Marvel Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue

#1

Release: Jan 16, 1991

Cover: Mar 1991

Creators

Writer	Fabian Nicieza, Jack Morelli, Bob Washington, Rob Tokar, Tom Daning, Max Fleisher, John Rozum, Mike Rockwitz, Gary Barnum, Howard Mackie
Artist	Jackson ‘Butch’ Guice, Jim Lee, Paul Ryan, Joe Sinnott, Bret Blevins, Al Milgrom, John Buscema, Marc Silvestri, Tom Morgan, Don Hudson, John Romita Jr., Mike Mignola, Walter Simonson, Steve Leialoha, Michael Golden, Stan Drake, Rob Liefeld, Tom Palmer Sr., Scott Williams, Kevin Nowlan, Joe Rubinstein, Ron Frenz, Joe Jusko, Mike Zeck, June Brigman, Whilce Portacio, Jon Bogdanove, George Pérez, Steve Geiger, Terry Austin
Cover Artist	Brian Stelfreeze
Colorist	Mark Chiarello, Kevin Nowlan, Gregory Wright
Letterer	Jim Novak
Editor	Mark Gruenwald, Barbara E. Chase
Editor in Chief	Tom DeFalco

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Thanks to yet another ingenious feat of engineering on the part of Reed Richards, the She-Hulk’s barbell set is not larger than a string of subway cars (the city asked her to PLEASE stop playing with those), but weighs considerably more.

Inspired by the news that the Marvel swimsuit issue is making its return this summer, I thought I would go back in time and take a look at where it all began, though really, it actually began the year before this.

As the ’90s progressed, the swimsuit issue gave in a bit to the excesses of the decade – though there was still more to subsequent issues than just salacious pin-ups – but it began as a parody of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and like the magazine it was parodying it contained sports-related articles in addition to images of impossibly attractive people in swimwear.

That sort of parody first appeared in late 1989 with Marvel: The Year in Review, which was a parody of news magazines like Time and Newsweek.

The Marvel Illustrated issue, like the Year in Review issue, contains articles and interviews written in an in-universe style, as well as advertisements for products and services available in the Marvel Universe.

One of the main features of the Swimsuit Issue is reporting on the results of the Super Olympics, a charity event that took place in the Savage Land, a tropical area that time forgot hidden in the interior of Antartica, sponsored by Stark Enterprises.

The events of the Super Olympics, as the name implies, were open to competitors with superhuman abilities, but were otherwise comparable to their non-super namesake, though the exotic location made it possible for both summer and winter games to take place at the same time.

Some notable results:

Other features included a note from Tony Stark, a profile of Canadian mutant hero and professional skier Northstar, an article about She-Hulk’s super-workout, an interview with Ben Grimm in which She-Hulk makes another appearance, this time as the interviewer of her friend and former teammate, a look at the Silver Surfer “hanging ten” in outer space, a profile of boxer’s son Matt Murdock, and a look at the fun and games that took place before the main event.

The main event, of course, being the swimsuit “shoot” that took place in the Savage Land.

So, let’s get on with it, shall we? After all, isn’t that what everyone is here for?

(Click to enlarge)

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Unlike the magazine it was parodying, Marvel Illustrated didn’t limit its focus to the ladies.

Bad girls make for good “Good Girl” art.

And of course we have to close with a goddess.

As mentioned, the magazine also featured ads.

Later editions leaned more into the horniness swimsuit pictorial aspect and focused less on being a Sports Illustrated parody, though each issue did have something of a storyline and was more than just a collection of pin-ups.

But with this first issue they hit the right balance, I think, and while I have no complaints about the art of the later issues, I liked the verisimilitude of this freshman offering a bit more.

In any case, it will be interesting to see what a 21st Century version will look like, and at the very least, you’re bound to see it show up in a future Pull List post.

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