2.5 Stars ( )

The ultimate What-If. Marvel asks quirky, weird author Neil Gaiman (who did the quirky and weird Sandman series for DC) to write a series of what would happen if the Marvel characters were in 1602 England. The Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four all come together to fight a force that threatens to end their world. Excellent read. ( )

What a fun little novel. I wish they'd adapt this in the MCU, it would actually fit into the current Marvel storylines very well. But I guess the X-Men are the problem here. ( )

the integration of the story into the setting here is wonderful. I love each and every one of these colonial-era versions of the Marvel characters. My only real complaint is the whole Roanoke thing. The use of it here was tacky I feel. ( )

Wow. I was surprised by how much I loved this. Seeing that I am a fan of Marvel comics, renaissance history, and Neil Gaiman, liking Marvel 1602 should be a no-brainer..but I had my hesitations before reading this. Would transplanting Marvel Characters into an Elizabethan England setting really work? The answer: Yes, it does.

Marvel 1602 is a series of comic books published by Marvel in 2003 in 8 single issues which were later combined into one single volume. The premise of the story in essence is quite simple: A bunch of Superheroes and Villains from the Marvel Universe (The X Men, Captain America, Thor, Nicholas Fury, Spider Man, Dr Doom, Dr. Strange, etc) have been adapted to the 17th Century in Elizabethan times. Apparently, Neil Gaiman had always been a fan of Marvel (I mean, it is quite obvious isn't it?...He's talked extensively about his love of Thor) and editor Joe Quesada approached Gaiman to work on a project which eventually evolved into this brilliant comic. This is essentially a giant "what if?" story and I tend to be a sucker for those. (Perhaps this is why I like Star Wars Infinities?).

The premise (without giving too much away) for this comic itself is quite brilliant: In the year 1602 in the Marvel Universe, for an unknown reason, superheroes have appeared about 400 years early. They were born and raised in this era and some hold important positions in high places (Doctor Strange for instance,is the master of the the Queen's medicines and Nick Fury is the intelligencer of the court for Queen Elizabeth). However, when the characters come to realize that something is wrong with the universe (Dr. Strange and Nick Fury in particular), the heroes must solve the mystery behind their own existence, while dealing with intrigue surrounding the courts of Elizabeth and James.

Most of our favorite Marvel characters meet, battle, and (in typical Marvel fashion) form alliances and betray one another before the story is over. Gaiman, so adept at handling mythology in all its forms, knows that the super hero is a modern guise for character archetypes that have endured throughout human existence. As long as we have been telling stories, these archetypes have existed. By putting these Classic Marvel Characters in Renaissance England, Gaiman proves that these characters are elemental, even in different circumstances. Like usual, Gaiman is able to meld fictional fantasy and historical reality into a rich tapestry while examining religion, power, legends, and morality.

Gaiman is great at showing just how vast but interrelated the Marvel universe truly is. Check this comic out!

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