which also bombed). Christopher Priest is fired as Spider-Man editor, in part thanks to the larger office politics that were going on. In November 1986, Marvel was sold to New World Pictures. The crossover continues to become a bigger part of Marvel's repertoire. Secret Wars II concludes here. Spider-Man has a Missing In Action mini-event using the same Secret Wars II style corners to attract attention. And at the end of the year, we have the Mutant Massacre and the Raid on Avengers Mansion, two excellent and memorable storylines. The original Scourge storyline, which appeared in many Marvel books and killed many minor Marvel villains, reaches a conclusion this year. And there are of course smaller scale crossovers, like an Avengers/Alpha Flight team-up in Atlantis and continued stories in the annuals for the Avengers books and, separately, the Claremont X-Books. Some significant non-Marvel events at this time include the conclusion of DC's Crisis and the beginning of a rolling reboot of DC's books, including the Superman book that lured John Byrne away from Marvel. I'd say that DC was trying to get their continuity under control to match Marvel's success with their more consistent shared universe, but i don't want to start any flame wars. Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore's Watchmen also changed people's perception of what comics could be. At Marvel, Frank Miller's Daredevil: Born Again run and Mark Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme could credibly be put in that category as well, if maybe not as high on the list. Prices on regular books go from 65 to 75 cents with the February covers. Annuals and double-sized books were $1.25.
	Notable events: Return of Jean Grey and the formation of X-Factor. The death of Jean DeWolff. Magneto becoming headmaster of the New Mutant's school. The end of Secret Wars II. The birth of the Vision & the Scarlet Witch's twins. The birth of Nathanial Summers, the baby that will go on to become Cable. The Thor, Frog of Thunder story. Sharon Ventura becomes the new Ms. Marvel. The marriage of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross. The Hulk's transformation to his original grey form. Psylocke joins the X-Men cast. The Heroes For Hope charity comic featuring contributions by some unusual creators. Punisher gets his first series, a mini-series. Conclusion of minis for Balder the Brave (!), Eternals, and Vision and the Scarlet Witch. We're also introduced to Dakota North in a short lived series.
	New characters: Yellowjacket (Rita Demara), Justice Peace, Rusty Collins, Artie Maddicks, Tower, Frenzy, Apocalypse, Trish Tilby, Skids, Ghuar, the Dreaming Celestial, USAgent (as Super-Patriot), Persuasion (as Purple Girl), Puddlegulp, Dakota North, Slyde, Nuke