If you have it on your shelf, it's worth a read before the purge.

Wow. I was surprised by how much I loved this. Seeing that I am a fan of Marvel comics, renaissance history, and Neil Gaiman, liking Marvel 1602 should be a no-brainer..but I had my hesitations before reading this. Would transplanting Marvel Characters into an Elizabethan England setting really work? The answer: Yes, it does. Marvel 1602 is a series of comic books published by Marvel in 2003 in 8 single issues which were later combined into one single volume. The premise of the story in essence is quite simple: A bunch of Superheroes and Villains from the Marvel Universe (The X Men, Captain America, Thor, Nicholas Fury, Spider Man, Dr Doom, Dr. Strange, etc) have been adapted to the 17th Century in Elizabethan times. Apparently, Neil Gaiman had always been a fan of Marvel (I mean, it is quite obvious isn't it?...He's talked extensively about his love of Thor) and editor Joe Quesada approached Gaiman to work on a project which eventually evolved into this brilliant comic. This is essentially a giant "what if?" story and I tend to be a sucker for those. (Perhaps this is why I like Star Wars Infinities?). The premise (without giving too much away) for this comic itself is quite brilliant: In the year 1602 in the Marvel Universe, for an unknown reason, superheroes have appeared about 400 years early. They were born and raised in this era and some hold important positions in high places (Doctor Strange for instance,is the master of the the Queen's medicines and Nick Fury is the intelligencer of the court for Queen Elizabeth). However, when the characters come to realize that something is wrong with the universe (Dr. Strange and Nick Fury in particular), the heroes must solve the mystery behind their own existence, while dealing with intrigue surrounding the courts of Elizabeth and James. Most of our favorite Marvel characters meet, battle, and (in typical Marvel fashion) form alliances and betray one another before the story is over. Gaiman, so adept at handling mythology in all its forms, knows that the super hero is a modern guise for character archetypes that have endured throughout human existence. As long as we have been telling stories, these archetypes have existed. By putting these Classic Marvel Characters in Renaissance England, Gaiman proves that these characters are elemental, even in different circumstances. Like usual, Gaiman is able to meld fictional fantasy and historical reality into a rich tapestry while examining religion, power, legends, and morality. Gaiman is great at showing just how vast but interrelated the Marvel universe truly is. Check this comic out!

1602 is an highly instigating comic story, because starting from an alternative universe, that of Marvel heroes, we move in time, into an alternate possible world, made of real human history events, now mixed with Marvel heroes universe characteristics. Is a very pure imaginative exercise, that takes us into a long journey through human history and how it could have been, with this alternate elements. The book works very well because the atmosphere is drawn with fine detail, and own a peculiar setting of visual elements. Throughout the book, the date is credible, because visual atmosphere never betrays it. Neil Gaiman has made a relevant work, in imagining this alternate possible world, and helped some us, to revive a fine interest in all these characters from our childhood.

I really liked the idea of this comic book, especially if it came out of Neil Gaiman's pen. The idea of superheroes going back in time, to 1602, and help history develop itself is fascinating, but for some reason the story didn't grab me. The art is wonderful and the writing is great, but the story as a unit didn't work for me. I might give it another shot though.