The mid-1980s marked a golden age for Marvel, financially recovering from the lean years and creatively flourishing. This period, fueled by the success of Secret Wars (1984), irrevocably altered the comic book landscape. The ripple effects on the Marvel universe and the industry were profound, sending beloved heroes and villains on new, exciting trajectories.
This era boasted other iconic narratives, including Frank Miller's Born Again Daredevil arc, Jean Grey's return in X-Factor, and Walt Simonson's epic Surtur Saga in Thor. This article explores these pivotal storylines and other significant events from this influential period – Part 8 of our essential Marvel issues series.
More Essential Marvel
- 1961-1963 - The Birth of a Universe
- 1964-1965 - The Sentinels Are Born and Cap Dethaws
- 1966-1969 - How Galactus Changed Marvel Forever
- 1970-1973 - The Night Gwen Stacy Died
- 1974-1976 - The Punisher Begins His War on Crime
- 1977-1979 - Star Wars Saves Marvel From Bankruptcy
- 1980-1982 - Did the Dark Phoenix Saga Usher in the Greatest Decade for Marvel?
Frank Miller's Born Again and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga
Among the era's most acclaimed stories are Frank Miller's Born Again (Daredevil #227-233), a collaboration with artist David Mazzuchelli, and often cited as the definitive Daredevil tale. A devastating betrayal by a heroin-addicted Karen Page reveals Daredevil's secret identity to Kingpin, who systematically destroys Matt Murdock's life. Reduced to rock bottom, Matt's eventual salvation by his mother, Maggie, sets the stage for his harrowing return as Daredevil and Kingpin's descent into obsessive villainy. This masterpiece, loosely adapted in Netflix's Daredevil Season 3, also inspired the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again.
Simultaneously, Walt Simonson, beginning his legendary run on Thor in 1983 (#337), introduced Beta Ray Bill, an alien worthy of wielding Mjolnir. Simonson's masterful storytelling, infusing Thor with mythic fantasy, culminated in the year-long Surtur Saga (#340-353). The fire demon Surtur, aiming for Ragnarok, sends Malekith to battle Thor, buying time to forge the Twilight Sword. The saga climaxes in an epic confrontation featuring Thor, Loki, and Odin against Surtur. Elements of Simonson's saga found their way into Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
Secret Wars Changes Comics Forever
As discussed in Part 4, the 1973 Avengers/Defenders War foreshadowed the event crossover trend. This fully materialized in 1984 with Secret Wars, a 12-part miniseries written by Jim Shooter (then Editor-in-Chief), with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton. Born from a marketing collaboration with Mattel, the premise is simple: The Beyonder transports Marvel heroes and villains to Battleworld for a contest of good versus evil. The series features large-scale battles, plot seeds for ongoing series, and some significant character inconsistencies (including a surprising Magneto/Wasp romance).
Secret Wars, while a mixed bag critically, holds immense cultural significance due to its vast cast and impact on the Marvel universe. Shooter's portrayal of Doctor Doom is noteworthy, but his handling of other characters sometimes clashes with their established arcs. Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić's 2015 Secret Wars offers a more cohesive narrative, yet the original's influence on the comic book industry is undeniable. Its success spurred the sequel, Secret Wars II, and alongside DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, solidified the event comic model for decades.
Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit and Other Iconic Spidey Stories
Following Stan Lee and Gerry Conway's formative runs, Amazing Spider-Man found its next iconic writer in Roger Stern, who, after contributing to Spectacular Spider-Man, took over the main title (#224). His two-year run revitalized the series, introducing the Hobgoblin in Amazing #238, a formidable new villain. Stern's Hobgoblin saga, unfortunately cut short due to editorial interference, was ultimately concluded in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.
Stern's departure coincided with another landmark event: the debut of Spider-Man's black symbiote costume in Amazing #252. While Secret Wars #8 revealed its Battleworld origin, the symbiote's introduction launched a significant storyline, ultimately leading to the creation of one of Spidey's most popular antagonists, Venom. The black suit remains Spider-Man's most famous alternate look, adapted across various media. Another pivotal Spidey story from this period is Peter David and Rich Buckler's The Death of Jean DeWolff (Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110), a dark and impactful tale exploring Spider-Man's grief and his conflict with Daredevil.
Jean Grey Returns, the Rise of Apocalypse, and Other Mutant Landmarks
The mid-1980s also saw significant developments in the X-Men universe. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 revealed Magneto as the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, a retconned element in later years, but a defining aspect for many fans. X-Men #171 marked Rogue's heroic turn, joining the X-Men after abandoning the Brotherhood, a transformation so entrenched that many adaptations omit her villainous past. X-Men #200 saw Magneto's trial and subsequent leadership of Xavier's School, a heroic phase lasting several years in the comics.
The resurrection of Jean Grey in Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286, and the introduction of Apocalypse in X-Factor #5-6, were pivotal moments. Jean's return, with amnesia regarding her Phoenix persona, led to the formation of X-Factor. Apocalypse, an ancient mutant enhanced by Celestial technology, became X-Factor's primary antagonist and a lasting X-Men nemesis, appearing in various adaptations.
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