Relive the Classics with Marvel Facsimile

The Marvel Facsimile Facelift

Hello Cosmic readers! Doing something a little different for Cosmic Comics this go around, seems as though many of you have been enjoying my reviews. Love to hear that, I like to keep my reviews short and to the point. Maybe even fun to read. Where’s my winking emoji? Whatever, lets talk about something very cool Marvel is doing right now. No I’m not talking about Avengers: Endgame or their upcoming giant War of the Realms epic. I’m talking about something they’ve quietly put out into the corners of your favorite local comic book shops. We’re talking about Marvel Facsimile editions.

Marvel Facsimile editions are complete reproductions of some of the most epic and recognizable books Marvel has released over the past 50+ years. Marvel has been doing something like this for the past few years, calling it their “True Believers” editions. The True Believers editions were reprints of some of the most popular books ranging from older Giant-Size X-Men #1 and Amazing Spider-Man #129 to newer books like Noto’s Black Widow #1 and Spider-Gwen #1. True Believers cater to my frugal budgeted nature, putting me back only $1 an issue.

The Marvel Facsimile editions don’t sport the $1 price tag however, but they’re so much more than the True Believers. They’re exact reprints of their classic counterparts. Besides small changes to the covers like barcodes and the newest Marvel logo, facsimiles are facelifted repros right down to those classic advertisements every kid dreamed of mailing in for. Hopefully you or your parents were smart enough to avoid those pesky pyramid schemes though.

Reading The Classics Under A Budget

I’ve had the opportunity to pick up and read two of the latest Marvel Facsimile editions: The Incredible Hulk #181 (first appearance of Wolverine) and Fantastic Four #1. Like it was stated earlier, each book is an identical twin to its much older, fragile, and expensive sibling, right down to the advertisements. Although everything is now brighter and on better paper stock.

These two books are incredibly expensive, the cheapest ungraded copy of The Incredible Hulk #181 was more than $800 on eBay. I’m not even going to begin looking at Fantastic Four #1. Without the Marvel Facsimile editions, how else would I get to experience these books? Even being very good friends with the staff of Cosmic Comics! they’d be hard pressed to let me sit in their shop and read a $1000+ book. These editions, including the True Believers, let us see and experience those rare and exciting classics brought to us by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Len Wein, Steve Gerber, and John Byrne.

We can look and marvel at everything that made comic books so great without worrying about value degradation. Be a kid again, be a kid before you were even a twinkle in your parents eyes by going back to 1961 and staring in awe at four scientists ripped from normality and thrown into stardom with power they never asked for. See who the Wolverine was before the X-Men. Dance in the disco and lights of Dazzler. Try to get an explanation of what exactly Howard the Duck is. And swing around New York with Spidey the first time he dons the black suit without breaking the bank.

So What Can You Look Forward To In The Future?

The Marvel True Believers are already out there, I’m sure you’ve seen them at your local comic shop but, those sneaky Marvel Facsimile copies are out there too, hiding in plain sight. Dazzler #1, Silver Surfer #14, Marvel Presents #3 (first Guardians of the Galaxy), Incredible Hulk #181, and Fantastic Four #1 are already on the shelves. Many of these books your local comic shop will be happy to order for you, I know Cosmic Comics! is. Keep your eyes pealed in the coming months for Amazing Spider-Man #252, Alpha Flight #1, Defenders Marvel Feature #1, Star Wars #50 (Original Marvel Years!), and Howard the Duck #1! Relive or experience some of the most iconic comic books for the first time, either way, you’re reading a part of history without worrying about grades and money. Comics in the purest form.

As always, remember to #getyourfix from Cosmic Comics!  Follow Burke at Nerd Farm Blog for more awesome content.  Like and follow Cosmic Comics! on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with all the Cosmic happenings in the world of comics.