Marvel Comics Vol 1 1

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Marvel Comics Vol 1 #1
Published
Released
October, 1939
October 2, 1939

Rating
T (13 and up)

 Editor-in-Chief
Martin Goodman

 Cover Artists
Frank Paul

 Publisher
Timely Comics

 Writers
Carl Burgos

 Pencilers
Carl Burgos

 Inkers
Carl Burgos

 Letterers
Carl Burgos

Previous Issue
Next Issue
—
*Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2

  *No Horton, I'll be free, and no one will ever use me for selfish gain - or crime!*
--**Human Torch (Android) (Earth-616)**
## Appearing in "The Human Torch"Edit

**Featured Characters:**

* Human Torch (Jim Hammond) **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2 ***(First appearance)***

**Supporting Characters:**

* Professor Phineas Horton **Previous:** *Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly*  #1 / **Next:** *Human Torch Comics*  #8 ***(First appearance)***

**Antagonists:**

* Sardo ***(First appearance)*** ***(Death)***
* Red ***(First appearance)*** ***(Death)***

**Other Characters:**

* Mr. Harris ***(First appearance)***
* Mr. Harris' Secretary ***(Only appearance)***
* The Scientists Guild ***(Only appearance)***
* New York City Fire Department ***(First appearance)***
* New York Police Department ***(First appearance)***

**Races and Species:**

* Humans
* Synthezoids

**Locations:**

* Earth-616
	+ New York State ***(First appearance)***
		- New York City ***(First appearance)*** ***(Unnamed)***
			* Brooklyn ***(First appearance)***
			* Professor Horton's laboratory ***(First appearance)***
		- Sardo's personal estate ***(First appearance)***
		- Acmen Warehouse ***(First appearance)***
		- Spruce Street ***(Only appearance)***
		- Police headquarters

**Items:**

* Horton Cells ***(First appearance)***

## Appearing in "The Angel"Edit

**Featured Characters:**

* The Angel (Thomas Halloway) **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2 ***(First appearance)***

## Appearing in "The Sub-Mariner"Edit

**Featured Characters:**

* The Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie) **Previous:** *Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly*  #1 / **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2 ***(First Marvel/Timely appearance)***

**Supporting Characters:**

* Princess Fen **Previous:** *Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly*  #1 / **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2 ***(First Marvel/Timely appearance)***
* Dorma  **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #10 ***(First appearance)***
* Holy One (Thakorr) **Previous:** *Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly*  #1 / **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #4 ***(First Marvel/Timely appearance)***

## Appearing in "The Masked Raider."Edit

**Featured Characters:**

* Masked Raider (Jim Gardley) **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2 ***(First appearance)***

**Supporting Characters:**

* Lightning **Next:** *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2 ***(First appearance)***
* Steve ***(Only appearance)***

**Antagonists:**

* Gang of Cal Brunder ***(Only appearance)***
	+ Slick] ***(Only appearance)***
	+ Bends ***(Only appearance)***
	+ Rowdy ***(Only appearance; dies)***

**Other Characters:**

* Mr. Bleck ***(Only appearance; dies)***
* Lordin ***(Only appearance)***
* Mrs. Bleck ***(Only appearance)***

**Races and Species:**

* Humans
* Horses

**Locations:**

* Earth-616
	+ California ***(First appearance)***
		- Cactusville ***(Only appearance)***
			* Jim Gardley's ranch
			* Bleck's Ranch
			* Lordin's Barn
			* Cactusville Sheriff's Office

## Appearing in "Jungle Terror"Edit

**Featured Characters:**

* Ken Masters ***(Only appearance)***
* Tim Roberts ***(Only appearance)***

**Supporting Characters:**

* Professor John Roberts ***(Only appearance)***

**Antagonists:**

* John Crafton ***(Only appearance; dies)***

**Other Characters:**

* Mike ***(Only appearance; dies)***
* Slug ***(Only appearance; dies)***
* Amazon Jungle natives

**Races and Species:**

* Humans

**Locations:**

* Earth-616
	+ Florida ***(First appearance)***
		- Roberts Plantation ***(Only appearance)***
		- Crafton Plantation ***(Only appearance)***
	+ South America ***(First appearance)***
		- Amazon Jungle ***(First appearance)***
			* Amazon Diamond Cave ***(Only appearance)***

**Vehicles:**

* Ken Masters' Airplane ***(Only appearance)***
* John Crafton's Airplane ***(Only appearance)***

## Appearing in "Burning Rubber"Edit

**Featured Characters:**

* Bill Williams ***(Only appearance)***

**Supporting Characters:**

* Fred Turner ***(Only appearance)***
* Ann ***(Only appearance)***

**Other Characters:**

* C.G. Clark ***(Only appearance)***
* Ruth Clerk ***(Only appearance)***

**Races and Species:**

* Humans

## Notes

### Continuity Notes

#### Human Torch

* Since this publication, the origins of the Human Torch have been expanded and told from different perspectives namely *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #92, *Saga of the Original Human Torch*  #1, *Marvels*  #0-1, and *Marvels Project*  #1.

* The Torch's origins have also been expanded: In *Avengers Annual*  #22 revealed that Phineas Horton worked in the town of Timely, Wisconsin under Victor Timely, Jr. who was secretly the time traveler Kang, who had established the town to secretly proliferate the modern age with future tech so he could conquer that era.

* Horton was later revealed to have worked with others in deigning his android, namely Fred Raymond (father of the Torch's future sidekick Toro), and James Bradley (later known as Doctor Nemesis) as revealed in *Invaders*  #22 and *Invaders*  Vol 2 #3 respectively. *Marvels Project*  #1 states that Horton was also receiving government funding for his project.

* The element used to create the Torch's skin, and what makes him combust are called Horton Cells, this term was first used in *Torch*  #1.

* The Scientists Guild examining the Human Torch]]It is generally accepted that the Torch's ability to burst into flame was originally a design flaw. *Avengers Icons: The Vision*
#1 states that this was due to the fact that a Solar Gem created by Horton to control the combustibility of the Horton Cells was stolen by a Nazi spy named Kenneth Laumer. An account in *Avengers / Invaders*  #5 states that Horton intentionally created the Torch's ability to burst into flames due to the fact that Phineas was Jewish and he wanted to create a weapon that was symbolic of the atrocities the Nazis were committing against his people.

#### The Angel

* The Angel is later given an origin story in a text story that appeared in *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #20 that explains that he was raised by his father after his mother died in child birth. A highly educated boy, his first act of heroism was saving an innocent man from getting electrocuted in the electric chair. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Golden Age 2004's profile on the Angel states that his tampering with electricity apparently mutated him in a way so that he aged very slowly.

* It was later stated in *Marvels Project*  #1 that while Halloway was practicing as a doctor he looked after the elderly Two-Gun Kid who had spent many years in the future before being put back in his rightful place in time. The Kid tried to tell him of the future that was coming and that Halloway was going to be a part of it. Two-Gun left his mask and six-shooters for Thomas after he died. Halloway was inspired to become a super-hero after coming to people's aid during the night of the Human Torch's rampage.

* Since *Marvels Project*  #1 was published 70 years after Marvel Comics #1, the issue of the Angel using Two-Gun's mask and six-shooters is obviously not present in this or any other Angel story published in the 1940s. One possible explanation for this is that both *Young Allies Comics 70th Anniversary Special*  #1 and *All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes*  #1 both state that the United States government commissioned Timely Comics to create comic books of super-heroes to boost morale during World War II. These comics were based on the real life exploits of these heroes but were subject to editorial changes to suit the needs for pro American propaganda. This has been a means to work around some of the more ridiculous and socially unacceptable themes that were featured in Timely Era comics.

#### The Sub-Mariner

* Namor's origins here are only a brief narration, they have since been depicted many times from different perspectives, namely in *Sub-Mariner Comics*  #32, *Fantastic Four Annual*  #1, *Sub-Mariner*  #1, and *Saga of the Sub-Mariner*  #1 among others.

* The Holy One's real name is Emperor Thakorr, throughout publications in the 1940s and 50s, Thakorr is referred to as "The Holy One" or "The Emperor", his real name was not revealed until *Sub-Mariner*  #1.

* All Atlantean males are depicted as having fish-like characteristics: greenish skin with scales, large eyes, and catfish like barbels under the nose while females have Caucasian skin but large eyes and some slight fish like features. Atlanteans were not depicted with their trademark blue-skin and humanoid features until *Fantastic Four Annual*  #1. Additionally, the name of their race and the fact that they had any connection to Atlantis was not revealed until that issue.

#### Jungle Terror

* Although this was a one-off story, Ken Masters received an entry in the *Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special*  #1 published in 2009.

#### Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great

* David Rand has no apparent relation to Kevin Plunder, the modern age Ka-Zar who first appeared in *X-Men*  #10.

### Publication Notes

* First Marvel Comic published.
* Ka-Zar first appeared in October 1936 in a Manvis Publishing Company pulp magazine called Ka-Zar. Two more issues of the magazine were published (in January and June 1937) and Ka-Zar did not appear until "Marvel Comics #1".
* The Angel story in this issue mimics much of the plot of The Saint in New York by Leslie Charteris.
* The first page of this issue shows a "funnies" page named "Now I'll Tell One!".
* First 8 pages of "The Sub-Mariner"-story are reprinted in color from *Motion Picture Funnies Weekly*  #1.
* The stories of this issue are reprinted in other comics and books, see references for more info.

## Trivia

* This issue is sometimes referred to as *Marvel Mystery Comics* #1, as the next series' storyline is in *Marvel Mystery Comics*  #2.
* Some copies of this issue will have a blackened Oct. on the cover and instead have Nov. in its place. This is due to Timely selling out with over 80,000 issues sold in with the first printing in 1939. This prompted Timely to print a second printing with the Nov. date added.
* This comic is referenced throughout *The Venture Bros.* Season 4 premiere "Blood of the Father, Heart of Steel", where the mint-conditioned comic's loss in value as the Venture family uses it is a recurring joke.

## See Also

* Write your own review of this comic!
* Discuss Marvel Comics Vol 1 1 on the forums
* Images from Marvel Comics Vol 1 1

## Links and References

* Marvel Masterworks Synopsis
* Marvel Comics #1 at *Wikipedia*

### Footnotes

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 First and only known appearance to date besides flashbacks
2. ↑ The 1st story is reprinted in the following comics/TPB's:

	* + *Fantasy Masterpieces*  #9 - 1st story
		+ *Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus HC*  #1 - 1st story
		+ *Golden Age of Marvel Comics TPB*  #2 - 1st story
		+ *Marvel Comics*  Vol 2 #1 - 1990 reprint, 1st story
		+ *Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary Edition*  #1 - 1st story
		+ *Wizard Ace Edition: Marvel Comics*  #1 - 1st story
		+ *Marvel Masterworks*  #36
	* The 2nd story is reprinted in the following comics/TPB's:
		+ *Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus HC*  #1 - 2nd story
		+ *Marvel Comics*  Vol 2 #1 - 1990 reprint, 2nd story
		+ *Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary Edition*  #1 - 2nd story
		+ *Marvel Masterworks*  #36
	* The 3rd story is reprinted in the following comics/TPB's:
		+ *Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus HC*  #1 - 3rd story
		+ *Golden Age of Marvel Comics TPB*  #1 - 1st story
		+ *Invaders*  #20 - 2nd story
		+ *Marvel Comics*  Vol 2 #1 - 1990 reprint, 3rd story
		+ *Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary Edition*  #1 - 3rd story
		+ *Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner HC*  #1 - 1st story
		+ *Marvel Milestones: Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner and Hulk*  #1 - 3rd story
		+ *Sub-Mariner Comics 70th Anniversary Special*  #1 - 3rd story
		+ *Wizard Ace Edition: Marvel Comics*  #1 - 2nd story
		+ *Marvel Masterworks*  #36
	* The 4th story is reprinted in the following comics/TPB's:
		+ *Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus HC*  #1 - 4th story
		+ *Marvel Comics*  Vol 2 #1 - 1990 reprint, 4th story
		+ *Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary Edition*  #1 - 4th story
		+ *Marvel Masterworks*  #36
	* The 5th story is reprinted in the following comics/TPB's:
		+ *Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus HC*  #1 - 5th story
		+ *Marvel Comics*  Vol 2 #1 - 1990 reprint, 5th story
		+ *Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary Edition*  #1 - 5th story
		+ *Marvel Masterworks*  #36
	* The 7th story is reprinted in the following comics/TPB's:
		+ *Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus HC*  #1 - 6th story
		+ *Marvel Comics*  Vol 2 #1 - 1990 reprint, 6th story
		+ *Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary Edition*  #1 - 6th story
		+ *Marvel Masterworks*  #36