Many of the mazes in Marvel Mazes are based on specific comics. This breakdown of my Table of Contents acknowledges some of the inspirations as well as the writers and artists. I highly recommend all the comics on this list.
•Shuri Lab.
Shuri 1-10, 2018. Nnedi Okorafor, Leonardo Romero
Okorafor is an amazing writer and these books are really fun.
The novella Binti is a great introduction to her other work. My personal favorite is Remote Control.
•Avengers - SHIELD Helicarrier
•Hawkeye - Brooklyn.
Hawkeye 1-22, 2012. Matt Fraction, David Aja
The Fraction/Aja books are exceptional and heavily reflected in the MCU series. Aja’s artwork is truly special. This was my introduction to Kate Bishop.💜
•Avengers - Skrull Flagship.
Avengers 96, 1972. Roy Thomas, Neal Adams
The Kree-Skrull War story line ran issues 89-97. Classic Avengers happening here.
•Iron Man - Cave Origins
•Ego Planet - I love drawing planet-mazes and the Ego character is bonkers. My maze premise? What if… after years of mining and research on an anesthetized Ego, he begins to wake?
•Thor and Frost Giants - Jotunheim
•Captain America - Eastern Front 1942.
Captain America 5, 2005. Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark
I definitely wanted to do WWII era Captain America. This flashback from the “Out of Time” story arc is perfect in every way.
•Dr. Doom - Castle Doom
•Spider-Man, Sinister Six.
Spider-man Anual 1, 1964. Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
My inner 6-year-old was, “I get to draw Sandman - yeesssss”
•Doctor Strange - Sanctum Sanctorum.
Doctor Strange 1-12, 2015. Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo
This run of Dr. Strange is top notch. Bachalo’s art is insanely good. Zelma the librarian is introduced.
•Eternals - Dreaming Celestial.
Eternals 1-7, 2006. Neil Gaiman, John Romita Jr
Exactly what you’d expect from Neil Gaiman: mythical, relatable, brilliant.
•XMen - Dr Xaviers school.
circa X-men 171, 1983. Chris Claremont, Walt Simonson
This is my era of X-men. Rogue is possibly one of my favorite characters.
•Daredevil - San Francisco.
Daredevil 1-9, 2014. Mark Waid. Chris Samnee
My editors felt most Daredevil would be too dark and stabby for our younger audience. The Waid/Samnee run, however, is much lighter and super-fun. Also, San Francisco!
•Shang-Chi - House of the Deadly Dagger.
Shang-Chi 1-5, 2020. Gene Yang, Philip Tan, Dike Ruan
Great refresh of the Shang-Chi character in this 5 issue run. And there are Chinese zombies, jiangshi, which are totally a thing.
•Iron Man - The Godkiller.
Iron Man 15, 2012. Kieron Gillen, Carlo Pagulayan, Greg Land
I was looking for an “all-the-suits” story. Tony Stark kidnapped by and insane android aboard a planet-destroying robot spaceship racing towards Earth? Yeah, that’s cool.
•Marvel Zombies.
Marvel Zombies 1-5, 2005. Robert Kirkman, Sean Phillips
Like every great zombie story, the series is exciting, gross, funny and poignant. Really quite good.
•Gaurdians of the Galaxy - Knowhere.
Gaudians of the Galaxy 1-6, 2008. Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning
I love Guardians, but I really just wanted to make a Knowhere maze.
•Black Widow - Romania
”The Name of the Rose” storyline is excellent, but I couldn’t pull a maze from it. So I imagined Black Widow in a tourist-filled medieval Eastern European town, hunting down Hydra agents and warheads, which seemed like the right vibe. Based on Sighisoara, Romania
•Black Panther - Wakanda.
Black Panther 1-13, 2016. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Brian Stelfreeze
Exciting, philosophical and inspiring. Perfect.
•Ms Marvel - Jersey City.
Ms. Marvel 1-11, 2014. G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona
Kamala Khan is a fantastic hero with a great origin story. Smart and funny. Alphona’s artwork is lovely and whimsical. Great to see some of his work in the end credits of the TV show.
•Fantastic Four - Galactus.
Fantastic Four 48-50, 1966. Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
The introduction of Galactus is also a top-tier Fantastic Four story. His world-consuming machine became a base for a multi-surface cylindrical puzzle. If there is a second book, I will certainly do Galactus’s spaceship.
•Hulk - Sakaar.
Hulk 92-104, 2006. Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan
Prisoner> gladiator> rebel leader> king. Planet Hulk is a traditional story arc of protagonist Hulk on an extremely hostile world. Amazing stuff.
•Fantastic Four - Baxter Tower.
Fantastic Four 249, 1982. John Byrne
This issue has a superb cross-section floor plan of the Byrne era Baxter Tower.
•XMen - Days of Future Past.
Uncanny X-men 141,142, 1981. Chris Claremont, John Byrne
Two issues central to everything X-men. Smashed up NYC and Sentinels.
•Ant-Man - Inside Vision.
Avengers 93, 1971. Roy Thomas, Neal Adams
A one-issue subplot that inspired the Ant-Man maze
•Captain Marvel - Maniaciano Outpost.
Captain Marvel, 1-8, 2014. Kelly Sue Deconnick, David Lopez, Marcio Takara
This Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers series shows how to write an invincible, super-powered hero. Most problems can’t be solved with punching, and are especially challenging when punching is what you are best at. Includes great side characters, Rocket Raccoon, the flerken and plenty of space-hopping. The outpost world central to the story has a real Star Wars feel, which I love to draw.
•Thor - Asgard
See my previous post all about Asgard
•Spider-Man - Spider Verse.
Amazing Spider-man 9-14, 2014. Dan Slott, Olivier Coipel
My previous Spider-Verse knowledge was limited to the absolutely perfect Miles Morales movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Reading the actual series, along with most of the tie-ins, was a blast. Spider Noir, Spider Gwen, Spider-Ham. I had no idea all of this was canon. I am now enlightened and a better person for it.
This also became the template to make a portal maze. I hope you like it! I plan on making more.