The mid-1980s marked a golden age for Marvel, a period of both creative flourishing and financial success. Having overcome the financial struggles of the late '70s, Marvel was poised to reshape the comic book industry. 1984's Secret Wars stands as a pivotal moment, impacting the Marvel universe and the industry in profound ways, though its legacy is complex. This era also saw the publication of other iconic stories, including Frank Miller's Born Again Daredevil arc, Jean Grey's return in X-Factor, and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga in Thor. This article delves into these landmark stories and other significant events of this period.
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Frank Miller's Born Again and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga
Two acclaimed storylines define this era: Frank Miller's Born Again, a masterpiece of storytelling in Daredevil #227-233, features Miller's return to the character after his initial landmark run, with art by David Mazzuchelli. Karen Page's betrayal and the Kingpin's subsequent destruction of Matt Murdock's life forms the core of this harrowing tale. Matt's descent and eventual redemption, alongside Kingpin's descent into fanaticism, creates a powerful and unforgettable narrative. This story heavily influenced Season 3 of Netflix's Daredevil series and inspired the title of the Disney+ revival, Daredevil: Born Again.
Simultaneously, Walt Simonson revitalized Thor, beginning with #337 in 1983, introducing Beta Ray Bill. Simonson's year-long Surtur Saga (#340-353) is considered his best work, immersing readers in a mythic fantasy. Surtur's quest for Ragnarok, using Malekith the Accursed, leads to an epic confrontation between Thor, Loki, and Odin. Elements of this saga found their way into Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
Secret Wars Changes Comics Forever
As discussed in Part 4 of this series, 1973's Avengers/Defenders War foreshadowed the event crossover model. Secret Wars, a 12-part miniseries from 1984, written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton, solidified this model. Born from a marketing collaboration with Mattel, the story features the Beyonder teleporting Marvel heroes and villains to Battleworld for a contest of good versus evil. While featuring large-scale battles and plot seeds for ongoing series, Secret Wars suffers from inconsistent characterization. Doctor Doom is well-written, but other characters are less convincingly portrayed. Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić's 2015 Secret Wars offers a more cohesive narrative, but the original's impact on the industry remains undeniable. Its success spawned Secret Wars II and, alongside DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, established the event comic as a dominant publishing model.
Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit and Other Iconic Spidey Stories
After the foundational runs of Stan Lee and Gerry Conway, Roger Stern elevated Amazing Spider-Man to new heights, starting with #224. His most significant contribution was the introduction of the Hobgoblin in #238, a formidable new villain. Stern's original Hobgoblin saga, however, was cut short due to editorial interference, leaving the villain's identity unrevealed until his return in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.
The black symbiote costume debuted in Amazing Spider-Man #252, its origin later revealed in Secret Wars #8. This iconic costume and its subsequent storylines have been adapted numerous times across various media. Another significant Spider-Man story from this period is The Death of Jean DeWolff in Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110, a dark and impactful tale featuring Spider-Man confronting the Sin-Eater and clashing with Daredevil.
Jean Grey Returns, the Rise of Apocalypse, and Other Mutant Landmarks
The mid-1980s also brought significant developments for the X-Men. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 revealed Magneto as the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, a retconned element but a long-standing aspect of their history for many fans. X-Men #171 featured Rogue joining the X-Men, becoming a beloved hero. Similarly, X-Men #200 saw Magneto's heroic turn and leadership of Xavier's School.
Jean Grey's resurrection in Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286, and the introduction of Apocalypse in X-Factor #5-6, stand as monumental events. Apocalypse, created by Louise Simonson and Jackson Guice, became a major X-Men villain, appearing in numerous adaptations.
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