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1963

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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, Plantman, Rama-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
Strange Tales #104 (Human Torch) 1st Paste Pot Pete
Hulk #5 1st Tyrannus
Tales To Astonish #39 (Ant-Man) 1st Scarlet Beetle
Strange Tales #105 (Human Torch) 
Tales To Astonish #40 (Ant-Man) 
Fantastic Four #11 1st Impossible Man
Strange Tales #106 (Human Torch) 
Uncanny X-Men #38-43 (origins) 
X-Men Origins: Iceman #1
Uncanny X-Men #44-46 (origins)
 
Uncanny X-Men #49-56 (origins) 
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 
Amazing Spider-Man #1 1st Chameleon
Cable #-1 
Tales To Astonish #41 (Ant-Man) 
Strange Tales #107 (Human Torch) 
Strange Tales #108 (Human Torch) 
Fantastic Four #13 1st Red Ghost. 1st Watcher in modern age
Wolverine/Cable: Guts and Glory 
Tales To Astonish #42 (Ant-Man) 
Tales Of Suspense #40 (Iron Man) 
Amazing Spider-Man #2 1st Vulture & Tinkerer
Fantastic Four #14 
Tales To Astonish #43 (Ant-Man) 
Tales Of Suspense #41 (Iron Man) 
Journey Into Mystery #93 1st Radioactive Man
Strange Tales #109 (Human Torch) 
Strange Tales #116 (Dr. Strange) 
Strange Tales #110 (Human Torch) 
Fantastic Four #15 1st Mad Thinker & Awesome Android
Tales Of Suspense #42 (Iron Man) 
Tales To Astonish #44 (Ant-Man) 1st Wasp
Amazing Spider-Man #3 1st Dr. Octopus
Strange Tales #111 (Human Torch) 
Tales Of Suspense #43 
Tales To Astonish #45 (Ant-Man/Wasp) 
Fantastic Four #16 
Fantastic Four #17 
Tales Of Suspense #44 (Iron Man) 
Tales To Astonish #46 (Ant-Man/Wasp) 
Amazing Spider-Man #4 1st Sandman
Journey Into Mystery #94-96 
Fantastic Four #18 1st Super-Skrull
Strange Tales #112 (Human Torch) 1st Eel
Strange Tales annual #2 (Human Torch) 
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
Iron Man: The Iron Age #1 
Tales Of Suspense #45 1st Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts, Blizzard
Tales To Astonish #47 (Ant-Man/Wasp) 
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 Rama-Tut (Kang)
Tales To Astonish #48 (Ant-Man/Wasp) 1st Porcupine
Marvel Comics Presents #58 (Iron Man) 
Amazing Spider-Man #6 1st Lizard
Untold Tales of Spider-Man #1 1st Scorcher
Strange Tales #117 (Dr. Strange) 
Untold Tales of Spider-Man #2 1st Batwing
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 (Giant-Man/Wasp) Henry Pym becomes Giant-Man
Avengers #1.5 
Strange Tales #115 (Human Torch) 
Avengers #2 1st Space Phantom
Fantastic Four #21 1st Hate-Monger. 1st Nick Fury in modern age.
Tales Of Suspense #48 Iron Man creates his classic suit
Amazing Spider-Man #7 
Untold Tales of Spider-Man #3 
Journey Into Mystery #99-100 1st Mr. Hyde
Strange Tales #118 (Dr. Strange) 
Tales To Astonish #50 (Giant-Man/Wasp) 1st Whirlwind (as Human Top)

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