Marvel 1602 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marvel 1602
Cover to 1602 #8, showing Matthew Murdoch, Virginia Dare, Rojhaz, Sir Nicholas Fury, and "John" Grey. This scene was inspired by a famous drawing of the people involved in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 against King James.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Limited series
Genre	Alternate history, superhero
Publication date	November 2003 – June 2004
Number of issues	8
Creative team
Writer(s)	Neil Gaiman
Artist(s)	Andy Kubert Scott McKowen (covers)
Colorist(s)	Richard Isanove

Marvel 1602 is an exciting eight-issue comic book series from Marvel Comics. It was published in 2003 and 2004. The famous writer Neil Gaiman wrote the story. Andy Kubert drew the pictures, and Richard Isanove added the colors. The unique covers were made by Scott McKowen.

This series takes place in a special timeline. Here, Marvel superheroes like Nick Fury, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man exist in the Elizabethan era. This was a time in England around the 1600s. These heroes and even villains like Doctor Doom and Magneto must work together. They face a mysterious force that threatens to destroy their world. They have to fight to save their universe.

Marvel 1602 was very popular. Its success led to three more comic series: 1602: New World, Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four, and Spider-Man: 1602. There is also a short story about the 1602 version of The Hulk. The world of Marvel 1602 is known as Earth-311 in the Marvel universe.

Creating the Comic

How the Idea Started

Writer Neil Gaiman loved the Marvel universe. He thought it felt "magic." Joe Quesada, Marvel's Editor in Chief, asked Gaiman to work on a new project. Gaiman agreed in 2001.

After the events of September 11, 2001, Gaiman decided he wanted his comic to be different. He did not want it to be about war or violence. Soon after, he visited Venice, Italy. He felt like the past was very close there. This gave him the idea for the story. He chose the 1600s because it was a time of big changes. It also felt full of wonder and magic.

Gaiman found writing the series a bit strange. He had not written comics for five years. The story was originally longer but was made shorter for the eight issues. He also wanted this comic to be different from his other famous work, The Sandman.

Drawing the Story

Andy Kubert's pencil drawings (top) compared to the finished comic panel.

For Marvel 1602, the artists used a special drawing method. It was called "enhanced pencils." This means the finished pencil drawings went straight to the colorist. They did not go to an inker first. This method creates very clean and detailed lines. It had been used before on Kubert's comic Origin.

The editor, Nick Lowe, saw theater posters by Scott McKowen. He thought McKowen's "engraving 'look'" would be perfect for the historical setting. McKowen used a technique called Scratchboard. This is where an artist scrapes white lines onto a black surface. All his drawings were done by hand. Then, they were colored using computer software. McKowen looked at old 17th-century drawings for ideas. He also added decorative scrolls to the covers. These were inspired by Renaissance paintings.

The special hardbound edition of the comic has a scratchboard drawing on its cover. It shows the main characters whispering. McKowen said this image was inspired by a drawing of the people behind the "Gunpowder Plot." This was a plan to blow up Parliament during King James's rule. Since the characters in 1602 are seen as traitors by King James, they were drawn in a similar way.

The Story of Marvel 1602

What's Happening?

In the year 1602, in the Marvel Universe, superheroes suddenly appear. No one knows why they are here 400 years early. Some of them hold important jobs. The characters soon realize something is wrong with their world. They must solve the mystery of their own existence. At the same time, they deal with tricky situations in the courts of Queen Elizabeth I and King James.

The Plot Unfolds

Strange weather is causing panic across Europe. Many people think it means the end of the world. Dr. Stephen Strange, Queen Elizabeth I's doctor, feels that something unnatural is happening. He is also asked to protect a secret treasure of the Knights Templar. This treasure is being brought from Jerusalem.

Queen Elizabeth tells her spy chief, Sir Nicholas Fury, to bring the treasure safely to England. Fury asks Matthew Murdoch, a blind minstrel and agent, to help. Murdoch must meet the Templar guard in Europe and get the treasure. Later, Fury and his helper Peter Parquagh are attacked by a winged assassin. Fury captures the attacker and locks him in the Tower of London.

Meanwhile, a ship arrives from the New World. It carries Virginia Dare, the first child born in the Roanoke Colony. Her Native American bodyguard, Rojhaz, is also with her. They go to meet the Queen. But a second winged assassin grabs Virginia. Rojhaz quickly stops the attacker. However, Virginia has turned into a white gryphon. Rojhaz calms Virginia. Stephen Strange uses magic to turn her back into a human before Fury sees her transformed. She has strange shapeshifting powers. Strange thinks she might be causing the bad weather.

Fury questions one of the assassins. He learns that Count Otto von Doom sent him. Doom is the ruler of Latveria. But Fury is too late. One of Doom's machines kills Queen Elizabeth with poison gas.

After Elizabeth's death, James VI becomes the new ruler of England and Scotland. King James does not trust "witchbreed." These are people with magical or unusual powers. He works with the Spanish Inquisitor Enrique. They blame the English witchbreed, led by Carlos Javier, for Elizabeth's death. Fury is a friend of Carlos and his students. He is forced to take the witchbreed to the Tower.

Strange, Javier, and Fury meet there. They discuss how to save the world. This act will likely make them traitors to King James. Strange learns that Murdoch and the Templar agent Donal have been captured by Doom. Strange also finds out that Doom has captured four heroes from the ship Fantastick. These include Fury's friend Sir Richard Reed. Javier agrees to help Fury. They all take a ship that Javier and his page John Grey lift into the air. They fly across the continent.

Strange finds himself on the moon. There, he meets Uatu the Watcher. Uatu tells him that the strange events are caused by something from the future. He calls it the Forerunner. Its presence in the past has messed up reality. It could destroy Strange's world and all other universes. Uatu explains that the superheroes appearing early is the universe trying to save itself. He tells Strange that he cannot share this information while he is alive.

Fury, Javier, and his witchbreed attack Count Doom's fortress. They succeed. John Grey, who is actually a girl, dies from using too much power to keep the ship flying. The Four from the Fantastick are freed. Doom is badly scarred by what he thinks is the Templar's treasure. But the real treasure is Donal's walking stick. It can summon the Norse god Thor. The group of fugitives heads for the New World.

In Spain, Enrique is found to be a witchbreed and a Jew. He is sentenced to be burned at the stake with his young helpers, Petros and Sister Wanda. Enrique reveals he can control metal. He breaks their chains. They escape on their own ship, also going to America.

King James is angry that Fury and the witchbreed escaped. He has Sir Stephen Strange executed. Strange then talks to his wife Clea using his mind. He can now tell her his secrets because he is no longer alive. He tells her that the Forerunner caused the problems. He says the universe can only be saved if it goes back to its own time. Clea takes his head from the spike. She sets off for America with Virginia and Rojhaz. Clea believes Strange was wrong. She thinks the Forerunner is Rojhaz, not Virginia. Rojhaz then reveals he is Steve Rogers. He fought against a future dictatorship in the 21st century. He was sent back in time to erase his history. Native Americans found him. They misheard his name. He helped the struggling Roanoke colony survive and became Virginia's bodyguard.

Fury and his group arrive at the Roanoke colony. They find the rift, a tear in reality. Fury feels bad for betraying the King. Javier senses three ships coming. These are the Virginia Maid, Enrique's ship, and a ship with King James's agents. Among them are his advisor David Banner and Peter, who was forced to help. Javier realizes the rift gives off "galvanic" energy. He asks Enrique, his enemy, to help control the rift. Enrique agrees for a future favor. Donal summons Thor again. This provides the energy needed to open the rift.

Fury kills all of James's agents except Peter and Banner. In England, Murdoch threatens King James. He says he will kill him if he harms Fury. Rogers does not want to go back through the rift. He hopes to build a better America. Fury makes him unable to move. He carries Rogers' body back through the rift. Fury goes into the future too.

The rift and the universe fix themselves. This means the alternate timeline should be destroyed. However, Uatu the Watcher is given a "pocket universe" by his friends. In this universe, the 1602 timeline stays alive. The powered fugitives decide to live in the Roanoke colony. They declare it a free place for everyone. Meanwhile, Peter is bitten by a spider while walking with Virginia. Banner, who protected Peter from the energy of the rift, turns into a huge gray monster. Uatu keeps watching this new universe, now called Earth-311.

Main Characters

1602 features both real historical figures and many original Marvel superheroes and villains. Some popular characters, like Wolverine, were not included. Neil Gaiman wanted to focus on the heroes from the 1960s. He said he could not fit everyone in because there are so many Marvel characters.

• Queen Elizabeth I of England: The old Queen of England. She is killed by a poisonous gas device made by Otto Von Doom.
• James I of England: He was King James VI of Scotland. He becomes King of England after Elizabeth dies. James strongly dislikes "witchbreed" (the mutants of this world). He wants to destroy them and anyone who uses magic.
• Virginia Dare: The first English child born in the Americas. In this story, the Roanoke Colony did not disappear. Steve Rogers saved the colony from starvation. Virginia touches the rift caused by Rogers' arrival. She can turn into white-furred animals when scared. She later learns to control this power.
• Uatu, the Watcher: A younger member of a race of intelligent beings. They promise not to interfere with other races, only to watch. But Uatu breaks this promise. He explains the situation to Doctor Stephen Strange.
• Sir Nicholas Fury: The Queen's chief spy. He has stopped many plots against the Queen.
• Doctor Stephen Strange: The Queen's doctor. He is also a magician and alchemist.
• Peter Parquagh: Sir Nicholas's helper. He was an orphan raised by his aunt and uncle until Fury took him to London.
• Matthew Murdoch: A blind Irish minstrel. He also works as a freelance agent. Matthew was blinded by a strange substance as a child. But it also gave him super-sharp senses.
• Clea Strange: Stephen Strange's wife and assistant. Clea is from another dimension.
• Rojhaz: Virginia's blonde-haired bodyguard. He is actually Steve Rogers from a bad future. He was sent back in time, which started this alternate timeline.
• Carlos Javier: A Spaniard living in England. He runs a "College for the Sons of Gentlefolk." This is actually a safe place for "witchbreed." His students include Roberto Trefusis, Scotius Summerisle, Hal McCoy, Werner, and "John" Grey. John is actually a young woman with strong mind powers.
• The Four from the Fantastick: A group of explorers. They gained powers when their ship went through a strange energy vortex at sea. The four are Captain Benjamin Grimm, Sir Richard Reed, Susan Storm, and John Storm. Their bodies changed to be like the four elements. Reed's body became stretchy like water. Grimm's body became solid rock. Susan's body became invisible like air. John's body became living fire. Doom eventually captures them.
• Grand Inquisitor Enrique: He was born a Sephardic Jew. He was forced to become Christian. As an adult, he leads the Spanish Inquisition. He uses this power to help his own plans. He is ordered to execute witchbreed. But he secretly hides those who can pass as normal. He is secretly a witchbreed himself. He uses his job to form a "Brotherhood of Those Who Will Inherit the Earth." His secret children, Sister Wanda and Petros, help him. Toad also helps him, even though Toad betrayed him once.
• David Banner: An advisor to King James. Banner is sent to Roanoke to kill Fury. When the rift closes, Banner is caught in the energy. He is later seen as a huge gray-skinned creature (the Hulk).
• Count Otto von Doom: The ruler of Latveria. He is known as Otto the Handsome because of his perfect looks. He captures the Fantastick Four. He wants to force Reed to create war machines and poisons. Von Doom is later badly burned by Thor's lightning. But he survives.
• Donal: He is the Guardian of the Templar Treasure. He is also Thor. He is captured by Count Otto von Doom. He was bringing the Templars' treasure (the hammer Mjolnir disguised as a walking stick) to England. Sir Nicholas Fury and the witchbreed rescue him. He is taken to the New World with the Fantastick Four.
• Natasha: She travels with Matthew. She is on her way to meet Donal. Natasha is secretly working for Count Otto von Doom.

Marvel 1602 in Other Media

On TV

• The Marvel 1602 world appeared in an episode of The Super Hero Squad Show called "1602."
• Neil Gaiman, the creator of Marvel 1602, said he suggested making a live-action TV show of the series. But Marvel Television said no. Kevin Feige, a big boss at Marvel, has also said he is interested in a Marvel 1602 series. It was later announced that season 2 of the animated series What If...? will have an episode based on this story.

Video Games

• Spider-Man 1602 is a costume you can unlock in the game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.
• Spider-Man 1602 is a playable character in the game Spider-Man Unlimited.

Collected Editions

See also

In Spanish: Marvel 1602 para niños