Posted By Dan Greenfield on Oct 10, 2023 | 2 comments

The 50th anniversary of the format is nearly upon us…

By JIM BEARD

Back when I was 8 years old in 1973, I couldn’t have imagined Marvel Comics was just about to propel me into a new Golden Age with an exciting format they called, with typical House of Ideas flare and fury, “Giant-Size.”

Flash-forward 50 years later and I’m looking right down the barrel of Marvel doing it all over again by bringing back the format for a series of current comics — and re-releasing Giant-Size Super-Stars #1 (the first such issue, published in March 1974) as a Facsimile Edition. (Details here!)

Who says you can’t go home again?

With the impending arrival of the Giant-Size Super-Stars #1 Facsimile Edition in December—oh, how I love that book!—we thought we’d whip up a giant-size wish list of 13 Giant-Size tomes we hope Marvel will consider for future facsimile folios. They usually target their reprints for specific marketing pushes (and we’re not sure they’re going to put out other Giant-Size Facsimiles), but I figured I could make a few specific suggestions with plenty of personal bias.

So, sit back and enjoy, bunky! And while you’re at it… face forward!

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Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1 (Pubdate June 1974). Morbius! Man-Wolf! And a certain Friendly Neighborhood Web-slinger! This one’s got it all, Effendi!

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Giant-Size Chillers #1 (June 1974). To the vampire a daughter! Hold still, Harold—Lilith wants to put the bite on you!

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Giant-Size Spider-Man #1 (July 1974). It’s the team-up you never imagined could happen! Action and intrigue on the high seas as only Marvel can bring it to you! Seasick pills not included!

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Giant-Size Creatures #1 (July 1974). If one hirsute howler isn’t enough for you, True Believers, Tigra will have you seeing double in her dashing debut!

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Giant-Size Fantastic Four #2 (August 1974). Bashful Benjy vs. the whole blamed Chicago mob scene in the Roarin’ 20s—what more could you ask for? Howzabout the weirdo Watcher just for good measure?

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Giant-Size Man-Thing #1 (August 1974). It’s a mighty muck-monster mash down in the Stygian swamps when the Glob gloms onto Man-Thing’s limelight!

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Giant-Size Avengers #2 (November 1974). Doom stalks the Swordsman, but Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have their hands full with the double danger of Rama-Tut… and Kang the Conqueror!

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Giant-Size Fantastic Four #4 (February 1975). Everyone’s favorite foursome faces off against the murky mystery of Madrox the Multiple Man — Nuff Said!

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Giant-Size Defenders #4 (April 1975). When the Squadron Sinister stride in, it’s up to the world’s only non-team, the dazzling Defenders, to design a defense!

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Giant-Size Spider-Man #4 (April 1975). The Punisher’s back! But is he friend or foe when Spidey squares off against the mighty menace of… Moses Magnum!

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Giant-Size Invaders #1 (June 1975). This is it, Charlie! All-out World War II action when Cap and his crazy cohorts bring the battle to the Axis’ front door!

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Giant-Size Avengers #4 (June 1975). You say you want a wedding? How about two nutty nuptials for the price of one? Watch as the Scarlet Witch and Mantis say “I do” — but wait ’til you see to who!

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Giant-Size Kid Colt #3 (July 1975). A Wild West team-up in the Mighty Marvel Manner! The Kid and the ghostly Night Rider vs. villains among the tumblin’ tumbleweeds! Yee-haw!

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NOTE From Dan: If you’re wondering about Giant-Size X-Men #1 or Giant-Size Defenders #3, they’ve been released in the past.

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MORE

— 1974’s Smashing GIANT-SIZE SUPER-STARS #1 to Get Facsimile Edition. Click here.

— Dig These 13 Sensational MARVEL VALUE STAMPS. Click here.

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When JIM BEARD’s not editing and publishing through his two houses, Flinch Books and Becky Books, he’s pounding out adventure fiction with both original and licensed characters. In fact, he’s put words in the mouths of Luke Skywalker, Superman, Fox Mulder, Carl Kolchak, Peter Venkman and the Green Hornet… and lived to tell about it. His latest pop culture non-fiction tome, Galloping Around the Cosmos: Memories of TV’s Wagon Train to the Stars From Today’s Grown-Up Kids, is available here.