Marvel Graphic Novel

Marvel Graphic Novel (MGN) was a series of graphic novel trade paperbacks published from 1982 to 1993 by Marvel Comics. The books were published in an oversized format, 8.5" x 11", similar to French albums. In response, DC Comics established a competitor line known as DC Graphic Novel.

The decision to launch the line was made in late 1979, after strong sales reports for the summer. Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter envisioned the "books as being in the format of European albums, with cardboard covers, full-color, slick pages." In September 1980, Shooter indicated the line was delayed because of complications in putting together the contracts, which he was drafting in consultation with Marvel attorneys. In early 1981, Marvel hired Michael Z. Hobson away from Scholastic Books to be Vice-President/Publishing. His expertise in writing author contracts, which was greater than Shooter's, was a key reason. A few months later, contracts with writer/artist Jim Starlin were finalized for The Death of Captain Marvel and Dreadstar.

The Death of Captain Marvel, the first book in the line, was published in January 1982. Marvel numbered stories through 1985 up to number 20, but released many other stories in the same format that are considered unnumbered parts of the series according to the Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. Overstreet continued counting beyond the original "official" numbering, following a Marvel-published list of graphic novels. When the list stopped being published, Overstreet stopped trying to number the issues, halting at issue 38, although they list 29 more issues published from 1983 through 1991, although the list is known not to include every graphic novel from this period.

The line was divided evenly between author-owned and company-owned titles. Several characters were featured in an issue of Marvel Graphic Novel before receiving their own miniseries or ongoing series. The most successful of these was the New Mutants which ran for 100 issues. Other series which were spun off from a Marvel Graphic Novel are Dreadstar, Void Indigo, Starstruck, and the Swords of the Swashbucklers. In addition, Star Slammers had a miniseries published by Malibu Comics and Futurians was a short lived title published by Lodestone Comics.

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