Amazing Adventures featuring Killraven Warrior of the Worlds No. 31: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

1975's Marvel Comics "Amazing Adventures" number 31 is acknowledged as the first mainstream color comic book to dramatically portray an interracial kiss between African American and white characters. The intimate moment is shared by the characters M'Shulla and Carmilla Frost in the story "The Day the Monuments Shattered," written by Don McGregor with art by P. Craig Russell.

From 1970 to 1976, Marvel Comics published an anthology series titled "Amazing Adventures." It was the second use of the title by Marvel, the first running for six issues in 1961. A third series featuring reprinted material was produced in 1979.

This series of "Amazing Adventures" ran for 39 issues, 21 of which were devoted to a sequel to British Author H.G. Wells' seminal tale of alien invasion "The War of the Worlds," first published in 1898. In Marvel's "War of the Worlds" the interstellar invaders from Well's book return, launching a second, successful attack upon a futuristic Earth and enslaving the human populace.

The narrative introduced the character of Killraven, a heroic gladiator inspired by both science fiction and "sword and sorcery" fantasy. Credit is given to writer Don Macgregor, who wrote all but five issues of the series, for making Killraven a compelling character, emphasizing classic ideas of valor and friendship.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1973
• date made: 1974
• date made: 1975
• maker: Marvel Comics
• Object Name: comic book
• Physical Description: paper (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 6 3/4 in x 10 1/4 in; x 17.145 cm x 26.035 cm
• place made: United States: New York, New York City
• Subject: Comics
• Subject: Fantasy
• Subject: Race Relations
• ID Number: 2013.3039.087
• nonaccession number: 2013.3039
• catalog number: 2013.3039.087
• Credit Line: Gift of George R. Zug
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.