This needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2006)

Various characters of the Marvel Universe. Promotional Art for the Civil War event by Steve McNiven.

The Marvel Universe is the fictional shared universe where most of the comic stories published by Marvel Comics take place. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... A shared universe is a literary technique in which several different authors create works of fiction that share aspects such as settings or characters and that are intended to be read as taking place in a single universe. ... This article is about the comic book company. ... Marvel Universe Online is the working title of an MMO game developed by Cryptic Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for Microsoft Windows Vista and Xbox 360 platforms. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (550x835, 206 KB) Summary Promotional Poster Art for Civil War. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (550x835, 206 KB) Summary Promotional Poster Art for Civil War. ... Civil War is a Marvel Comics summer 2006 crossover event, based around a core limited series of the same name written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven. ... A fictional universe is an imaginary world that serves as the setting or backdrop for one or (more commonly) multiple works of fiction or translatable non-fiction. ... A shared universe is a literary technique in which several different authors create works of fiction that share aspects such as settings or characters and that are intended to be read as taking place in a single universe. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... This article is about the comic book company. ...

The Marvel Universe actually exists within a multiverse consisting of thousands of separate universes, all of which are the creations of Marvel Comics and all of which are, in a sense, "Marvel universes". In this context, "Marvel Universe" is taken to refer to the mainstream Marvel continuity, which is known as Earth-616. Within Marvel Comics, most tales take place within the fictional Marvel Universe, this in turn is part of a larger multiverse. ... In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. ... In the fictional Marvel Universe, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. ...

"Marvel Universe" is also the title of a limited series, produced by Marvel Comics, that featured the Monster Hunters, and is occasionally used as a shortened form of the title of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. "Marvel Universe" should also not be confused with Marvel Action Universe, an animated television series that featured products of Marvel's former animation department, or the one-shot comic of the same name which was released concurrently with the TV series. The Monster Hunters was a fictional group in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications. ... Marvel Action Universe was a weekly syndicated television block from Marvel Productions featuring animated adaptions of Dino-Riders and Robocop. ... An animated series or cartoon series is a television series produced by means of animation. ... First production logo used after Marvel acquired DePatie-Freleng Enterprises The 1980s Spider-Man Marvel logo used when New World bought Marvel. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

History

Origins

Though the concept of a shared universe was not new or unique to comics in 1961, writer/editor Stan Lee, together with several artists including Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, created a series of titles where events in one book would have repercussions in another title and serialized stories would show characters' growth and change. Headline characters in one title would make cameo or guest appearances in other books. Eventually many of the leading heroes assembled into a team known as the Avengers. This was not the first time that Marvel's characters had interacted with one another—Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Original Human Torch had been rivals in Marvel's "Golden Age"—but it was the first time that the comic book publisher's characters seemed to share a world. The Marvel Universe was also notable for setting its central titles in New York City (by contrast DC heroes each live in a different fictional city). Care was taken to portray the city and the world as realistically as possible with the presence of superhumans affecting the common citizens in various ways. A shared universe is a literary technique in which several different authors create works of fiction that share aspects such as settings or characters and that are intended to be read as taking place in a single universe. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... For the fictional character of this name, see Stan Lee (Judge Dredd character). ... Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg, August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds... Stephen Ditko (born 2 November 1927) is a renowned American comic book artist and writer best known as the co-creator of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. ... The Avengers are a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional comic-book character in the Marvel Comics Universe, and one of the first superheroes, debuting in Spring 1939. ... The Human Torch is a Marvel Comics-owned superhero. ... Superman, catalyst of the Golden Age: Superman #14 (Feb. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Over time, a few Marvel Comics writers lobbied Marvel editors to incorporate the idea of a Multiverse; this plot device allows one to create several fictional universes which normally do not overlap (see below or Multiverse (Marvel Comics) for more information). What happens on Earth in the main Marvel Universe would normally have no effect on what happens on a parallel Earth in another Marvel-created universe. However, storywriters would have the creative ability to write stories in which people from one such universe would visit this alternate universe. Parallel universe or alternate reality in science fiction and fantasy is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with our own. ... Within Marvel Comics, most tales take place within the fictional Marvel Universe, this in turn is part of a larger multiverse. ...

In 1982, Marvel published the mini-series Contest of Champions, in which all of the major heroes in existence at the time were gathered together to deal with one threat. This was Marvel's first miniseries. Each issue contained biographical information on many major costumed characters; these biographies were a precursor to Marvel's series of reference material, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, which followed shortly on the heels of Contest of Champions. Contest of Champions is a 1982 mini-series by Marvel Comics. ... The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is a comicbook published by Marvel Comics that attempts to loosely define the characters, places, and events that make up the Marvel fictional comicbook world. ...

New Universe

In 1986, in honor of Marvel Comics' 25th anniversary, then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter launched the largely unsuccessful New Universe line of comics. The New Universe was intended to be a more realistic, self-contained superhero universe, but due to a combination of a lack of editorial support and a general disinterest on the part of the readers, the line was cancelled after three years. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Promotional Advertisement for The New Universe, Marvel Comics Group, circa 1986. ...

Heroes Reborn and Ultimate Marvel

Over the years, as the number of titles published increased and the volume of past stories accumulated, it became increasingly difficult to maintain internal consistency and continuity. But, unlike its main rival DC Comics, Marvel has never engaged in a drastic reboot of their continuity. Minor attempts have been made in recent years to produce stories more accessible for neophyte readers such as the Heroes Reborn titles, which occurred in a pocket universe where many of the major Marvel heroes were exiled for a year. The most successful attempt to date has been the Ultimate titles, a series of titles in a universe separate from the main Marvel continuity and essentially starting the entire Marvel Universe over from scratch. Ongoing "Ultimate" comics now exist for the X-Men, the Avengers (in the form of the Ultimates), Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four, as well as miniseries featuring other characters such as Daredevil and Elektra. Sales of these titles are strong, and indications are that Marvel will continue to expand the line, effectively creating two Marvel Universes existing concurrently. In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Heroes Reborn was an event in which Marvel Comics temporarily outsourced the production of several of its most famous comic books to the studios of its popular former employees Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld. ... The various characters of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, as seen on the cover of Ultimates (v2) #12. ... Ultimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. ... The Ultimates is a set of superhero comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics. ... For the video game of the same title, see Ultimate Spider-Man (video game). ... Ultimate Fantastic Four is a comic book published by Marvel Comics, part of the Ultimate Marvel line featuring classic Marvel Universe characters re-imagined for a modern audience. ... For other uses, see Daredevil (comics). ... Elektra Natchios, usually known only by her first name Elektra, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

In fact The Ultimate titles have done so well they have been the basis for several video games (Ultimate Spider-Man and the X-Men Legends games) and two animated movies: Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Avengers 2. Although it is not canon to the Ultimate continuity, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance may have been named after the Ultimate imprint^{[citation needed]}, as well as sharing character designs with some of the major characters (most notably Nightcrawler, Captain America, and Thor). Ultimate Spider-Man is an upcoming video game based on the comic book of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis. ... X-Men Legends is an action role-playing game released on several consoles in 2004. ... Ultimate Avengers (also known as Ultimate Avengers: The Movie) is a direct-to-video animated film based on the Marvel comic book The Ultimates. ... Ultimate Avengers 2 (also known as Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther) is the sequel to Ultimate Avengers. ... This article is about the comic character. ... This article is about the superhero. ... Thor (often called The Mighty Thor) is a superhero appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

The Marvel Universe as a social network

In 2002, a study was done of the interactions among characters in the Marvel Universe (Alberich, R., Miro-Julia, J. & Rosselló, F. Marvel Universe looks almost like a real social network).^[1] which revealed that the Marvel Universe shares some non-random features with the social networks of collaborating scientists or co-starring movie actors. This pattern developed without deliberate coordination among the various writers over the years. Not to be confused with social network services such as MySpace, etc. ...

Concepts

The Marvel Universe is strongly based on the real world. Earth in the Marvel Universe has all the features of the real one: same countries, same personalities (politicians, movie stars, etc.), same historical events (World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, 9/11, etc.), and so on. However, it also contains many other fictional elements: countries such as Wakanda, Latveria and Genosha (though very small countries), and organizations like the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and its enemy, HYDRA. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Belligerents United Nations: Republic of Korea Australia Belgium Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Philippines South Africa Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs: Japan Medical staff: Denmark Italy Norway India Sweden DPR Korea PR China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Wakanda is a small but influential African nation in the Marvel Universe. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Flag of Genosha under Magnetos reign. ... S.H.I.E.L.D. (originally an acronym for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division, changed in 1991 to Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the Marvel Universe that often deals with superhuman threats. ... Baron Strucker, retconned founder of HYDRA, wearing the HYDRA logo on his chest. ...

Most importantly, the Marvel Universe also incorporates examples of almost all major science fiction and fantasy concepts, with writers adding more continuously. Aliens, gods, magic, cosmic powers and extremely advanced human-developed technology all exist prominently in the Marvel Universe. (A universe incorporating all these types of fantastic elements is fairly rare; other examples are the DC Universe, the Whoniverse, the Gargoyles Universe and the Buffyverse.) Thanks to these extra elements, Earth in the Marvel Universe is home to a large number of superheroes and supervillains, who have gained their powers by any of these means. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... Cover to the History of the DC Universe trade paperback. ... // The Whoniverse, a portmanteau of Doctor Who and universe, is the fictional universe in which Doctor Who, Torchwood and other related stories take place. ... Buffyverse is a term coined by fans of Joss Whedons first two television shows to refer to the shared fictional universe in which they are set. ... For other uses, see Superhero (disambiguation). ... The Green Goblin, a supervillain and enemy of Spider-Man. ...

Since very little time usually passes in the Marvel Universe between issues, while a month's time usually passes in real time, the setting of the stories has to be updated every few years; Marvel's major heroes were created in the 1960s, but the amount of time that has passed between then and now within the universe itself has most recently been identified as about thirteen years. Unlike DC Comics, who uses the idea that interference with time by villains caused reality to reboot a few times, Marvel simply assumes that the stories happen in the space of years instead of decades; this is known as a floating timeline. Thus, the events of previous stories are considered to have happened within a certain number of years prior to the publishing date of the current issue. For example, Spider-Man's high school graduation was published in Amazing Spider-Man #28 (Sept 1965), his college graduation in Amazing Spider-Man #185 (Oct 1978), and his high school reunion in Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #7 (Dec 2004). Where stories reference real-life historic events, these references are later ignored or rewritten to suit current sensibilities. For instance, the origin of Iron Man was recently changed to refer to armed conflict in Afghanistan, whereas the original Iron Man stories had referred to the Vietnam War.^[2] A floating timeline (also known as a sliding timescale) is a device used in fiction, particularly by DC and Marvel Comics, to explain why characters created years or even decades ago, seem to have aged little or at all since their inception. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... For the upcoming film and video game based on the superhero, see Iron Man (film) and Iron Man (video game). ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

However, there are a few exceptions to the sliding timescale policy. This is usually when characters are tied inextricably to a certain time period. The most notable example of this is Captain America, who has remained a World War II hero for his entire existence (although he remains about the same age as when he debuted, because he was trapped in suspended animation for years. Due to the floating timeline, the period that Cap was frozen for is always increasing as today it is over sixty years since the end off WWII and Captain America's disappearance, but when the character was first revived in 1963, twenty years had not yet passed). Other examples are The Punisher, a Vietnam War veteran, and the supervillain Magneto, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust (who appears younger than his true age due to a rejuvenation effect). This article is about suspended animation in a medical context. ... A floating timeline (also known as a sliding timescale) is a device used in fiction, particularly by DC and Marvel Comics, to explain why characters created years or even decades ago, seem to have aged little or at all since their inception. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Marvel Comics character. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Magneto (Eric Magnus Lensherr) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ... For other uses, see Jew (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Holocaust (disambiguation) and Shoah (disambiguation). ...

Interestingly, the Marvel Comics company itself exists within the Marvel Universe, and versions of people such as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby have appeared in some of the stories. The Marvel of this reality publishes comics that adapt the actual adventures of the superheroes (except for details not known to the public, like their secret identities); many of these are licensed with the permission of the heroes themselves, who customarily donate their share of profits to charity. This article is about the comic book company. ... For the fictional character of this name, see Stan Lee (Judge Dredd character). ... Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg, August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds...

Costumed superheroes and supervillains

The tradition of using costumed secret identities to fight (or commit) evil had long existed in this world (for example, with the medieval Black Knight) but it came into prominence during the days of the American "Wild West" with heroes such as the Phantom Rider. During the 20th century the tradition was reinvigorated by Captain America in the 1940s (not the first costumed hero of the time, but arguably the most influential). Sir Percy of Scandia, also known as the original The Black Knight, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. ... Great Basin region, typical American West The Western United States has played a significant role in history and fiction. ... The Phantom Rider is the name of several fictional Old West heroic gunfighters in the Marvel Comics universe. ... This article is about the superhero. ...

Marvel's major heroes (the ones who get involved in most of the important events) are those created between 1961 and 1963, during Marvel's "Silver Age": Spider-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Thor, the Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s director, Nick Fury. Unlike the DC Universe, few of Marvel's 1940s characters have become major characters in modern publications; Captain America is one exception, and to a lesser extent his contemporary, the Sub-Mariner, is as well, primarily because both of these characters were reintroduced to readers and to the Marvel Universe during the 1960s. Showcase #4 (Oct. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... For the upcoming film and video game based on the superhero, see Iron Man (film) and Iron Man (video game). ... This article is about the Marvel comics superhero. ... For other uses, see Daredevil (comics). ... Thor (often called The Mighty Thor) is a superhero appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Incredible Hulk, The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk redirect here. ... Dr. Henry Hank Pym is a fictional, comic-book scientist and superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Wasp (Janet van Dyne) is a comic book superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... This article is about the superheroes. ... For the French hip hop artist, see Nikkfurie. ... This article is about the superhero. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional character, featured in Marvel Comics. ...

Prominent groups of superheroes include the Avengers, the X-Men and the Defenders. All these groups have varying lineups; the Avengers in particular have included most of Marvel's major heroes as members at one time or another. The X-Men are a team of mutants formed by Professor X and include some of Marvel's most popular characters, such as Wolverine. The Defenders are an ad-hoc team usually brought together by Dr. Strange, which has included the Hulk, the Sub-Mariner and the Silver Surfer. The Avengers are a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... The Defenders are a Marvel Comics superhero group — usually presented as a non-team of individualistic outsiders each known for following their own agendas — that usually battles mystic and supernatural threats. ... Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, known as the leader and founder of the X-Men. ... For other uses, see Wolverine (disambiguation). ... This article is about the comic book character. ...

During the last five years, many previously-costumed supervillains have been portrayed in street clothes (without costumes). Recently published comics show that this trend may have been temporary.

Origin of superhuman powers

Most of the superhumans in Marvel's Earth owe their powers to the Celestials, cosmic entities who visited Earth millions of years ago and experimented on our prehistoric ancestors (a process they also carried out on several other planets). This resulted in the creation of two hidden races, the godlike Eternals and the genetically unstable Deviants, in addition to giving some humans an "x-factor" in their genes, which sometimes activates naturally, resulting in sometimes superpowered, sometimes disfigured individuals called mutants. Others require other factors (such as radiation) for their powers to come forth. Depending on the genetic profile, individuals who are exposed to different chemicals or radiation will often suffer death or injury, while in others it will cause superhuman abilities to manifest. With the exception of psionic abilities, these powers are usually random; rarely do two people have the exact same set of powers. It is not clear why the Celestials did this, although it is known that they continue to observe humanity's evolution. A Marvel series titled Earth X explored one possible reason for this: that superhumans are meant to protect a Celestial embryo that grows inside the Earth and has for eons, against any planetary threats. An X-Men villain known as Vargas claims to be a new direction in human evolution, as he is born with superpowers even though genetic profile said he was an ordinary human being. The majority of the public is unaware of what may cause superhuman powers. Arishem towers in the distance and judges that a world shall die. ... Prehistory (Greek words προ = before and ιστορία = history) is the period of human history prior to the advent of writing (which marks the beginning of recorded history). ... The Earth of Marvel Comics main continuity (or, Marvel-Earth) has contained a number of fictional hidden native humanoid races. ... The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Deviants are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. ... In Marvel comic books, particularly those of the X-Men mythos, a mutant is a member of the species Homo sapiens superior, an offshoot of regular humanity, Homo sapiens sapiens. ... Radiation hazard symbol. ... Parapsychology is the study of the evidence involving phenomena where a person seems to affect or gain information about something through a means not currently explainable within the framework of mainstream, conventional science. ... Earth X Hardcover (2005), written by Jim Krueger cover by Alex Ross This article is about the Marvel Comics miniseries Earth X and its sequels. ... Vargas was a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Universe and an enemy of the X-Treme X-Men who first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #1. ...

Other possible origins for superhuman powers include magic, genetic manipulation or bionic implants. Some heroes and villains have no powers at all but depend instead on hand-to-hand combat training or advanced technological equipment. In the Marvel Universe, technology is slightly more advanced than in the real world; this is due to unique individuals of genius intelligence, such as Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic) of the Fantastic Four. However, most of the really advanced devices (such as powered armor and death rays) are too expensive for the common citizen, and are usually in the hands of government organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D., or powerful criminal organizations like A.I.M. One major company producing these devices is Stark International, owned by Anthony Stark (Iron Man) but there are others. Advanced technology has also been given to humans by hidden races, aliens, or time travelers like Kang the Conqueror, who is known to have influenced the robotics industry in the past. Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... Genetic engineering, genetic modification (GM), and gene splicing (once in widespread use but now deprecated) are terms for the process of manipulating genes in an organism, usually outside of the organisms normal reproductive process. ... Bionics (also known as biomimetics, biognosis, biomimicry, or bionical creativity engineering) is the application of methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. ... Mr. ... U.S. Army conceptual mockup of an exoskeleton-equipped soldier. ... The death ray or death beam was a theoretical particle beam or electromagnetic weapon of the 1920s through the 1930s that was claimed to have been invented independently by Nikola Tesla, Edwin R. Scott, Harry Grindell Matthews, Graichen [1], as well as others. ... A.I.M., or Advanced Idea Mechanics, is a fictional group in the Marvel Universe. ... For the upcoming film and video game based on the superhero, see Iron Man (film) and Iron Man (video game). ... Time travel is a concept that has long fascinated humanity—whether it is Merlin experiencing time backwards, or religious traditions like Mohammeds trip to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven, returning before a glass knocked over had spilt its contents. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Shadow robot hand system holding a lightbulb. ...

In superhumans the energy required for their superpowers either comes from within using their own body as a source, or if the demand of energy exceeds what their body is capable to deliver, comes from another source. In most cases, this other source seems to be what is called the universal psionic field (UPF), which they are able to tap into. Sometimes they are connected to another source, and more rarely they are even a host for it.

Marvel tries to explain most superpowers and their sources "scientifically", usually through the use of fictional science-like concepts, such as:

• The battery effect; the cells in the body have the same function as batteries, being charged with energy that comes from an outer source. This is most often seen in gamma exposed individuals such as the Hulk, who get their powers from this stored energy. The powers will remain as long as the energy is present, and can even be increased by filling the "batteries" even more. If the energy is emptied, the powers will fade away.
• The Power Primordial is a leftover force from Big Bang and is controlled by the Elders of the Universe.
• Psionic energy, which is assumed to be an invisible, unknown form of energy generated by all living brains that has the ability to manipulate other forms of matter and energy.
• Universal psionic field is a force present everywhere in the universe, but only those with abilities to connect to it can make use of its energy.
• Enigma Force is suspected to be connected to the Microverse, and is also the source to the Uni-Power, which transforms an individual into Captain Universe.
• Extradimensional space: dimensions that can be tapped in order to pull mass from them (to add to objects on Earth) or taken away from those objects and be stored in those "pocket dimensions" to be retrieved later. This is how characters like the Hulk can grow and shrink with no visible absorption of mass. A type of subatomic particles called Pym Particles can be used for these effects. (Note that many giant-sized characters have a limited ability to manipulate gravity to handle their increased weight.) The change in mass can be in the form of a density change instead, allowing a character to become harder or incorporeal. Some characters can seem to "transform" themselves (or others) into unliving substances, or even pure energy, by storing their bodies in extradimensional space and replacing them with bodies made from matter or energy from that dimension, while their souls remain on Earth, controlling their new body. Travel into other dimensions can also be used as a way to "teleport" by re-entering the Earth dimension at a different point from the exiting one.
• The Darkforce is an unknown, dark substance from another dimension (known simply as the Darkforce Dimension) that can be summoned and manipulated in many ways: to create impenetrable darkness, to solidify it in various forms, and (most notably) to absorb the "life energy" from living beings (not all users can use all these effects). The Darkforce can also be used to travel to and from its home dimension, but this is dangerous to all except those with Darkforce powers. Some believe that the Darkforce is sentient and sometimes has an evil influence on those who use it. Various heroes and villains have versions of Darkforce powers, including Darkstar, the first Blackout, the Shroud, Cloak, Doorman and Quagmire (of the Squadron Supreme Universe). Cloak seems to be the prime 'portal' to the Darkforce, however.
• The Living Light is the opposite of the Darkforce: a form of energy that resembles light and also comes from its own dimension, but has healing effects on living beings (except ones made of darkness or Darkforce.) It is unknown if it might be sentient. Cloak's partner, Dagger seems to be the Living Light's main avatar.
• The Power Cosmic is a force that can alter reality, allowing the user to do whatever he or she wants (including bending the laws of physics), only being limited by how much cosmic energy the character can tap at a time. It seems to be part of the universe itself and it can be linked directly to Galactus as its primary wielder or even source. The Heralds of Galactus, including Silver Surfer and Nova are imbued with the Power Cosmic.
• Magic also appears to be like a form of energy, except that it can defy the laws of physics naturally. However, it does have rules of its own to follow, which vary with the method of invocation, usually in the form of spoken spells. It appears to be present in everything, even living beings. All humans in the Marvel Universe have the ability to use magic, but only if properly trained. Most people are unaware that magic actually works. In addition, powerful magical beings from other dimensions have created specific, extremely powerful magical spells that they allow to be used (often indiscriminately) by those sorcerers who invoke their names; one example is the trinity of beings called The Vishanti, who serve as patrons to heroic sorcerers. At any given time, there is a sorcerer on Earth whose task is to protect the universe against extradimensional mystical invaders; this sorcerer is known as the Sorcerer Supreme, an office currently held by Doctor Strange.

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Left to right, down from the top: The Runner, The Gardener, The Collector, The Champion and The Grandmaster. ... Plato-Raphael. ... This article is about the satellite communications facility. ... The Darkforce is a fictional concept in the Marvel Comics superhero universe. ... Darkstar (Layina Petrovna) is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Blackout is the name of two fictional characters, both supervillains, in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Shroud is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Cloak and Dagger (Tyrone Ty Johnson & Tandy Bowen) are a fictional teenage mutant comic book superhero duo in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Doorman (DeMarr Davis) is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in the pages of the Avengers West Coast in 1989. ... Quagmire is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the universe of the Squadron Supreme. ... Cloak and Dagger (Tyrone Ty Johnson & Tandy Bowen) are a fictional teenage mutant comic book superhero duo in the Marvel Comics universe. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Galactus. ... Galactus is a fictional character, a cosmic entity in the Marvel Universe. ... Cover to Silver Surfer: Parable. ... Nova (Frankie Raye) is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. ... John Dee and Edward Kelley evoking a spirit: Elizabethans who claimed magical knowledge A magician is a person skilled in the mysterious and hidden art of magic, which can be described as either the act of entertaining with tricks that are in apparent violation of natural law, such as those... The Vishanti are a fictional trinity of powerful beings appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Doctor Strange is a sorcerer, featured in Marvel Comics. ...

Nonhuman races

A degree of paranoid fear against mutants exists due to stories of mutants being a race or even a species (Homo superior or Homo sapiens superior) that is evolving and is meant to replace normal humans. This has caused organizations to form to deal with the problem, who can be divided into three camps: those who seek peaceful coexistence between mutants and normal humans (the X-Men and their affiliated groups), those who seek to control or eliminate humans to give mutants safety or dominance (Magneto and his followers, as well as other mutants such as Apocalypse), and those who seek to regulate or eliminate mutants in favor of humans. The latter often use the robots known as Sentinels as weapons. Certain species are regarded as subhuman, like the Morlocks who lurk beneath New York City and have been discriminated against by the outside world because of their mutant deformities. The Morlocks have recently joined the terrorist organization Gene Nation. Magneto (Eric Magnus Lensherr) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) is a fictional comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... The Sentinels are a type of fictional robot in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The term subhuman can refer to several concepts: Humanoid, any being whose body structure resembles that of a human Last Man, the antithesis to the Ãœbermensch in Nietzschean philosophy Slave, a person who is under the control of another Subhumans, a UK punk rock band The Subhumans, a Canadian punk... The Morlocks were a group of Marvel Comics mutants associated with the X-Men. ... Gene Nation is a Marvel comics mutant terrorist organization and enemies of the X-Men. ...

In addition to mutants, Eternals and Deviants, several other intelligent races have existed secretly on Earth. These include: The Inhumans, another genetically unstable race (like the Deviants, but in their case its due to their use of a substance called the 'Terrigen Mists') that was created by a Kree experiment long ago; The Subterraneans, a race of humanoids adapted to living below the surface, created by the Deviants (some subterraneans were transformed into 'Lava Men' by a demon); and Homo mermanus, a humanoid race of water-breathers that lives in Earth's oceans. Most of these races have advanced technology but existed hidden from humanity until recent times. More variants of humanity can be found in the Savage Land (see places, below.) Most of the Savage Land races have their origin from a group of primitive ape men who seems to have escaped the Celestial experiments whose influence is present in all modern Homo sapiens. Other leftovers from the era where primitive humanoids walked the earth still exist, such as the altered Neanderthal known as Missing Link, an old enemy of the Hulk. The Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics Universe, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. ... The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. ... Subterranea is a fictional realm beneath the earths surface in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Homo mermanus is a fictional race of gilled aquatic humanoids in the Marvel Universe. ... The term humanoid refers to any being whose body structure resembles that of a human. ... The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. ... For other uses, see Neanderthal (disambiguation). ... Missing Link is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. ...

Alien races

The Marvel Universe also contains hundreds of intelligent alien races. Earth has interacted with many of them because a major "hyperspace warp" happens to exist in our solar system. Scene from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope depicting the inside of the Millenium Falcon when entering hyperspace. ...

Main article: List of Marvel Comics alien races

The three major space empires are: There are several different extraterrestrial races in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

• the Kree, who rule the Kree Galaxy (actually the Greater Magellanic Cloud)
• the Skrulls, who rule the Skrull Galaxy (the Andromeda Galaxy)
• the Shi'ar, who rule the Shi'ar Galaxy (no known real-world counterpart, but might possibly be the Triangulum Galaxy)

The three are often in direct or indirect conflict, which occasionally involve Earth people; in particular, the Kree and Skrulls are ancient enemies, and the Kree-Skrull War has involved humans on several occasions. The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. ... The Large Magellanic Cloud (also known as LMC) is a dwarf galaxy that is in orbit around our own Milky Way galaxy. ... The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in the Marvel Universe. ... The Andromeda Galaxy (IPA: , also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224; older texts often called it the Great Andromeda Nebula) is a spiral galaxy approximately 2. ... The Shiar, pronounced // (Shee-ARR), are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Triangulum Galaxy (also known as Messier 33 or NGC 598) is a spiral galaxy about 3. ... The Kree-Skrull War, in the fictional Marvel Universe, was a series of conflicts between the Kree Empire of the Greater Magellanic Cloud and the Skrulls of the Andromeda Galaxy that lasted for several million years. ...

Another prominent alien race is The Watchers, immortal and wise beings who watch over the Marvel Universe and have taken a sacred vow not to intervene in events, though the Watcher assigned to Earth, Uatu, has violated this oath on several occasions. In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the Watchers are an extraterrestrial species of near-omnipotent immortal beings who watch the universe with advanced technology. ... In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, Uatu is the member of the extraterrestrial species known as the Watchers assigned to observe Earth and its solar system. ...

The Elders of the Universe are ancient aliens who have often had great impact on many worlds, for billions of years, acting alone or as a group. A power called Power Primordial is channeled through them. Left to right, down from the top: The Runner, The Gardener, The Collector, The Champion and The Grandmaster. ...

Many other races exist, and have formed an “Intergalactic Council” to have their say on matters that affect them all, such as interference from Earth humans in their affairs.

In Secret Wars, Spider-Man's symbiotic black costume made its first appearance, and was identified as an alien life form by Mr. Fantastic. Later, with Eddie Brock, it became the being known as Venom, who is now one of Spider-Man's greatest foes and has spawned Carnage who spawned Toxin. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is the name of a twelve-issue Marvel Comics comic book limited series produced between 1984 and 1985, and a Mattel toy line that reflected the series. ... Mister Fantastic is a Marvel Comics superhero who is the leader of the Fantastic Four. ... Venom, or the Venom Symbiote, is the name given to the first symbiote life form to appear in the fictional Marvel Universe. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... Carnage is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... Toxin (Patrick Mulligan) is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Supernatural creatures

Also abundant in the Marvel Universe are legendary creatures such as gods, demons and vampires. The 'gods' of most polytheistic pantheons are actually powerful, immortal human-like races from other dimensions who visited Earth in ancient times, and became the basis of many legends (obviously not all such legends can be true, since they contradict scientific facts, as well as each other.) Besides mythological gods, many deities made up by Marvel writers exist as well, such as the Dark Gods, enemies of the Asgardians. Several characters in many Marvel Comics stories have been referred to as gods. ... A demon is a fictional entity in the Marvel Comics universe, based on the demons from world myth. ... Vampires are fictional characters found in the Marvel Universe. ... Polytheism is belief in, or worship of, multiple gods or divinities. ... For other uses, see Asgard (disambiguation). ...

Note that many persons and beings have falsely pretended to be gods or demons during history; in particular, none of the ones claiming to be major figures from Judeo-Christian beliefs (such as Satan or God) have turned out to be the real article, although a number of angels have appeared in recent years, proving that Heaven and Hell do exist in this Universe, in keeping with common real world religious belief. Jacob wrestling an angel, by Gustave Doré (1832-1883), a shared Judeo-Christian story. ... This article is about the concept of Satan. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God. ... For other uses, see Heaven (disambiguation). ... This article is about the theological or philosophical afterlife. ...

Similarly, demons are evil magical beings who take affairs in the matters of the universe, one of the most notorious being Mephisto. Others include Nightmare, D'Spayre, N'Astirh, Dormammu and Shuma-Gorath. A demon is a fictional entity in the Marvel Comics universe, based on the demons from world myth. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics character. ... Dr Strange rescuing a victim of Nightmare. ... DSpayre (sometimes Dspayre) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Nastirh is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics as a demonic inhabitant of Limbo. ... Dormammu is a fictional character, a supervillian, in the Marvel Comics universe. ... This article or section on a comics-related subject may need to be cleaned up and rewritten because it describes a work of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. ...

Most of the current generation of gods have been revealed to be the descendants of the Elder Goddess Gaea. The two most prominent pantheons are the Asgardians (of whom Thor is a member) and the Olympians (of whom Hercules is a member). The lords of the various pantheons sometimes gather in groups known as the Council of Godheads and Council of Skyfathers. The Elder Gods are fictional characters from the Marvel Comics universe. ... Gaea is a fictional comic book character, the Goddess of the Earth of the Marvel Universe. ... Thor (often called The Mighty Thor) is a superhero appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Olympians are a fictional species in the Marvel Comics universe, based loosely on the Twelve Olympians and other deities of Greek mythology. ... Hercules is a fictional character, an Olympian demigod and superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe, based on the mythological demigod and hero called Herakles by the Greeks and Hercules by the Romans. ...

The gods were forced to stop meddling with humanity (at least openly) a thousand years ago by the Celestials, and most people today believe them to be fictional. Celestials redirects here. ...

Cosmic entities

Above all other beings in the Marvel Universe are the cosmic entities, beings of unbelievably great levels of power (the weakest can destroy planets) who exist to perform duties that maintain the existence of the universe. Most do not care at all about "lesser beings" such as humans, and as a consequence their acts can occasionally be dangerous to mortals. When dire threats threaten the universe it is not uncommon for these beings to gather together to discuss the threat, and even act. The first greatest of these is the One-Above-All, or known as the God of the Marvel Universe. Ranking second only to him is the Living Tribunal, the cosmic mediator and overseer of the entire Marvel Universe. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The One Above All is the fictional leader of all Celestials in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Living Tribunal is a fictional cosmic entity that appears in the Marvel Universe. ...

Above all pantheons of gods, cosmic entities and even the Tribunal there exists one, ultimate supreme being known as the One-Above-All (not to be confused with the Celestial of the same name). Indicated to be the creator of all life, this being presides over a realm referred to as "Heaven" populated by angels, to which the souls of the virtuous deceased are committed (such as Ben Grimm) - as such, the One-Above-All is effectively synonymous with the Judeo-Christian God. When the One-Above-All finally appeared on-panel in a 2004 Fantastic Four storyline, he appeared in the form of Jack Kirby, who 'sketched out' reality on a comic book storyboard. He professed to communicate with a partner (implied to be Stan Lee), though exactly where this Lee-based being would fall in the cosmic hierarchy is unrevealed. The One Above All is the fictional leader of all Celestials in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Celestials redirects here. ... For other uses, see Heaven (disambiguation). ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God. ... thing, see Thing (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg, August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds... For the fictional character of this name, see Stan Lee (Judge Dredd character). ...

While the above is true, the Living Tribunal, and most of the other cosmic characters, are morally neutral. They often say that such concepts are relative (implicit in Galactus' anthill analogy), or simply relevant only to "lesser" beings. That being said, it's difficult to really equate The One Above All with the Judeo-Christian God.

Cosmology

Main article: Marvel Comics Multiverse

The Marvel Universe is part of a multiverse, with various universes coexisting simultaneously without affecting each other directly. In the Marvel Universe there exists a multiverse. ... In the Marvel Universe there exists a multiverse. ...

Universes/Earths/continuities

The action of most Marvel Comics titles takes place in a continuity known as Earth-616. This continuity exists in a multiverse alongside trillions of alternate continuities.^[3] Alternate continuities in the Marvel multiverse are generally defined in terms of their differences from Earth-616. In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. ... In the fictional Marvel Universe, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. ... For other uses, see Multiverse (disambiguation). ...

Continuities besides Earth-616 include the following (for a complete listing see Marvel Comics Multiverse): In the Marvel Universe there exists a multiverse. ...

• House of M
• Ultimate Marvel
• Age of Apocalypse
• Alterniverse
• Amalgam
• Marvel Age
• New Universe
• X-Men Adventures - Originally based on the X-Men animated series, this universe went on to feature more original stories, and in its final issue, revealed itself to be the universe which existed prior to the current 616 reality, when it was destroyed by the fracturing of the M'Kraan crystal. The current edition of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe corroborates this.
• X-Men: Evolution (based on the X-Men Evolution animated series)

In addition, multiple continuities are visited in the comic book series What If, What The--?! (formerly Not Brand Echh) and Exiles. House of M was an eight-part comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. ... The various characters of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, as seen on the cover of Ultimates (v2) #12. ... The Age of Apocalypse is a popular X-Men story arc. ... Amalgam Comics was a metafictional American comic book publisher, and part of a collaboration between Marvel Comics and DC Comics, in which the two comic book publishers merged their characters to create new ones (e. ... Marvel Age is an imprint of Marvel Comics intended for younger audiences, including children, established in 2003. ... Promotional Advertisement for The New Universe, Marvel Comics Group, circa 1986. ... Comic book series published by Marvel Comics and adapted from episodes of X-Men:The Animated Series. ... X-Men is an American animated series which debuted on October 31, 1992 on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup. ... In the fictional Marvel Comics Universe, the MKraan Crystal (pronounced EM-kron or MA-Cran/MA-crayon as in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance the video game) is a gigantic crystalline artifact that lies at the nexus of all realities. ... X-Men: Evolution is an animated series containing the original cast of X-Men, mostly depicted as teenagers and some as adults. ... X-Men: Evolution is an animated series containing the original cast of X-Men, mostly depicted as teenagers and some as adults. ... What If? Vol. ... Spider-Ham 15. ... Not Brand Echh was a Marvel Comics comic book published in the 1960s. ... The Exiles are a group of fictional comic book characters from Marvel Comics. ...

Note that in Marvel Comics, the concept of a continuity is not the same as "dimension" or "universe"; for example, characters like Mephisto and Dormammu hail from alternate dimensions and Galactus from another universe, but they all nevertheless belong to the Earth-616 continuity (where all the dimensions and universes seems to be connected to the same main timeline). A continuity should also not be confused with an imprint; for example, while the titles of some imprints, such as Ultimate Marvel, take place in a different continuity, some or all publications in other imprints, such as Epic Comics, Marvel MAX, and Marvel UK, take place within the Earth-616 continuity. This article is about the Marvel Comics character. ... Dormammu is a fictional character, a supervillian, in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Galactus is a fictional character, a cosmic entity in the Marvel Universe. ... For other uses, see Universe (disambiguation). ... In the fictional Marvel Universe, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. ... This article is about imprints in publishing. ... The various characters of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, as seen on the cover of Ultimates (v2) #12. ... Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s. ... MAX is an imprint of Marvel Comics intended for adult audiences, launched in 2001 after Marvel broke with the Comics Code Authority and established its own rating system. ... The Mighty World of Marvel #1: The very first Marvel UK title published in 1972. ... In the fictional Marvel Universe, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. ...

Dimensions

Within and sometimes between continuities, there exist a variety of dimensions, sometimes called pocket dimensions which typically are not depicted as separate continuties, but rather part of one, typically Earth-616. There are a score of such dimensions, ranging from the Earthlike to the totally alien. Some are magical in nature and others are scientific; some are inhabited and others are not. These include realities like the Microverse, the Darkforce Dimension, Limbo, the Mojoverse, and many more. Also generically known as Innerspace, Microverses are parallel dimemsions occurring within the fictional Marvel Universe. ... The Darkforce is a fictional concept in the Marvel Comics superhero universe. ... Limbo can refer to potentially multiple fictional dimensions in the Marvel Comics multiverse. ... Mojo is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, created by Ann Nocenti and Arthur Adams. ...

Time

A noteworthy feature of the Marvel Universe is that one cannot normally alter history - if a time-traveller should cause an alteration to the established flow of events at some point in the past, a divergent universe will simply "branch out" from the existing timeline, and the time-traveller will still return to his or her unaltered original universe. Those realities can also spawn realities of their own. There exists hundreds, probably thousands of such realities. It is unknown why this happens, though a warp known as the Nexus of All Realities exists in a swamp in the Florida of the main Marvel Universe (known as Earth-616). For the most part this does not matter, as most beings are unaware that this occurs, or even that their universes were recently "born" from another. However, individuals and organizations exist that try to monitor or manipulate the various realities. These include Immortus, the Captain Britain Corps, the Time Variance Authority, the Timebreakers/Exiles, and Kang the Conqueror's forces. Parallel universe or alternate reality in science fiction and fantasy is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with our own. ... In the fictional Marvel Universe, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. ... Spoiler warning: Kang the Conqueror is a supervillain in Marvel Comics. ... Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this comics-related article or section may require cleanup. ... The Timebreakers are a fictional race of buglike aliens, created by Tony Bedard for the comic book Exiles. ... The Exiles are a group of fictional comic book characters from Marvel Comics. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

It has been shown to be possible to travel through time without creating a new alternate universe, instead altering events in the future, but this seems to have devastating and very, very far-reaching repercussions (as depicted in the [1] mini-series).

Space

While the Marvel Universe is presumably as large as the non-fictional universe comic book readers inhabit, for all intents and purposes the Local group is the universe; practically all action takes place in it. The Skrull Empire is located in the Andromeda galaxy, the Kree Empire in the Magellan clouds which are satellites of the Milky Way galaxy in which Earth of course is found, while the Shi´ar Empire is located somewhere between them in one of the smaller galaxies (perhaps Triangulum); frequently, these three empires are quoted as the main political powers "in the universe". Similarly, the Local Group seemed to be the only affected area when the Annihilation wave cut its bloody swath "across the universe". One notable exception to the "Local group" rule is Planet Hulk, which not only took place in another galactic cluster but indeed another galactic supercluster, namely Fornax. Another is the Astral Plane, given heavy influence in the Marvel Universe, it is a dimensional plane used for telekinesis, and various psychic powers. A member of the Local Group of galaxies, irregular galaxy Sextans A is 4. ... Planet Hulk is a Marvel Comics storyline running primarily through issues of The Incredible Hulk starting in 2006. ... Fornax (pronounced , Latin: ) is a southern constellation which was first introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille under the name Fornax Chemica (Latin for chemical furnace), representing a small solid-fuel heater formerly used for heating chemical experiments. ... The astral plane, also called the astral world or desire world, is a plane of existence according to esoteric philosophies, some religious teachings and New Age thought. ...

Sources

• Concepts segment: The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (various entries in various volumes)

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is a comicbook published by Marvel Comics that attempts to loosely define the characters, places, and events that make up the Marvel fictional comicbook world. ...

See also

For more complete lists of inhabitants of the Marvel Universe, see List of Marvel Comics characters, List of Marvel Comics teams and organizations, and List of Marvel Comics alien races. This is a list of major characters appearing in the Marvel Universe, which encompasses most fictional characters created for and owned by Marvel Comics. ... List of teams and Organisations: Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Related articles External Links A-Next Acolytes Action Pack AIM (Advanced Idea Mechanics) Agents of... There are several different extraterrestrial races in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

• Features of the Marvel Universe
• Timeline of the Marvel Universe
• Major Events of the Marvel Universe
• Marvel Comics
• The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Marvel Comics Multiverse
• Marvel Super Heroes (role-playing game)

The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. ... The following timeline describes the major events that formed the setting for Marvel Comics stories, known as the Marvel Universe. ... For decades -in particular, since the 1960s- Marvel Comics has been telling noteworthy fictional stories. ... This article is about the comic book company. ... The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is a comicbook published by Marvel Comics that attempts to loosely define the characters, places, and events that make up the Marvel fictional comicbook world. ... In the Marvel Universe there exists a multiverse. ... Marvel Super Heroes (MSHRPG) aka the FASERIP system is a role playing game set in the Marvel Universe, first published by TSR under license from Marvel Comics in 1984. ...

Footnotes

References

• Marvel Entertainment (official site)
• Marvel Chronology Project