Did Dan Slott Reveal the Smoking Gun why Superheroes Appeared in 1961 at Marvel?

[jackolover]

Dan Slott could have produced the smoking gun for the 1961 appearance of the superheroes at Marvel. In the FF #14-19 storyline, it is admitted that the Overseer from a race of people at Alpha Centauri, sabotaged the FF’s first flight by bombarding their craft with excessively more cosmic rays, to dissuade them going there. Now, it could just be a coincidence that other super heroes just happened to appear after that event, and they were all orphans (more or less). But I like to think, if we ever did find the smoking gun, that it would be related to the explanation why all superhumans began appearing after 1961.

Maybe Slotts story arc only relates to the FF getting their powers? I don’t know. Would the editors at Marvel intended this story to be restricted just to the FF’s formation?

[Rosebunse]

At this point, all answers are correct.

[SuperiorIronman]

In-universe superhumans began appearing much sooner than 1961 (or even the FF). It's not even a matter of preference as superhumans would appear as far as the dawn of man and even before that with the Celestials experimentation on early hominids as well as the forces of heaven creating early Ghost Riders. Not so much a smoking gun for the entire universe as a lot went into superhumans existing than a couple of aliens shooting a ray at the FF.

Even before the FF you have Captain America who would be older than the team as a whole and even beings like En Sabah Nur predating the incident by thousands of years.

[Thor-Ul]

But in Marvel, superbeings are not suposed to be Celestial's flu, corona virus or something like that?

[capandkirby]

But in Marvel, superbeings are not suposed to be Celestial's flu, corona virus or something like that?

LOL, according to the current Avengers run, yes, that. Exactly. Traveling Celestial got a space virus, crash landed on Earth, died, and life sprung from his/her/their spilled blood and vomit. Oh, and the Avengers are currently living in said Celestials hollowed-out shell of a body.

[Thor-Ul]

I must add, I liked more the X universe saga explanation. I wish they would had made that concept canon.

[U.N. Owen]

LOL, according to the current Avengers run, yes, that. Exactly. Traveling Celestial got a space virus, crash landed on Earth, died, and life sprung from his/her/their spilled blood and vomit. Oh, and the Avengers are currently living in said Celestials hollowed-out shell of a body.

Except for mutants. Apparently, those existed before the Celestial Vomit Powers.

I assume all mutants are descended from the Phoenix shagging Odin. That's the level of bad writing I expect from the Aaron run.

[Huntsman Spider]

I must add, I liked more the X universe saga explanation. I wish they would had made that concept canon.

Where superpowered people were ultimately Celestial antibodies guarding the Celestial egg inside the planet Earth? Yeah, that was a good one. The thing that gets me about Aaron's take on the Celestials being responsible for planet Earth's early human/humanoid population having the potential for superpowers is how utterly nihilistic it is. There was no greater plan or goal; the poor thing just up and died and its dying emissions gave us life as we know it now. Rather bleak take on the origin of life on Earth.

[DrNewGod]

Where superpowered people were ultimately Celestial antibodies guarding the Celestial egg inside the planet Earth? Yeah, that was a good one. The thing that gets me about Aaron's take on the Celestials being responsible for planet Earth's early human/humanoid population having the potential for superpowers is how utterly nihilistic it is. There was no greater plan or goal; the poor thing just up and died and its dying emissions gave us life as we know it now. Rather bleak take on the origin of life on Earth.

I suppose it is to be expected. In the 1960s, when Marvel.was rising, there was a sense of optimism pervading the US and the comics. Even the Marvel world building that didn't have their characters at the center of things gave them a place in a cosmos of grandeur. It shouldn't surprise us that the writers have developed a steadily darker view.

[Grapeweasel]

Wasn't it because DC started doing superhero comics and they were selling well?

[Digifiend]

That's the real life explanation, yes. Flash was rebooted in 1956, followed by Green Lantern, then DC banded together Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter (who'd debuted in 1955 in Detective Comics), creating the Justice League of America. That inspired Atlas, newly rebranded as Marvel Comics, to create their own superhero team, the Fantastic Four. It sold well, so they started adding superhero characters to their anthologies. Amazing Fantasy was almost immediately relaunched as Amazing Spider-Man, and then Daredevil, Avengers, and X-Men launched a year later.

[Gaastra]

What about all the ww2 heroes? What about the west heroes like phantom rider and some super powered bad guys? What about the magic and powered bad guys from conan and soloman kaines era? What about doc savage? What about the 50s "lost" heroes from that limited series? What about that bc avengers group? Sorry but there were many heroes who had powers before the fantastic four.

[Sandy Hausler]

What about all the ww2 heroes? What about the west heroes like phantom rider and some super powered bad guys? What about the magic and powered bad guys from conan and soloman kaines era? What about doc savage? What about the 50s "lost" heroes from that limited series? What about that bc avengers group? Sorry but there were many heroes who had powers before the fantastic four.

Why does everyone forget the First Line and other heroes from the Lost Generation?

[Thor-Ul]

Because they are a lost generation.

[DrNewGod]

Because they are a lost generation.

...and a retrofit.