Episode Details

Marvel had been a dominant force in the comics world through most of the early and mid 1960s, which is all the more amazing when you realize that they made all the noise they did while limited to publishing only 8 -14 comics a month.  The Marvel contract with their distributor (essentially DC Comics) was up for re-negotiation in 1968, and Martin Goodman used the opportunity to expand the line to a maximum of 24 books instead, giving Stan Lee a much larger canvas for the Marvel Universe.  What did he do with all that new space?  Let’s take a look at the year 1968 and find out! 

Preshow

• Reader Mail: Marvel Unlimited Tech Support
• Reader Mail: Comics in the UK and Deadman Comics

The Year in Comics

1968 was a devastating year for America, as the Vietnam conflict deepened and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr and Robert Kennedy seemed to drain hope in our domestic political future.  Comics continued to respond to popular trends, but seemed largely unable to respond effectively to such significant social and political events, especially as they were waited down by the Comics Code Authority and the perception that the medium was “just for kids.”  When mainstream comics tried to step outside the box, it often went poorly.  This was a year where storied companies met their end, a year when amazing new creators started to show what they could do, and a year defined in many ways by comic creators’ accelerating search for new markets and avenues of expression.

New Comics, New Creators

Big Moments

Quick Notes

Best Selling Books... and Marvels

The Year in Marvel

New Titles

New Characters

Big Moments

Who's in the Bullpen

• ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Archie Goodwin

The Year in Daredevil 

Appearances: Daredevil Issues 36-47, Fantastic Four #73

• Another full year of Stan Lee and Gene Colan stories.  
• “Here comes…” removed from the Daredevil cover logo starting on issue 43 (Aug) 
• Daredevil logo on cover changes starting on issue 44 (Sept) 
• Daredevil saves the Invisible Girl from a bomb planted by the Trapster. 
• Daredevil fights Victor Von Doom for the first time in his books 
• To take down the Exterminator, Daredevil makes it look like Daredevil (and by Extension his “brother” Mike Murdock) was killed by an explosion.  
• Daredevil fights Captain America in Madison Square Garden after encountering some radioactive chemicals. DD seemed not like himself. 
• Daredevil is framed for murder by the Jester and must clear his name with police while taking down his foe. 
• Murdock is mean to Karen so they won’t get close, and she decided to leave the law office for a while.  
• Daredevil caps the year by visits Vietnam to rally the troops and befriends a blind soldier, Willie Lincoln. Matt Murdock then helps Lincoln stateside when he’s framed for taking a bribe by a mob boss. 

New Powers, Toys or Places

New Supporting Characters

New Villains

This Week's Spotlight: Daredevil #37 Feb 1968 “Don’t Look Now, But It’s… Dr. Doom”, Daredevil #38 Mar 1968 “The Living Prison!” and Fantastic Four #73 April 1968 “The Flames of Battle…” 

Recap

Why We Picked This Story

The Takeaway

Comics Code and it's impact... Something had to change.

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at questions@comicsovertime.com or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

------------------

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING CREATORS AND RESOURCES 

Music: Our theme music is by the very talented Lesfm.  You can find more about them and their music at htt