Marvel Comics has built up what might be the most creative, well-known, and iconic universe of characters that pop culture has ever known. Set in the 616 universe, the main stories at Marvel follow a variety of superheroes and their teams in their adventures and battles against the forces of evil. Characters like Spider-Man debuted in sought-after, famous comics that people recognize by name alone. However, even Marvel’s first Captain Marvel debuted in an obscure title.
Thanks to the MCU, Marvel’s heroes have caught fire in mainstream fandoms, bringing even obscure comic heroes like Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon into the spotlight. Quite often, these heroes appeared in comics that had been completely forgotten until the age of superhero cinema breathed new life into them. Indeed, some of these characters and their debut comics remain obscure and hard to find but are prized collector’s items for their biggest fans.
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10 Rocket Raccoon – Marvel Preview #7
As much as he may be a treasured staple of the MCU, Rocket Raccoon spent most of his comic book life languishing in obscurity. In fact, his first appearance book, Marvel Preview #7, barely qualified as a “key issue” until Marvel Studios announced the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Virtually all the Guardians of the Galaxy heroes, of both generations, had obscure debuts, but Rocket stands out for just how long he was stuck in anonymity. At one time, it would have been easy to find his debut sitting in a quarter bin, but the MCU has made him a prominent character.
9 Ka-Zar – Ka-Zar #1
Unlike some of his fellow 616 heroes, Ka-Zar’s first appearance wasn’t in Marvel Comics at all. Instead, he debuted in his own pulp magazine all the way back in 1936 under Manvis Publishing, before even Timely Comics had been formed, though both publishers were owned by Martin Goodman.
In effect, Ka-Zar is Marvel’s answer to Tarzan, a jungle-dwelling adventure hero often accompanied by his best friend, a saber-toothed tiger named Zabu. Ka-Zar was originally a lot like Sheena or Doc Savage, but it’s a great thing he was rolled into the Marvel universe.
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8 Groot – Tales To Astonish #13
Despite not belonging to the first incarnation of the team, Groot was Marvel’s first Guardian of the Galaxy, with a 1960 debut in Tales to Astonish #13, where he wasn’t a hero but a giant monster. Groot spent decades as a solo character, and he only joined the modern team in 2008, 48 years after his debut!
Groot’s first story actually cast him as a villainous conqueror in the style of Starro, intent on experimenting on the humans he captured. Since his debut, he’s taken a turn towards heroism and lost most of his evil intellect, and is now close friends with fellow oddball Rocket Raccoon.
7 Vision – Marvel Mystery Comics #13
Vision was created to be Marvel Comics’ answer to DC’s Red Tornado. Debuting in the company’s first series, Marvel Mystery Comics #13, the hero was introduced as an alien from another dimension before the Silver Age reimagined him as a super-powered android created by Ultron.
Vision is perhaps the best example of an obscure Avenger since many moviegoers had never heard about the hero until his on-screen debut in 2014. He was well-known by Marvel Comics fans on the Avengers side of their universe but still relatively obscure for those who preferred the adventures of Marvel’s mutants.
6 Thor – Journey Into Mystery #83
Despite his A-list status in Marvel, not to mention many great runs under Jack Kirby, Walt Simonson and Jason Aaron, Thor’s first appearance wasn’t in his own series or even a backup in a bigger comic. Instead, it was in the pages of Journey Into Mystery #83, by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Larry Lieber.
Journey Into Mystery #83 has been somewhat retroactively rolled into the main Thor series, and legacy numbering let the book act as a continuation of the original title. His breakout story followed Donald Blake, the human who discovered an ancient cane and possessed the powers of Thor, which he used to repel an alien invasion.
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5 Mar-Vell Captain Marvel – Marvel Super-Heroes #12
Marvel’s original Captain Marvel hero, Mar-Vell, was created in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 in 1967, and the company would soon go on to try and establish him as the torch-bearer for the company. This was heightened when Marvel sued DC over the trademark of the “Captain Marvel” name that originated in Whiz Comics #2 in 1940.
Mar-Vell’s first appearance wasn’t just obscure, the hero didn’t even resemble his later appearances. He sported a green and white Kree naval uniform, which he wore as he traveled to Earth and defended it. Marv-Vell’s mantle has since passed to Carol Danvers, and Marvel’s first titular captain, like his debut comic, isn’t as well known.
4 Man-Thing – Savage Tales #1
Man-Thing is Marvel’s resident swamp monster, created by Roy Thomas and Stan Lee, and heavily influenced by the Golden Age swamp monster The Heap. Rather than debuting in his own comics or any traditional comic at all, Man-Thing’s first appearance was in the black and white magazine Savage Tales #1.
Man-Thing’s debut touched on his origin story, as he sought revenge on the goons who “killed” him, while also battling an alligator in a swamp. The hero hasn’t matched the popularity of Swamp Thing over at DC, and his magazine debut just doesn’t have the value or recognition it deserves.
3 The Human Torch – Marvel Comics #1
First appearing alongside Namor the Sub-Mariner in Marvel Comics #1, Human Torch made his debut in a short story by Carl Burgos. However, this is one of the few Marvel heroes whose Golden Age character was completely different from his later Silver Age counterpart, Johnny Storm.
The Golden Age Human Torch had nothing to do with The Fantastic Four but was instead an android who could spontaneously combust. The Golden Age version hardly appears in modern Marvel comic stories, but it’s interesting to see that Johnny Storm wasn’t the first Human Torch.
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2 Doctor Strange – Strange Tales #110
Like many of the best heroes in comics, Doctor Strange’s debut story not only wasn’t in his own book, it wasn’t even the main story. Instead, his first appearance was relegated to a backup story in the pages of Strange Tales #110, where he was called upon to investigate a criminal’s nightmares.
Doctor Stephen Strange was a composite of DC’s Doctor Fate, horror actor Vincent Price, and characters like Mandrake the Magician. Now a major figure in the MCU, he’s probably the best example of an A-list Marvel character with humble, obscure origins.
1 Namor The Sub-Mariner – Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1
Namorthe Sub-Mariner is widely considered to be Marvel’s first superhero, as well as the company’s first antihero. He debuted in the pages of a lesser-known movie theater giveaway comic, Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1, which was really a promotional giveaway for moviegoers, telling the story of his origin and first fight.
Technically speaking, Namor’s first appearance was in Marvel Comics #1, since Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 never actually went into circulation, making it even more obscure. However, copies of the book were later printed for theater owners, and the interiors can still be accessed today.
Even popular MCU antiheroes like the Sub-Mariner and Guardians of the Galaxy’s Rocket Raccoon debuted in some pretty obscure comics. Read More