The Marvel Family #1

History

The series launched with a cover date of December 1945 and went on sale November 21, 1945, under Fawcett editor Wendell Crowley and executive editor Will Lieberson, capitalizing on the enormous popularity the Captain Marvel franchise had built across multiple Fawcett titles through the early-to-mid 1940s. The lead story was scripted by Otto Binder, with pencils by Captain Marvel co-creator C.C. Beck and inks by Pete Costanza — a credit later confirmed and corrected from an earlier attribution to Beck alone, per researcher Craig Delich in 2012. The first two cover printings of the series used the banner 'Marvel Family Comics,' though the indicia consistently identified the title as 'The Marvel Family' throughout its run; the series continued monthly (with a gap before issue #2, which did not appear until June 1946) until issue #89 in January 1954, when Fawcett ceased publication following its settlement of DC's copyright lawsuit.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance and origin of Black Adam (Teth-Adam / Mighty Adam), created by writer Otto Binder and artist C.C. Beck, in the lead story 'The Mighty Marvels Join Forces!'
• Black Adam's Golden Age appearance here was his ONLY appearance in the entire Fawcett Comics publication run; he did not return until Shazam! #28 (March/April 1977), when DC revived him almost 32 years later.
• The issue also serves as the first dedicated team title for the Marvel Family — Captain Marvel (Billy Batson), Captain Marvel Jr. (Freddy Freeman), Mary Marvel (Mary Batson), and Uncle Marvel (Uncle Dudley) — with the wizard Shazam narrating each member's origin, carved into the Rock of Eternity.
• Note on precedence: while this is the first Marvel Family title, the team itself first appeared together in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (Fawcett), which pre-dates this issue and retells the group's origins.
• The second story, 'The Marvel Family and Baby Marvel,' also scripted by Otto Binder, introduces the one-off character Baby Marvel, a child who was a 'Marvel in name only' and never appeared again.
• The cover and interior art for the lead story were produced by C.C. Beck (pencils) and Pete Costanza (inks); the cover was also penciled by Beck.
• The issue is 36 pages in full color; editorial staff listed are Wendell Crowley (editor) and Will Lieberson (executive editor); the on-sale date of November 21, 1945 is confirmed by the Catalog of Copyright Entries.
• The lead Black Adam story has been reprinted multiple times, including in Shazam! #8 (1973), Adventure Comics #497 (1983), Shazam! and the Shazam Family! Annual #1 (2002), Shazam!: A Celebration of 75 Years (2015), and a full-issue DC Facsimile Edition (December 2022). It was also loosely adapted in The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! (animated episode 'Black Adam's Return') and the animated film Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam.

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