The world of comics is not only a make-believe world for children but a brief flight from reality for adults too. For generations Marvel Comics have taken readers on a thrilling journey of adventure in the surreal world of daredevil superheroes and super villains. The comic works on the premise that good always emerges victorious over evil. The main job of a comic’s larger-than-life “good guys”, armed with super powers, is to repeatedly ruin the nefarious plans of sorcerers, mad scientists and villains who are out to rule the world. The characters and story lines of Marvel Comics have evolved with the changing times. Evil has gone hi-tech and so has the means of rescue.
These superhero comics have come a long way since the time they were famous as Timely Comics in the forties and Atlas Comics in the fifties. The first character to be introduced by Timely Publications was the jungle lord, Ka-Zar. Marvel Publications Inc. was established in 1960 and the first comic to be published under the brand name of Marvel Comics was The Fantastic Four in November 1961.
Since then, Marvel Comics have enthralled readers with some exciting characters and captivating tales. Popular superheroes introduced over the years include Spider-Man, Captain America, The Fantastic Four, Mighty Thor, Hercules, the X-Men and the Incredible Hulk. Famous super villains include Doctor Octopus, Doctor Doom, Galactus, Sandman, Loki and The Green Goblin.
All these superheroes as well as super villain characters are available as action figures, and their merchandise too is immensely popular among Marvel fans worldwide.
Each character has a special appeal for different age groups. A teenager can usually relate to Spider-Man and his teenage woes, whereas many young girls would like to be in Lois Lane’s shoes and be romanced by a normal guy like Clark Kent who is really a superhero in disguise. While reading comics, more often than not, you subconsciously immerse yourself into the character and see him or her carrying out the actions. Those bullied as kids wish to get the powers of Batman to beat the bad guys. Readers often want to be like their favourite character.
Over the decades, comic books have been influenced by events in the real world. Issues such as drug abuse, mafia menace, terrorism and even genocide are addressed through interesting, sometimes thought-provoking, moral stories.
All the characters of Marvel Comics dwell in a fictional world called the Marvel Universe or Earth 616 where they live their fictional lives. When the going gets tough, the world wants a hero to come to the rescue. This is what children of all ages find inspiring in comic books. What may not be possible in the real world becomes possible in the surreal world of comics. Several characters from Marvel comics can be brought home with mouse click in the form of action figures and merchandise available online.
Buy on Dealtime: