Whether it was with my own money or my parents’, I ended up buying that first issue, as well as the next 11 subsequent issues of Marvel’s first company-wide crossover. I honestly don’t know how I did it. I mean, I was only 10. I didn’t have money back then. There were no nearby comic shops I had access to, never mind eBay. But I managed to do it. I remember that I saw #3 sitting on the shelf at Big V, a local pharmacy. I went back a couple of days later to purchase it, and it was gone. I asked a woman who worked there if it had been sold, or was maybe taken off the shelf and was in the back. I waited anxiously as she went to check, and was elated when she came back carrying the last remaining copy.

As it turns out, this year is the 25th Anniversary of Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars. In reading online reaction to the series, it’s easy to see that fan reaction was polarized. Most either loved it or hated it, with few opinions in between. Needless to say, I was one of the readers on the loved it side. In fact, this may very well be my very favorite mini-series ever.

Admittedly, the premise is kind of flimsy. A God-like Entity, the Beyonder, was able to observe Marvel’s earth through a hole in space. Intrigued by what he saw, he absconded with most of the Marvel U’s major heroes and villains. He set them against each other on a world… dubbed, appropriately enough, Battleworld, for his amusement. “Slay your enemies and all you desire shall be yours!” he told them, thus setting off an epic battle.

The series, written by then Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, featured gorgeous art by Mike Zeck and was a showcase for MANY senses-shattering moments Including: Spiderman THRASHING the X-Men when he found out that they were going to abandon the Heroes to ally with Magneto in Issue #3; The Hulk holding up a mountain that the villains dropped on the heroes after they had been defeated and tried to escape in Issue #4; the “death” of the Wasp in Issue #7; And, most importantly, the debut of Spiderman’s iconic black costume. As Marvel fans know, the suit turned out to be an Alien Symbiote, and later became insanely popular Spiderman villain Venom.

The series was a smashing success. Each issue sold nearly 750,000 copies, and it spawned a dreadful sequel, Secret Wars II, in which the Beyonder comes to Earth and takes human form, dressing in a white leather jumpsuit and having a black perm. *sigh* I try to forget it ever happened. Secret Wars also inspired THE Marvel toy line of the ‘80s, which carried the same name as the comics. Each of the figures came with their own “secret shield”, which came with inserts you could place in the shield to show off changing images when you moved it back and forth. I had the Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, And Dr. Doom figures. There were also vehicles, playsets, coloring books, puffy stickers, etc. Check out http://www.toymania.com/archives/secretwars/ for an overview of both the comics, toys, and other products inspired by the series.

It’s hard to believe all that was 25 years ago. Being the collector that I am today, I have near mint copies of the series bagged and boarded and safely stashed away in a long box. It’s actually been a long time since I’ve read the series, and I think I’m due. Time to sit down in my jimmies with some Count Chocula and get to readin’. Guess I’ll be sending you Marvel Zombies another Blast from the Past when I’m done. Until then, I’ll see you at the comic shop.

Here are some current "Marvel Super Heroes Secret War" auctions from eBay:

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Hong Kong Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Singapore Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars 8 Spider Man Black Costume    US $17.99

Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars 3 CGC 96 1984    US $39.99

Marvel Super Heroes SECRET WARS 4 Aug 1984 VG    US $5.53

Marvel Super Heroes SECRET WARS 7 Nov 1984 FN    US $5.53

Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars 8 CGC 98 WP Origin Spider Man Black Costume    US $89.95

MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS 8 1st Venom VFN    US $22.49

1984 Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars Secret Messages    US $15.99

MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS 8 NEAR MINT 94 BLACK COSTUME FIRST VENOM AS AL    US $47.38

Marvel Super Heroes DOOM CYCLE Secret Wars SEALED Vintage 1984 Mattel Villains    US $34.95

MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS 1984 Leaf Sticker Album FNVF Unused^    US $4.99

Marvel Super heroes Secret Wars 9 jan 1985    US $.99

MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS 1986 PANINI Stickers Mint Loose Choose 10]    US $8.99

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And now... well, now there’s eBay, amongst other online resources. I’ve been a member of eBay since 1999 and currently have a Feedback score of 212, with a sparkling 100% approval rating. Ahem. lol Most of those purchases are comic related, and eBay remains a valuable resource for me as a hard-core comic book collector. There hasn’t been anything that I haven’t been able to find on eBay at one time or another. Quite simply, I almost don’t remember life before eBay where being a collector is concerned.

For the uninitiated... and God help you... here's some links to live Marvel auctions currently running on eBay. I’ve tried to make sure that they were categorized to show off a wide range of Marvel books and the kind of deals I myself try to find when I get the eBay bug. Hopefully, this will aid some new eBay shoppers... and even some of you hardened vets... to experience the thrill of the hunt, and bliss of victory, and the high I get when I receive a package in the mail. lol Kid on Christmas Morn, I tell yah. Onward to e-commerce!

Add this page to your Favorites or Bookmarks because new Marvel products are being auctioned off all the time. By default, the auctions ending the soonest will be shown near the top.

After clicking on an item that you are interested in, a new window will open up onto eBay's site which will allow you to learn more about the auction or place a bid.

You may narrow down your search by choosing a specific Marvel category:

Marvel Action Figures | Marvel Books | Marvel Clothing | Marvel Comics | Marvel Games | Marvel Trading Cards

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Hong Kong Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Singapore Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

Master of Kung Fu 37 FN VF Hand of Shang Chi Marvel    US $3.99

Marvel Megablocks Mini Figure Series 1 lot of 6 3 from Series 2    US $11.50

UNCANNY X MEN 527 WOMEN OF MARVEL VARIANT 1 IN 15    US $7.82

Marvel Avengers Character Encyclopedia Dk DK    US $18.57

MARVEL ADVENTURESPETER PARKER vs THE X MEN NEW GN    US $11.85

MARVEL METAL METAL BLASTER 15 OF18 THOR    US $3.99

DC Universe Classics 6 Action Figures R US TALLER BLUE SINESTRO Marvel 05    US $7.99

Marvel THE INCREDIBLE HULK 4 Shooter Shot Glass Set    US $11.99

Dallas Cowboys Youth Marvel Hulk Training T Shirt Navy Blue Yth L    US $17.95

PUNISHER 17 MARVEL 1ST SERIES 1987    US $3.14

THE BEAST MARVEL COMICS SNAP TOGETHER MODEL KIT SEALED NEW    US $33.18

Book of 276 Marvel Heroes stickersSandylion    US $.01

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