Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics is one of the major publishing companies producing comic book properties today, rivaled primarily by DC Comics. Founded by Martin Goodman in 1939, five years after the establishment of DC, the company was initially known as Timely Comics, and later Atlas. By 1961, however, following experimentations with science fiction and funny animal characters, the line was relaunched as Marvel (taking its name from one of their earliest comic titles), and re-focused on superheroes. The company soon became DC's most notable rival, with such properties as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, all of which, like their DC counterparts, have been adapted into animation, films, television, and video games.

In December 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment (the parent company of Marvel Comics), placing it under the same ownership as the Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House characters.

Appearances
In 1974, following the debut of Spider-Man on The Electric Company, Marvel Comics teamed up with the Children's Televisions Workshop to launch Spidey Super Stories. Aimed at younger readers, the series featured Spider-Man, his friends and foes, as well as guest appearances by other heroes, all mingling with Electric Company characters such as Rita the director, Easy Reader, and Fargo North, Decoder. Sam the Robot from Sesame Street appeared (referred to as "Sam the Sesame Street Robot") in Spidey Super Stories #31,, in a Star Wars parody titled "Star Jaws." Filling the functions of R2-D2 and C-3PO, Sam seeks Spider-Man's help to rescue a Jedi-like character and save the Earth.

Publications
Between 1982 and 1986, Marvel Comics published three adaptations of Jim Henson feature films, The Dark Crystal, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and Labyrinth. All three debuted as 68 page adaptations in Marvel Super Special, an anthology series which specialized in adapting movie and TV properties, and were later re-printed in individual issues. All three utilized the talents of Marvel's regular artist roster, including John Buscema (veteran of Conan the Barbarian and The Avengers) on Labyrinth.


 * The Dark Crystal- Marvel Super Special #24, 1982; April and May 1983. two issues.


 * The Muppets Take Manhattan- Marvel Super Special # 32, August 1984; November 1984 - January 1985, three issues.


 * Labyrinth- Marvel Super Special #40, October 1986; November 1986 - January 1987, three issues.


 * The Muppets Take Manhattan adaptation was also featured in Marvel's news magazine, Marvel Age, in August 1984 (issue #17). The Muppet cast appeared on the cover alongside the comic's mascot, Forbush Man.

One of Marvel's imprints, Star Comics, launched in 1984, specialized in cartoon characters and other children's properties. The Star line reprinted the Muppets Take Manhattan mini-series, and in 1985, launched regular Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies comic book series. In 1988, beginning with issue 17, Muppet Babies was published under the regular Marvel label, and the 8 Fraggle Rock issues were likewise reprinted under the label.

In 2011, Disney gave Marvel the right to make its comics. Marvel will begin reprinting The Muppet Show Comic Book, starting with Meet the Muppets in July.

Muppet Mentions

 * In Sledge Hammer #1 (an adaptation of the TV series), a woman watches a Hitchcock festival on TV, featuring Laura Hitchcock's I Was a Teenage Muppet Baby (referring to one of the primary writers for the comic book series). Dialogue from the movies is seen in speech bubbles, detailing a woman's shock at seeing her boyfriend transformed into a frog. He also introduces her to his best friend, a bear.
 * In Marvel Team-Up #74, Peter Parker (alias Spider-Man) and Mary Jane Watson attend a taping of Saturday Night Live, sitting behind two old men (seen only from the back) named Statler and Waldorf.
 * In Marvel Zombies 4 #1, Zombie Deadpool's head was singing part of Movin' Right Along from the Muppet Movie.
 * In Marvel Premiere #50, The Hulk is holding Kermit the Frog, who is saying "It's not easy being green, right?"

References to Marvel Comics

 * In the book and record version of The Muppets Take Manhattan, a photo shows Scooter's bus locker, which he has personalized with sports banners and an issue of Ghost Rider, among other items.


 * In a Sesame Street News Flash segment, Kermit interviews Telly and Mona at a daycare center, standing in front of pictures of Marvel heroes Thor and Captain America.


 * Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony episode 24 spoofed the X-Men movie franchise, showing a group of mutants who failed the auditions, including The Blimp, The Invisible Twins, and Beaverine


 * In a variant cover to The Muppet Show Comic Book: Family Reunion #7, the Muppets are seen wearing costumes similar to Captain America and Thor, as well as several DC Comics characters.


 * In Sesame Street episode 4224, Grover becomes "Iron Monster", a parody of Iron Man.


 * In Sesame Street episode 4218, Telly Monster, Abby Cadabby, and Elmo pretend to be the "Furry Four", a parody of the Fantastic Four.

Connections
Many actors and other crew members have worked on both Muppet/Henson projects and Marvel Comics adaptations. For more connections, see Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk


 * Jessica Alba played Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four (2005 film) and 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2005 film)
 * Ned Beatty played Sam Kolawetz in Captain America' (1990 film)
 * Halle Berry played Storm in X-Men (2000 film), X2 (2003 film)
 * Pat Crawford Brown played a sweet old lady in Daredevil (2003 film)
 * George Buza played Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast on X-Men (animated series, 1992-1997) and related video games and a trucker in X-Men (2000 film)
 * Lyle Conway played Reichardt in Blade (1998 film)
 * Alyson Court played Jubilee on X-Men (animated series, 1992-1997)
 * Alan Cumming played Nightcrawler in X2 (2003 film)
 * Cal Dodd played Wolverine on X-Men (animated series, 1992-1997) and related video games
 * Robert Downey Jr. played Tony Stark/Ironman in Ironman (2008 film) and Hulk (2008 film)
 * Sholly Fisch has written several different Marvel Comics, including "Marvel Comics Presents" and "Spider-Man Holiday Special"
 * Matt Frewer played Russell Trask in Generation X' (1996 TV movie)
 * Jennifer Garner played Elektra Natchios in Dardevil (2003 film) and Elektra (2005 film)
 * Kelsey Grammer played Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006 film)
 * Hugh Jackman played Wolverine in the X-Men films (2000-2009)
 * Samuel L. Jackson played Nick Fury in Ironman (2008 film)
 * Danny John-Jules played Asad in Blade II (2002 film)
 * Udo Kier played Dragonetti in Blade (1998)
 * Kris Kristofferson played Whistler in Blade (1998 film), Blade II (2002 film) and Blade: Trinity (2004 film)
 * John Stephenson played Dr. Doom on The Fantastic Four (1978 animated series)
 * Patrick Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men (2000 film),
 * John Stocker played Greydon Creed Jr. and others on X-Men (animated series, 1992-1997) and Ultron on Avengers (1999 animated series)
 * Joel Tobeck played a redneck in Ghost Rider (2007 film)
 * Lani John Tupu played Laccone in The Punisher (1989 film)
 * Jessica Walter played Morgan LeFay in Dr. Strange (1978 TV movie)
 * Frank Welker played H.E.R.B.I.E. on The Fantastic Four (1978 animated series)