Marvelmania International

Marvelmania International was comic-book publisher Marvel Comics' authorized but independently operated fan club from 1969 to 1971, which absorbed the Merry Marvel Marching Society begun in 1964. It included a six-issue fan magazine, Marvelmania Magazine.

Following teaser promotion in Marvel comic books cover-dated November 1964, Marvel Comics introduced the company's in-house fan club, the Merry Marvel Marching Society, in its February 1965 comics, released in the fall of 1964. Generally abbreviated "M.M.M.S", the club offered readers a $1 membership kit that initially included a welcoming letter; a membership card; a one-sided, 33⅓ rpm record, "The Voices of Marvel"; a scratch pad; a sticker; a pinback button; and a certificate. The company offered permutations of this kit, plus additional promotional merchandise such as posters and sweatshirts, through comics cover-dated October 1969.

In those same October 1969 issues, Marvel announced in its promotional Bullpen Bulletins page that it had contracted with an unnamed "California executive" to create a new fan club, and that "the M.M.M.S. will be incorporated into a fabulous parent organization named Marvelmania International". The new company, the announcement continued, would be independent of Marvel. Marvel publisher Martin Goodman had felt that the M.M.M.S. was too expensive to maintain, despite Marvel editor Stan Lee arguing that the club was good public relations. Goodman's son, Chip Goodman, told Lee an executive from California would pay $10,000 to license every Marvel character and produce related merchandise, although Marvelmania employee Steve Sherman recalled in the early 2000s that he believed only $5,000 was ever paid.

The first of three Marvelmania membership kits was advertised in November and December 1969 comics, such as Fantastic Four #92-93. Marvelmania operated out of P.O. Box 718, Culver City, California 90230.

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