Marvel Fireside Books
Encyclopedia
The Marvel Fireside Books Series was a series of full-color trade paperbacks featuring Marvel Comics
stories and characters co-published by Marvel and the Simon & Schuster
division Fireside Books from 1974
to 1979
.
The series enabled fans of the old comics
to have access to the stories without having to pay exorbitant prices for the original back issues. It introduced new readers to the work of Stan Lee
, Jack Kirby
, Steve Ditko
, and other Marvel creators, and packaged the material in a traditional book format that carried more caché than the flimsy pamphlet style of a typical comic book. Many of the books featured painted covers illustrated by such artists as Bob Larkin
, John Romita, Sr.
, and Earl Norem
. In this way, the series was an antecedent to the now common practice of packaging "classic" stories into archival editions and trade paperback collections including Marvel's 1998 book Grandson of Origins of Marvel Comics.
Marvel Publisher Stan Lee
came up with the idea of compiling the origins of some of their most popular characters in a book format similar to Jules Feiffer
's 1965 book The Great Comic Book Heroes. Teaming up with Fireside, a young-adult imprint of Simon & Schuster, Marvel initially produced Origins of Marvel Comics in 1974, featuring the origins of the Fantastic Four
, Hulk
, Spider-Man
, Thor
, and Doctor Strange
. Like the books to follow, Origins featured a foreword by Lee, and short introductions to each section, which followed the format of presenting the character's origin followed by a contemporary story by current Marvel contributors.
Origins of Marvel Comics was followed in 1975 with Sons of Origins of Marvel Comics, featuring the origins of the X-Men
, Iron Man
, The Avengers
, Daredevil
, Nick Fury
, The Watcher
, and the Silver Surfer
.
The two Origins books were followed by Bring on the Bad Guys, origins of a selection of Marvel villains; and The Superhero Women, featuring some of Marvel's most popular female superheroes. Eventually, the series began straying away from origin stories and published collections of classic stories with individual characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Captain America
, and Doctor Strange.
One of the Marvel Fireside Books superhero story editions was not a reprint but was an original story. 1978's The Silver Surfer, by Stan Lee, with art by Kirby and Joe Sinnott
, was a new take on the late 1960s icon; and is considered by many to be one of the first true "graphic novel
s."
In conjunction with their reprint collections, Marvel and Fireside also produced a number of activity and game books, how-to books, and even a cookbook, again all featuring Marvel characters. The most well-known and popular book of this kind was 1978's How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way, which is still in print.
Marvel/Fireside published 24 different books, many with multiple printings in both hardcover and paperback.
also formed a short-lived partnership with Fireside in 1979–1980, producing three titles, Heart Throbs
: The Best of DC Romance Comics
, America at War: The Best of DC War Comics
, and Mysteries in Space: The Best of DC Science Fiction Comics.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
stories and characters co-published by Marvel and the Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
division Fireside Books from 1974
1974 in comics
This is a list of comics-related events in 1974.-Year overall:* From May to September, Marvel debuts their Giant-Size series, mostly double- or triple-length comics featuring their most popular characters...
to 1979
1979 in comics
-Year overall:* The "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and John Romita, Jr., runs through Iron Man ....
.
The series enabled fans of the old comics
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
to have access to the stories without having to pay exorbitant prices for the original back issues. It introduced new readers to the work of Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
, Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
, and other Marvel creators, and packaged the material in a traditional book format that carried more caché than the flimsy pamphlet style of a typical comic book. Many of the books featured painted covers illustrated by such artists as Bob Larkin
Bob Larkin
Bob Larkin is an American artist primarily known for his painted covers for Marvel Comics' magazine-format titles, published under the imprints of Curtis Magazines and Marvel Magazines in the 1970s and early 1980s....
, John Romita, Sr.
John Romita, Sr.
John V. Romita, Sr. is an Italian-American comic-book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man...
, and Earl Norem
Earl Norem
Earl Norem , often credited simply as Norem, is an American artist primarily known for his painted covers for Marvel Comics books and magazines...
. In this way, the series was an antecedent to the now common practice of packaging "classic" stories into archival editions and trade paperback collections including Marvel's 1998 book Grandson of Origins of Marvel Comics.
Publishing history
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
came up with the idea of compiling the origins of some of their most popular characters in a book format similar to Jules Feiffer
Jules Feiffer
Jules Ralph Feiffer is an American syndicated cartoonist, most notable for his long-run comic strip titled Feiffer. He has created more than 35 books, plays and screenplays...
's 1965 book The Great Comic Book Heroes. Teaming up with Fireside, a young-adult imprint of Simon & Schuster, Marvel initially produced Origins of Marvel Comics in 1974, featuring the origins of the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, and Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
. Like the books to follow, Origins featured a foreword by Lee, and short introductions to each section, which followed the format of presenting the character's origin followed by a contemporary story by current Marvel contributors.
Origins of Marvel Comics was followed in 1975 with Sons of Origins of Marvel Comics, featuring the origins of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
, Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, The Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
, Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
, The Watcher
Uatu
Uatu, often simply known as The Watcher, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and designed by artist Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Fantastic Four #13 ....
, and the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
.
The two Origins books were followed by Bring on the Bad Guys, origins of a selection of Marvel villains; and The Superhero Women, featuring some of Marvel's most popular female superheroes. Eventually, the series began straying away from origin stories and published collections of classic stories with individual characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, and Doctor Strange.
One of the Marvel Fireside Books superhero story editions was not a reprint but was an original story. 1978's The Silver Surfer, by Stan Lee, with art by Kirby and Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott is an American comic book artist. Working primarily as an inker, Sinnott is best-known for his long stint on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, from 1965 to 1981 , initially over the pencils of industry legend Jack Kirby...
, was a new take on the late 1960s icon; and is considered by many to be one of the first true "graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s."
In conjunction with their reprint collections, Marvel and Fireside also produced a number of activity and game books, how-to books, and even a cookbook, again all featuring Marvel characters. The most well-known and popular book of this kind was 1978's How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way, which is still in print.
Marvel/Fireside published 24 different books, many with multiple printings in both hardcover and paperback.
DC Fireside books
DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
also formed a short-lived partnership with Fireside in 1979–1980, producing three titles, Heart Throbs
Heart Throbs
Heart Throbs was a romance comic published by Quality Comics and DC Comics from 1949 to 1972. Quality published the book from 1949–1957, when it was acquired by DC. Most issues featured a number of short comics stories, as well advice columns, text pieces, and filler...
: The Best of DC Romance Comics
Romance comics
Romance comics is a comics genre depicting romantic love and its attendant complications such as jealousy, marriage, divorce, betrayal, and heartache. The term is generally associated with an American comic books genre published through the first three decades of the Cold War...
, America at War: The Best of DC War Comics
War comics
War comics is a genre of comic books that gained popularity in English-speaking countries following World War II.-American war comics:Shortly after the birth of the modern comic book in the mid- to late 1930s, comics publishers began including stories of wartime adventures in the multi-genre...
, and Mysteries in Space: The Best of DC Science Fiction Comics.
Reprint collections
- Origins of Marvel Comics (1974) ISBN 978-0671218645
- Son of Origins of Marvel Comics (1975) ISBN 978-0671221706
- Bring on the Bad Guys: Origins of the Marvel Comics Villains (1976) ISBN 978-0671223540
- The Superhero Women: Featuring the Fabulous Females of Marvel Comics (1977) ISBN 978-0671227661
- The Best of Spidey Super Stories (1978)
- The Incredible Hulk (1978)
- Marvel's Greatest Superhero Battles (1978)
- Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (1979)
- The Fantastic Four (1979)
- The Amazing Spider-Man (1979)
- Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts (1979)
Activity and how-to titles
- The Mighty Marvel Comics Strength and Fitness BookThe Mighty Marvel Comics Strength and Fitness BookStan Lee Presents: The Mighty Marvel Comics Strength and Fitness Book is a 1976 comic book set in the Marvel Universe that details exercise and fitness techniques...
(1976) - The Mighty Marvel Superheroes Fun Book (1976)
- The Mighty Marvel Superheroes Fun Book #2 (1977)
- The Mighty Marvel Superheroes Cookbook (1977)
- How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way (1978) ISBN 978-0671530778
- The Mighty Marvel Pin-Up Book (1978)
- The Mighty Marvel Fun Book #3 (1979)
- The Mighty Marvel Fun Book #4 (1979)
- The Mighty Marvel Fun Book #5 (1979)
- Marvel Word Games (1979)
- Marvel Mazes to Drive You Mad (1979)
- The Mighty Marvel Jumbo Fun Book (1979)
See also
- Marvel Premiere Classics
- The Official Marvel Try-Out BookMarvel Try-out BookThe Official Marvel Comics Try-Out Book is an oversize book originally published by Marvel Comics in 1983. Conceived by then-Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, the book was in the form of a contest encouraging up-and-coming comics creators to try their hand at getting a job with the company...