Marvel Age was the title of a promotional comic book-sized magazine from Marvel Comics published from 1983–1994. Basically a comic-length edition of the Bullpen Bulletins page, Marvel Age contained previews of upcoming Marvel comics, as well as interviews with comics professionals and other features, including occasional original comic strips. It is also notable for early work by Marvel writers such as Peter David and Kurt Busiek.

Marvel Age published 140 issues, four annuals, two previews, and two specials during its 11-year-long run. The magazine's US $0.25-0.35 cover price was much cheaper than regular Marvel comics of the era.

Regular features of Marvel Age included:

In 2003, the Marvel Age title was used as an imprint for titles directed towards an all ages audience. Initially, the idea was to re-use early plots, written by Stan Lee in the 1960s, in a modern day setting, with new writers and artists at the helm. The stories would be published in the standard comic book format and quickly collected and reprinted in manga-style digest size. Several titles from Marvel's failed Tsunami line, as well as several other Marvel series, were also collected in this format and released under the Marvel Age banner. In 2005 the Marvel Age imprint was canceled and rebooted as Marvel Adventures.

Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon ( /ˈwiːdən/; born June 23, 1964) is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures. He is best known as the creator and showrunner of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003), Angel (1999–2004), Firefly (2002) and Dollhouse (2009–2010), as well as the short film Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008). Whedon co-wrote and produced the horror film The Cabin in the Woods (2012), and wrote and directed the film adaptation of Marvel's The Avengers (2012).

He is also notable for his work in film, comic books, and online media. Many of Whedon's projects enjoy cult status.

Joss Whedon was born in New York City. He has been described as the world's first third-generation TV writer, as he is the son of Tom Whedon, a screenwriter for The Electric Company in the 1970s and The Golden Girls in the 1980s, and the grandson of John Whedon, a writer for The Donna Reed Show in the 1950s. His mother, Lee Stearns, taught history at Riverdale Country School as Lee Whedon, and was an unpublished novelist. Joss Whedon is the younger brother of Samuel and Matthew Whedon and older brother of writers Jed Whedon and Zack Whedon.

The Iron Monger is an identity used by several fictional supervillains published by Marvel Comics. The first and most notable person to take up the identity is Obadiah Stane. He first appeared in Iron Man #200 (November 1985), and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Luke McDonnell.

Actor Jeff Bridges portrayed Obadiah Stane in the 2008 Iron Man film.

Obadiah Stane, who would become the first Iron Monger, debuted in Iron Man #163 (October 1982). He dons the Iron Monger armor in issue #200 (November 1985), and commits suicide in the same issue.

As a child, Obadiah's father Zebediah Stane was a degenerate gambler and Obadiah's mother died of unknown reasons. One day, his father, who considered himself on a "lucky streak"; played a game of Russian roulette and shot himself in the head. This trauma caused Obadiah to lose all of his blond hair and go bald and shaped him for years to come. From there on, Obadiah Stane was a ruthless manipulator who studied his adversaries to find weaknesses to exploit. Stane enjoys chess, and lives his life with the same kind of methodical logic that he uses in the game. In addition, he is a strong believer in using psychological manipulation to his advantage. For instance, in a childhood chess match against another boy whose skill at least equaled his own, he killed the boy's dog so that the other would be distracted from the game.