Skip to content
Earth's Mightiest Blog
  • Home
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
  • 1980s
  • 1990s
  • 2000s
  • Special Features
  • Non-Marvel

Year: 1988

Major Events:

  • Actual named events: Armor Wars, Inferno, Fall of the Mutants
  • Storm is re-powered and Mantis returns from the dead
  • Bill Mantlo finishes a very long run on Alpha Flight, Louise Simonson leaves Power Pack
  • Captain America lifts Thor’s hammer
  • The X-Universe X-pands with Excalibur and Wolverine series and the several miniseries
  • Sharon Ventura becomes The Thing
  • Steve Rogers resigns as Captain America
  • Steve Rogers becomes Captain America again
  • SHIELD is shut down
  • Not a great year for Marvel

Important Deaths: None really, but Gremlin was Hulk’s first enemy.  Lots of “fake” deaths like Doctor Druid, D-Man, many Elders of the Universe, and Alpha Flight’s Marrinna.  

Best New Series:  Wolverine.  Punisher War Journal comes in second.

Top 10 (or 20) New Characters:

  1. Venom (Eddie Brock)
  2. Mr. Fixit (Hulk)
  3. Typhoid Mary
  4. Tombstone
  5. Hobgoblin (Jason Macendale version)
  6. Microchip
  7. Dakota North joins the 616 universe
  8. Speedball.  I hate the character, but he’s undeniably a major player in early ’90s Marvel
  9. The X-Babies
  10. Gateway

Top 10 Stories: 

  1. Daredevil #254-256
  2. Hulk #340
  3. Punisher #10 and Daredevil #257
  4. Daredevil #259-261
  5. Iron Man #225-232 (Iron Wars)
  6. Incredible Hulk #339
  7. Avengers #298
  8. Silver Surfer #7-10
  9. Amazing Spider-Man #298-300
  10. Incredible Hulk #341-345

 

D.P.7 (New Universe) (1986-1989)

JUSTICE #1-32 (New Universe) (1986-1989)

Punisher #4-5 (1987-1988): 1st Microchip






Solo Avengers #10 (1988): Hawkeye, Dr. Druid; Magneto/Magda parentage of Scarlet Witch/Quicksilver explained

 SAGA OF THE SUB-MARINER #2-3 (1988)

Alpha Flight #54 (1988): Origin of Goblyn

Alpha Flight #55-61 (1988)

ALPHA FLIGHT #62 and NEW MUTANTS #64 (1988)

Alpha Flight #63 (1988)

ALPHA FLIGHT #64-66 (1988): Mantlo run ends

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #296-297 (1988): 1st Tracer Launcher

Amazing Spider-Man #298-300 (1988): 1st Eddie Brock as Venom

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #302 (1988)

Amazing Spider-Man #303 (1988)

Amazing Spider-Man #304-305 (1988)

Amazing Spider-Man #306 (1988)

Amazing Spider-Man #307-309 (1988): 1st Styx and Stone

Amazing Spider-Man #310 (1988)

ARMOR WARS (aka STARk WARS) (1988)

Avengers #286-290 (1987-1988): Heavy Metal

Avengers #291-294 (1988): Marrina dies; Captain Marvel depowered

AVENGERS #295-297: Dr. Druid Dies and the team breaks up (1988)

BLACK PANTHER #1-4 (1988)

BULLPEN BULLETINS (March 1988)

BULLPEN BULLETINS OCTOBER (1988)

Captain America #337 (1988): Cap becomes “Captain”; 1st Fer De Lance, Black Racer, Copperhead, Puff Adder

Captain America #338 (1988): Walker kills Prof Power

Captain America #339 (1988): Fall of the Mutants

CAPTAIN AMERICA #340 (1988)

CAPTAIN AMERICA #341 (1988): 1st “Battlestar”

Captain America #342-344 (1988): 1st Resistants, Quill

CLASSIC X-MEN #19-22 (1988)

CLASSIC X-MEN #26-28 (1988)

Daredevil #250-251 (1988): 1st Bullet

Daredevil #252 (1988): Fall of the Mutants

Daredevil #253 (1988): 1st Wildboys “gang”

DAREDEVIL #254-256 (1988): 1st Typhoid Mary

Daredevil #258 (1988): 1st Bengal

Daredevil #259-261 (1988)

EARTH FORCE

Excalibur #1-2 (1988): 1st Widget, Kylun

Excalibur #3 (1988)

Fantastic Four #308-310 (1987-1988): Sharon becomes Thing; Thing mutates

Fantastic Four #311 (1988)

Fantastic Four #312 (1988): Fall of the Mutants

FANTASTIC FOUR #313 (1988)

FANTASTIC FOUR #314-316 (1988)

FANTASTIC FOUR #317-319 (1988)

HAVOK AND WOLVERINE: MELTDOWN #1-4 (1988)

Incredible Hulk #339 (1988): Banner child abuse

INCREDIBLE HULK #340 (1988): Wolverine rematch; 1st Hulk healing factor

Incredible Hulk #341-345 (1988): Rock and Redeemer transformed; 1st Riot Squad

INCREDIBLE HULK #346 (1988): 1st Soul Man

INCREDIBLE HULK #347 (1988): 1st Mr. Fixit

Incredible Hulk #348 (1988)

INFERNO HOUSE AD (1988)

Iron Man #225-228 (1987-1988): Armor Wars Begins!

IRON MAN #229 (1988): Gremlin dies

IRON MAN #230-231 (1988): The End of Iron Wars; 1st Firepower

IRON MAN #232 (1988): Barry Windsor Smith

Iron Man #233 (1988)

Iron Man #234 (1988)

IRON MAN #235-236 (1988)

Iron Man #237 (1988)

Justice League International #12 (1988)

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #18

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #20-21 (1988)

Justice League International #9-11 (1988)

MARK GRUENWALD EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE EDITOR (1988)

MARVEL ACTION UNIVERSE!

MARVEL AGE ANNUAL #4 (1988)

MARVEL AT THE THANKSGIVING PARADE! (1988)

Marvel Comics Presents #1-10 (Wolverine’s story) (1988-1989)

Marvel Comics Presents #1-12 (Man-Thing story) (1988-1989)

Marvel Comics Presents #1-4 (1988) (Silver Surfer, Captain America, Thing, Thor, and Daredevil versus Fear Eater)

Marvel Comics Presents #1-8 (1988) (Shang-Chi story)

MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #5 (Daredevil Story Only) (1988)

MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #6 (1988): Hulk

MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #7 (Sub Mariner story) (1988)

Marvel Comics Presents #8 (Iron Man) (1988)

Marvel Comics Presents #9 (1988): Cloak, El Aguila

Marvel Fanfare #38 (1988)

MARVEL FANFARE #39 (1988): Hawkeye, Moon Knight

MARVEL FANFARE #40 (1988)

MARVEL FANFARE #41 (1988): Dr. Strange

MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL #31: Wolfpack (1988)

Marvel Graphic Novel #34: Cloak and Dagger: Predator and Prey (1988)

MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL #40: PUNISHER: ASSASSIN’S GUILD (1988)

MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL: HERCULES: FULL CIRCLE (1988)

MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL: IRON MAN: CRASH (1988)

MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL: Silver Surfer, Judgment Day (1988)

MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL: The Inhumans (1988): 1st Ahura

MYSTERY SUPER TEAM OF THE DAY

New Mutants #56-61 (1987-1988): Fall of the Mutants; Cypher dies

NEW MUTANTS #62 (1988): Empath and Magma quit

New Mutants #63 (1988)

NICK FURY VS. SHIELD #1-6 (1988): SHIELD shut down

Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #137-138 (1988)

Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #139-143 (1988): Tombstone origin; Persuader dies; 1st Lobo Brothers

Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #144-145 (1988)

Power Pack #34 (1988)

Power Pack #35 (1988): Fall of the Mutants

Power Pack #36 (1988): Master Mold destroyed

POWER PACK #37-40 (1988): Louise Simonson run ends

Power Pack #41 (1988)

PROFILE OF BOBBIE CHASE (1988)

Punisher #10 and Daredevil #257 (1988)

Punisher #11 (1988)

Punisher #12-13 (1988)

Punisher #14 (1988)

PUNISHER #6-7 (1988): 1st Wild Rose

PUNISHER #8-9 (1988)

Punisher War Journal #1-3 (1988-1989)

PUNISHER: ASSASSIN’S GUILD HOUSE AD (1988)

SAGA OF THE SUB-MARINER #1 (1988)

Silver Surfer #11-12 (1988): 1st Reptyl, Clumsy Foulup

Silver Surfer #13-14 (1988)

Silver Surfer #15-18 (1988):Elders restored

Silver Surfer #7 (1988): Mantis revived

SILVER SURFER #8-10 (1988): Many Elders die

SILVER SURFER: PARABLE (1988)

Solo Avengers #1-2 (1987-1988): Hawkeye origin retcon

Solo Avengers #11 (1988): Hercules, Hawkeye

Solo Avengers #12 (1988): Hawkeye and Yellowjacket (1988)

Solo Avengers #13 (1988): 1st Bullet Biker

Solo Avengers #3-5 (1988) (Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Black Knight, Scarlet Witch)

SOLO AVENGERS #6: Hawkeye and Falcon (1988)

Solo Avengers #7 (1988): Hawkeye, Silver Sable, Sandman, Black Widow

Solo Avengers #8-9 (1988): Hawkeye, Hank Pym and Hellcat

Speedball #1-4 (1988): 1st Niels the Cat

STRANGE TALES #12-15 (1988)

STRANGE TALES #16-19 (series ends) and THE MUTANT MISADVENTURES OF CLOAK AND DAGGER #1-2 (1988)

Strange Tales Vol. 2 #8-11 (1987-1988): 1st Night, Day, Mr. Jip; Dr. Strange gets an eyepatch

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #301 (1988)

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF D.C.’S “MANHUNTER!:” MANHUNTER #1 (Mark Shaw version, 1988)

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF D.C.’S “MANHUNTER!:” MANHUNTER VOL #7 (1988)

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF D.C.’S “MANHUNTER!:” MANHUNTER VOLUME 1 #8-24 (1988)

THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR (1988 Annuals): Super Skrull, Jocasta, Giant Man revived; 1st Speedball, X-Babies, Matthew Plunder; Crystal quits FF; Hercules dies

Thor #386-389 (1987-1988): 1st Thor Replicoid

Thor #390 (1988): Cap lifts Mjolnir

THOR #391 (1988): 1st Eric Masterson

Thor #392-395 (1988): 1st Quicksand and Earth Force

THOR vs HULK ON MARVEL TV! (1988)

Web of Spider-Man #34 (1988)

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #35 (1988): 1st Tarantula II

Web of Spider-Man #36 (1988): 1st Tombstone

Web of Spider-Man #37 (1988): 1st 616 Dakota North

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #38 (1988): 1st Macendale Hobgoblin

Web of Spider-Man #39 (1988)

Web of Spider-Man #40-43 (1988)

Web of Spider-Man #44 and Hulk #349 (1988)

Web of Spider-Man #45 (1988)

WEST COAST AVENGERS #26-29 (1987-1988): Zodiac gang dies

WEST COAST AVENGERS #30 (1988)

WEST COAST AVENGERS #31 (1988)

WEST COAST AVENGERS #32 (1988)

WEST COAST AVENGERS #37 (1988): Tigra, Hank Pym, Mockingbird, Moon Knight quit; Vision, Scarlet Witch join

WEST COAST AVENGERS #38 (1988)

West Coast Avengers #39 (1988): Mantis doesn’t need seeds anymore

Wolverine #1-3 (1988-1989)

X-FACTOR #27 (1988)

X-FACTOR #28 (1988): 1st Infectia

X-Factor #29 (1988)

X-Factor #30-31 (1988): 1st Nanny, Orphan-Maker

X-FACTOR #32 (1988): 1st N’astirh

X-Factor #34 (1988): Angel becomes Death, kills Hodge


Power Pack #42-43 (1988-1989)

Captain America #345-350 (1988-1989): Steve Rogers returns as Cap; D-Man “dies”

DOCTOR STRANGE SORCERER SUPREME #1-2 (1988-1989)

FANTASTIC FOUR #320-321 and HULK #350 (1988)

MARVEL TRIVIA QUIZ: 1988

WOLFPACK #1-12 (1988-1989)

X-Factor #35-36 (1989-1989): Angel rejoins

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #16 (1988)

CLASSIC X-MEN #23-24 (1988)

About this site

Ekko I got the crazy idea to read and review every single Marvel 616 Universe comic. This is where I do that. Contact me at: [email protected] I also blog about music HERE

Most Popular

  • MARVEL'S BEST 100 SINGLE-ISSUE STORIES OF THE 20TH CENTURY
    MARVEL'S BEST 100 SINGLE-ISSUE STORIES OF THE 20TH CENTURY
  • THE TOP 20 COMIC BOOK STORIES OF THE 1980s
    THE TOP 20 COMIC BOOK STORIES OF THE 1980s
  • THE BEST MARVEL MINISERIES OF THE 1980s
    THE BEST MARVEL MINISERIES OF THE 1980s
  • Doctor Strange #21-24 (1990): The Dark Wars
    Doctor Strange #21-24 (1990): The Dark Wars
  • UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #5 (1981)
    UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #5 (1981)

Explore

Find all characters here
Find all creators here
Find all series here
Find all tags here

Years of publication

  • 1958
  • 1959
  • 1960
  • 1961
  • 1962
  • 1963
  • 1964
  • 1965
  • 1966
  • 1967
  • 1968
  • 1969
  • 1970
  • 1971
  • 1972
  • 1973
  • 1974
  • 1975
  • 1976
  • 1977
  • 1978
  • 1979
  • 1980
  • 1981
  • 1982
  • 1983
  • 1984
  • 1985
  • 1986
  • 1987
  • 1988
  • 1989
  • 1990
  • 1991
  • 1992
  • 1993
  • 1994
  • 1995
  • 1996
  • 1997
  • 1998
  • 1999
  • 2000
  • 2002
  • 2003
  • 2004
  • 2005
  • 2006
  • 2009
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2014
  • 2015
  • 2017
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2021

Grades

  • A+
  • A
  • A-
  • B+
  • B
  • B-
  • C+
  • C
  • C-
  • D+
  • D
  • D-
  • F

Popular Tags

Bullpen Bulletins and Similar Items (166) Celebrities Politicians and Historical Figures Appearing in Comics (136) Comic Book Creators Appearing in Comic Books (119) Comic Book Publisher Crossovers (83) Comic Books Based on Toys and Franchise Characters (95) Comics Included On Top 10 Lists (189) Letter Page Banners (93) Marvel House Ads and Promos (86) Not Canon (127) Trenchcoat Disguises (73)

Search

Most Popular Series

Amazing Spider-Man (1963-2013) (205) Avengers (1963-2018) (154) Captain America (1968-2012) (126) Daredevil (1964-2011) (160) Fantastic Four (1961-2005) (192) Incredible Hulk (1962-1999) (151) Invincible Iron Man (1968-1996) (145) Journey Into Mystery/Thor (1952-2013) (163) Marvel Team-Up (1972-1985) (109) Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man (1976-1998) (107)

Most Published Characters

Captain America (Steve Rogers) (412) Daredevil (Matt Murdock) (230) Hulk (Bruce Banner) (306) Human Torch (Johnny Storm) (363) Invisible Girl/Woman (Susan Storm/Richards) (289) Iron Man 1 (Tony Stark) (406) Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) (336) Spider-Man (Peter Parker) (625) Thing (Ben Grimm) (395) Thor (Odinson) (333)

Archives

  • —2022 (662)
    • —July (30)
      • Captain America #380-382 (1990-1991)
      • Spectacular Spider-Man #149 (1989)
      • UNCANNY X-MEN #154-158 (1982): Corsair is Scott's dad
      • MASTER OF KUNG FU #36-41 (1975-1976)
      • Defenders #47-50 (1977)
      • DAREDEVIL #284-290 (1990-1991)
      • HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN BYRNE--The John Byrne Top 10
      • THOR #433 (1991): Joe Sinnot Retires
      • Thor #427-433 (1990-1991): Thor's soul separated from Masterson
      • UNCANNY X-MEN #151-152 (1981)
      • UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #5 (1981)
      • Doctor Strange #21-24 (1990): The Dark Wars
      • DARK PHOENIX by COLLEEN DORAN
      • Capwolf (1992)
      • CAP LOVES THE FLAG
      • CAPTAIN AMERICA by Fred Hembeck
      • HAPPY JULY 4TH (1991)
      • CAPTAIN AMERICA SUPER HERO CLUB PIN (1966)
      • CAPTAIN AMERICA by Frank Miller
      • CAPTAIN AMERICA TRIVIA! (1990)
      • CAPTAIN AMERICA by Skottie Young
      • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #340-343 (1990-1991): Powerless; 1st Femme Fatales, Mindblast, Knockout, Cardiac
      • Punisher War Journal #25-27 (1990-1991)
      • Avengers Spotlight #39 (1990)
      • UNCANNY X-MEN #149 (1981)
      • UNCANNY X-MEN #148 (1981): 1st Caliban; Siryn is Banshee's daughter
      • WOLVERINE by TODD MCFARLANE
      • UNCANNY X-MEN #145-147 (1981): Dr. Doom
      • Avengers West Coast #65-68 (1990-1991): Mandrill and Nekra die
      • MERCH!
    • +June (137)
    • +May (146)
    • +April (142)
    • +March (54)
    • +February (72)
    • +January (81)
  • +2021 (3154)
    • +December (185)
    • +November (144)
    • +October (181)
    • +September (201)
    • +August (215)
    • +July (233)
    • +June (334)
    • +May (580)
    • +April (508)
    • +March (253)
    • +February (187)
    • +January (133)
  • +2020 (7)
    • +October (2)
    • +September (1)
    • +August (2)
    • +July (2)
  • +2019 (1)
    • +February (1)