XXXX: A Very Good Year For Marvel

[DrNewGod]

Caught some interesting opinions to a similar question on the DC forum, and I'd like to try it here: Based off cover dates, pick one year between 1961 and now that you think was a real standout for Marvel, and why.

Now there are some obvious candidates:

• 1961 saw the birth of Marvel, and a series of innovations that would reshape all comics
• 1968 saw the end of Marvel's constrained distribution agreements, enabling experiments in every genre and mood
• 1973 saw The Avengers-Defenders war, perhaps the first major multi-title Event in superhero comics
• 2006 saw the launch of Civil War, one of the most intense status-quo shakeups since DC's CoIE

But, think beyond the obvious, and think of years rather than runs or arcs that span more than one year. What's your favorite? What was Marvel's best single year?

(note: i've deliberately excluded the Timely and Atlas eras because Marvel didn't organically grow out of them, they were worked into Marvel's continuity later)

[Personamanx]

2000: The birth year of the Ultimate universe. Without those titles, superhero media as a whole would be incalculably different. Anecdotally I certainly would have given up on trying to get into monthly cape comics if the Ultimate titles weren't there as a more digestible imprint.

[gurkle]

1998. The "Heroes Return" launch puts a lot of Marvel's top writing and art talent on the non-mutant books, and all five of them (Busiek/Pérez Avengers, Busiek/Chen Iron Man, Waid/Garney/Kubert Captain America, Claremont/Larroca Fantastic Four, Jurgens/Romita Thor) are entertaining.

Busiek/Bagley are still on Thunderbolts, John Ostrander's silly "Heroes For Hire" is still silly and fun. The Marvel Knights launch brings with it Christopher Priest on Black Panther. On X-Men, Steve Seagle and Joe Kelly have been chosen to take over the flagship books, bringing some new promise to a line that badly needed it. Kelly is still writing Deadpool. The weakest link is the Spider-Man line, but at least the Clone Saga is over and DeZago/Wieringo are still doing Sensational Spider-Man.

The year had a fairly consistent theme and approach - back to basics, traditional yet modern - and felt like it had appeal to new readers and veterans alike.

Sadly almost all the promise of this year would be squandered in 1999 and 2000, as a series of bad decisions would drive most of the writers off those books. But 1998 was fun.

[DrNewGod]

1998. The "Heroes Return" launch puts a lot of Marvel's top writing and art talent on the non-mutant books, and all five of them (Busiek/Pérez Avengers, Busiek/Chen Iron Man, Waid/Garney/Kubert Captain America, Claremont/Larroca Fantastic Four, Jurgens/Romita Thor) are entertaining.

Busiek/Bagley are still on Thunderbolts, John Ostrander's silly "Heroes For Hire" is still silly and fun. The Marvel Knights launch brings with it Christopher Priest on Black Panther. On X-Men, Steve Seagle and Joe Kelly have been chosen to take over the flagship books, bringing some new promise to a line that badly needed it. Kelly is still writing Deadpool. The weakest link is the Spider-Man line, but at least the Clone Saga is over and DeZago/Wieringo are still doing Sensational Spider-Man.

The year had a fairly consistent theme and approach - back to basics, traditional yet modern - and felt like it had appeal to new readers and veterans alike.

Sadly almost all the promise of this year would be squandered in 1999 and 2000, as a series of bad decisions would drive most of the writers off those books. But 1998 was fun.

That was a wild ride of a time.

[pageturner]

What year was the titans/cmen team up?

Or for that matter the DC Vs Marvel . Getting crushed by whale still one of my favorite comic moments ever.

[stingray]

1986 (I think)! Squadron Supreme by Mark Gruenwald, DD by Frank Miller, and Thor by Walt Simonson.

[DrNewGod]

1986 (I think)! Squadron Supreme by Mark Gruenwald, DD by Frank Miller, and Thor by Walt Simonson.

It was indeed 1986; I'm reading those now! That was also the time period that included Stern and Buscema's "Under Siege" epic in The Mighty Avengers, the last days of Byrne's run on FF, and the growth of the X-Franchise to 3 titles with X-Factor (including the introduction of Apocalypse). Absolutely, a worthy contender for the best year!

[Mike_Murdock]

1982 was a good year for Marvel. Daredevil was the pinacle of Frank Miller's run as #182 (the death of Elektra) took place. The X-Men had the Brood Saga and the first expansion of the line as the New Mutants were introduced. Spider-Man had some strong stories with Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut. He also had the first appearance of Monica Rambeau. The much-beloved Mary Jo Duffy run of Power Man and Iron Fist completed during this time. John Byrne was writing Fantastic Four and brought in Galactus (a story that would lead to the Trial of Reed Richards).

Finally, we had The Death of Captain Marvel and the original Contest of Champions as far as landmark moments go.

Avengers didn't have anything too exciting. It was Jim Shooter's run wrapping up. But it did have the famous image of Scott Lang on Hawkeye's arrow.

I will also agree with 1986, but that was already taken.

[DrNewGod]

1982 was a good year for Marvel. Daredevil was the pinacle of Frank Miller's run as #182 (the death of Elektra) took place. The X-Men had the Brood Saga and the first expansion of the line as the New Mutants were introduced. Spider-Man had some strong stories with Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut. He also had the first appearance of Monica Rambeau. The much-beloved Mary Jo Duffy run of Power Man and Iron Fist completed during this time. John Byrne was writing Fantastic Four and brought in Galactus (a story that would lead to the Trial of Reed Richards).

Finally, we had The Death of Captain Marvel and the original Contest of Champions as far as landmark moments go.

Avengers didn't have anything too exciting. It was Jim Shooter's run wrapping up. But it did have the famous image of Scott Lang on Hawkeye's arrow.

I will also agree with 1986, but that was already taken.

A fine vintage Mike

[Tofali]

2012 Marvel NOW! branding to the conclusion of Secret Wars is when I loved and was entertained by Marvel. I enjoyed more than three titles and even had me dipping my toes into titles that I'd never have tried before like Slott's Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Loki, Silver Surfer, Ms Marvel and Daredevil.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

1984: the start of the original Secret Wars, a series that many would say defined the modern-day concept of a comic-book event.