Publisher Marvel Comics | Fictional universe Marvel Universe | |
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Created by (Burns I): Joe Simon & Jack Kirby
(Burns II): Bob Oksner
(Grayson) Stan Lee & Russ Heath Alter ego (I) Martin "Marty" Simon Burns
(II) Martin Oksner Burns
(III) Robert Grayson
(IV) Wendell Vaughn
(V) Vance Astrovik
(VI) David Bank
(VII) Noh-Varr Abilities Telepathy,
Light blasts First appearance (Burns I) Daring Mystery Comics #6 (June 1940) Creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Bob Oksner, Joe Simon, Russ Heath Similar Vance Astrovik, Miss America, Namora, Night Thrasher, Venus | ||
Marvel Boy is the name of several fictional comic book characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics, including predecessor companies Timely Comics and Atlas Comics.
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Martin Burns
Martin Burns is the 1940s Marvel Boy. After a mysterious shadow revealed to him that he possessed the power of Hercules, he became a superhero. The character made only two appearances: Daring Mystery Comics #6 (June 1940), by the writer-artist collaborators Joe Simon & Jack Kirby, and USA Comics #7 (Feb. 1943), by writer-artist Bob Oksner. Each featured a wildly disparate version of his origin, with the first positing him as the reincarnation of the Greek mythological demigod, while the second had him accidentally scratched by Hercules' mummified remains in a museum and "infected' with his superhuman strength, although both versions shared the basics noted above. The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Golden Age 2004 reconciles these different origins by stating that there were two Marvel Boys named Martin Burns active in the 1940s.
Robert Grayson
Robert Grayson is the 1950s Marvel Boy, debuting in Marvel Boy #1 (Dec. 1950), from Marvel 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics. He continued to appear when the series title was changed to Astonishing with issue #3. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Russ Heath, with writer-artist Bill Everett taking over with issue #2, this Marvel Boy is the son of Dr. Horace Grabshield (later Anglicized as Grayson), a scientist who fled Earth to Uranus with his infant son during the rise of Nazi Germany. His final story during this period was in Astonishing #7 (Dec. 1951). He returned in Fantastic Four #165 (Dec. 1975) under the name "The Crusader", and appeared in the 12-issue ensemble miniseries Marvel: The Lost Generation (March 2000 - Feb. 2001) and elsewhere, eventually joining the superhero group Agents of Atlas.
Wendell Vaughn
Wendell Elvis Vaughn, an agent in the Marvel Comics espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., became the 1970s Marvel Boy in Captain America #217 (Jan. 1978), when he became bonded to the 1950s character's "quantum band" bracelets. The bands had been remanded to S.H.I.E.L.D. after the events of The Fantastic Four #165, above. His codename was quickly changed to Marvel Man as part of the agency's short-lived Super-Agent program. He changed it to Quasar in The Incredible Hulk #234 (April 1979).
Vance Astrovik
Vance Astrovik was the 1980s Marvel Boy. He used the Marvel Boy codename for some time before being sent to prison in the pages of New Warriors. He later adopted the codename Justice.
David Bank
David Bank is a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe, who can fly and project energy blasts. He first appeared in Justice: Four Balance #4 (1994). David Bank took on the name of Marvel Boy in the closing issue of a series featuring Vance Astrovik, the previous Marvel Boy.
Noh-Varr
While never using the name Marvel Boy, Noh-Varr was introduced in a 2000 miniseries of that title by writer Grant Morrison and artist J. G. Jones. He is an alien of the pink-skinned version of extraterrestrial Kree, although he hails from alternate reality. Upon arriving on Earth, he became an anti-hero with elements of teenage rebellion.