| Schedule: | (Vol. 1) bimonthly (Vol. 2) monthly |
| Format: | Series |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Date: | (Vol. 1) March 1982–December 1991 (Vol. 2) September 1996–February 1997 |
| Issues: | (Vol. 1): 60 (Vol. 2): 6 |
Marvel Fanfare was 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.
Marvel Fanfare featured characters and settings from throughout the Marvel Universe, and it included stories of varying lengths by an array of creators.[1] 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.[2]
The series began with a Spider-Man/Angel team-up story by Chris Claremont and Michael Golden.[3] [4] Other Spider-Man appearances in the title included team-ups with the Scarlet Witch in issue #6 (Jan. 1983)[5] and the Hulk in issue #47 (Nov. 1989).[6] Several characters appeared in multiple issues including Doctor Strange,[7] Weirdworld,[8] the Warriors Three,[9] the Black Knight,[10] and Shanna the She-Devil.[11] Writer Roger McKenzie wrote several stories for Marvel Fanfare[12] including a two-part Iron Man vs. Doctor Octopus tale drawn by Ken Steacy.[13] A Captain America backup story in issue #29 (Nov. 1986) featured early work by artist Norm Breyfogle.[14]
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,[15] the Black Widow serial in #10–13,[16] the Hulk story in #29,[17] and the Silver Surfer story by Steve Englehart and John Buscema in #51.[18] [19]
| Issue # | A Story | B Story | C Story/Pinups | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X-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 2 | Daredevil"Snow" Roger McKenzie, Paul Smith Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales, and Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol 16 | No C Story | |
| 2 | Fantastic Four"Annihilation" Roger McKenzie, Trevor VonEeden Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol 22 | |||
| 3 | Hawkeye"Swashbucklers" Charlie Boatner, Trevor VonEeden Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales, Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol 21, and Hawkeye Epic Collection: The Avenging Archer | |||
| 4 | Deathlok"Mindgame" David Kraft, Michael Golden Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Deathlok Vol 1 | Iron Man"Ordeal!" David Michelinie, David Winn, Michael Golden Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Iron Man Vol 16 | ||
| 5 | Dr. 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 8 | Captain America"Shall Freedom Endure" Roger McKenzie, Luke McDonnell Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol 16 | No C Story | |
| 6 | Spider-Man and Scarlet Witch"Switch Witch" Mike W. Barr, Sandy Plunkett Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales | Dr. 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 9 | ||
| 7 | Hulk, Blob and Unus"With Friends Like These" Steven Grant, Joe Barney Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol 18 | Daredevil"Bless the Beasts and Children" Bill Mantlo, George Freeman Collected in Marvel Fanfare: Strange Tales and Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol 18 | ||
| 8 | Dr. Strange"The Light That Never Was" Al Milgrom Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Dr. Strange Vol 11 | The Jungle Book (Adaptation) Gil Kane, Mary Jo Duffy, P. Craig Russell Collected in The Jungle Book | "The Bill Sienkiewicz Portfolio"Features Thor and Hulk | |
| 9 | Man-Thing"Rock and Soul" J.M. DeMatteis, Joe Brozowski | "The Butch Guice Portfolio"Features Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, Power Man & Iron Fist, Gorgon, Howard the Duck | ||
| 10 | Black 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 18 | No C Story | ||
| 11 | ||||
| 12 | No B story | |||
| 13 | Warriors Three"Ballad of the Warriors Three" Alan Zelenetz, Charles Vess Collected in Thor: The Warriors Three | |||
| 14 | Vision and Fantastic Four"Dangerous Vision" Roger McKenzie, Rick Leonardi and Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol 24 | Quicksilver and the Inhumans"Against Attilan" Mary Jo Duffy, Alan Weiss Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Inhumans Vol. 2 | ||
| 15 | The Thing"that night..." Barry Windsor-Smith Collected in The Best of the Fantastic Four, Vol 1 and The Thing Omnibus Vol 1 | Daredevil"Crimson Ash" Roger McKenzie, Jack Sparling | ||
| 16 | Sky-Wolves"Sky-Wolf | " Marv Wolfman, Dave Cockrum | Sub-Mariner"A Fable" Bill Mantlo, Mike Mignola Collected in Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment | |
| 17 | Hulk"A Day in the Life" David Kraft, Tony Salmons, Al Milgrom | |||
| 18 | Captain 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. Doom | |
| 19 | Cloak & 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 Light | Cloak & 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 1 | |
| 20 | Thing and Dr. Strange"The Clash" Jim Starlin | No B Story | No C Story | |
| 21 | ||||
| 22 | Iron Man"Night of the Octopus" Roger McKenzie, Ken Steacy Collected in Iron Man Epic: Return of the Ghost | PinupsFeaturing Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Conan | ||
| 23 | No C Story | |||
| 24 | Weirdworld"Weirdworld" Doug Moensch, Mike Ploog Collected in Weirdworld | Ms. Marvel/Binary"Elegy" Chris Claremont, Michael Golden 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 Omnibus | ||
| 25 | Captain Universe"School's Out" Bill Mantlo, June Brigman Collected in Captain Universe: Power Unimaginable | |||
| 26 | Captain America"Death and the Queen" Will Jungkuntz Collected in Captain America by Mark Gruenwald Omnibus Vol 1 | |||
| 27 | Daredevil"Cars" Bill Mantlo, Tony Salmons | Spider-Man"Spidey Gets Antsy" Marc Hempel Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Vol 26 | ||
| 28 | Alpha Flight"Murder by Number, 1, 2, 3..." Bill Mantlo, Ken Steacy | No B Story | ||
| 29 | Hulk"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 Gray | Captain America"Story" Norm Breyfogle Collected in Captain America Epic: Justice Is Served; Captain America by Mark Gruenwald Omnibus Vol 1 | ||
| 30 | Moon 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 Moon | No B Story | ||
| 31 | Captain 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 1 | Dr. Strange"Dr. Owl" Mark Wheatley Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Dr. Strange Vol 11 | Daredevil"The Call" Norm Breyfogle | |
| 32 | Vision and Scarlet Witch"Rosie" Roger McKenzie, Paul Smith | No C Story | ||
| 33 | X-Men"Shadows on the Soul" Chris Claremont, June Brigman Collected in The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol 5, X-Men: Mutant Massacre Omnibus and Marvel Masterworks: Uncanny X-Men Vol 13 | No B Story | ||
| 34 | Warriors Three"Warriors Three" Alan Zelenetz, Charles Vess Collected in Thor: The Warriors Three | PinupsFeaturing Warriors Three, Baron Zemo, Red Skull, Kraven, Dormammu, Kang, Loki, Nightmare, Attuma | ||
| 35 | PinupsFeaturing Phoenix, Scarlet Witch & Vision, Cloak & Dagger, Colossus, Shadowcat, Dr. Strange, Frankenstein, Loki, Man-Thing | |||
| 36 | No C Story | |||
| 37 | Fantastic Four"Synchronicity" Mark Borax, Norm Breyfogle | |||
| 38 | Moon 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 Moon | Rogue and Dazzler (X-Men)"Duet" Jo Duffy, Colleen Doran Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Dazzler Vol 4 and Dazzler Omnibus | ||
| 39 | Hawkeye"The Cat's Tale" J.M. DeMatteis, Joe Staton Collected in Hawkeye Epic Collection: The Avenging Archer | Moon Knight"#*@%&¢!" Michael Carlin, Bill Reinhold Collected in Essential Moon Knight vol. 3, Moon Knight Omnibus Vol 2, and Moon Knight Epic: Butcher's Moon | ||
| 40 | Angel (X-Factor)"Chiaroscuro" Ann Nocenti, Dave Mazzuchelli Collected in X-Factor: The Original X-Men Omnibus Vol 1 | Storm 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 and Marvel Masterworks: Uncanny X-Men Vol 10 | ||
| 41 | Dr. Strange"...Perchance to Dream" Walt Simonson, Dave Gibbons | No B Story | ||
| 42 | Spider-Man"Windfall" Carl Potts | Captain Marvel (Photon) "Once More in the City of Light" Dennis Mallonee, Bob Hall Collected in Captain Marvel: Monica Rambeau | ||
| 43 | Sub-Mariner"Time After Time" Bill Mantlo, Mike Mignola Collected in Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment | Fantastic Four"Death in a Vacuum" Bill Mantlo, Greg Brooks | ||
| 44 | Iron Man"Doom Bug" Ken Steacy Collected in Iron Man Epic: Return of the Ghost | No B Story | ||
| 45 | All-Pinup Issue | |||
| 46 | Fantastic Four"Inside Job" Mike W. Barr, Louis Williams | Thing"The Day After" Danny Fingeroth, Todd Smith | ||
| 47 | Spider-Man and Hulk"Renovation" Bill Mantlo, Michael Golden | No B Story | ||
| 48 | She-Hulk"World's Hero, Father's Shame" Dwight Jon Zimmerman, Kerry Gammill Collected in She-Hulk Epic Collection: Breaking The Fourth Wall | She-Hulk"California (State) Dreaming" Sue Flaxman, Don Perlin Collected in She-Hulk Epic Collection: Breaking The Fourth Wall | Vision"Run Through the Jungle" Michael Higgins, Ron Wilson | |
| 49 | Dr. Strange, Nick Fury"Strange on the Range" Alan Weiss | Two-Gun Kid"Two Guns Against the Gang!" Mike W. Barr, Tod Smith | No C Story | |
| 50 | X-Factor"If I Had the Wings of an Angel" Mary Jo Duffy, Joe Staton | No B-story | ||
| 51 | Silver Surfer"The Great Terror" Steve Englehart, John Buscema Collected in Essential Silver Surfer vol. 2 and Silver Surfer Epic: Freedom | Nightmare"The Believer" Dean Schreck, Gene Colan | ||
| 52 | Black Knight"The Legend of the Black Knight" Steven Grant, Scott Hampton | Dr. Strange"Mirror, Mirror" Dean Schreck, Gene Colan | Pinups by Paul RyanFeaturing Nova, Silver Surfer, Galactus | |
| 53 | Iron Man"Never Say 83!" Dan Mishkin, Dave Ross | No C Story | ||
| 54 | Wolverine"One Life to Die" Richard Howell Collected in Wolverine Omnibus Vol 3 | |||
| 55 | Power Pack and New Mutants"The Battle of P.S.87!" Terry Austin, Colleen Doran Collected in Power Pack Classic Omnibus Volume 2 and New Mutants Omnibus Vol 3 | |||
| 56 | Shanna the She-Devil"Crimes of Pride | " Steve Gerber, Carmine Infantino, Bret Blevins, Tony DeZuniga Collected in Marvel Masterworks: Ka-Zar Vol 4 | A Reader"Toys Night Out!" Bill Mantlo, Don Heck | |
| 57 | Captain Marvel (Photon)"Power and Duty" Bill Mantlo, George Freeman Collected in Captain Marvel: Monica Rambeau | |||
| 58 | Vision and Scarlet Witch"Hometown" Bill Mantlo, Sandy Plunkett | PinupsFeaturing Wonder Man, Nick Fury, Punisher | ||
| 59 | Hellcat"The Town and Patsy Walker" Richard Howell Collected in Women of Marvel: Celebrating Seven Decades | No C Story | ||
| 60 | Black Panther"Big Applesauce" Walt Simonson, Denys Cowan Collected in Black Panther Epic Collection Volume 3: Panther's Prey | Rogue (X-Men)"The Mission" Ann Nocenti, Dave Ross Collected in Classic X-Men Omnibus, and X-Men Classic Complete Collection Vol 2 | Daredevil"The Monkey Never Dies" Paul Smith |
Marvel Fanfare volume two was published monthly for six issues, dated September 1996 to February 1997. This version of the title was edited by James Felder.
Like the first volume, the title featured different creative teams in each issue and starred different characters from around the Marvel universe. However, the talent were mostly newcomers, the paper was cheap and it cost half the price of most other comics (99 cents when most comics cost $1.95). The title features the early work of writer Joe Kelly and penciller Scott Kolins.
| 1 | Captain America and Falcon | |
| 2 | Wolverine and HulkCollected in Spider-Man by Joe Kelly Omnibus | |
| 3 | Spider-Man and Ghost RiderCollected in Spider-Man by Joe Kelly Omnibus | |
| 4 | Longshot and Dazzler | |
| 5 | ||
| 6 | Luke Cage, Iron Fist, X-Factor |
In 2024, Marvel Comics announced it would be collecting the entire series of Marvel Fanfare in three omnibus volumes.
| Volume | Years Collected | Material Collected | Pages | Release Date | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1982-1984 | Marvel Fanfare (1982) #1-19 | 736 | May 13, 2025 | 978-1302962272 | |
| 2 | TBA | TBA | ||||
| 3 | TBA | TBA |