Top 10 Marvel Comic Book Bloopers

Lists: All, Comics, Humor ; Written or Posted by: TopTenz Master

Back in the day when comics weren’t the big business they are today you only had a few underpaid and overworked people pushing out a large number of comic books every month. And those overworked employees and freelancers did an incredible job of laying the groundwork for the high quality of comic books we have today. But, because of deadlines (they actually met) and not enough eyes to look at every comic, mistakes were going to be made and you have some wonderful bloopers. And while DC comics has their share, I’m more of a Marvel fan and have focused on their bloopers. Read the top ten Marvel comic book bloopers and have a laugh.

Click on each comic panel to view a larger image.

10. Hercules pulls Manhattan Island? Really? Really?

Marvel Team-up #28 - What’s the story?

Okay, I’m not a picker of nits and I realize comic books aren’t the place to find factual stories that are based on truth. I also know a man can fly, breathe water, survive in space, shoot beams from his eyes and a hundred other powers which are described in the comic books, but the idea of pulling Manhattan is so absurd it must start the list of comic book bloopers by Marvel. And just what is the chain connected to on the island? The only “bigger” blatant disregard of physics I’ve found in comics is the defiance of gravity so many females are capable of with their bosoms.

9. Hank McCoy (Beast) insults the female gender.

X-men #28 - What’s the story

Jean Grey telekinetically “hands” Hank a screwdriver but then calls it a pair of pliers. Hank decrees she is a “credit to her gender”. I guess Hank knew he didn’t have a shot at dating Marvel Girl, so an innocent jab at her and the entire female gender seems to have been in order.

8. Conan apparently doesn’t like waiting a waitress.

Savage Sword of Conan #25

I guess the writer, Roy Thomas, was mighty hungry when writing for this issue of Savage Sword of Conan. Or else the letterer was working at the local coffee shop. Either way, the “little hussy Murelia” better bring him his blue plate special fast after he calls her a waitress (see green text).

7. The Grim Reaper, give him a hand. No wait, he has an extra already.

Avengers #160

Luckily the grim reaper was able pull down his mask with his prosthetic hand before quickly replacing it with his metal scythe. Who knew he had so many attachments. Thankfully this has prevented any bathroom accidents.

6. Two left hands, no wonder he is so fantastic.

Fantastic Four #88 - What’s the story?

I guess Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic, isn’t satisfied with just scaring the crap out of Alicia Masters by tapping her on the head, he reinforces the shock by using a second left hand? Keep the baby away, Alicia!

5. Stop it, Mr Fantastic, you’re scaring the children!

Fantastic Four #152 - What’s the story?

Apparently Mr. Fantastic is always the joker. After permanently scarring his child and Alicia Masters (see above) he now decides it would be funny to have two right hands…and a left hand. Check out the hand that should be a left foot, high up in the window. I have zoomed in for a closeup in the bottom left of the picture. Not only was a hand drawn in place of the foot, but a right hand was used for a left foot! The atrocities continue.

4. I can’t see a thing with this eye patch.

Hulk #219

Captain Barracuda is obviously seeking attention for his disability or else he was too embarrassed to admit his mistake. Trying to look through the periscope with the eye covered by his patch is probably a desperate cry for help.

3. Peter Who?

Amazing Spider-Man #1

Does Stan Lee really call Peter Parker, Peter Palmer? Yep, he sure does and thank the Marvel gods he got it right later. Cut Stan some slack it was only the second issue Peter had appeared in. But, can you imagine trying to root for a guy named Peter Palmer? Maybe we got the wrong guy after all. I mean with all the clone stories, maybe there really is a Peter Palmer out there biding his time.

2. Captain America knows when to give up…

Tales of Suspense #92

Captain America admits defeat before the fight even starts. Our only guess at his lack of confidence was some kind of attempt at reverse psychology. I guess that is why he is a fighter and not a thinker.

1. The Amazing Super-Man…I mean, Spider-Man…I mean…what?

Amazing Spider-Man #3

Okay, wow! Could there have been a bigger blunder than for Doc Ock to call Spider-Man, Super-man? I mean, where were the army of DC lawyers to sue Marvel and shut down Amazing Spider-Man? They could have prevented the atrocious Clone stories and the even more despicable “One More Day” storyline from Spider-Man. Of course, we would have also lost a host of great Spider-Man stories as well.

Maybe those over-sized glasses are covering a severe vision problem and he only saw the red and blue colors and made an honest mistake.

Do you disagree with this list of Marvel comic book bloopers? Make a comment below or send us your own list. Got a list of DC comic bloopers? We’d love to see it.

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Comments

12 Responses to “Top 10 Marvel Comic Book Bloopers”

Marvelite on June 17th, 2008 11:23 am

I cannot believe Stan Lee would have called Spider-Man Superman. I guess the House of Ideas was looking for better ideas.
Jamie on June 18th, 2008 12:43 am

I’ve seen the Captain America panel before but the rest are new to me. Thanks for posting them. I wonder if mistakes in comics are just fewer today because of the editors, or larger number of editors?
shearyadi on June 23rd, 2008 3:17 am

well, maybe at that time there’s a prize for anyone who discovered the mistakes from their comic? who knows?
No-Prize on June 23rd, 2008 4:23 pm

People who found mistakes were awarded the infamous Marvel No-Prize by Stan Lee himself!
TopTenz Master on June 23rd, 2008 5:56 pm

What the heck was no-prize. I had heard it was an empty envelope. Does anyone know?
uh on July 29th, 2008 5:46 am

#1 was on purpose
Uh 2 on September 6th, 2008 9:48 pm

I think uh^ is right, when you look at the comment Doc Ock made there is a hypen between super and man. The good ol’ doctor was just referring to the fact that spiderman is indeed super. It seems as though the comment was intended especially since the word is in bold print.
ulysses on February 7th, 2009 8:37 am

well there was a superman vs spiderman comic, maybe it was just a little hint or foreshadowing in whats to come and was intentional. this definitely shouldnt be number one
XUSNLT on February 10th, 2009 4:36 am

This was a fun list. Was the author named Peter Palmer because I can’t imagine that anyone who actually knows women would be so conversant in comics that they’d know of all of these errors! At any rate, I recommend that the author memorizes that Cap’n America line in case he ever faces a fight…
shawn on February 20th, 2009 10:04 pm

The coveted Marvel “No-Prize” was indeed an empty envelope with a return address to Marvel and small Hulk picture in th eupper left. On the outside it proclaimed “Congratulations! This envelope contains a genuine Marvel Comics No-Prize which you have just won! Handle With Care”. It was sent to fans who caught bloopers like this. The story goes that this was initially a smart-ass way of shutting up the readers who took comics too seriously. But of course they caught on as an actual award and became sought after. When Stan Lee finally moved on completely, the prize was retired.
Ed on April 6th, 2009 6:53 pm

It makes sense, the Peter Palmer reference..

Peter Palmer (the actor) played Lil Abner in the 1959 movie/Broadway musical. Lil Abner also became an icon in Sunday comic strips across the nation.

Given that Spiderman was created circa 1962(?) by Stan Lee (who worked in New York City where Broadway is AND was closely related to comic strips through his chosen profession), the either intentional or unintentional transpostion begins to make sense!

(I for one am glad that Spiderman did *not* grown up in Dogpatch, however)
Deadman Wade. on June 1st, 2009 11:15 pm

The biggest flaw in #9 is Jean refers to what is clearly a screwdriver as a pair of pliers. Oy vey, mayhaps the beast was being sarcastic, about such an error?