Marvel CyberComics or Webisodes were digital comics produced from 1996 to 2000 by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
using
Adobe Shockwave
Adobe Shockwave (formerly Macromedia Shockwave and MacroMind Shockwave) is a discontinued multimedia platform for building interactive multimedia applications and video games. Developers originate content using Adobe Director and publish it on ...
. The Marvel CyberComics were originally made available exclusively on the
AOL web portal, but were later made freely available on the Marvel.com website. The Marvel CyberComics feature established Marvel characters such as
Spider-Man and
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
and consist of a combination of comics and animation. The Marvel CyberComics were removed from the Marvel website in 2000, and the service was succeeded by
Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited
Marvel Unlimited, formerly known as Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, is an online service by Marvel Comics that distributes past issues of their comics via the internet. The service launched on November 13, 2007, and now has more than 30,000 comic ...
in 2007.
History
CyberComics were created by
Marvel
Marvel may refer to:
Business
* Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company
** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment
** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe
** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics
* ...
in the summer of 1996 as a part of a promotional deal with
America Online. The CyberComics were placed into the ''AOL/Marvel Zone'' and were exclusively available to AOL users. In 1997 Marvel built their own website at MarvelOnline.com and the CyberComics were freely available to all users through registration on MarvelZone.com (due to the contract with AOL).
On September 17, 1999 ''NextPlanetOver.com'' (NPO), a now-defunct online comics store, announced a one-year marketing and content licensing deal with Marvel Comics. Terms included a year of run-of-site advertising on Marvel.com. In addition, NextPlanetOver.com was sponsoring monthly CyberComics created exclusively for them by Marvel. NPO was bought out less than a year later and went bankrupt in 2000; the CyberComics were renamed into "Webisodes" and made available at Marvel.com for free without any registration.
The first characters to star in CyberComics were ''Spider-Man'' and ''Wolverine'', soon followed by several others. The comics were not only canon to the mainstream but also tied in directly with Marvel's newsstand offerings. They came out on a monthly basis, in four parts consisting of eight pages each.
Using Macromedia's Shockwave software, readers guided the action by clicking through word balloons and following panels complete with animation, sound effects and music. CyberComics were still very much in the
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
or
strip
Strip or Stripping may refer to:
Places
* Aouzou Strip, a strip of land following the northern border of Chad that had been claimed and occupied by Libya
* Caprivi Strip, narrow strip of land extending from the Okavango Region of Namibia to ...
genre - the result was a cross between
comics and
animation.
The Cybercomics were made by taking penciled pages and transforming them through a program called "Electric Image Painter" and
form-Z into the digital comics, colored in digitally in
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design program developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. Originally designed for the Apple Macintosh, development of Adobe Illustrator began in 1985. Along with Creative Cloud (Adobe's shift to month ...
. Simple animations were created in Macromedia Shockwave, and Garry Schafer of grimmwerks created the soundscapes which drove the animations. Done at a time previous to mp3 compression as common as it is now, only 4 channels of small, short soundscapes could be used at one time.
Due to financial reasons the production of new CyberComics ceased in 2000 and Marvel removed them from their website.
Having a huge back-issue archive, Marvel decided to save money by replacing Marvel CyberComics with Dotcomics. This successor would eventually become
Marvel Unlimited
Marvel Unlimited, formerly known as Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, is an online service by Marvel Comics that distributes past issues of their comics via the internet. The service launched on November 13, 2007, and now has more than 30,000 comic ...
.
Spider-Man
From 1996 till 1998 there was a run of the Spider-Man Cybercomics. They appeared monthly for 14 months in four eight-page, weekly installments/episodes. After the 52nd episode
Marvel
Marvel may refer to:
Business
* Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company
** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment
** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe
** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics
* ...
remade them officially into storylines:
Spider-Man Storyline # 01 - 01-04 (July 18, 1996):
Written by
Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell (; born 1960) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter known for his work on numerous ''X-Men'' series for Marvel Comics in the 1990s, various work for DC Comics in the 2010s, namely '' Red Hood and the Outlaws, Teen Tita ...
, penciled by
Mark Bagley
Mark Bagley (; born August 7, 1957) is an American comics artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics on such titles as ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thunderbolts'', ''New Warriors'', ''Venom'' and '' Ultimate Spider-Man'' and for DC Comics on ''Justic ...
, guest-starring
Chamber
Chamber or the chamber may refer to:
In government and organizations
* Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests
*Legislative chamber, in politics
* Debate chamber, the space or room that houses delib ...
and
Vertigo
Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
.
Spider-Man Storyline # 02 - 05-08: The Menace of Mysterio
Guest-starring
Mysterio
Mysterio (Quentin Beck) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is primarily depicted a ...
kidnapping
J. Jonah Jameson.
Spider-Man Storyline # 03 - 09-12:
Guest-starring
Morbius and the
Lizard.
Spider-Man Storyline # 04: Shock Value - 13-16
Guest-starring
The Hand,
Kingpin,
The Rose,
Hammerhead,
Shocker and
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known incarnation Norman Osborn, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is generally regarded as one of the a ...
. The fourth chapter of the story was penciled by
Daerick Gross.
Spider-Man Storyline # 05: The Gamma Gambit - 17-20
Penciled by
Daerick Gross, guest-starring
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known incarnation Norman Osborn, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is generally regarded as one of the a ...
and
The Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...
.
Spider-Man Storyline # 06 - 21-24:
Spider-man in the
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It has appeared in many story arcs in ''Uncanny X-Men'' as well as other related books.
...
, featuring
Ka-Zar,
Shanna the She-Devil and
Zabu.
Spider-Man Storyline # 07: Sandblasted - 25-28:''
Read it here!
Peter Parker's latest gig as a freelance photographer is no day at the beach, thanks to the Sandman's untimely emergence. Featuring the
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character in European folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The Sandman is a traditional charact ...
at
Coney Island with art by
Daerick Gross.
Spider-Man Storyline # 08: Strange Heads
(This Storyline was included as a promo on a CD in Marvel Vision #25 and Ka-Zar #8)
*Issue #29: (January 31, 1997):
Peter Parker
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August ...
,
MJ,
Flash Thompson
Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 196 ...
and
Betty Brant get together to commemorate
Gwen Stacy's death and decide to go visit the
American Museum of Natural History. As the friends are on their tour, robbers attack and take MJ hostage. By
John Lewandowski,
Nghia Lam and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
*Issue #30 (February 6, 1997):
Spider-Man teams up with
Doctor Strange in a story of webs and wizardry! By
John Lewandowski,
Nghia Lam and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
*Issue #31 (February 13, 1997):
Spider-Man and
Doctor Strange confront the power of
Hammerhead and the mystical might of the amulet of Aagara! It's all-out head to head Hammerhead action! By
John Lewandowski and
Nghia Lam!
*Issue #32 (February 20, 1997):
Spider-Man and
Doc Strange
Doc Strange is a Golden Age comic book superhero who originally appeared in '' Thrilling Comics'' #1 (Better Publications, also called Nedor Comics) in February 1940. The character continued in ''Thrilling Comics'' until issue #64 (Feb 1948). ...
take on
Hammerhead and the mystical amulet of Aagara! By
John Lewandowski,
Nghia Lam and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
Spider-Man Storyline # 09: Electric
*Issue #33:
*Issue #34 (March 6, 1997):
Spider-Man finds his personal life turned upside down as the movie about him continues to film in
New York – with the promise to reveal his
secret identity
A secret identity is a person's alter ego which is not known to the general populace, most often used in fiction. Brought into popular culture by the Scarlet Pimpernel in 1903, the concept was widespread in pulp heroes and is particularly prevalen ...
to the world! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Casey Jones
John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi.
Jones was a locomotive engineer for the Illinois C ...
and
Atomic Paintbrush!
*Issue #35 (March 13, 1997): The actor playing
Spider-Man in the movie has gotten too caught up in the role – and now the real web-slinger's gotta come to his rescue! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Todd Nauck
Todd Nauck ( ) is an American comic book artist and writer. Nauck is most notable for his work on ''Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,'' '' Young Justice'' and his own creation, '' Wildguard''.
Career
Nauck's first assignment from Marvel Comics w ...
and
Atomic Paintbrush!
*Issue #36 (March 20, 1997): The villainous
Electro holds a movie studio and
Mary Jane hostage – and the
Black Tarantula
Black Tarantula is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #419 (January 1997), and makes his first full appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' ...
is looming on the horizon! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Todd Nauck
Todd Nauck ( ) is an American comic book artist and writer. Nauck is most notable for his work on ''Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,'' '' Young Justice'' and his own creation, '' Wildguard''.
Career
Nauck's first assignment from Marvel Comics w ...
and
Atomic Paintbrush!
Spider-Man Storyline # 10: Black Tarantula
*Issue #37:
*Issue #38 (April 3, 1997):
Spider-Man continues to face the menace of his newest foe, the
Black Tarantula
Black Tarantula is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #419 (January 1997), and makes his first full appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' ...
! By
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''.
Career
While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
,
Daerick Gross and
Atomic Paintbrush!
*Issue #39:
*Issue #40 (April 16, 1997):
Spider-Man makes the mistake of coming between
Black Tarantula
Black Tarantula is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #419 (January 1997), and makes his first full appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' ...
and his kai in the explosive finale! By
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''.
Career
While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
,
Daerick Gross and
Atomic Paintbrush!
Spider-Man Storyline # -1: Flashback
*Issue #41 (April 24, 1997): The beginning of an all-new saga! When the mutant-hating
Friends of Humanity
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
stage a rally at Empire State University,
Peter Parker
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August ...
must confront the ugliness of bigotry! Plus:
Spider-Man is accused of murder! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Ariel Olivetti
Ariel Olivetti (born November 15, 1967) is an Argentine comic book penciller best known for his work on American comic book titles such as ''Daredevil'', ''X-Man'', ''Space Ghost'' and ''Punisher War Journal''.
Career
Olivetti studied Graphic D ...
and
Atomic Paintbrush!
*Issue #42 (May 1, 1997): Spider-Man is accused of murder and the mutant-hating ''Friends of Humanity'' group are out to make him pay! But the ''real'' murderer, one of Spidey's greatest enemies, remains at large and dangerous as ever! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Ariel Olivetti
Ariel Olivetti (born November 15, 1967) is an Argentine comic book penciller best known for his work on American comic book titles such as ''Daredevil'', ''X-Man'', ''Space Ghost'' and ''Punisher War Journal''.
Career
Olivetti studied Graphic D ...
and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
*Issue #43 (May 8, 1997): A Flashback-Month tie-in! The first multimedia crossover ever done!
Joe Robertson is forced to choose between covering a news story – or becoming a part of it! By
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''.
Career
While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
*Issue #44 (May 15, 1997): A Flashback-Month tie-in! Concluding the first multimedia crossover ever done!
Joe Robertson is given a choice between covering a major news story or becoming a part of it!
Spider-Man Storyline # 11: Venom Saga
*Issue #45 (May 23, 1997):
Peter Parker
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August ...
and
Betty Brant investigate the murder for which
Spider-Man has been blamed---and run into the REAL killer!
*Issue #46 (May 29, 1997): At last!
Spider-Man tangles with the man who framed him for murder – and his name is
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...
!
*Issue #47 (June 5, 1997):
Spider-Man in an all-out, knock-down, drag-out fight with his most dangerous enemy:
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...
!
*Issue #48 (June 12, 1997): The explosive conclusion to "
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...
Saga", with
Spider-Man and
Betty Brant caught in the middle! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Daerick Gross and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
Spider-Man Storyline # 12: Deathlock Solution
*Issue # 49 (June 19, 1997):
Spider-Man moves to stop
Deathlok
Deathlok (also referred to as Deathlok the Demolisher) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in '' Astonishing Tales'' #25 (Aug. 1974), created by Rich Buckler. At least three sub ...
from changing the course of history! Is it the right move for the webhead to be making, or is he in way over his head – again?! By
Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell (; born 1960) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter known for his work on numerous ''X-Men'' series for Marvel Comics in the 1990s, various work for DC Comics in the 2010s, namely '' Red Hood and the Outlaws, Teen Tita ...
,
Mindy Newell
Mindy Newell (born October 24, 1953) is an American comic book writer and editor, best known for her work with DC Comics.
Early life
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Newell graduated from high school in 1971. She then attended the Beth Israel Deaco ...
,
Nghia Lam and
Atomic Paintbrush!
*Issue # 50:
*Issue # 51 (July 3, 1997): Swingin' on data! Trapped in the Cyberverse,
Spider-Man and
Deathlok
Deathlok (also referred to as Deathlok the Demolisher) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in '' Astonishing Tales'' #25 (Aug. 1974), created by Rich Buckler. At least three sub ...
attempt to stop
Ryker's cyborgs from rewriting their programming, from the inside! By
Andrew Ball and
Nghia Lam!
*Issue # 52 (July 10, 1997): The concluding chapter of the
Spider-Man/
Deathlok
Deathlok (also referred to as Deathlok the Demolisher) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in '' Astonishing Tales'' #25 (Aug. 1974), created by Rich Buckler. At least three sub ...
saga!
Cyberspace was never this exciting! By
Andrew Ball and
Nghia Lam!
Spider-Man Storyline # 13: Path of Vengeance
*Issue # 53 (July 30, 1997): Part One! Someone has targeted Osborn Industries for destruction – and
Spider-Man fears it could be his worst enemy, back from the dead! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Pat Chau and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
*Issue # 54:
*Issue # 55 (August 13, 1997): Part Three!
Spider-Man takes on the villain from his past who has targeted Osborn Industries for destruction - with
Liz Allan Osborn caught in the middle! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Pat Chau and
Atomic Paintbrush!
*Issue # 56 (August 20, 1997): Part Four!
Spider-Man takes on his old enemy, The
Headsman
An executioner, also known as a hangman or headsman, is an official who executes a sentence of capital punishment on a legally condemned person.
Scope and job
The executioner was usually presented with a warrant authorising or orderi ...
, as the life of
Liz Osborn hangs in the balance!
Spider-Man Storyline # 14: Maximum Plumage
*Issue # 57 (August 27, 1997): Part One! Things turn fowl for
Spider-Man when
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
is infiltrated by clones of
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...
! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
and
Daerick Gross!
*Issue # 58 (September 3, 1997): Part Two!
Doctor Bong is out to avenge himself upon
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...
and
Spider-Man finds himself drawn even deeper into this long-standing feud! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Daerick Gross and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
*Issue # 59 (September 10, 1997): Part Three! At last:
Spider-Man comes face-to-face with the diabolical
Doctor Bong, with
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...
caught in the middle! By
Glenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg (born New York City) is an American journalist and comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', '' The Rampaging Hulk'', ...
,
Daerick Gross and
Mark Badger
Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...
!
*Issue # 60 (September 17, 1997): Part Four! The conclusion to the mind-boggling
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...
saga, featuring
Spider-Man's showdown with the maniacal menace, known as
Doctor Bong!
Spider-Man Storyline # 15: Doom Control
(In five parts; 1998) His name is Von Doom.
Victor Von Doom. And only
Spider-Man can stop him from seizing control of all the minds in
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
. It can be seen completel
here By
D. G. Chichester and
Daerick Gross.
Heroes
*
Blade
A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Histor ...
(A one-shot; 21. August 1998) The story is tied into the
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist. His prominent film roles include '' Major League'' (1989), ''New Jack City'' (1991), '' White Men Can't Jump'' (1992), '' Passenger 57'' (1992), '' ...
movie of the same
name. Art by
Daerick GrossRead it here!
*
Captain America /
Iron Man: Invasion Force (In four parts) Two of the
Avengers' most prominent uncover the truth behind the new alien race, the
Ravel
Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...
, and must halt an
alien invasion
The alien invasion or space invasion is a common feature in science fiction stories and film, in which extraterrestrial lifeforms invade the Earth either to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it under an intense state, harvest people ...
! Art by
Daerick GrossRead it here!
* Daredevil (v.1): Protection Racket (In four parts; 1998) Featuring
Daredevil's fight against
Kingpin and
Bullseye
Bullseye or Bull's Eye may refer to:
Symbols
* ◎ (Unicode U+25CE BULLSEYE), in the Geometric Shapes Unicode block
* (Unicode U+0298 LATIN LETTER BILABIAL CLICK), the phonetic symbol for bilabial click
Animals and plants
* Bull's Eye, '' Eury ...
. By
D. G. Chichester and
Daerick GrossRead it here!
* Daredevil (v.2) #0: What a Life (A one-shot; September 1998) Written by
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film '' Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, ...
, with art by
Joe Quesada
Joseph Quesada (; born January 12, 1962'' Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1650; February 2009; page 107) is an American comic book artist, writer, editor, and television producer. He became known in the 1990s for his work on various Valiant Comics books ...
&
Jimmy Palmiotti
James Palmiotti (born August 14, 1961) is an American writer and inker of comic books, who also does writing for games, television and film.
Early life
Palmiotti attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City.
Career
Palmiotti sta ...
A preview/prequel to the relaunched
Daredevil title in 1998.
* Heroes Return (In five parts; 1997) It took place between issues #3 and #4 of the
Heroes Reborn: The Return Limited Series. The
Wall-crawler takes on the
Green Goliath and encounters the Heroes Return super-heroes! By
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''.
Career
While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
,
Casey Jones
John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi.
Jones was a locomotive engineer for the Illinois C ...
and
Rob Haynes.
* Marvel Milk Maniacs: Race for Destruction (A one-shot; 2000) Starring
Captain America,
the Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...
and
Spider-Man. A promo CyberComic for drinking
milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modula ...
.
* Nick Fury / Black Widow: Jungle Warfare (In four parts)
Nick Fury and the
Black Widow race to defuse a bomb buried in the banks of the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...
- without setting off any political landmines. Art by
Casey Jones
John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi.
Jones was a locomotive engineer for the Illinois C ...
Read it here!
*
Deadpool
Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
: Ride My Hard Drive, Baby! (In four parts; February 2000) In this quirky tale of everyone's favorite Merc-With-A-Mouth, Deadpool gets interactive as he ends up being downloaded into the computer, owned by his good buddy
Weasel
Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender b ...
, and mayhem ensues in Cyberscape! Featuring appearances by
Quasimodo
Quasimodo (from Quasimodo Sunday) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the novel '' The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (1831) by Victor Hugo. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster, but ...
,
Vision
Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to:
Perception Optical perception
* Visual perception, the sense of sight
* Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight
* Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...
,
Captain America and
Iron Man. "Ride My Hard Drive, Baby!" is written by
Joe Kelly, with art by
Casey Jones
John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi.
Jones was a locomotive engineer for the Illinois C ...
!
Mutants
*
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
: The Hunt for the Tomorrow Stone (December 27, 1999) Was the first CyberComic referred to in a printed comic (in the pages of Gambit #12). The plot occurred approximately after Gambit #10 - Gambit helps
Spat obtain the Tomorrow Stone to stop her de-aging and save her life. In his quest for it he encounter
Sekhmetwho needs the Stone herself to save her mother from the suspended animation she was put in by her husband. Sekhmet finally gets the Tomorrow Stone but provides it to Spat and saves her life. After that, Sekhmet goes on looking to find help for her mother (Assumedly, the Sekhmet story would have come up again in the Gambit comic, if it continued under
Fabian Nicieza
Fabian Nicieza (born December 31, 1961) is an Argentine-American comic book writer and editor who is best known for his work on Marvel titles such as ''X-Men'', '' X-Force'', ''New Warriors'', ''Nomad'', '' Cable'', ''Deadpool'' and ''Thunderbo ...
, but didn't since it was cancelled). Art by
Daerick Gross.
*
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
: Merciless is the Mongrel by
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''.
Career
While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
and
Daerick Gross (In four parts; July 1996). This was one of the two first Marvel CyberComics ever (the other one was with Spider-Man)
Pale Floweris playing a dangerous game, with Wolverine in the middle. Can she control a tiger by the tail? Features first appearances by
Mongrel
A mongrel, mutt or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed and including those that are the result of intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongre ...
an
Pale Flower
*
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to lo ...
: Twisted History (In four parts; January 2000 ) Written by
D. G. Chichester with art from
Daerick Gross, the X-Men's original line-up gets a bit of a revamp, with
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
,
Rogue, and
Colossus thrown into the mix
Read it here!
*
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to lo ...
: The Ravages of Apocalypse (1996 one-shot) Was a promotional CyberComic story tied into the
X-Men: The Ravages of Apocalypse videogame. The game itself was a commercial
total conversion of the ''
Quake'' engine. Written by
Larry Hama
Larry Hama (; born June 7, 1949) is an American comic-book writer, artist, actor, and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s.
During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows ''M*A*S*H'' ...
, penciled by
Daerick Gross.
Marvel's Excelsior Theatre
Scoop:
The only "movie" in this "theatre" was called "The Secret Adventures of Captain America - Far Flung in the Far East" and came out in five parts in 1999-2000. It was conceived by former editor and
Stan-hattan Project founder James Felder and co-written by James Felder,
Ben Raab
Benjamin Raab (born October 13, 1970, in New York City, New York) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer and editor.
Early life
Raab is a native of Cedarhurst, New York, and attended Lawrence High School. He grad ...
and
Joe Kelly with art/designs by
John Cassaday
John Cassaday (; born 1971) is an American comic book artist, writer, and television director. He is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed '' Planetary'' with writer Warren Ellis, '' Astonishing X-Men'' with Joss Whedon, ''Captain Am ...
and overseen by
John Cerilli; sound effects, music, animation and even the voice of Captain America was provided by Garry Schafer. The idea was to do a
Flash
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
animated series with actors and writers contributing the characters' voices - all involved recorded parts - John Cerilli was Nick Fury, for example. Sort of a retro-modern version of the old movie serials with a bit of the
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
's ''
Mercury Theatre
The Mercury Theatre was an independent repertory theatre company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and producer John Houseman. The company produced theatrical presentations, radio programs and motion pictures. The Mercury als ...
'' radio show vibe. It was discontinued after the fifth episode without bringing the story to an end for unclear reasons.
Story:
Chasing down a mysterious phenomenon in
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...
during the
WWII
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
,
Cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...
confronts the nefarious
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
! A certain
Sergeant Fury is present and accounted for as well, but with allies like these...
Other appearances include
Dum Dum Dugan
Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader "Dum Dum" Dugan is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is an officer of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is one of the most experienced members of Nick Fury's team, known for his mark ...
and
Sgt. Fury's Howling Commandos, composed of
Dino Manelli
''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos'' was a comic book series created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee and published by Marvel Comics from 1963 to 1981. The main character, Sgt. Nick Fury, later became the leader of Marvel's super-spy agency, S.H.I ...
,
Reb Ralston,
Gabe Jones,
Pinky Pinkerton
Percival "Pinky" Pinkerton is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character's first appearance was in '' Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos'' #8 (July 1964), in which he replaced Jonathan Juni ...
and
Izzey Cohen.
* Episode 1: Valley of Death
* Episode 2: In the Clutches of the Mandarin
* Episode 3: The Valley of Lost Spirits
* Episode 4: The Road of Frozen Hells
* Episode 5: Fireworks
Review:
The adventure featured numerous "firsts", including a new first meeting of Captain America and Nick Fury; one that is decidedly different than the one featured in the pages of Sgt Fury comic. Much more advanced than the CyberComics, it had music and actors performing their parts and more advanced animation. Oddly the story seemed to take the stand that Nick Fury was somehow opposed to Captain America beforehand, seeing him as some kind of glorified piece of propaganda.
See also
*
Marvel Unlimited
Marvel Unlimited, formerly known as Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, is an online service by Marvel Comics that distributes past issues of their comics via the internet. The service launched on November 13, 2007, and now has more than 30,000 comic ...
External links
Excelsior Theatre episodes and a write up of the processMarvel Digital Comics
*
*
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110810214626/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/95816259268328.htm An interviewwith
D. G. Chichester,
Comics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin was a daily website covering the American comic-book industry.
History Silver Bullet Comicbooks
The site was founded in January 2000 as Silver Bullet Comicbooks by its New Zealand-based publisher/editor Jason Brice.
During this ...
{{Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics titles
American webcomics
Webcomic syndicates
Internet properties established in 1996
Internet properties disestablished in 2000