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What If Marvel Comics #1000 and 2019 *Isn't* the 80th Anniversary of Marvel?

For days now, Bleeding Cool has been telling you that Marvel Comics #1000 is the big 80th anniversary from Marvel Comics featuring 80 one-page stories by 80 creative teams. And with Marvel Comics #1 having been published in 1939 featuring Namor The Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch, the original Ka-Zar and more, the idea is that, like Action Comics #1000 and Detective Comics #1000, this is where Marvel Comics would be if it had kept being published every month since Marvel Comics #1 in 1939. Give or take.

In the New York Times article where this went all official, George Gene Gustines wrote,

Marvel's publishing history started on Aug. 31, 1939, with the arrival on newsstands of Marvel Comics No. 1. It was published by Timely Comics, a forerunner of Marvel. Namor, the Sub-Mariner, the android Human Torch (not to be confused with the 1961 Fantastic Four character with the same name) appeared for the first time — along with other characters, including a costumed detective named the Angel.

But that's wrong. Or, at least, not entirely right. Marvel's brand of publishing history preceded that by three years.

Because in 1936, we had Ka-Zar, published by Timely and Marvel publisher Martin Goodman, the same character who appears in Marvel Comics #1-5 and who inspired the 60s version of the character.

While, if you are looking for a Marvel #1, Marvel Science Stories, also from Martin Goodman, started in 1938.

It may not add to the anniversary. But saying that Marvel publishing history began in 1939 only works if you ignore a few inconvenient pulp prose publshing precedents…

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