Marvel Team-Up | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
Schedule | Marvel Team-Up (all): monthly Spider-Man Team-Up: quarterly |
Format | Ongoing |
Publication date | Marvel Team-Up : March 1972 - February 1985 Spider-Man Team-Up: December 1995 - June 1997 Marvel Team-Up (vol. 2): September 1997 - July 1998 Marvel Team-Up (vol. 3): January 2005 - December 2006 Marvel Team-Up (vol. 4): June 2019 - present |
No. of issues | Marvel Team-Up (vol. 1): 150 and 7 Annuals Spider-Man Team-Up: 7 Marvel Team-Up (vol. 2): 11 Marvel Team-Up (vol. 3): 25 Marvel Team-Up (vol. 4): 6 |
Main character(s) | Spider-Man |
Creative team | |
Written by | List
|
Penciller(s) | |
Inker(s) |
Marvel Team-Up is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story. The series was originally published from March 1972 through February 1985, and featured Spider-Man as the lead "team-up" character in all but ten of its 150 issues, and in six of its seven Annuals. It was the first major ongoing spin-off series for Spider-Man, being preceded only by the short-lived The Spectacular Spider-Man magazine. Of the issues that did not star Spider-Man, the Human Torch headlines six issues (#18, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35); the Hulk, four (#97, 104, 105, and Annual #3); and Aunt May, one (#137). Publication of most of the issues starring the Human Torch coincided with that of Giant-Size Spider-Man, an alternate Spider-Man "team-up"-themed series by the regular Marvel Team-Up creative team. When cancelled with #150 in 1985, the title was replaced by Web of Spider-Man.
The second series was published for 11 issues from September 1997 through July 1998 and originally featured Spider-Man; Namor the Sub-Mariner was the featured character starting with #8. From 1995 to 1997, a quarterly series titled Spider-Man Team-Up fulfilled much the same purpose as the original title. The third Marvel Team-Up series, written by Robert Kirkman, began publication in January 2005 and frequently featured Spider-Man. This volume often reintroduced lesser-known Marvel characters that had fallen into obscurity.
The spirit of Marvel Team-Up was carried on by Avenging Spider-Man and later by Superior Spider-Man Team-Up.
Comics journalist Jonathan Miller summarized Marvel Team-Up in a retrospective article:
The series was admittedly formulaic; either Spider-Man or that issue's guest-star would encounter a menace and then by sheer chance cross paths with another hero who would lend a hand. The title's guest-stars were an equal mix of A-list characters whose presence was likely to increase sales and fledgling heroes being given exposure in the hopes of launching them into stardom but who for the most part continued to languish in obscurity.[1]
The series debuted with a March 1972 cover-dated issue[2] featuring Spider-Man and the Human Torch in a story by writer Roy Thomas and artist Ross Andru.[3] Spider-Man and the Human Torch were originally the permanent headliners on the series, but the creators found this format limiting, and after just three issues the Human Torch was dropped in favor of a rotating co-star slot.[1] The main artists on the series for the first several years were Andru, Gil Kane, Sal Buscema, and Jim Mooney.[4]
In 1974, Marvel started publishing Giant-Size Spider-Man, which was a quarterly 68-page comic that lasted for six issues which complemented Marvel Team-Up.[5] The series featured team-ups, with each issue featuring a new story with a back-up reprint, except the last issue, which only featured a reprint.
Due to the limitations of the typically single-issue team-up stories, the supporting cast of Spider-Man's other titles rarely appeared in Marvel Team-Up.[1] The series often featured non-superhero characters in the co-star slot.[6] A multi-issue time travel story arc began in issue #41 with Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch traveling to the Salem witch trials in 1692,[7] and pushed the barriers of continuity by having Spider-Man team up with two characters who had no established connection to the mainstream Marvel Universe, Killraven and Deathlok.[1] Though the series did often team Spider-Man with other highly popular characters, it regularly gave the co-star slot to obscure characters that the average reader was unlikely to even recognize, particularly during writer J. M. DeMatteis's run. DeMatteis recounted, "I was always attracted to the more obscure characters, mainly because they were ripe for exploration. You could crack them open and really develop them. ... I just looked at these fringe characters as more inviting than the mainstream, more established characters - who all had their set-in-stone continuity. I wanted room to play and those characters gave me all the room I wanted. And let's face it, our lead character was as mainstream as you can get, so the obscure ones made for a nice contrast."[1]
With issue #47, the series had a crossover with Marvel Two-in-One #17, which featured the Thing.[8] Jean DeWolff was introduced as a supporting character in the Spider-Man/Iron Man story in issue #48.[9]
John Byrne, who would later become the artist on The Uncanny X-Men, first drew the characters in Marvel Team-Up #53.[10] Byrne and his Uncanny X-Men collaborator, writer Chris Claremont worked together on several issues of Marvel Team-Up.[11] Captain Britain, a character created for Marvel UK, made his first appearance in an American comic book in Marvel Team-Up #65 (January 1978).[12]
Karma, a character that later joined the New Mutants, was created by Claremont and artist Frank Miller in #100's lead story.[13] A photo cover by Eliot R. Brown was used for the Spider-Man/Captain America team-up in issue #128.[14]
Though published for well over a decade, the series format never truly caught on with readers. Upon taking a serious look at sales figures for Marvel Team-Up, Marvel's editorial staff found that sales dramatically rose or fell with each issue depending solely on the popularity of that issue's co-star.[1] Taking this into consideration, Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter concluded that it would make more sense to have another Spider-Man solo series with guest stars appearing when the storyline and/or promotional needs called for it, rather than a team-up series which unnaturally forced guest-stars upon the story.[1] The series ended with issue #150 (February 1985),[2] to be replaced by Web of Spider-Man.[1]
A Hulk and the Human Torch story written by Jack C. Harris and drawn by Steve Ditko in the 1980s that was intended for Marvel Team-Up was published by Marvel as Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault #1 in August 2011.[15][16]
Spider-Man Team-Up was a brief attempt to revive the concept of the series[17][18] and was soon followed by Marvel Team-Up vol. 2 which was published from September 1997 to July 1998.[19] The third Marvel Team-Up series launched in January 2005 and ran for 25 issues[20] which starred a variety of characters.[21] The fourth series began with a June 2019 cover date and contains legacy numbering.[22]
Issue | Character(s) | Issue | Character(s) | Issue | Character(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Spider-Man and the Human Torch vs. Sandman | #51 | Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Wraith | #101 | Spider-Man and Nighthawk vs. Mindy Williams |
#2 | Spider-Man and the Human Torch vs. the Frightful Four (Wizard, Sandman, Trapster) and Annihilus | #52 | Spider-Man and Captain America vs. Batroc the Leaper | #102 | Spider-Man and Doc Samson vs. Rhino |
#3 | Spider-Man and the Human Torch vs. Morbius, the Living Vampire and Bert Tracker | #53 | Spider-Man and Hulk vs. Major Del Tremens (featuring the X-Men) | #103 | Spider-Man and Ant-Man vs. Taskmaster |
#4 | Spider-Man and the X-Men (Angel, Cyclops, Iceman, and Marvel Girl)[23] vs. Morbius, the Living Vampire | #54 | Spider-Man and Hulk vs. Major Del Tremens | #104 | Hulk and Ka-Zar vs. MODOK |
#5 | Spider-Man and the Vision vs. Puppet Master and Ballox the Monstroid | #55 | Spider-Man and Adam Warlock vs. Stranger | #105 | The Hulk, Power Man, and Iron Fist vs. Pa and Luther |
#6 | Spider-Man and the Thing vs. Mad Thinker | #56 | Spider-Man and Daredevil vs. Electro and Blizzard | #106 | Spider-Man and Captain America vs. Scorpion |
#7 | Spider-Man and Thor vs Kryllk the Cruel | #57 | Spider-Man and Black Widow vs. Silver Samurai | #107 | Spider-Man and She-Hulk vs. Man-Killer |
#8 | Spider-Man and Cat vs. Man-Killer and A.I.M. | #58 | Spider-Man and Ghost Rider vs. Trapster | #108 | Spider-Man and Paladin vs. Thermo |
#9 | Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Zarrko the Tomorrow Man and Kang the Conqueror | #59 | Spider-Man, Yellowjacket and Wasp vs. Equinox | #109 | Spider-Man, Paladin, and Dazzler vs. Thermo |
#10 | Spider-Man and Human Torch vs. Zarrko the Tomorrow Man and Kang the Conqueror | #60 | Spider-Man and Wasp vs. Equinox | #110 | Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Magma |
#11 | Spider-Man and the Inhumans (Black Bolt, Gorgon, Karnak the Shatterer, and Triton) vs. Zarrko the Tomorrow Man and Kang the Conqueror | #61 | Spider-Man and Human Torch vs. Super-Skrull | #111 | Spider-Man, the Defenders, and Devil-Slayer vs. Spider-God |
#12 | Spider-Man and Werewolf by Night[24] vs. Moondark | #62 | Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel vs. Super-Skrull | #112 | Spider-Man and King Kull vs. Ju-Lak |
#13 | Spider-Man and Captain America vs. Grey Gargoyle and A.I.M. | #63 | Spider-Man and Iron Fist vs. Steel Serpent | #113 | Spider-Man and Quasar vs. Lightmaster |
#14 | Spider-Man and Namor the Sub-Mariner vs. Tiger Shark, Lemuel Dorcas, and the Aquanoids | #64 | Spider-Man and the Daughters of the Dragon vs. Steel Serpent | #114 | Spider-Man and Falcon vs. Stone-Face and Young Watchers |
#15 | Spider-Man and Ghost Rider vs. Orb | #65 | Spider-Man and Captain Britain vs. Arcade | #115 | Spider-Man and Thor vs. Mind-Bender |
#16 | Spider-Man and Captain Marvel vs. Basilisk | #66 | Spider-Man and Captain Britain vs. Arcade | #116 | Spider-Man, Thor, and Valkyrie vs. Mind-Bender and Shape-Changer |
#17 | Spider-Man and Mister Fantastic vs. Mole Man and Basilisk | #67 | Spider-Man and Tigra vs. Kraven the Hunter | #117 | Spider-Man and Wolverine vs. Mentallo |
#18 | Human Torch and Hulk vs. Blastaar, Paxton Pentecost, and Ferguson Blaine | #68 | Spider-Man and Man-Thing vs. D'Spayre | #118 | Spider-Man and Professor X vs. Mentallo |
#19 | Spider-Man and Ka-Zar vs. Stegron the Dinosaur Man | #69 | Spider-Man and Havok vs. Living Pharaoh | #119 | Spider-Man and Gargoyle vs. some street thugs |
#20 | Spider-Man and Black Panther vs. Stegron the Dinosaur Man | #70 | Spider-Man and Thor vs. Living Monolith | #120 | Spider-Man and Dominic Fortune vs. Turner D. Century |
#21 | Spider-Man and Doctor Strange vs. Xandu | #71 | Spider-Man and Falcon vs. Plantman | #121 | Spider-Man and Human Torch vs. Speed Demon |
#22 | Spider-Man and Hawkeye vs. Quasimodo | #72 | Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Whiplash | #122 | Spider-Man and Man-Thing vs. Ian Fate |
#23 | Human Torch and Iceman vs. Equinox | #73 | Spider-Man and Daredevil vs. Owl | #123 | Spider-Man and Daredevil vs. Solarr |
#24 | Spider-Man and Brother Voodoo vs. Moondog the Malicious | #74 | Spider-Man and the Not Ready For Prime Time Players (Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner)[11] vs. Silver Samurai[25] | #124 | Spider-Man and Beast vs. Professor Power |
#25 | Spider-Man and Daredevil vs. Ani-Men | #75 | Spider-Man and Power Man vs. Rat Pack/Arson Gang | #125 | Spider-Man and Tigra vs. Zabo Donalbain Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch vs. Beliath Demon |
#26 | Human Torch and Thor vs. the Lava Men of Subterranea | #76 | Spider-Man and Doctor Strange vs. Silver Dagger | #126 | Power Man and Son of Satan vs. Satannish and Sons of Satannish Spider-Man and Hulk vs. some street thugs |
#27 | Spider-Man and Hulk vs. Chameleon | #77 | Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel vs. Silver Dagger | #127 | Spider-Man and Uatu the Watcher vs. Buck Todd |
#28 | Spider-Man and Hercules vs. the City Stealers | #78 | Spider-Man and Wonder Man vs. Griffin | #128 | Spider-Man and Captain America vs. Vermin the Man-Rat |
#29 | Human Torch and Iron Man vs. Infinitus the Reincarnated Man | #79 | Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson as Red Sonja[26] vs. Kulan Gath | #129 | Spider-Man and Vision vs. Mad Thinker's robots. |
#30 | Spider-Man and Falcon vs. Midas II | #80 | Spider-Man and Clea vs. Werewolf Doctor Strange | #130 | Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch vs. Necrodamus |
#31 | Spider-Man and Iron Fist vs. Drom the Backwards Man | #81 | Spider-Man, Satana the Devil's Daughter, and Clea vs. Werewolf Doctor Strange and Basilisk Demon | #131 | Spider-Man and Frog-Man vs. White Rabbit |
#32 | Human Torch and Son of Satan vs. Dryminextes | #82 | Spider-Man and Black Widow vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and some muggers | #132 | Spider-Man and Mister Fantastic |
#33 | Spider-Man and Nighthawk vs. Meteor Man and Jeremiah | #83 | Spider-Man and Nick Fury vs. Boomerang, Silver Samurai, and Viper | #133 | Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four vs. Doctor Faustus |
#34 | Spider-Man and Valkyrie vs. Meteor Man and Jeremiah | #84 | Spider-Man and Shang-Chi vs. Boomerang and Silver Samurai | #134 | Spider-Man and Jack of Hearts vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents |
#35 | Human Torch and Doctor Strange vs. Jeremiah and Orothu | #85 | Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, Black Widow, and Nick Fury vs. Silver Samurai | #135 | Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde vs. the Morlocks |
#36 | Spider-Man and the Frankenstein Monster[27] vs. Baron Ludwig von Shtupf the Monster-Maker | #86 | Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy vs. Hammer and Anvil | #136 | Spider-Man and Wonder Man vs. Mauler |
#37 | Spider-Man, the Frankenstein Monster and the Man-Wolf vs. Baron Ludwig von Shtupf the Monster-Maker | #87 | Spider-Man and the Black Panther vs. Hellrazor | #137 | Aunt May and Franklin Richards vs. Galactus[28] |
#38 | Spider-Man and Beast vs. Griffin | #88 | Spider-Man and Invisible Girl vs. Boss Morgan and the Hole in the Wall Gang | #138 | Spider-Man and Sandman vs. the Enforcers |
#39 | Spider-Man and Human Torch vs Big Man II (Janice Foswell), Crime Master II, Fancy Dan, Montana, and Sandman | #89 | Spider-Man and Nightcrawler vs. Cutthroat | #139 | Spider-Man and Nick Fury vs. Dreadnaught |
#40 | Spider-Man and the Sons of the Tiger vs. Big Man II (Janice Foswell), Crime Master II, Fancy Dan, Montana, and Sandman | #90 | Spider-Man and Beast vs. Killer Shrike and Modular Man | #140 | Spider-Man, Black Widow, and Daredevil vs. Howard "Cool Breeze" McNeal's gang |
#41 | Spider-Man and Scarlet Witch vs. Cotton Mather | #91 | Spider-Man and Ghost Rider vs. Soul-Stealer | #141 | Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Black Widow vs. Kingpin and Frank Arnold |
#42 | Spider-Man and Vision vs. Cotton Mather and Dark Rider[29] | #92 | Spider-Man and Hawkeye vs. Mister Fear | #142 | Spider-Man and Captain Marvel II vs. P.R.I.D.E. |
#43 | Spider-Man and Doctor Doom vs. Dark Rider[30] | #93 | Spider-Man and Werewolf by Night vs. Dansen Macabre and Tatterdemalion | #143 | Spider-Man and Starfox vs. Will-Killer |
#44 | Spider-Man and Moondragon vs. Dark Rider[31] | #94 | Spider-Man and Shroud vs. Dansen Macabre | #144 | Spider-Man and Moon Knight vs. White Dragon |
#45 | Spider-Man and Killraven vs. minions of the Martian masters | #95 | Spider-Man and Mockingbird vs. Carl Delandan of S.H.I.E.L.D. | #145 | Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Blacklash |
#46 | Spider-Man and Deathlok vs. the Cubists, Strake, and Grisson | #96 | Spider-Man and Howard the Duck vs. Status Quo | #146 | Spider-Man and Nomad vs. Taskmaster and Black Abbott |
#47 | Spider-Man and Thing vs. Basilisk | #97 | Hulk and Spider-Woman vs. Dr. W. Lee Benway | #147 | Spider-Man and Human Torch vs. Black Abbott |
#48 | Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Wraith | #98 | Spider-Man and Black Widow vs. Owl | #148 | Spider-Man and Thor vs. Black Abbott |
#49 | Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Wraith | #99 | Spider-Man and Machine Man vs. Baron Brimstone and Sandman | #149 | Spider-Man and Cannonball vs. Incandescent Man |
#50 | Spider-Man and Doctor Strange vs. Wraith | #100 | Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four vs. Karma; Black Panther and Storm vs Klaw | #150 | Spider-Man and the X-Men (Colossus, Nightcrawler, Rachel Summers, and Rogue) vs. Juggernaut and Black Tom Cassidy[32] |
Issue | Character(s) | Villain(s) |
---|---|---|
#1 | Spider-Man and the X-Men | Lords of Light and Darkness |
#2 | Spider-Man and Hulk | Nikolai Kutzov |
#3 | Hulk, Power Man, Iron Fist, and Machine Man (Spider-Man cameo) | Nightshade |
#4 | Spider-Man, Moon Knight, Iron Fist, Power Man, and Daredevil | Purple Man and Heinrich von Schnickelschnapp |
#5 | Spider-Man, Thing, Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange, and Quasar | Myron Wilburn (possessed by Set) |
#6 | Spider-Man, Cloak & Dagger, and the New Mutants | Unnamed mobsters |
#7 | Spider-Man and Alpha Flight | Collector |
Issue | Main character | Other character(s) | Villain(s) |
---|---|---|---|
#1 | Spider-Man | X-Men (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Psylocke) | White Knights of the Hellfire Club |
#2 | Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) | Silver Surfer | Mad Thinker, Quasimodo, Thanos |
#3 | Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) | Fantastic Four | Rasheed Ven Garmchee |
#4 | Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) | Avengers (Hawkeye, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Giant-Man, Wasp, Thor, Captain America, Quicksilver, Crystal) | Spider-Man Robot |
#5 | Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) | Gambit and Howard the Duck | Circus of Crime (Ringmaster, Clown, Great Gambonnos, Human Cannonball, Princess Python), and Tombstone |
#6 | Spider-Man | Hulk, Doctor Strange, Aquarian, Dracula | Doctor Doom |
#7 | Spider-Man | Thunderbolts (Atlas, Techno, MACH-IV, Meteorite, Songbird) | Enclave (Carlo Zota, Wladyslav Shinski, Maris Morlak, Unnamed Android) |
Issue | Main character | Other character(s) | Villain(s) |
---|---|---|---|
#1 | Spider-Man | Generation X (Chamber, Husk, Skin) | Blare and Major Love |
#2 | Spider-Man | Hercules | Doctor Zeus |
#3 | Spider-Man | Sandman | Flag-Smasher |
#4 | Spider-Man | Man-Thing | Authority |
#5 | Spider-Man | The Watcher | Authority |
#6 | Spider-Man | Namor the Sub-Mariner | Wrecking Crew |
#7 | Spider-Man | Blade | Henry Sage |
#8 | Namor the Sub-Mariner | Doctor Strange | Warlord Keerg |
#9 | Namor the Sub-Mariner | Captain America | Warlord Keerg, Roland R. Tilton, and Atlantean Soldiers |
#10 | Namor the Sub-Mariner | Thing | Wrecking Crew |
#11 | Namor the Sub-Mariner | Iron Man | Wrecking Crew |
Issue | Character(s) | Story title |
---|---|---|
#1 | Spider-Man and Wolverine | The Golden Child |
#2 | Spider-Man and Wolverine | |
#3 | Doctor Strange and the Fantastic Four | |
#4 | The Hulk and Iron Man | |
#5 | Spider-Man and X-23 | |
#6 | Spider-Man, the Black Widow, Captain America, and X-23 | |
#7 | Moon Knight and Spider-Man | Master of the Ring |
#8 | Blade, the Punisher, and Sunfire | |
#9 | Daredevil, Moon Knight, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Sleepwalker, the Black Cat, and Sunfire | |
#10 | Daredevil, Moon Knight, Spider-Man, Sleepwalker, Punisher, Wolverine, and Captain America | |
#11 | Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Nova, Wolverine, the She-Hulk, Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel | Titannus War |
#12 | Doctor Strange, the Hulk, the She-Hulk, Nova, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Ms. Marvel | |
#13 | Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Nova, the She-Hulk, Spider-Man, and Wolverine | |
#14 | Spider-Man and Invincible | Invincible |
#15 | Araña, Dagger, Darkhawk, Gravity, Sleepwalker, Speedball, Terror, and X-23 | League of Losers |
#16 | Dagger, Darkhawk, Gravity, Sleepwalker, Speedball, Terror, X-23, and Araña's Arm | |
#17 | Dagger, Darkhawk, Gravity, Mutant 2099, Sleepwalker, Speedball, Terror, X-23, Araña's Arm, and Reed Richards | |
#18 | Darkhawk, Gravity, Mutant 2099, Sleepwalker, Speedball, Terror, X-23, Araña's Arm, and Reed Richards | |
#19 | Cable, Wolverine, and Jubilee | 1991 (A Freedom Ring Prelude) |
#20 | Captain America and Freedom Ring | Freedom Ring |
#21 | Freedom Ring and Spider-Man | |
#22 | Captain America, Spider-Man, Luke Cage, and the Crusader II | |
#23 | Freedom Ring, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Crusader II | |
#24 | Freedom Ring, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Luke Cage, Spider-Woman, and Crusader II | Freedom Ring, Titannus Lives! |
#25 | Dagger, Darkhawk, Gravity, Sleepwalker, Speedball, Terror, X-23, Araña's Arm, Mutant 2099, Reed Richards, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Doctor Strange, Captain America, Luke Cage, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Crusader II | Titannus Lives! |
Issue | Character(s) | Villain | Creative team |
---|---|---|---|
#1 LGY#187 | Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man | Jackal | Eve Ewing (writer), Joey Vazquez (illustrator)[33][34] |
#2 LGY#188 | |||
#3 LGY#189 | |||
#4 LGY#190 | Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel | Manuel, Wastrel, Supremor | Clint McElroy (writer), Ig Guara (illustrator)[35][36] |
#5 LGY#191 | Manuel, Wastrel, Supremor, Sentry | ||
#6 LGY#192 | Manuel, Wastrel, Supremor, Starforce Blue |