Mergers and Marvels (1962–1980)

This chapter focuses on the reinvention of the Marvel superhero and the mergers among some of the major comics publishers in Britain during the period 1962–1980. The challenge of reinventing the superhero in the 1960s was taken on by Stan Lee, who was asked by Martin Goodman, the publisher of Marvel Comics, to put together a superhero team. The result was The Fantastic Four (1961). The Marvel revolution changed superhero comics profoundly. The chapter first considers the merger between Odhams and Fleetway Publications Ltd (formerly Amalgamated Press) that led to the formation of the Independent Publishing Corporation (IPC) before discussing Fleetway/IPC's adventure comics of the 1960s, along with the publications by Odhams, the Power Comics, and Marvel UK. It also examines the creations by Dave Gibbons at DC Thomson and the emergence of independent comics scene in the 1970s and 1980s.