1981: MARVEL ACTION

MARVEL ACTION was a blink-and-you-missed-it 1981 weekly (in the Skinn format: colour covers and black'n'white interiors, all printed on cheap almost-newsprint) which shuttered after only 15 issues, despite a strong line-up of strips.

Thor and Doctor Strange transferred from the just-cancelled VALOUR (19 issues, November 1980- March 1981) whilst the ever-transient Fantastic Four had just seen their previous home, MARVEL TEAM-UP cancelled after 25 issues (September 1980 - March 1981).

Marvel Action couldn't pull the punters, transferring the FF and Thor to new homes in CAPTAIN AMERICA.  The Foursome didn't stick around but the thunder god became an almost equally partner, securing the cover slot on a number of occasions as a warm-up to his 1983 solo weekly.

ISSUE 1

1 April 1981

Free loosely-inserted superhero sticker.

Cover by Alan Davis.

THE MIGHTY THOR: Lo, the quest begins! (US The Mighty Thor 255, 1977)

DOCTOR STRANGE: The reality war (US Doctor Strange 26 (volume 2), 1981)

FANTASTIC FOUR: The brain parasite (US Fantastic Four 227, 1981) 

ISSUE 2

8 April 1981

Free loosely-inserted superhero sticker.

ISSUE 3

15 April 1981

Free loosely-inserted superhero sticker.

ISSUE 4

22 April 1981

ISSUE 5

29 April 1981

ISSUE 6

6 May 1981

ISSUE 7

13 May 1981

ISSUE 8

20 May 1981

ISSUE 9

27 May 1981

ISSUE 10

3 June 1981

ISSUE 11

Undated (10 June 1981)

ISSUE 12

17 June 1981

ISSUE 13

24 June 1981

ISSUE 14

1 July 1981

ISSUE 15

8 July 1981

Merger announcement.