Penguin Classics Marvel Comic Book Anthologies Are Up for Pre-Order

Marvel Comics and iconic creators like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby are taking their place alongside classic literature from authors such as John Steinbeck, Jane Austen, Harper Lee, and Charles Dickens with the new Penguin Classics Marvel Collection. Iconic stories from The Amazing Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Captain America will be presented in curated Penguin Classics comic book anthologies in both paperback and hardcover formats that will look great on your shelf and make you seem well read. A breakdown of each book can be found below.

The Amazing Spider-Man – Penguin Classics Marvel Collection Edition ($28-$39.99) – Pre-order on Amazon: Includes 12 stories from the first two years of Spider-Man’s publication history (1962 to 1964): “Spider-Man!” from Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962); The Amazing Spider-Man #1-4, #9, #10, #13, #14, #17-19 (1963-1964); “Goodbye to Linda Brown” from Strange Tales #97 (1962); “How Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Create Spider-Man!” from The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964)

The Black Panther – Penguin Classics Marvel Collection Edition ($28-$39.99) – Pre-order on Amazon: Includes the Black Panther’s 1966 origin tale and the “Panther’s Rage” storyline from the ’70s: Fantastic Four #52-53 (1966); Jungle Action #6-21 (1973-1976)

The Captain America – Penguin Classics Marvel Collection Edition ($28-$39.99) – Pre-order on Amazon: Collects some of Captain America’s first appearances in the ’40s and ’50s alongside select solo stories from the ’60s: Captain America Comics #1 (1941); the Captain America stories from Tales of Suspense #59, #63-68, #75-81, #92-95, #110-113 (1964-1969); “Captain America…Commie Smasher” from Captain America #78 (1954).

Each book will feature forwards and scholarly introductions that will provide insights into the enduring significance of these comic book heroes, though we don’t need much convincing as far as reasons why Marvel is worthy of Penguin Classics status. 

“From The Odyssey to The Time Machine, the Penguin Classics list not only recognizes the most important works in storytelling but also places them in their important historical and cultural context. Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Captain America have become the bedrock of countless stories across media, and it’s a testament to the genius of Marvel’s writers and artists that these characters resonate so strongly today,” Sven Larsen, Vice President of Licensed Publishing at Marvel Entertainment added. “It’s a remarkable honor to have these important chapters in Marvel history join this esteemed series from Penguin Random House. I can’t wait for new readers to discover these stories for the first time, and I’m excited for existing fans to be able to read the new introductions, essays and other material that will provide an even deeper appreciation of these seminal works of graphic fiction.”