In the early days of 1939, before the business that would become Marvel Comics, there was a failed venture known under the name of Funnies, Inc., which published a black & white promotional theater giveaway called Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly. The story featured a bizarre character called The Sub-Mariner, part man and part fish. The creator of the story was a struggling young artist from Massachusetts named Bill Everett. "I wanted it to be different, totally different, from anything else," Everett said. "It was pretty darn hard to do, because almost everything was being done at the time. The Sub-Mariner happened to be a lucky guess." He was also one of the first great characters to emerge from the early days of the comic book.

     The Sub-Mariner, furthermore, became the first Marvel hero: he was created by Everett before any other comic book character published by a company loosely known , at the time, as "the Goodman group." Everett and his fish-man might have been dead in the water, but happily for all concerned, the story from the theater giveaway was repackaged for the first issue of Goodman's first comic book. Thus the big one that almost got away became part of an ongoing series with a title that would eventually give its name to a comic book empire.

     Marvel Comics was hot: the cover of the first issue depicted The Human Torch melting his way through a circular steel door to confront a crook armed with a pistol and a hand grenade. This fiery super hero, created by Carl Burgos, joined Evertt's aquatic avenger The Sub-Mariner to become one of the twin stars of the immediately successful Marvel Comics. The debut of two major heroes in one comic book was especially appreciated by Depression Era kids looking for thrills and adventure at bargain prices.

     The first issue of Marvel Comics, originally priced at ten cents, has become perhaps the most valuable comic ever published. In 1987 a rare copy in mint condition changed hands for $82,000. Its status as the maiden effor of the Marvel line, coupled with its atypical introduction of two classic characters, has made it a cherished milestone of popular culture.

     Published in October October 1939 and reprinted the following month, this comic book is the embodiement of what fans call The Golden Age, that period of happiness and innocence when both the fans and the comics were young. It was a time of tremendous excitement and enhusiasm; because comic books were new, every page promised something fresh and interesting. Although the writing and drawing are unsophisticated by today's standards, the exhiliration of a new medium shines through, for this was a golden age for the comic book creators as well. These young men had grown up in hard times. The chance to earn a living writing and drawing wild fantasies was itself a fantasy come true.

     By 1941, a new star had entered the scene, by the name of Captain America created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Together with The Sub-Mariner and The Human Torch, these three characters are now known as Marvel's "Big Three" of the Golden Age. Marvel was then known as Timely Comics, Inc. and they began a habit of character crossovers where, at first the android Human Torch and the short tempered Sub-Mariner would meet and battle each other: fire v. water, then join forced to fight crime. This eventually lead to the first superhero team-ups, and the first all star groups of heroes fighting for the safety of mankind. The purpose, at that time, even before the United States had entered the War, was to fight Nazi oppression. These Big Three were patriots of the highest calibre! Captain America! The Human Torch! and The Sub-Mariner! Collectively the became the All-Winners!

     In the 1950s, Timely began publishing under the name of Atlas and went through a brief period of revival before dropping out of the "super hero" market until the 1960s under the name of their first comic book title: Marvel Comics.

     Roy Thomas, a writer/editor for Marvel comics in the 1970s revived many of the Golden Age heroes of Timely and united them under the banner of "The Invaders." They were called the Invaders because they were a task force for the Allied forces of World War Two which was performed special missions into the Eastern Europe and Japan to fight the Axis Powers and their leaders.

     This creation of a group of super heroes from the 1940s performed in the 1970s is known "ret-con" (a RETroactive change in CONtinuity), the act of changing or adding new information to previously known continuity. In effect, Roy Thomas created Marvel's very first super hero group through ret-con.

     Some of theSuperhero Groups and Miscellaneous Heroes of the Golden Age of Marvel were:

     As a means of involving young readers patriotism during World War Two, Timely had a minor promotion. In the back of the first issue of Captain America Comics, in a mirror of the good Captain taking on his own teenage partner, Bucky, was the formation of a network of boys and girls called "The Sentinels of Liberty." Requesting that the readers send in ten cents to Timely Publications to cover mailing costs, they would be sent an "official badge" and a "membership card."

The members of GAMS are:

#1: "Crusher Hogan" 3/20/99
#2: Michael Hoskin 3/20/99
#3: Rich (Torch) Bellacera 3/20/99
#4: Patrick (Blazing Skull) Ryall 3/20/99
#5: Man With No Face 3/20/99
#6: 'Venger 3/21/99
#7: Scott Martin 3/21/99
#8: Space Phantom 3/21/99
#9: Sasquatch 3/21/99
#10: TJ Burns 7/5/99
#11: Tech Star 7/5/99
#12: Jess Nevins 7/6/99
#13: Starhawk 7/6/99
#14: Kevin (Brand Echh) Garcia 7/5/99
#15: Yellow Claw 7/7/99
#16: Mike (Mike Hammer) Decker 7/7/99
#17: Mark (Battlin' Jack) Perry 7/8/99
#18: Bishop 7/8/99
#19: King Cobra 10/31/99
#20: Kim (The Beetle) Henckel 11/5/99
#21: Thor-El 7/5/00
#22: Rad Chipmunk 7/5/00
#23: Ferdy 7/5/00
#24: Brendon (Al B. Harper) Lutwyche 7/6/00
#25: David (DragynWulf) Wiltfong 12/8/00
#26: Spitfire 12/8/00
#27: Ol' Buzz Boy 12/8/00
#28: Omar Karindu 3/25/01
#29: Quiddie 3/25/01
#30: Ron Petrocco 3/25/01
#32: Mike (Lightning Strike) Berry 7/5/01
#33: Kathan (Texcap) McCallister 7/6/01
#34: Antoine (Giant Ant) Verville 7/6/01
Ý #35: Robert McKinney 7/7/01
#36: comico 7/7/01
#37: Dazzyl 7/8/01
#38: Ron (Spirit of '76) Flick 12/18/01
#39: Bobster 12/18/01
#40: Mikel Midnight 12/18/01
#41: Donald Gillikin 3/21/02
#42: Bob Gansler 3/22/02
#43: Dale4767 12/15/02
#44: JADFlores 12/15/02
#45: James Hunter 3/16/03
#46: Doc Martin 3/17/03
#47: Ed Love 3/18/03