The 1960s was the era when Marvel Comics really became MARVEL COMICS. It started with the creation of the Fantastic Four in 1961, followed by the runaway success of Spider-Man the following year. And then came many more characters from Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko. But there is actually very little merch featuring those infamous characters from their birth era. But thanks to Boing Boing, we’ve learned of a unique Marvel product from the ’60s. One they are now reissuing for modern fans.
Back in 1966, Marvel Comics published a series of “mini-books” featuring many of their most popular characters. These teeny-tiny comic books measured ⅝” by ⅞,” making them smaller than a standard-sized United States postage stamp. In fact, the Guinness Book of World Records certified them as the world’s smallest comics. They sold in gumball machines across America, and were probably the first exposure many kids had to Marvel’s characters.
Marvel Entertainment / Abrams ComicArts
Now, Abrams ComicArts is releasing a box set of those very same Marvel Comics Mini-Books. These hardcover recreations enlarge each book to 4.25″ by 7.25″. All six of the original mini-books come packaged with a book telling the story of this unique piece of Marvel history. Although not included in their original size, the seventh of these mini-books does feature made-to-scale reproductions of each page.
Marvel Entertainment / Abrams ComicArts
There were mini-books for Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Nick Fury, and Millie the Model. Millie who? Yes, one of the most popular comics of that era featured the adventures of a fashion model. (Another “did you know” tidbit for the day.) And she got represented in these mini-comics over even the Fantastic Four and Iron Man! And let’s not even talk about the X-Men. Marvel always forgot about them back in those days. But they ultimately got the last laugh, didn’t they?
