Definitions

Essential_Marvel

Essential Marvel

Essential Marvel is a line of American comic book reprints. It consists in a series of black-and-white paperbacks containing about 20-30 issues of mostly silver or bronze age Marvel comic book reprints each. They contain between 450 and 650 pages, and coarse, matte-quality paper is used. Previously sold at $14.95 US, volumes now carry a suggested retail price of $16.99 US.

In the same way that the DC Archive Editions are DC Comics' equivalent of Marvel Masterworks, Showcase Presents is their equivalent of the Essential line of reprints.

History

The Essential range launched in March 1997 with the joint release of Essential X-Men vol. 1 and Essential Spider-Man vol. 1. While Essential Spider-Man started with Spider-Man's first appearance in the Silver Age (collecting Amazing Fantasy #15 and Amazing Spider-Man #1-20), Marvel chose to skip ahead to Giant Sized X-Men #1 and Uncanny X-Men #94-119, the relaunch of the title that sparked the X-Men's popularity in the late 1970s and 1980s. The decision to skip the original X-Men in favor of starting with the more well known "All-New, All-Different" X-Men was controversial, though Marvel ultimately went back and began a new collection of Essential volumes, titled Essential Uncanny X-Men, to collect the earliest X-Men stories.

The (second) cover design launched in 2001—all the older volumes (excluding Essential Conan vol. 1) have been reprinted since then with the new design as well as to correct printing mistakes from previous volumes (such as the fact that both Essential X-Men vol. 1 and vol. 2 both have missing pages from their earlier printings) and to reshuffle content to put volume breaks in more logical places, continuity-wise.

From May 2005, many of the volumes have been reprinted for a third time—this time with the same cover design as the second reprint, but with different cover artwork. Initially, the Essential line used newly produced artwork. For the current printing, artwork from the reprinted material is used, with the legal indicia in these new editions saying 'Second Edition, First Printing'.

In 2008, a new (third) cover design launched, again starting with reprinting older volumes that were going back to press for new printings, and is now the look for new volumes.

Marvel has come under criticism for censoring some of the Essential books, specifically the third and fourth volumes of Essential Tomb of Dracula, in which digital editing was used to remove or obscure nudity. Both volumes contain reprints of Dracula stories originally published by Marvel in magazine format, which allowed for them to include nudity in the artwork.

Table of Essential Volumes

Volume Name Years Covered Issues Collected Pages ISBN Date Published (First Edition)
1962-1965 Amazing Fantasy #15, The Amazing Spider-Man #1-20, Annual #1 552 ISBN 0-7851-2192-7
1965-1966 The Amazing Spider-Man #21-43, Annual #2-3 536 ISBN 0-7851-1863-2
1967-1968 The Amazing Spider-Man #44-65, Annual #4. 528 ISBN 0-7851-1864-0
1968-1970 The Amazing Spider-Man #66-89, Annual #5 552 ISBN 0-7851-1865-9
1970-1972 The Amazing Spider-Man #90-113 528 ISBN 0-7851-2379-2
1972-1974 The Amazing Spider-Man #114-137, Giant-Size Superheroes #1, Giant-Size Spider-Man #1-2 576 ISBN 0-7851-1365-7
1974-1976 The Amazing Spider-Man #138-160, Annual #10, Giant-Size Spider-Man #3-5 560 ISBN 0-7851-1879-9
1976-1978 The Amazing Spider-Man #161-185, Annual #11, Giant-Size Spider-Man #6, Nova #12. 512 ISBN 978-0785125006
1978-1980 The Amazing Spider-Man #186-214 & Annual #12 ISBN 978-07851 not yet released
Astonishing Ant-Man vol. 1 1962-1965 Tales to Astonish #27, 35-69 576 ISBN 0-7851-0822-X
Avengers vol. 1 1963-1966 The Avengers #1-24 536 ISBN 0-7851-1862-4
Avengers vol. 2 1966-1967 The Avengers #25-46, Annual #1 528 ISBN 0-7851-0741-X
Avengers vol. 3 1967-1969 The Avengers #47-68, Annual #2 520 ISBN 0-7851-0787-8
Avengers vol. 4 1969-1972 The Avengers #69-97, The Incredible Hulk #140 640 ISBN 0-7851-1485-8
Avengers vol. 5 1972-1974 The Avengers #98-119, Daredevil #99, The Defenders #8-11, 552 ISBN 0-7851-2087-4
Avengers vol. 6 1974-1975 Avengers #120-140, Giant-Size Avengers #1-4, Captain Marvel #33, Fantastic Four #150 576 ISBN 0-7851-2087-4
Captain America vol. 1 1964-1968 Captain America Comics #5, Tales of Suspense #59-99, Captain America #100-102 528 ISBN 0-7851-0740-1
Captain America vol. 2 1968-1970 Captain America #103-126 512 ISBN 0-7851-0827-0
Captain America vol. 3 1970-1972 Captain America #127-156 608 ISBN 0-7851-2166-8
Captain America vol. 4 1972-1974 Captain America #157-186 600 ISBN 978-0785127703
Captain Marvel vol. 1 1967-1970 Marvel Super-Heroes #12-13, Captain Marvel #1-21 528 ISBN 978-0-785130598
Conan the Barbarian vol. 1 1970-1973 Conan the Barbarian #1-25 530 ISBN 0-7851-0751-7
Daredevil vol. 1 1964-1967 Daredevil #1-25 544 ISBN 0-7851-1861-6
Daredevil vol. 2 1967-1969 Daredevil #26-48, Annual #1, The Fantastic Four #73 568 ISBN 0-7851-1462-9
Daredevil vol. 3 1969-1971 Daredevil #49-74, Iron Man #35-36 584 ISBN 0-7851-1724-5
Daredevil vol. 4 1971-1973 Daredevil #75-101, The Avengers #111. 600 ISBN 978-0-785127628
Dazzler vol. 1 1980-1982 Dazzler #1-21, Uncanny X-Men #130-131, The Amazing Spider-Man #203 552 ISBN 978-0785126959
1969-1974 Doctor Strange #183, Sub-Mariner #22, 34-35, The Incredible Hulk #126, Marvel Feature #1-3, The Defenders #1-14, The Avengers #115-118 544 ISBN 0-7851-1547-1
1974-1976 The Defenders #15-30, Giant-Size Defenders #1-5, Marvel Two-in-one #6,7, Marvel Team-up #33-35, Marvel Treasury edition #12 616 ISBN 0-7851-2150-1
1976-1979 The Defenders #31-60, Annual #1 592 ISBN 978-0-785126966
1979-1980 The Defenders #61-91 584 ISBN 978-0-785130611
Doctor Strange vol. 1 1963-1968 Strange Tales #110-111, 114-168 608 ISBN 0-7851-2316-4
Doctor Strange vol. 2 1968-1974 Doctor Strange #169-178, 180-183, The Avengers #61, The Sub-Mariner #22, The Incredible Hulk #126, Marvel Feature #1, Marvel Premiere #3-10, 12-14 608 ISBN 0-7851-1668-0
Doctor Strange vol. 3 1974-1978 Doctor Strange #1-29, Annual #1, Tomb of Dracula #44-45 616 ISBN 978-0785127338
Doctor Strange vol. 4 1978-1981 Doctor Strange #30-56, Chamber of Chills #4, Man-Thing #4 564 ISBN 978-0785130628
1961-1963 The Fantastic Four #1-20, Annual #1 544 ISBN 0-7851-1828-4
1963-1965 The Fantastic Four #21-40, Annual #2, Strange Tales Annual #2 528 ISBN 0-7851-0731-2
1965-1967 The Fantastic Four #41-63, Annual #3-4 536 ISBN 0-7851-2625-2
1967-1968 The Fantastic Four #64-83, Annual #5-6 536 ISBN 0-7851-1484-X
1969-1971 The Fantastic Four #84-110, Annual #7-8 568 ISBN 0-7851-2162-5
1971-1973 The Fantastic Four #111-137 592 ISBN 978-0785126973
1973-1975 The Fantastic Four #138-159, Giant-Size Super-Stars #1, Giant-Size Fantastic Four #2-4, Avengers #127 560 ISBN 978-0785130635
Ghost Rider vol. 1 1972-1976 Marvel Spotlight #5-12, Ghost Rider #1-20, Daredevil #138 560 ISBN 0-7851-1838-1
Ghost Rider vol. 2 1976-1980 Ghost Rider #21-50 568 ISBN 978-0785121640
Ghost Rider vol. 3 1980- Ghost Rider #51-81 416 ISBN 978-0785121640
Godzilla vol. 1 1977-1979 Godzilla #1-24 440 ISBN 0-7851-2153-6
Howard the Duck vol. 1 1973, 1975-1978 Adventure into Fear #19, Giant-Size Man-Thing #4-5, Howard the Duck #1-27, Annual #1, Marvel Treasury Edition #12 592 ISBN 0-7851-0831-9
1962-1965 Strange Tales #101-134, Annual #2 504 ISBN 0-7851-1309-6
1962-1967 The Incredible Hulk #1-6, Tales to Astonish #60-91 528 ISBN 0-7851-2374-1
1967-1969 Tales to Astonish #92-101, The Incredible Hulk #102-117, Annual #1 520 ISBN 0-7851-0795-9
1969-1971 The Incredible Hulk #118-142, Captain Marvel #20-21, The Avengers #88 576 ISBN 0-7851-1689-3
1971-1973 The Incredible Hulk #143-170 608 ISBN 0-7851-2193-5
1973-1975 The Incredible Hulk #171-200, Annual #5 619 ISBN 0-7851-3065-9
Iron Fist vol. 1 1974-1978 Marvel Premiere #15-25, Iron Fist #1-15, Marvel Team-Up #63-64, Power Man #48-49, Power Man and Iron Fist #50 584 ISBN 0-7851-1546-3
Iron Man vol. 1 1963-1965 Tales of Suspense #39-72 512 ISBN 0-7851-1860-8
Iron Man vol. 2 1966-1968 Tales of Suspense #73-99, Tales to Astonish #82, Iron Man & Sub-Mariner #1, Iron Man #1-11 608 ISBN 0-7851-1487-4
Iron Man vol. 3 1969-1971 Iron Man #12-38, Daredevil #73 592 ISBN 978-0785127642
Killraven vol. 1 1973-1976, 1983, 2001 Amazing Adventures (vol. 2) #18-39, Marvel Team-Up #45, Marvel Graphic Novel #7, Killraven #1 (Marvel Knights) 504 ISBN 0-7851-1777-6
Luke Cage, Power Man vol. 1 1972-1975 Hero For Hire #1-16, Power Man #17-27 544 ISBN 0-7851-1685-0
Luke Cage, Power Man vol. 2 1975-1978 Power Man #28-49, Annual #1 424 ISBN 0-7851-2147-1
Man-Thing vol. 1 1971-1975 Savage Tales #1, Astonishing Tales #12-13, Adventure into Fear #1-19, Man-Thing #1-14, Giant-Size Man-Thing #1-2, Monsters Unleashed #5, 8-9 544 ISBN 0-7851-2135-8
Man-Thing vol. 2 1975-19781 Man-Thing (1974) #15-22 and (1979) #1-11, Giant-Size Man-Thing #3-5, Marvel Team-Up #68, Marvel Two-in-One #43, and Doctor Strange #41 536 ISBN 0785130667
Marvel Horror vol. 1 1973-1977, 1979 Son of Satan stories from:
  • Ghost Rider #1-2
  • Marvel Spotlight #12-24
  • Son of Satan #1-8
  • Marvel Two-in-One #14
  • Marvel Team-Up #32

Satana stories from:

  • Vampire Tales #2-3
  • Haunt of Horror #2, 4-5
  • Marvel Premiere #27
  • Marvel Preview #7
  • Marvel Team-Up #80-81

608 ISBN 0-7851-2196-X
Marvel Horror vol. 2 1973-1977 Living Mummy stories from:
  • Supernatural Thrillers #5, 7-15

Gabriel the Devil Hunter stories from:

  • Haunt of Horror #2-5
  • Monsters Unleashed #11

Brother Voodoo stories from:

  • Strange Tales #169-173
  • Tales of the Zombie #6, 10
  • Marvel Team-Up #24

Golem stories from:

  • Strange Tales #174, 176-177
  • Marvel Two-In-One #11

Scarecrow stories from:

  • Dead of Night #11
  • Marvel Spotlight #26
  • Marvel Two-In-One #18

Modred the Mystic stories from:

  • Marvel Chillers #1-2
  • Marvel Two-in-One #33

616 ISBN 0-7851-3067-3
Marvel Saga vol. 1 1985-1986 Marvel Saga #1-12 448 ISBN 978-0-7851-2727-7
Marvel Saga vol. 2 1986-1987 Marvel Saga #13-25 480 ISBN 978-0-7851-2728-4
Marvel Team-Up vol. 1 1972-1974 Marvel Team-Up #1-24 496 ISBN 0-7851-2373-3
Marvel Team-Up vol. 2 1974-1976 Marvel Team-Up #25-51, Marvel Two-In-One #17 528 ISBN 0-7851-2163-3
Marvel Team-Up vol. 3 1976 Marvel Team-Up #52-80 & Annual #1-2 ISBN 978-0785130680 not yet released
Marvel Two-In-One vol. 1 1973-1977 Marvel Feature #11-12, Marvel Two-In-One #1-20, 22-25, Annual #1, Marvel Team-Up #47, The Fantastic Four Annual #11 576 ISBN 0-7851-1729-6
Marvel Two-In-One vol. 2 1977-1979 Marvel Two-In-One #26-52, Annual #2-3 568 ISBN 978-0785126980
Monster of Frankenstein vol. 1 1972-1975 Monster of Frankenstein #1-5, Frankenstein's Monster #6-18, Giant-Size Werewolf #2, Monsters Unleashed #2, 4-10, Legion of Monsters #1 496 ISBN 0-7851-1634-6
Moon Knight vol. 1 1975-1976, 1978-1981 Werewolf By Night #32-33, Marvel Spotlight #28-29, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #22-23, Marvel Two-In-One #52, Hulk Magazine #11-15, 17-18, 20, Marvel Preview #21, Moon Knight #1-12, Marvel Team-Up Annual #4 560 ISBN 0-7851-2092-0
Moon Knight vol. 2 1981-1983 Moon Knight #11-30 608 ISBN 978-0785127291
Ms. Marvel vol. 1 1977-1979 Ms. Marvel #1-23, Marvel Super-Heroes Magazine #10-11, Avengers Annual #10 512 ISBN 978-0785124993
Nova vol. 1 1976-1979 Nova #1-25, Marvel Two-In-One Annual #3, The Amazing Spider-Man #171 512 ISBN 0-7851-2093-9
Nick Fury vol. 1 1965-1969 Strange Tales #135-168, Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D #1-15 790 ISBN 0-7861-1963-1 not yet released
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe vol. 1 1983-1984 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #1-15 544 ISBN 0-7851-1933-7
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition vol. 1 1985-1986 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #1-7 480 ISBN 0-7851-1934-5
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition vol. 2 1986-1987 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #8-14 480 ISBN 0-7851-1935-3
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition vol. 3 1987-1988 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #15-20 424 ISBN 0-7851-1936-1
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 vol. 1 1989 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #1-8 496 ISBN 0-7851-1937-X
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition vol. 1 1990-1993 "A-G" Entries from Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Master Edition #1-36 592 ISBN 978-0785127314
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition vol. 2 1990-1993 "H-N" Entries from Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Master Edition #1-36 592 ISBN 978-0-7851-2731-4
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 1 1976-1979 Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #1-31 568 ISBN 0-7851-1682-6
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 2 1979-1981 Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #32-53, Annual #1-2, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #13, Fantastic Four #218 592 ISBN 0-7851-2042-4
Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 3 1981-1983 Spectacular Spider-Man #54-74, Annual #3. 536 ISBN 978-0785125013
Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 1978-1980 Power Man and Iron Fist #50-72, 74-75 520 ISBN 978-0785127260
1974-1986 The Amazing Spider-Man #129, 134-135, 162-163, 174-175, 201-202, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #15, Giant-Size Spider-Man #4, Marvel Preview #2, Marvel Super-Action #1, Captain America #241, Daredevil #182-184, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #81-83, The Punisher #1-5 568 ISBN 0-7851-2375-X
1987-1989 The Punisher #1-20, Annual #1, Daredevil #257 536 ISBN 978-0785127345
1989-1991 The Punisher #21-40, Annual #2-3 584 ISBN 978-0785127345
1977-1978 Rampaging Hulk #1-9, The Hulk! #10-15, The Incredible Hulk #269 ISBN 978-0-7851-2699-7
Savage She-Hulk vol. 1 1979-1981 Savage She-Hulk #1-25 552 ISBN 0-7851-2335-0
Silver Surfer vol. 1 1968-1970 Silver Surfer #1-18, Fantastic Four Annual #5 528 ISBN 0-7851-2008-4
Silver Surfer vol. 2 1982, 1987-1988 Silver Surfer (1982) #1, Silver Surfer (1987) #1-18, Annual #1, Marvel Fanfare #51 600 ISBN 978-0785127000
Spider-Woman vol. 1 1977-1979 Marvel Spotlight #32, Marvel Two-In-One #29-33, Spider-Woman #1-25 576 ISBN 0-7851-1793-8
Spider-Woman vol. 2 1980-1983 Spider-Woman #26-50, Marvel Team-Up #97, Uncanny X-Men #148 608 ISBN 978-0785127017
Sub-Mariner vol. 1 1965-1968 Tales to Astonish #70-101, Iron Man & The Sub-Mariner #1, The Sub-Mariner #1-12 ISBN 0-7851-
Super-Villain Team-Up vol. 1 1970-1971, 1975-1980 Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up #1-2, Super-Villain Team-Up #1-14, #16-17, The Avengers #154-156, The Champions #16, Astonishing Tales #1-8 552 ISBN 0-7851-1545-5
Tales of the Zombie vol. 1 1973-1974 Tales of the Zombie #1-10, Dracula Lives #1-2 592 ISBN 0-7851-1916-7
1962-1964 Journey Into Mystery #83-112 536 ISBN 0-7851-1866-7
1965-1966 Journey Into Mystery #113-124, The Mighty Thor #125-136, Annual #1-2 584 ISBN 0-7851-1591-9
1967-1969 The Mighty Thor #137-166 616 ISBN 0-7851-2149-8
Tomb of Dracula vol. 1 1972-1974 The Tomb of Dracula #1-25, Werewolf By Night #15, Giant-Size Chillers #1 560 ISBN 0-7851-0920-X
Tomb of Dracula vol. 2 1974-1976 Tomb of Dracula #26-49, Dr. Strange #14, Giant-Size Dracula #2-5 592 ISBN 0-7851-1461-0
Tomb of Dracula vol. 3 1976-1979 Tomb of Dracula #50-70, Tomb of Dracula Magazine #1-4 584 ISBN 0-7851-1558-7
Tomb of Dracula vol. 4 1973-1975, 1980 Tomb of Dracula Magazine #2, 4-6, Dracula Lives! #1-13, Frankenstein Monster #7-9 576 ISBN 0-7851-1709-1
Uncanny X-Men vol. 1 1963-1966 X-Men #1-24 528 ISBN 0-7851-0991-9
Classic X-Men vol. 2 1966-1968 X-Men #25-53, The Avengers #53 640 ISBN 0-7851-2116-1
Classic X-Men vol. 3 1968-1974 X-Men #54-66, #67-80 (covers only); Marvel Team-Up #4, Amazing Adventures #11-17, Incredible Hulk #150, 161 560 ISBN 0-7851-3060-4 to be released:
Werewolf By Night vol. 1 1972-1974 Marvel Spotlight #2-4, Werewolf By Night #1-21, Marvel Team-Up #12, Giant-Size Creatures #1, Tomb of Dracula #18 576 ISBN 0-7851-1839-X
Werewolf By Night vol. 2 1974-1976 Werewolf By Night #22-43, Giant-Size Werewolf by Night #2-5, Marvel Premiere #28 576 ISBN 978-0785127253
Wolverine vol. 1 1988-1990 Wolverine #1-23 552 ISBN 0-7851-1867-5
Wolverine vol. 2 1990-1992 Wolverine #24-47 528 ISBN 0-7851-0550-6
Wolverine vol. 3 1992-1993 Wolverine #48-69 528 ISBN 0-7851-0595-6
Wolverine vol. 4 1993-1994 Wolverine #70-90 544 ISBN 0-7851-2059-9
Wolverine vol. 5 1994-1996 Wolverine #91-110, 1996 Annual, Uncanny X-Men #332 562 ISBN 978-0785130772
X-Factor vol. 1 1986-1987 The Avengers #262, The Fantastic Four #286, X-Factor #1-16, Annual #1, The Mighty Thor #373-374, Power Pack #27 568 ISBN 0-7851-1886-1
X-Factor vol. 2 1987-1988 X-Factor #17-35, Annual #2, The Mighty Thor #378 544 ISBN 978-0785120995
X-Men vol. 1 1975-1979 Giant-Size X-Men #1, X-Men #94-119 520 ISBN 0-7851-2376-8
X-Men vol. 2 1979-1981 X-Men #120-144, Annual #3-4 584 ISBN 0-7851-2007-6
X-Men vol. 3 1981-1982 X-Men #145-161, Annual #3-5 528 ISBN 0-7851-0661-8
X-Men vol. 4 1982-1984 X-Men #162-179, Annual #6, Marvel Graphic Novel #5: "God Loves, Man Kills" 568 ISBN 0-7851-2295-8
X-Men vol. 5 1984-1985 X-Men #180-198, Annual #7-8, X-Men/Alpha Flight #1-2 632 ISBN 0-7851-2692-9
X-Men vol. 6 1985-1987 X-Men #199-213, New Mutants Special Edition #1, X-Men Annual #9, X-Factor #9-11, New Mutants #46, Thor #373-374, Power Pack #27 656 ISBN 0-7851-1727-X
X-Men vol. 7 1987-1988 X-Men #214-228, Annual #10-11, Fantastic Four vs. The X-Men #1-4 568 ISBN 0-7851-2055-6
X-Men vol. 8 1988-1989 X-Men #229-243, Annual #12, X-Factor #36-39 544 ISBN 978-0785127635

See also

Notes & References

External Links

Search another word or see Essential_Marvelon Dictionary | Thesaurus |Spanish
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT