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, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, all of which. like their DC counterparts, have been adapted into animation, films, television, and video games.

Appearances
In 1974, following the debut of Spider-Man on The Electric Company, Marvel Comics launched Spidey Super Stories. Aimed at younger readers, approximately 6 to 10, the series featured Spider-Man, his friends, and regular rogues gallery, as well as guest appearances by other heroes, mingling with Electric Company characters like Rita the director, Easy Reader, and Fargo North, Decoder. In Spidey Super Stories #32, which featured a Star Wars parody, Sam the Robot made a special appearance, announced as "Sam the Sesame Street Robot." Combining the roles of both R2-D2 and C-3PO, Sam seeks Spider-Man's assistance in an intergalactic war.

Muppet Mentions
In Incredible Hulk #474, a journey into Bruce Banner's mind includes a symbol of anger from his childhood: "Edgar the Grump", who lives in a dumpster on "Sassafras Street". The character closely resembles the original orange version of Oscar the Grouch.

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.

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.