1602 (comic)

1602 is an 8-issue Marvel comic miniseries written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Andy Kubert. Scott McKowen did the covers.

The concept behind it is that it is the year 1602 in the Marvel Universe and the superheroes have appeared four hundred years early. The main characters must solve the mystery behind their own existence, while dealing with intrigue at the courts of Elizabeth and James.

Plot

All over Europe, catastrophes are happening. Sir Stephen Strange, the court magician of Queen Elizabeth I, senses that there are unnatural forces at work. An anomaly is unraveling the universe, and is somehow linked to the "Virginia Maid", a ship that carries Virginia Dare and her hulking bodyguard Rojhaz. Virginia has strange shapeshifting powers, and is suspected to be the cause.

At the same time, there is a race after the legendary Templars' treasure, thought to be a weapon of unlimited power. The Queens' head of intelligence, Sir Nicholas Fury, finds himself against the powerful Otto von Doom, the sinister Count of Latveria.

James VI of Scotland lusts after the Queen's throne. He collaborates with Spanish High Inquisitor Enrique and Count Doom to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and blame the "witchbreed" of Carlos Javier for the crime. The murder succeeds, and James of Scotland becomes King.

The anomaly becomes worse. Sir Stephen, Sir Fury and Javier betray King James to save the universe. Fury, Javier and his "witchbreed" launch a successful attack on Count Doom's fortress, retrieve the Templars' treasure (Thor's Hammer, wielded by a pilgrim called Donal) and liberate Otto's captives, the superpowered quartet known as the Fantastick Force. They then flee to the New World. They are followed by Enrique, who flees England after the Church found out he was a "witchbreed" spawn himself.

There, it comes out that not Virginia Dare, but Rojhaz is the anomaly. "Rojhaz" is nobody else than Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, who was atomized by a fascist US government in a dystopian future. His "destruction" (i.e. he disappeared from the normal timeline, but reappeared in this timeline) caused the rift that is destroying the universe.

In order to close the rift, Rogers is sent back. Donal ("Thor") opens the rift with his lightning, and Enrique controls it with his magnetic powers. The universe restores itself, and Uatu, the Watcher, is granted a "pocket universe" in which the 1602 timeline remains intact.

Characters

Historic characters

Elizabeth I of England, essentially unchanged from the real-world version. She is assassinated by Count Otto von Doom (see below), a year before she should have died.

James VI of Scotland and I of England, also largely unchanged. His firm belief in the divine right of kings and strong views on witchcraft (including the witchbreed) mean he is cast as something of a villain.

Virginia Dare, the daughter of Annaias Dare, and the first child born in the Americas. In this world, the Roanoke Colony did not disappear in the 1580s. Inspired by a legend that Virginia was killed in the shape of a white deer, Gaiman gives his version shapeshifting powers. She has no obvious counterpart in the Marvel Universe. Although many fans assumed that she was based on Snowbird of Alpha Flight, Gaiman denied the rumor, stating that the 1602 characters were only based on Marvel characters who debuted during the Silver Age of comic books At other times, he has told fans that he created Virginia Dare without a Marvel character basis to provide a unique and fully American character to tie in the 1602 universe with our real world.

Uatu

Uatu, the Watcher who knows this shouldn't be happening, and is tempted to break the rules of the Watchers and interfere (albeit not for the first time).

Heroes

Sir Nicholas Fury, the Queen's Intelligencer. The 1602 world's version of Nick Fury, in the position of Sir Francis Walsingham.

Doctor Stephen Strange, the Queen's Physician. Also an alchemist and magician. This world's version of Doctor Strange, in the position of Doctor John Dee.

Peter Parquagh, Sir Nicholas' apprentice. This world's Spider-Man, although without the powers. A running gag involves Peter repeatedly almost getting bitten by unusual spiders; something that finally occurs at the very end.

Matthew Murdoch, a blind Irish minstrel and freelance agent, who occasionally works for Sir Nicholas. Matthew acquired heightened senses from a mysterious substance he encountered as a child, and is this world's Daredevil.

Rojhaz, Virginia's blond Native American bodyguard. The colonists assume him to be a product of congress between Indians and Scottish or Welsh traders. In fact, he is actually Steve Rogers, Captain America. Assumed dead in a dystopian future, and sent back in time, Rogers, and the hole his passage left in time, served as the trigger for the warping of history to introduce the other Marvels. He also changed history more directly, by helping the Roanoke Colony through the winter.

Carlos Javier, a Spaniard living in England, where he runs a College for the Sons of Gentlefolk. He is also a witchbreed, but unlike the Inquisitor believes in a future of peace between witchbreed and normal humans (the mondani). He is this world's Professor X.

Javier's students, this world's version of the original X-Men. They are Robert Trefuis (Iceman), a nephew of Sir Francis Drake; Scotius Summerisle (Cyclops) and Hal McCoy (the Beast) who escaped from James' Scotland; "John" Grey (Jean Grey), the traditional Shakespearean girl disguised as a boy; and Werner (the Angel), who was rescued from the Inquisition in issue #1.

The Crew of the Fantastick, a famous group of heroes, who feature in Murdoch's favourite ballad (which Gaiman has written a full version of, although only snippets appear in the comic). They consist of Captain Benjamin Grimm (Thing), Sir Richard Reed (Mister Fantastic), Susan Storm (Invisible Woman), and John Storm (Human Torch), all of whom were transformed when the Fantastick encountered a wave of energy from the Anomaly (the hole in time created by Captain America); their bodies were reshaped into the four elements: Reed's flesh became pliable like water, Grimm's body became solid rock, Susan's body became weightless and invisible like air and John's body became living fire. Trapped in the castle of Count Otto von Doom, they remain in imprisonment until rescued by Sir Nicholas Fury and Carlos Javier. They are this world's Fantastic Four.

Donal, a Knight Templar, who was entrusted with bringing the "Templar Treasure" to Sir Nicholas. This proved to be the hammer Mjolnir, disguised as a simple walking stick. Donal, although believing it was blasphemy, was forced to use the hammer to be transformed to the pagan god Thor. He is this world's version of Donald Blake, aka The Mighty Thor. (In a clever conceit, while the Marvel Universe Thor has Shakespearean speech patterns, the 1602 version speaks in Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse. The calligraphy-style lettering in his speech bubbles is replaced by lettering designed to look like runes.)

David Banner, an advisor to James VI and I, who replaces Sir Nicholas when James takes the English throne. Towards the end of the story he is caught in the energies of the Anomaly and becomes a brutish monster. He is this world's Incredible Hulk

Villains

The Grand Inquisitor, real name Enrique. Born a Jew, he was taken in by a priest. The Christians later refused for him to be returned to his Jewish family, saying that giving him back to the 'Christ-killers' would damn his soul to Hell. Being unable to be reunited with his family left him psychologically scarred. When he grew up he became the leader of the Spanish Inquisition. He was ordered to execute the witchbreed, those born with abnormal powers (i.e. mutants), but hid those who could pass off as normal. Secretly a witchbreed himself, he used his activities as a cover for forming a Brotherhood which will inherit the Earth. He is this world's Magneto.

Wanda and Petros, the Inquisitor's assistants. They are also his children, a fact he has kept from them. They are this world's Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. At the end of the series Enrique gives Javier Petros and Wanda, asking his former friend to look over and teach them but not to tell them that he is their father.

Enrique has a spy in the Vatican which is this world's Toad.

Natasha, a freelance spy and "the most dangerous woman in Europe". She was partnered with Murdoch by Sir Nicholas, but betrayed him and Donal to Count Otto. She is this world's Black Widow.

• Note: in the normal continuity, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and the Black Widow are all former villains who became heroes.

Count Otto von Doom, the ruler of Latveria, known as Otto the Handsome. A long time enemy of Sir Richard, he is responsible for the Fantastick's disappearance by the story's start. He is this world's version of Doctor Doom.

The Vultures are Count Otto's flying warriors, based on the Spider-Man villain the Vulture.

New World

1602: New World is the name of the Marvel Comics miniseries that is the sequel to 1602. It will take place after the original series left off, with the heroes discovering and settling down in America. The series will be written by Greg Pak and pencilled by Greg Tocchini. The first issue will come out in August.pt:Marvel 1602 fr:1602 (comics)