12 Times Marvel Characters Crossed Over Into the Real World
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Comic books reflect the real world all of the time. The first Captain America comic book features Cap punching Hitler on the cover. The comic was published while the world was embroiled in WWII. There are numerous vintage and modern examples of Marvel characters and stories mimicking the real world and even crossing over. Here are 12.
1. Captain Marvel Dies of Cancer
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Mar-Vell is a 1960s-era cosmic hero and the first to assume the Captain Marvel name. Marvel killed off the character in the 1982 graphic novel The Death of Captain Marvel. In it, the character looks back on his life on his deathbed as he slowly succumbs to cancer. The tale ends as Mar-Vell passes away in bed, surrounded by numerous Marvel characters. The story showed that even superheroes cannot defeat death. While comic book characters die and are resurrected often, Mar-Vell has never been used as a character since.
2. Marvel Retires the Punisher Skull Emblem
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In Marvel comics, the Punisher is a retired military officer who becomes a vigilante after the mob slaughters his family. The Punisher skull emblem, a harbinger of impending death, is just as popular as the Batman or Superman emblem. Marvel noticed that the Punisher skull emblem became very popular with politically radical police and military authorities and individuals in the real world.
Since Marvel could not copyright a skull emblem, the company temporarily killed The Punisher, redesigned his skull logo, turned him into a ninja, and even recently introduced a new Punisher to discourage radicalized worship. Still, Marvel hardly has the moral high ground; The Punisher was modeled after real-life vigilantes and the vigilante films of the 1970s.
3. Captain America Punches Hitler
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Captain America Comics #1, published in 1941, features a drawing of Captain America punching Adolf Hitler in the face. The world was in the throes of WWII at the time. Numerous comic book creators, including Stan Lee, had served in the war and their real-world experiences were reflected in Marvel characters and the comics.
4. Truth: Red White & Black (Black Captain America)
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Truth: Red, White & Black is a 2003 series inspired by the infamous early 20th-century Tuskegee Experiment. The story is about a government program to experiment on black soldiers in an attempt to recreate the super soldier serum that created Captain America. The protagonist of the comic series, Isaiah Bradley, was portrayed by Carl Lumbly in the 2021 Disney+ streaming show Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
5. Spider-Man Life Story
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Can you imagine Spider-Man, one of the most popular Marvel characters ever, as an elderly man? Comic book characters never age, but in some projects, they are allowed to as if they live in the real world. Spider-Man: Life Story is a 2021 series where an elderly Peter Parker looks back on 57 years of life. He especially reminisces on 1962, when he was 15 years old and bitten by a radioactive spider. This series follows Peter as he ages in real time and experiences historical events, like the Vietnam War as if he was in the real world.
6. Iron Man’s “Demon In a Bottle” Saga
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“Demon in a Bottle,” is a 1979 storyline where Tony Stark becomes an alcoholic. This comic was published during the Bronze Era of comic books. It’s a time when Marvel characters could display more real-world personal weaknesses and personality failings instead of being depicted as perfect. This storyline would later inspire Robert Downey Jr.’s MCU portrayal of Tony Stark.
7. The Invisible Woman’s Miscarriage
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People usually read comic books for escapism and fantasy. However, Marvel characters have always mirrored the events of the real world. In 1984’s Fantast Four #267, Sue Storm, also known as the Invisible Woman, had a miscarriage. Sue was exposed to exotic radiation while exploring another dimension, causing the tragedy. It’s a forgotten chapter in Fantastic Four history that shocked the fandom of the era.
8. A Comic Book Got Samuel L. Jackson Cast as Nick Fury
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Nick Fury was depicted as a white man until a 2002 comic, The Ultimates, was published. This comic depicts the Avengers, now called the Ultimates, in an alternate reality that mirrors the cynicism of the modern real world. The Ultimates version of Nick Fury was intentionally modeled after Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson, an avid comic book fan, found out.
Jackson’s agent called Marvel, who apologized and promised to cast Jackson should the opportunity arise. (Marvel was not owned by Disney yet.) The rest is history. If not for The Ultimates, Jackson might never have been cast as the MCU Nick Fury.
9. Hank Pym Was a Domestic Abuser
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Many Marvel characters are legacy characters, meaning that more than one person assumes the superhero identity. In the MCU Hank Pym, as portrayed by Michael Douglas, is the original Ant-Man in the comics. Unfortunately, editorial decisions about Pym made him unlikeable to comic book fans until his MCU debut redeemed him.
In 1981’s Avengers #213, Pym is portrayed as a violent abuser who domestically assaults his wife Janet Van Dyne (Portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer in the MCU). In the 2000s, the Ultimate Universe version of Pym is even more monstrous and is portrayed as an unrepentant wife-beater. Pym was redeemed in the MCU, but his comic counterpart is still stigmatized by these previous portrayals.
10. Disney Rejects Dying Child’s Last Wish
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Lloyd Jones, a resident of Kent, England, lost his 4-year-old son to a rare genetic disease in 2019. His son, Ollie, loved Marvel characters. So, Lloyd wanted to put an etching of Spider-Man on his son’s tombstone. Due to international copyright laws, he had to get permission from Disney, which owns Marvel.
Lloyd’s request was denied, although the company sent him an original animation celluloid as a gift. Disney doesn’t allow its characters to be used in cemeteries, tombstone etchings, or funeral urns to preserve their “magic,” and “innocence.”
11. Marvel’s 9/11-Themed Comic Books
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The terror attacks of 9/11 happened simultaneously in Marvel Comics as they did in the real world. Heroes, published in October 2001, is a comic that portrays police, firefighters, and first responders as true superheroes. The Amazing Spider-Man #36, also published in October 2001, featured popular Marvel characters assembling in lower Manhattan to help in 9/11’s aftermath. Magneto, a known racist against non-mutant humans, is depicted helping out. Dr. Doom is infamously depicted shedding a tear in grief after witnessing 9/11’s aftermath.
12. Captain America Fights Al-Qaeda
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Months after the 9/11 terror attacks, Marvel published Captain America: The New Deal. The story picks up months after 9/11, almost in real-time relative to the era, and depicts How Captain America struggles psychologically in the aftermath of the attacks. Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda are mentioned by name in the comic in briefings.
Cap is tasked with stopping a similar attack while trying to uphold American values and not use tactics like his enemy. The comic was critically acclaimed for trying to find a balance between common superhero tropes and conveying how Marvel characters would respond to real-world terrorism.
Marvel Characters Are a Mirror of the Real World
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Don’t let anyone say that comic books don’t reflect the intricacies of the real world. Even though readers enjoy fantasy and escapism, the creators of these stories use their real-world experiences as inspiration to create them. Check out different kinds of comic books now and see for yourself.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
