Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics (formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group) is an American publisher of comic books and related media. Marvel, founded by Martin Goodman, started in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the early 1950s had generally become known as Atlas Comics. Marvel 's modern incarnation dates from 1961, the year that the company launched The Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and others. Marvel is a very successful company and has survived for 75 years so far. Timely’s first publication, Marvel Comic’s #1 (October 1939), included the first appearance of Carl Burgos ' android superhero the Human Torch, with the first appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner, as well as other features. The issue was a great success, with it and a second printing the following month selling, combined, nearly 900,000 copies. While its contents came from an outside packager, Funnies, Inc., by the following year Timely had its own staff in place. The company 's first true editor, Joe Simon, teamed with artist and emerging industry notable Jack Kirby to create one of the first patriotically themed superheroes, Captain America, in Captain America Comics #1(March 1941). It also proved a major sales hit, with sales of nearly one million copies. After the success with Captain America, Goodman hired Stanley Lieber, his wife’s cousin, as a general office assistant in 1939. Goodman made Leiber, who by then was writing with the alias “Stan Lee,” interim editor of the comic’s line. Lee kept that position for decades, except for three years during his military service in World War II. Lee wrote extensively for Timely, contributing to a number of different titles, such as Spider-Man and Iron Man comics. Goodman 's and Stan Lee’s business strategy involved publishing his various magazines and comic books by a number of corporations all operating out of
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics (formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group) is an American publisher of comic books and related media. Marvel, founded by Martin Goodman, started in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the early 1950s had generally become known as Atlas Comics. Marvel 's modern incarnation dates from 1961, the year that the company launched The Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and others. Marvel is a very successful company and has survived for 75 years so far. Timely’s first publication, Marvel Comic’s #1 (October 1939), included the first appearance of Carl Burgos ' android superhero the Human Torch, with the first appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner, as well as other features. The issue was a great success, with it and a second printing the following month selling, combined, nearly 900,000 copies. While its contents came from an outside packager, Funnies, Inc., by the following year Timely had its own staff in place. The company 's first true editor, Joe Simon, teamed with artist and emerging industry notable Jack Kirby to create one of the first patriotically themed superheroes, Captain America, in Captain America Comics #1(March 1941). It also proved a major sales hit, with sales of nearly one million copies. After the success with Captain America, Goodman hired Stanley Lieber, his wife’s cousin, as a general office assistant in 1939. Goodman made Leiber, who by then was writing with the alias “Stan Lee,” interim editor of the comic’s line. Lee kept that position for decades, except for three years during his military service in World War II. Lee wrote extensively for Timely, contributing to a number of different titles, such as Spider-Man and Iron Man comics. Goodman 's and Stan Lee’s business strategy involved publishing his various magazines and comic books by a number of corporations all operating out of