Bring on the Bad Guys: Origins of the Marvel Comics Villains

Marvel’s classic villains step into the spotlight in this 1976 one-shot from Simon and Schuster, a standalone treasury that explores the twisted origins of the company’s most iconic rogues. Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Gil Kane, the oversized issue pairs dramatic origin reprints with new framing material, giving readers a deeper look at the motivations behind the malice. It’s a fond, character-driven tribute that helped cement the idea that a hero is only as good as their bad guys.