As a seasoned gamer of Marvel comics, I can attest that the 1970s were truly a golden age for comic book enthusiasts, and the “Giant-Size” issues were undoubtedly the pièce de résistance! Having grown up amidst the stacks of these colossal comics, I can still vividly remember the thrill of flipping through those extra-thick pages filled with epic battles, mind-bending stories, and the introduction of some of Marvel’s most iconic characters.
1974’s “Giant-Size Super-Stars” #1 showcased some of Marvel’s top-tier characters: the Fantastic Four and the Hulk, who engaged in a mind-swapping battle with the Thing, penned by Gerry Conway, renowned for his work on The Amazing Spider-Man, and illustrated by Rich Buckler, known for his work on Fantastic Four. This 52-page saga was set to be succeeded by “Giant-Size Super-Stars” #2, showcasing Spider-Man, Morbius, and Man-Wolf, and a third issue featuring Conan the Barbarian. As explained by editor Roy Thomas, the 35-cent “Giant-Size” series was Marvel’s take on the early 1970s network rotation strategy seen in The NBC Mystery Movie, where the network would air its most popular shows during the same time slot.
In the same way that TV stations could air shows like Columbo, McCloud, and McMillan & Wife on alternating weeks during the same time slot, Thomas suggested in a two-page essay in Giant-Size Super-Stars #1, why couldn’t Marvel Comics, with their most popular series, rotate in the same magazine on a weekly basis? This way, each feature would appear in four giant-sized issues annually.
Under financial constraints at the eleventh hour, Marvel decided to reduce their 52-page comic magazine to 36 pages instead. It was Marvel’s publisher, Stan Lee, who then turned towards TV’s variety of rotating series for inspiration in creating the quarterly comic that would showcase fresh stories, artwork, and special features.
The editor reminisced that Lee and Thomas were brainstorming strategies to launch a series of 52-page comic books with great impact, as Marvel Comics aimed to release an issue monthly without disrupting or overpowering their existing titles. So, they introduced Giant-Size Super-Stars, which was later renamed Giant-Size Fantastic Four starting from issue 2. Other planned features were developed into separate series such as Giant-Size Super-Heroes Starring Spider-Man for the first issue and Giant-Size Conan for the first issue as well.
The large format led to the debut of the companion magazine “Giant-Size Chillers with Curse of Dracula” #1, as well as the four-part series “Giant-Size Dracula”, “Giant-Size Spider-Man” for six issues, various creature features showcasing Marvel’s monstrous characters such as Werewolf (from “Werewolf by Night”) and Man-Thing, a two-issue series called “Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up” featuring Doctor Doom and Namor the Sub-Mariner, and 1975’s “Giant-Size X-Men” #1, which introduced the brand new, revamped X-Men team.
For the very first time, all these captivating tales will be assembled in the Giant-Size Marvel Omnibus. This colossal tome, available from April 15th, 2025, spans an impressive 1272 pages. Here’s what it includes:
Back in the groovy ’70s, I was all about those colossal editions of Marvel classics – they were the epitome of comic book awesomeness, gathered together in one humongous Omnibus collection!
In extended storylines from the 1970s, many of your beloved superheroes, alongside some terrifying characters from Marvel’s horror universe, embarked on epic journeys. For instance, The Thing squares off against the Hulk, while the Fantastic Four cross paths with Multiple Man! Spider-Man faces horrifying confrontations with Morbius, Man-Wolf, Dracula, and Man-Thing! The Avengers grapple with loss and celebrate Vision’s wedding to the Scarlet Witch. Meanwhile, The Defenders join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy! A new X-Men team is tasked with rescuing their original counterparts. Additionally, prepare for spine-tingling tales featuring Dracula, Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, and more in oversized issues!
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2024-09-17 22:12