Year: 1986

Major Events: 

  • Frog Thor!
  • Secret Wars II crosses into every Marvel series, and Mutant Massacre hits a whole bunch too
  • The New Universe is launched, starting up a half-dozen new titles.
  • Weddings: Betty Ross and Bruce Banner; Namor and Marrina; Johnny Storm and Alicia Masters (who is really a skrull).
  • Punisher becomes a headlining character
  • Major runs begin by Ann Nocenti (Daredevil) and Louise Simonson (X-Factor), and Frank Miller returns briefly to write the best Daredevil story of all time.
  • Beast loses his fur.
  • Major runs end by John Byrne (Hulk, F4) and Roger Stern (Doctor Strange).
  • The Power Pack kids switch powers among themselves
  • Series cancellation: Cloak and Dagger, Power Man and Iron Fist, The Defenders, Micronauts, Thing, Howard the Duck, Doctor Strange, Dazzler.

Important Deaths: MODOK, Beyonder (kind of), Death Adder, Scourge, Porcupine, Arnim Zola, Blizzard, Valkyrie, Manslaughter, Moondragon, Gargoyle, and Space Phantom.

Best New Series: Elektra: Assassin (miniseries); Classic X-Men (reprints with original back-up material).

Top 20 New Characters: Not a great year for new characters, but look how many females made my favorites!

  1. Apocalypse
  2. Psylocke
  3. Vindicator (was Heather Hudson)
  4. Deathstrike (was Yuriko)
  5. Firestar (joins the 616 Universe)
  6. Justice Peace and the Time Variance Authority
  7. Nuke
  8. Star Brand
  9. Scarlet Witch and Vision’s twin babies
  10. Dakota North
  11. Council of Kangs
  12. Jubilee
  13. X-Babies
  14. The Death Throws gang of jugglers
  15. Artie Maddicks
  16. Ms. Marvel II (Sharon Ventura takes the name
  17. Rusty Collins
  18. Cameron Hodge
  19. Kara “Purple Girl” Killgrave
  20. Yellow Jacket II

Top 10 Stories  

  1. Daredevil #227-233
  2. Doctor Strange #66
  3. Thor #364-366
  4. Daredevil: Love and War (Graphic Novel)
  5. Punisher: Circle of Blood (miniseries)
  6. Classic X-Men #4
  7. Avengers #273-277
  8. Iron Man #205
  9. Classic X-Men #1
  10. Avengers #266