In the early 2000s, Marvel comics underwent several major changes. Eager to attract a new readership and update its heroes, the New York publisher decided to completely review its universe and characters. The idea is to "update" some of its most famous heroes. Most were born in the 60s, remember. It is with this in mind that several parallel universes were born and it is in this context that the comic 1602, which we decided to talk to you about today, is inscribed.
Drawing the old continent
Transcribing an era
The story of 1602 takes place, as its name suggests, in the 17th century. A century of major political and artistic reforms, the 17th century was a time of discovery, creation, but also conflict. The perfect backdrop for a superhero story! 
The construction of this universe was entrusted to Neil Gaiman, the author of the Sandman comic, one of the few comics to be included in the New York Times bestseller list. A new writer at Marvel Comics, Gaiman didn't really know what his story would be about, but anxious to drive away the World Trade Center bombings, he began to think about a story different from the usual standards appreciated by the public. 
The author's gloomy style blends beautifully with this period of history, dark and rich in political and religious conflicts. In addition, Gaiman's interest in mythology and founding myths predestined him to write a story that addressed the origins of the American people while reworking the characters and legends of the Marvel Universe. 
Returning to the beginnings of colonization, the screenwriter mixes fiction and reality. Indeed, it reinterprets the Marvel universe of the 60s to make it more coherent with the historical context it addresses. Thus, our superheroes rub shoulders with historical figures such as Elizabeth 1st, Queen ofEngland, or James of Scots who succeeded her in 1603. 
Old Europe
If 1602 is not a historical comic, it takes place in a very real historical context that serves as a framework for a fictional narrative. Queen Elizabeth 1st (1533-1603), last sovereign of the House of Tudor, has in her service Nicholas Fury(Nick Fury), who plays the role of informant for the crown. 
Another essential character of the Marvel universe, Doctor Strange finds himself in the role of doctor and royal advisor. Present from the beginning of the story, the master of the mystical arts is there to take care of the queen who was affected, towards the end of her reign, by smallpox. 
With 1602, Marvel authors place their heroes in a documented historical reality, which is gradually modified by the presence of superheroes such as Captain America, Hulk or Spider-Man. It is a new History, an alternative History, which is being written before our eyes! The17th century is also an artistic production that becomes more nuanced and darker. If during the Renaissance, the canvases are luminous in order to best signify the divine presence, the 17thcentury focuses more on genre scenes and the effects of shadow and light, as in Dutch painting and those of painters like Georges de La Tour. 
By appropriating these artistic references, the designers have created a dark universe marked by strong luminous contrasts. Also, the heroes imagined by Stan Lee and the other authors of "The House of Ideas" evolve in pages where darkness and shadows occupy an important place, as if to symbolize the tensions of the emerging century. 
This artistic inspiration also appears through the covers that open each part of 1602. They echo the engravings and portraits of Dutch groups, where the characters are all aligned on the same plane. The most emblematic cover of this "neo-Flemish" style is the one on the cover of this article. Besides, will you be able to recognize the heroes of Marvel? 
In short, the dark style of the cartoonists echoes the vision that the Americans had of the old continent; a languishing and backward Europe, turned to the past.
America, the promise of a new world
Roanoke, the lost colony
It was the Spanish navigator Juan Ponce de Léon who first landed on the soil of the future United States in 1513. But it was the English navigator, Walter Raleigh, who imposed the English presence in America. Raleigh landed in 1584 on what would become, in 1607, the colony of Virginia. 1602 takes place in the context of this colonization, the narrative focusing on the colony of Roanoke Historically, Roanoke 
is the first English colony founded within what would later become the United States of America. Created around 1580, on a small island in the east of the continent, it knew only a brief life. Attacked and looted, none of the 115 settlers were found. The only clue to their disappearance was the word "Croatoan" engraved on a wooden pole. Even today, the tragic history of this colony remains a mystery. However, in the version proposed by 1602, Roanoke is not attacked. Indeed, it is even experiencing a flourishing development that is explained by the presence of an iconic character from the Marvel universe, Captain America. 
The presence of a character as iconic as Captain America is not insignificant. Universal symbol of a glorious and triumphant America, it defends indigenous peoples. Also, he uses his strength to fight European values that will lead to the ruin of the country (war of independence, war of secession, etc …). Captain America alone embodies the American people aspiring to find peace.
Two worlds in opposition
Throughout the story that makes up 1602, two worlds clash. On the one hand, the Europe of the past, and on the other, the America of the future. While Europe looks dark and aging, America appears bright and free from corruption. 
In addition, cartoonists show us America as a kind of original paradise whose forests are home to extinct creatures such as dinosaurs! The America of 1602 is therefore an idealized version of that of the 17thcentury. Nevertheless, it remains associated with certain values. Thus, Captain America, Spider-Man and the X-men symbolize loyalty, courage, altruism and patriotism. 
Through this idealization and this fantastic world, Neil Gaiman wants to chase away the horror of September 11 that took place a few years before the publication of this comic. In this, 1602 is a comic of great depth, a return to the roots that reminds Americans of their values and origins. 1602 is an original story, another look at heroes you think you know. Here, the story takes another path, more tortuous and more surprising, giving a new flavor to this universe that we love so much. In this article, we have deliberately avoided revealing too much of the plot so that you can savor every moment. Available in Panini comics' MARVEL ABSOLUTE collection, 1602 is a universe worth a look!
