Interesting Trivia Question...to which I don't know the answer.

[fiendish]

Winner gets me coming over to their house to wax their No-Prize.

 

One of the key features of the Marvel Universe is that it's set on "real" Earth. The heroes don't hang out in Metropolis or Gotham City, they're New Yorkers. Some even live in specific neighborhoods (Dr. Strange lives in Greenwich Village, for example).

 

In what Silver Age Marvel book was this concept introduced? In other words, what issue (FF #1 or later) makes the first reference to New York City, thereby establishing the "reality" of the Marvel Universe?

[aardvark88]

BUT in Detect 31 (1939), Batman was living in NYC, not Gotham. Is this a conundrum wrapped inside an enigma like the last Forum Quiz?

[fiendish]

Good point, but because BM quickly established Gotham City as his home base, and Superman Metropolis (by way of Smallville), and the Flash (was it) Central City, and GL Harbor City (if I'm remembering right), the GA DC universe existed in some weird, sanitized subreality.

 

The fact that SA Marvel stories were pegged in recognizable reality, which helped enhance the (for the time) gritty nature of the stories. Iron Man's first story was set in Vietnam, even. Granted, it was the John Wayne "Green Berets" version of Vietnam, but had he been a DC character at the same time, the first panel caption would have read "Somewhere in Asia, behind the Iron Curtain..."

[shadroch]

Didn't Spidey attend Mid-Town High? Not exactly real world sort of thing there. If he had attended Forest Hills High,like he should have-his classmates would have

included Simon and Garfunkel,and two of the original Ramones!

Still looking for ESU

[Darthdiesel]

He was probably zoned to Newtown HS...

[awe4one]

I'd imagine FF #3 when they established the Baxter Building in New York. But I'm only guessing.....

 

Jim

[Dave_Hennen]

That was my guess but you beat me to it !

 

Dave H

[Dr_Neff]

Stan Lee answers this question in Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters and Marvels with Kevin Smith. Now gimme some eyeglasses Joan!