Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics released three mini-series of Phantom comic books in the United States, encompassing a total of eleven editions, all presented in full color with glossy pages, containing all original storylines and artwork specifically produced for the three series.

The origins of Marvel Comics trace back to Timely Comics, founded in 1939 by pulp magazine publisher Martin Goodman. Timely Comics sought to capitalize on the burgeoning popularity of comic books, particularly those featuring superheroes. Its first publication, Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939), introduced key characters like the Human Torch (an android superhero) and Namor the Sub-Mariner. During the “Golden Age” of comics in the 1940s, Timely also debuted the iconic patriotic hero Captain America (created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby), who quickly became one of their most popular stars, often depicted fighting Axis powers like the Nazis. However, the popularity of superheroes waned after World War II, leading the company to pivot to other genres like Westerns, horror, and science fiction under the name Atlas Magazines in the 1950s.

The company rebranded as Marvel Comics in the early 1960s, a move that ushered in the “Silver Age” and a creative renaissance. This era was primarily driven by the collaborative work of writer-editor Stan Lee and artists such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. In 1961, Goodman commissioned Lee and Kirby to create a new superhero team, resulting in the debut of the Fantastic Four. Unlike previous archetypes, Marvel’s new heroes were characterized by flaws, emotional depth, and realistic struggles, often living and interacting within a shared, recognizable real-world setting, primarily New York City—a concept that became known as the Marvel Universe. This revolution continued with the rapid introduction of enduring characters like Spider-Man, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, the X-Men, and the Avengers.

Marvel Comics quickly became a dominant force, rivaled only by DC Comics, together often referred to as “The Big Two” of the American comic book industry. The publisher’s focus on grounded, flawed characters and complex, interconnected storytelling resonated with a growing readership that included older and college-aged audiences, cementing the company’s cultural significance. Throughout the following decades, Marvel continued to innovate and adapt to shifting social climates, with characters and narratives often reflecting real-world issues. The company went through several changes in ownership and even filed for bankruptcy in the mid-1990s, but it eventually emerged and began to diversify its intellectual property into other media.

A pivotal moment in Marvel’s history occurred on December 31, 2009, when The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment for approximately $4 billion. While the comic book publishing arm continues its work, the acquisition’s greatest impact has been the massive global success of Marvel Studios, the film and television production subsidiary responsible for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Since the release of Iron Man in 2008, the MCU has become one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, transforming Marvel’s intellectual property into a multimedia powerhouse that spans film, streaming television, video games, and extensive merchandising, further increasing the prominence and cultural impact of the characters originally developed in the comic books.

Defenders of the Earth – 1987

The Defenders of the Earth comic book series was based on the television cartoon series with the same name, under their Star Comics brand owned by Marvel Comics. The 4 comic book set prints comic strip stories featuring a variety of characters including Flash Gordon, the Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar who battle Ming the Merciless in a futuristic world.

The comic book series was written by Stan Lee, Bob Harras and Michael Higgins and illustrated by Alex Saviuk and Fred Fredericks. The series contains 4 comic books, which can all be seen below, with the Phantom appearing on 3 of the 4 front covers.

The Phantom Mini-Series – 1994-1995

The three comic book mini-series contains all original storyline and artwork specifically produced for Marvel Comics for the series, written by Dave DeVries and Glenn Lumsden. These three comic books can be seen below.

Phantom 2040 – 1995

The Phantom 2040 comic book series was based on the TV cartoon series with the same name, containing four editions. Each of the four comic books contain a bonus Phantom 2040 poster in the center-fold. The all original storyline and artwork specifically produced for Marvel Comics for the series features various writers and artists contributing to the series including Peter Quinones, Steve Ditko, Bill Reinhold, Neil Hansen and Dan Panosian. These four comic books can be seen below.

Released in the UK in 1988, a year following it’s USA release, is a 2 edition Defenders of the Earth set, under the Marvel Special brand owned by Marvel Comics.