Marvel Fanfare is an anthology comic book series published by American company Marvel Comics. It was a showcase title featuring a variety of characters from the Marvel universe.
Volume one Marvel Fanfare featured characters and settings from throughout the Marvel Universe, and it included stories of varying lengths by an array of creators. The title was published every two months and ran for 60 issues, cover dated from March 1982 to December 1991. It was edited throughout its run by Al Milgrom, who also wrote and drew an illustrated column, entitled "Editori-Al", in most issues. Marvel Fanfares original working title was Marvel Universe, which was later appropriated by Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter for the encyclopedia series The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.DeFalco, Tom. "Bullpen Bulletins Special," Marvel Comics cover dated March 1984.
The series began with a Spider-Man/Angel team-up story by Chris Claremont and Michael Golden. Other Spider-Man appearances in the title included team-ups with the Scarlet Witch in issue #6 (Jan. 1983)Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 132: "Behind an impressive cover by artist P. Craig Russell was a single-issue tale by writer Mike W. Barr and co-plotter and penciler Sandy Plunkett. Encountering a vacant-eyed Scarlet Witch on a Manhattan rooftop, Spider-Man was shocked when she attacked him." and the Hulk in issue #47 (Nov. 1989).Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 179: "Revered artist Michael Golden let Spider-Man shine when he teamed up with writer Bill Mantlo to pit Spider-Man against the Incredible Hulk once again." Several characters appeared in multiple issues including Doctor Strange, Weirdworld, the Warriors Three, the Black Knight, and Shanna the She-Devil. Writer Roger McKenzie wrote several stories for Marvel Fanfare including a two-part Iron Man vs. Doctor Octopus tale drawn by Ken Steacy. A Captain America backup story in issue #29 (Nov. 1986) featured early work by artist Norm Breyfogle.
Marvel Fanfare was envisioned as a showcase of the comics industry's best talent. Each issue featured 36 pages of material with no advertisements and it was printed on magazine-style slick paper. It was more than twice as expensive as standard comic books ($1.25 in 1982 when most titles were 60 cents and $2.25 in 1991 when most were $1).
Editor Milgrom wrote of his experience with the series:
Examples of inventory stories which saw publication in Marvel Fanfare include a comics adaptation of The Jungle Book in issues #8–11, the Black Widow serial in #10–13, the Hulk story in #29, and the Silver Surfer story by Steve Englehart and John Buscema in #51.
Stories in Volume 1 Issue #A StoryB StoryC Story/Pinups1X-Men and Spider-Man "In the Savage Land" Chris Claremont, Michael Golden, Dave Cockrum, Paul Smith Collected in X-Men: In the Savage Land; Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales; X-Men Epic: I, Magneto; and Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol 2Daredevil "Snow" Roger McKenzie, Paul Smith Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales, Daredevil Epic Collection Vol 9: Resurrection, and Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol 16No C Story2Fantastic Four "Annihilation" Roger McKenzie, Trevor VonEeden
Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol 223Hawkeye "Swashbucklers" Charlie Boatner, Trevor VonEeden Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales, Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol 21, and Hawkeye Epic Collection: The Avenging Archer4Deathlok "Mindgame" David Kraft, Michael Golden Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Deathlok Vol 1Iron Man "Ordeal!" David Michelinie, David Winn, Michael Golden Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Iron Man Vol 165Dr. Strange "To Steal the Sorcerer's Soul" Chris Claremont, Marshall Rogers Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales, Doctor Strange: What Is It That Disturbs You, Stephen? and Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol 8Captain America "Shall Freedom Endure" Roger McKenzie, Luke McDonnell Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol 16No C Story6Spider-Man and Scarlet Witch "Switch Witch" Mike W. Barr, Sandy Plunkett Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales, and Marvel Masterworks: Vision and the Scarlet Witch Vol 1Dr. Strange "The Showdown" Roger Stern, Charlie Vess Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales, Doctor Strange: What Is It That Disturbs You, Stephen? and Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol 97Hulk, Blob and Unus "With Friends Like These" Steven Grant, Joe Barney Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol 18Daredevil "Bless the Beasts and Children" Bill Mantlo, George Freeman Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol 188Dr. Strange "The Light That Never Was" Al Milgrom
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Dr. Strange Vol 11The Jungle Book (Adaptation) Gil Kane, Mary Jo Duffy, P. Craig Russell Collected in The Jungle Book"The Bill Sienkiewicz Portfolio" Features Thor and Hulk9Man-Thing "Rock and Soul" J.M. DeMatteis, Joe Brozowski"The Butch Guice Portfolio" Features Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, Power Man & Iron Fist, Gorgon, Howard the Duck10Black Widow "Widow" Ralph Macchio, George Perez Collected in Black Widow: Web of Intrigue, Black Widow Epic: The Coldest War, Black Widow Strikes Omnibus, and Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol 18No C Story1112No B story13Warriors Three "Ballad of the Warriors Three" Alan Zelenetz, Charles Vess Collected in Thor: The Warriors Three14Vision and Fantastic Four "Dangerous Vision" Roger McKenzie, Rick Leonardi
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol 24 and Marvel Masterworks: Vision and the Scarlet Witch Vol 1Quicksilver and the Inhumans "Against Attilan" Mary Jo Duffy, Alan Weiss
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Inhumans Vol. 215The Thing "that night..." Barry Windsor-Smith Collected in The Best of the Fantastic Four, Vol 1 and The Thing Omnibus Vol 1Daredevil "Crimson Ash" Roger McKenzie, Jack Sparling16Sky-Wolves "Sky-Wolf!" Marv Wolfman, Dave CockrumSub-Mariner "A Fable" Bill Mantlo, Mike Mignola Collected in Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment17Hulk "A Day in the Life" David Kraft, Tony Salmons, Al Milgrom18Captain America "Home Fires" Roger Stern, Roger McKenzie, Frank Miller Collected in Captain America Epic: Society of Serpents and Marvel Universe by Frank Miller Omnibus "Kevin Nowlan Portfolio" Featuring Nova, Black Widow, Phoenix, Red Sonja, Dagger, She-Hulk"The Terry Austin Portfolio" Featuring Dr. Doom19Cloak & Dagger "Such Sweet Sorrow" Bill Mantlo, Tony Salmons Collected in Cloak & Dagger: Crime and Punishment, Cloak & Dagger Omnibus Vol 1, and Cloak & Dagger: Shadows and LightCloak & Dagger "Dancin' the Night Away" Bill Mantlo, Rick Leonardi Collected in Cloak & Dagger: Crime and Punishment, and Cloak & Dagger Omnibus Vol 1 Cloak & Dagger "Dagger's Light" Bill Mantlo, Kerry Gammill Collected in Cloak & Dagger: Crime and Punishment, and Cloak & Dagger Omnibus Vol 120Thing and Dr. Strange "The Clash" Jim StarlinNo B StoryNo C Story2122Iron Man "Night of the Octopus" Roger McKenzie, Ken Steacy Collected in Iron Man Epic: Return of the GhostPinups Featuring Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Conan23No C Story24Weirdworld "Weirdworld" Doug Moensch, Mike Ploog Collected in WeirdworldMs. Marvel/Binary "Elegy" Chris Claremont, David Ross, Bob Wiacek Collected in Ms. Marvel Epic Collection: The Woman Who Fell to Earth; Marvel Masterworks: Ms. Marvel Vol 2; and Captain Marvel: Ms. Marvel – A Hero Is Born Omnibus25Captain Universe "School's Out" Bill Mantlo, June Brigman Collected in Captain Universe: Power Unimaginable26Captain America "Death and the Queen" Will Jungkuntz
Collected in Captain America by Mark Gruenwald Omnibus Vol 127Daredevil "Cars" Bill Mantlo, Tony SalmonsSpider-Man "Spidey Gets Antsy" Marc Hempel
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Vol 2628Alpha Flight "Murder by Number, 1, 2, 3..." Bill Mantlo, Ken Steacy
Collected in Alpha Flight by Bill Mantlo and Jim Lee OmnibusNo B Story29Hulk "A Terrible Thing to Waste" John Byrne Collected in The Incredible Hulk Visionaries — John Byrne; Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus Vol 1; and Hulk Epic: Going GrayCaptain America "Story" Norm Breyfogle Collected in Captain America Epic: Justice Is Served; Captain America by Mark Gruenwald Omnibus Vol 130Moon Knight "Real-to-Reel" Ann Nocenti, Bent Eric Anderson Collected in Essential Moon Knight vol. 3, Moon Knight Omnibus Vol 2, and Moon Knight Epic: Butcher's MoonNo B Story31Captain America "A Plague of Frogs" J.M. DeMatteis, Kerry Gammill
Collected in Captain America Epic: Justice Is Served, Captain America by Mark Gruenwald Omnibus Vol 1Dr. Strange "Dr. Owl" Mark Wheatley
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Dr. Strange Vol 11Daredevil "The Call" Norm Breyfogle32Vision and Scarlet Witch "Rosie" Roger McKenzie, Paul Smith
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Vision and the Scarlet Witch Vol 1No C Story33X-Men "Shadows on the Soul" Chris Claremont, June Brigman Collected in The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol 5, X-Men: Mutant Massacre Omnibus, Marvel Masterworks: Uncanny X-Men Vol 13, and X-Men Epic Collection Vol 13: Wounded WolfNo B Story34Warriors Three "Warriors Three" Alan Zelenetz, Charles Vess Collected in Thor: The Warriors ThreePinups Featuring Warriors Three, Baron Zemo, Red Skull, Kraven, Dormammu, Kang, Loki, Nightmare, Attuma35Pinups Featuring Phoenix, Scarlet Witch & Vision, Cloak & Dagger, Colossus, Shadowcat, Dr. Strange, Frankenstein, Loki, Man-Thing36No C Story37Fantastic Four "Synchronicity" Mark Borax, Norm Breyfogle
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol 2738Moon Knight "Whatever Happened to the Podunk Slam?" Jo Duffy, Judith Hunt Collected in Essential Moon Knight vol. 3, Moon Knight Omnibus Vol 2, and Moon Knight Epic: Butcher's MoonRogue and Dazzler (X-Men) "Duet" Jo Duffy, Colleen Doran Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Dazzler Vol 4, Dazzler Omnibus, and Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol 639Hawkeye "The Cat's Tale" J.M. DeMatteis, Joe Staton
Collected in Hawkeye Epic Collection: The Avenging ArcherMoon Knight "#*@%&¢!" Michael Carlin, Bill Reinhold Collected in Essential Moon Knight vol. 3, Moon Knight Omnibus Vol 2, and Moon Knight Epic: Butcher's Moon40Angel (X-Factor) "Chiaroscuro" Ann Nocenti, Dave Mazzuchelli
Collected in X-Factor: The Original X-Men Omnibus Vol 1Storm and Mystique (X-Men) "Deal with the Devil" Chris Claremont, Craig Hamilton Collected in The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol 4, X-Men: Inferno Prologue Omnibus, Marvel Masterworks: Uncanny X-Men Vol 10, and X-Men Epic Collection Vol 11: LifedeathPinups Featuring Dr Strange & Clea by Craig Hamilton, Ka-Zar & Shanna by Craig Hamilton, Sub-Mariner by Kent Williams, Elektra by George Pratt, Storm (back cover) by Craig Hamilton41Dr. Strange "...Perchance to Dream" Walt Simonson, Dave GibbonsNo B StoryNo C Story42Spider-Man "Windfall" Carl PottsCaptain Marvel (Photon) "Once More in the City of Light" Dennis Mallonee, Bob Hall Collected in Captain Marvel: Monica Rambeau43Sub-Mariner "Time After Time" Bill Mantlo, Mike Mignola Collected in Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & TormentFantastic Four "Death in a Vacuum" Bill Mantlo, Greg Brooks44Iron Man "Doom Bug" Ken Steacy Collected in Iron Man Epic: Return of the GhostNo B Story45All-Pinup Issue46Fantastic Four "Inside Job" Mike W. Barr, Louis WilliamsThing "The Day After" Danny Fingeroth, Todd Smith47Spider-Man and Hulk "Renovation" Bill Mantlo, Michael GoldenNo B Story48She-Hulk "World's Hero, Father's Shame" Dwight Jon Zimmerman, Kerry Gammill Collected in She-Hulk Epic Collection: Breaking The Fourth WallShe-Hulk "California (State) Dreaming" Sue Flaxman, Don Perlin