Marvel Comics is one of the major publishing companies producing comic book properties today, rivaled primarily by DC Comics. Founded by Martin Goodman in 1939, five years after the establishment of DC, the company was initially known as Timely Comics and later Atlas. By 1961, however, following experimentation with science fiction and funny animal characters, the line was relaunched as Marvel (taking its name from one of their earliest comic titles) and refocused on superheroes.

In December 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment (the parent company of Marvel Comics), placing it under the same ownership as the Muppets characters.

This article covers appearances, references, mentions, and connections to the wider Marvel universe in comics, animation, films, television, and video games. For coverage on specific characters and properties, see the following:

The Avengers Big Hero 6 Captain America Deadpool Fantastic Four Guardians of the Galaxy

Howard the Duck The Incredible Hulk Iron Man The Mighty Thor She-Hulk Spider-Man

X-Men Legion WandaVision Crazy

Appearances

• Following the debut of Spider-Man on The Electric Company in 1974, Marvel Comics teamed up with Children's Television Workshop to launch Spidey Super Stories. The comic book series featured a number of mentions and crossovers; for complete coverage, see Spidey Super Stories.

• For the 1985/1986 edition of the Henson Associates yearbook The Amphibian, Marvel Comics took out an ad (illustrated with Spider-Man who was effectively the company mascot/icon) thanking the Muppets and "your Jim" for their association.

• In 2019, Sonia Manzano, Grover (as Spider-Monster), Count von Count, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch were interviewed on Marvel LIVE from San Diego Comic-Con. (video)

Publications

Between 1982 and 1986, Marvel Comics published three adaptations of Jim Henson feature films, The Dark Crystal, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and Labyrinth. All three debuted as 68-page adaptations in Marvel Super Special, an anthology series which specialized in adapting movie and TV properties, and were later reprinted in individual issues. All three utilized the talents of Marvel's regular artist roster, including John Buscema (veteran of Conan the Barbarian and The Avengers) on Labyrinth.

• The Dark Crystal - Marvel Super Special #24, 1982, April and May 1983, two issues.

• The Muppets Take Manhattan - Marvel Super Special # 32, August 1984; November 1984 - January 1985, three issues.

• Labyrinth - Marvel Super Special #40, October 1986; November 1986 - January 1987, three issues.

• The Muppets Take Manhattan adaptation was also promoted in Marvel's news magazine, Marvel Age, in August 1984 (issue #17). The Muppet cast appeared on the cover alongside the comic's mascot, Forbush Man. The masthead lists Irving Forbush as being a "Mutated Muppet." The cover article, "The Muppets" by Andrew Coe, promotes the Marvel Super Special and the three issue Manhattan series, and then promises "a regular monthly Muppets series which starts in November." It includes background on Jim Henson and the Muppets, as well as short biographies of the Marvel artists and writers who worked on the comic. Michael K. Frith is quoted, in his role as conceptual, designer discussing adapting the Muppets to a graphic form.

One of Marvel's imprints, Star Comics, launched in 1984, specialized in cartoon characters and other children's properties (including Heathcliff, Care Bears, ALF, Masters of the Universe, and Bullwinkle and Rocky). The Star line reprinted the Muppets Take Manhattan miniseries, and in 1985, launched regular Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies comic book series, and later the reprint digest Star Comics Magazine.

To promote the launching of Star Comics, Marvel Age #19 had Spider-Man (in his then current black suit) introducing the different titles and characters, including Fraggle Rock and The Muppets (last mentioned in Marvel Age #17). Andrew Coe writes a two piece feature on Fraggle Rock, and it includes rough art for the first issue by Marty Taras as well as colored TV series pitch book art by Michael K. Frith. By Marvel Age #21, "The Muppets" was no longer being mentioned but Muppet Babies instead, slated to launch in January 1985 (the first issue was dated May).

When the line folded in 1988, Muppet Babies was published under the regular Marvel label (beginning with issue 17) and Fraggle Rock likewise reprinted under the label.

In 2011, Disney gave Marvel the right to make comics based on its properties. Marvel began reprinting a number of Muppet Show Comic Book titles in 2011 and has reprinted Meet the Muppets, Family Reunion, and The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson. Starting on July 4, 2012, Marvel published the previously-unreleased The Four Seasons story arc.

Muppet Mentions

Comics

• Daredevil #178 features the title character watching for a payoff from a corrupt politician during a parade. A Kermit the Frog balloon is featured in several panels, with a key witness bounding off of it during an action sequence.
• Marvel Premiere #55, featuring Wonder Man, has the hero visiting an old employee who now runs a novelty shop. A poster of Kermit and Miss Piggy is in the background.
• In Sledge Hammer #1 (an adaptation of the TV series), a woman watches a Hitchcock festival on TV, featuring Laura Hitchcock's I Was a Teenage Muppet Baby (referring to one of the primary writers for the comic book series). Dialogue from the movies is seen in speech bubbles, detailing a woman's shock at seeing her boyfriend transformed into a frog. He also introduces her to his best friend, a bear.
• In Marvel Zombies 4 #1, Zombie Deadpool's head sings part of "Movin' Right Along" from The Muppet Movie.

Other media

• In the 1998 TV movie Nick Fury, Agent of Shield, the title character is injected by a HYDRA agent with a deadly toxin derived from a Colombian tree frog. Fury reacts to the news by asking "How long do I have before Kermit bites me the big one?"

• In the season 4 Agents of SHIELD episode "The Man Behind the Shield" (2017), Jemma Simmons and Agent Davis are searching for the LMD (Life-Model Decoy) Aida. Simmons says "We've been running all over this place. It's a bloody Labyrinth." Agent Davis replies, "Pray we don't run into the Goblin King."

• Two of the cats that portrayed the character Goose in 2019's Captain Marvel are named Gonzo and Rizzo.^[1]

• In the video game Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, the Green Goblin shouts "It's not easy being green!" during a boss battle.

• Tony Stark calls Gamora "Oscar the Grouch" in the What If...? episode "What If... Iron Man Crashed into the Grandmaster?"

• In the What If...? episode "What If... the Red Guardian Stopped the Winter Soldier?," Ranger Morales refers to the Super Soldier Serum as "Cookie Monster blood."

70 Years cover variants

In October 2025, Marvel celebrated the Muppets' 70th anniversary with a set of ten cover variants spoofing well-known Marvel covers of the past.

References

• Captain Marvel #19 (Dec 1969) and Daredevil #58 (Nov 1969) can be seen in the window of Hooper's Store in several Sesame Street season 2 episodes including 0152 and 0160. Daredevil #58 also appeared in 0359.

• Maria is reading an issue of Ringo Kid in Sesame Street Episode 0559.

• In the book and record version of The Muppets Take Manhattan, a photo shows Scooter's bus locker, which he has personalized with sports banners and an issue of Ghost Rider, among other items.

• In the Muppet Babies episode "A Punch Line to the Tummy," Baby Gonzo introduces Baby Fozzie as "the greatest comic since Marvel #1."

• An issue of Machine Man is seen hanging in Hooper's Store in Episode 2615 of Sesame Street.

• In "Hynerian Rhapsody," the fourth issue of the Farscape comic book, John Crichton refers to Roiin as "Doctor Doom."

• In the Farscape issue "Together Again for the First Time," it is revealed that the Whaela'an virus was accidently created by a Diagnosan named Cotat experimenting with methods of size-changing. Crichton subsequently refers to Cotat as "Hank Pym."

• Crichton states that believing in Fin Fang Foom is a form of faith in the Farscape issue "Talkin' Kkore Blues."

• The Sesame Street home video Iron Monster and Sesame Heroes opens with a spoof of the Marvel Studios credit screen used at the beginning of their movies.

• Several Marvel superheroes were spoofed at Numeric Con in Episode 4504 (although some only figured in the extended DVD release), including Wolverine (Fiverine), the Fantastic Four (The Fantabulous Four), Nick Fury (Grover as Six Fury), and the Avengers (the Sevengers).

• Gonzo performed a magic act in The Muppets Take the Bowl dressed as Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Doctor Strange from the 2016 film.

• The shows Fozzie Bear pitches to Scooter in the Muppets Now episode "Fever Pitch" include two based on Marvel TV series: "Agents of S.H.T.I.C.K." (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and "Croak & Frogger" (Cloak & Dagger).

• During the "Magic in the Air: 30 Years of The Muppet Christmas Carol" event at D23 Expo 2022, Robin the Frog expresses interest in developing sequels to the story centering on Tiny Tim. He throws out titles spoofing then-recent Marvel Studios films, including "A Christmas Carol 2: The Winter Soldier," "Tiny Tim: Love and Thunder," and "Tiny Tim in the Multiverse of Madness." He and Charles Dickens then begin plotting their own "Dickens Cinematic Universe."

• A promo for The Muppets Mayhem mentions Baby Groot in relation to spending "years of research and development" culminating in "Baby Animal." [1]

• The video game Marvel Rivals is mentioned among other games by Rowlf the Dog in the song "The Game Awards Will Never Let You Down" (performed at the 2025 ceremony).

Connections

In Marvel Comics adaptations:

• F. Murray Abraham voiced Kohnshu on Moon Knight (TV, 2022)
• Piotr Adamczyk played Tomas on Hawkeye (TV, 2021)
• Awkwafina played Katy in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• Dee Bradley Baker voiced Morris in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• John Batchelor played Wayne Thibadeaux in Man-Thing (2005 film)
• Annette Bening played Supreme Intelligence/Dr. Wendy Lawson in Captain Marvel (2019)
• Ian Bliss played Rodney Thibadeaux in Man-Thing (2005 film)
• Benjamin Bratt played Jonathan Pangborn in Doctor Strange (2016 film)
• Pat Crawford Brown played a sweet old lady in Daredevil (2003 film)
• Sterling K. Brown played N'Jobu in Black Panther (2018 film)
• Linda Cardellini played Laura Barton on Hawkeye (TV, 2021)
• Reg E. Cathey played James Lucas on Luke Cage (TV, 2018)
• Don Cheadle played James Rhodes in Captain Marvel (2019), single episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the animated What If...? (both 2021), and on Secret Invasion (TV, 2023)
• Anderson Cooper played himself in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
• Lyle Conway played Reichardt in Blade (1998 film)
• Eugene Cordero played Casey on Loki (2021-2023)
• Benedict Cumberbatch played Doctor Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange (2016 film), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), and other media
• James D'Arcy played Edwin Jarvis on Agent Carter (TV, 2015-2016)
• Rosario Dawson played Claire Temple on the Netflix series Daredevil (2015-2016), Jessica Jones (2015), Luke Cage (2016-2018), Iron Fist (2017), and The Defenders (2017)
• Michael Clarke Duncan played Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin in Daredevil (2003)
• Mike Duncan was a stunt performer in Man-Thing (2005), and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• Dave Elsey was the creative supervisor for makeup effects in Ghost Rider (2007 film)
• Meagen Fay played Miriam Fry on Agent Carter (4 episodes, 2015)
• Laurence Fishburne played Dr. Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
• Martin Freeman played Everett K. Ross in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
• Matt Frewer played Russell Trask in Generation X (1996 TV movie)
• Jennifer Garner played Elektra Natchios in Dardevil (2003) and Elektra (2005)
• Michael Giacchino directed and scored Werewolf By Night (2022 special)
• Tyrese Gibson played Simon Stroud in Morbius (2022 film)
• Allan Graf did utility stunts for Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and played a trooper in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode "Yes Men" (2014) and stunts in various episodes
• Clark Gregg played Agent Phil Coulson on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV series, 2013-2020), Captain Marvel (2019), and other media
• Mark Hamill voiced Red Skull on The Super Hero Squad Show (2009-2011)
• Liz Hara is a staff writer on Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023 animated series)
• Kit Harington played Dane Whitman in Eternals (2021)
• David Hasselhoff played Nick Fury in Nick Fury, Agent of Shield (1998 TV movie)
• Ethan Hawke played Arthur Harrow on Moon Knight (TV, 2022)
• Salma Hayek played Ajak in Eternals (2021)
• Tom Hiddleston played Loki in various movies and on Loki (TV, 2021)
• Wai Ching Ho played Madame Gao on Daredevil (2015-2016), Iron Fist (2017), and The Defenders (2017)
• James Hong played William May in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode "Purpose in the Machine" (2015)
• William Hurt played Thaddeus Ross in Captain America: Civil War (2016 film), and Black Widow (2021)
• Samuel L. Jackson played Nick Fury in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), two episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV, 2013-2014), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain Marvel (2019), Secret Invasion (TV, 2023), and other media
• Danny John-Jules played Asad in Blade II (2002 film)
• Hannah John-Kamen played Ava Starr/Ghost in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2019) and Thunderbolts* (2025)
• Michael B. Jordan played Killmonger in Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
• Michael Keaton played the Vulture in Morbius (2022 film)
• Udo Kier played Dragonetti in Blade (1998 film)
• Ben Kingsley played Trevor Slattery in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• John Krasinski played Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
• Kris Kristofferson played Whistler in Blade (1998 film), Blade II (2002 film) and Blade: Trinity (2004 film)
• Jude Law played Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel (2019)
• Stan Lee created many characters for Marvel and made cameo appearances in several films based on the comics.
• Jared Leto played Dr. Michael Morbius in Morbius (2022 film)
• Evangeline Lilly played Hope Van Dyne in Ant-Man (2015), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
• Simu Liu played Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus played Valentina Allegra de Fontaine on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV, 2021), Black Widow (2021), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and Thunderbolts* (2025)
• George Lucas executive produced Howard the Duck (1986)
• Raymond Ma played a gang leader in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• Anthony Mackie played Sam Wilson/Falcon (later Captain America) in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV, 2021) in Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
• Kyle MacLachlan played Calvin Zabo on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV, 2014-2015)
• Al Madrigal played Al Rodriguez in Morbius (2022 film)
• Gugu Mbatha-Raw played Ravonna Renslayer on Loki (TV, 2021-2023)
• Method Man played himself in the Luke Cage episode "Soliloquy of Chaos" (2016)
• Tiriel Mora played Attorney #2 in The Wolverine (2013)
• Kumail Nanjiani played Kingo in Eternals (2021)
• Matthew Le Nevez played Sheriff Kyle Williams in Man-Thing (2005 film)
• Stephen Norrington directed Blade (1998 film)
• Lupita Nyong'o played Nakia in Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
• Patton Oswalt played various Koenig family members on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV series, 2014–2020) and Pip the troll in Eternals (2021)
• Barry Otto played Shake in The Punisher (1989 film)
• Randall Park played Jimmy Woo in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
• Rob Paulsen played Baron Strucker and Werewolf by Night on The Super Hero Squad Show (2009-2011)
• Michelle Pfeiffer played Janet Van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
• Paul Rudd played Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
• Mark Ruffalo played Bruce Banner/The Hulk in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Captain Marvel (2019), and elsewhere
• Richard Schiff played the U.S. State Secretary in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
• Andy Serkis played Ulysses Klaue in Black Panther (2018)
• J. K. Simmons voiced J. Jonah Jameson on Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. (2013) and Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload (2013)
• Cobie Smulders played Maria Hill in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and three episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV series, 2013-2015)
• Hailee Steinfeld played Kate Bishop on Hawkeye (TV, 2021) and The Marvels (2023)
• Patrick Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2023)
• Tara Strong voiced Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Scarlet Witch, H.E.R.B.I.E. and others on The Super Hero Squad Show (2009-2011), and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011 video game), and Miss Minutes on Loki (TV, 2021-2023)
• David Tennant played Kilgrave on Jessica Jones (TV, 2015-2019)
• Kirk Thatcher played Jovan in Werewolf By Night (2022 special)
• Jill Thraves worked on the mask/headpiece for Daredevil (2003 film)
• Joel Tobeck played a redneck in Ghost Rider (2007 film)
• Lani John Tupu played Laccone in The Punisher (1989 film)
• Blair Underwood played Andrew Garner on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV series, 2015-2016)
• John Vernon played Namor the Sub-Mariner on The Marvel Super Heroes (1966 animated series)
• Jessica Walter played Morgan LeFay in Dr. Strange (1978 TV movie)
• Ming-Na Wen played Melinda May on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV series, 2013-2020)
• Forest Whitaker played Zuri in Black Panther (2018)
• Benedict Wong played Wong in Doctor Strange (2016), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), and related projects
• Alfre Woodard played Mariah Dillard in Luke Cage (2016 series), and Miriam "Mimi" Lafayette in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023 animated series)
• Jeffrey Wright voiced the Watcher on What If...? (2021 animated series)
• Dan Wynands did stunts in Blade (1998 film)
• Duncan Young played Skinhead in Ghost Rider (2007 film)
• William Zappa played Steve Gerber in Man-Thing (2005 film)

In print Marvel Comics

• John Buscema penciled three Hulk stories in Tales to Astonish (1966-1967) and regular stints on The Avengers (1967-1989), Silver Surfer (1968-1970), Conan the Barbarian (1976-1985), Thor (1970-1979, periodic returns), and one or more issues of most major titles
• Del Close modeled for the character Bennett Schwed in the miniseries/graphic novel Marvels (1994)
• John Costanza penciled for Star Comics titles (Heathcliff, Popples and others) and an issue of the self-parody series What The--?! (1988) and lettered Captain America (1972-1980, 1995-1996), The Avengers (1974-1976), Conan the Barbarian (1972-1978, 1991-1993), and others, and periodic cover art for various titles (The Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, Howard the Duck, and more)
• Sholly Fisch wrote backup stories, mostly spotlighting supporting characters, in Marvel Comics Presents (1988-1990), three issues of The Sensational She-Hulk (1989-1990), an issue of What If...? (1989) and recurring scripts for What The--?! (1988-1993)
• Sid Jacobson edited and sometimes wrote for the Star Comics imprint (1984-1988) and scripted one-shot movie adaptations including Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) and Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (both 1988)
• Floyd Norman illustrated a variant cover for Black Panther #9 (2018)
• Mike Ploog penciled the Marvel Spotlight debuts of Werewolf by Night (1972, continuing on the solo series, 1972-1974) and Ghost Rider (1972-1973) and stints on Frankenstein (first six issues, 1973), Kull the Destroyer (1973-1974), and Planet of the Apes (1974-1976)
• Marie Severin penciled the Doctor Strange stories in Strange Tales (1967), The Sub-Mariner (1969-1970, 1972-1973), Kull the Conqueror (all but one issue, 1971-1973), the first two issues of The Cat (1972-1973), various issues of Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Hulk related comics and others, designed Spider-Woman's costume (1978), and was a frequent colorist across the line
• Frank Springer penciled Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. (1968-1969), Dazzler (1981-1985), and issues of Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, The Spectacular Spider-Man, and more
• Marv Wolfman wrote for The Tomb of Dracula (1973-1980, creating Blade), Daredevil (1975-1977), The Amazing Spider-Man (1978-1980, creating Black Cat), and others

See also

• Marvel Productions

Sources

External Links

• Marvel Entertainment official website