How Stockton, California Joined The Marvel Universe
What do you get when you mix a local radio personality, a legendary comic book publisher, and a popular comic book superhero team? You get an epic moment that will live forever in comic book history.
Want to sign the petition to bring the Marvel Studios production of the Fantastic Four film to Stockton?! Click here!
Prologue: Leaving Central City
"The one great truth about the Fantastic Four -- is that we take care of our own!"
Unlike their counterparts over at DC, the costumed protagonists of Marvel Comics tend to reside in cities that actually exist; many of them residing in the boroughs of New York City. Captain Steve Rogers is from Brooklyn. Peter Parker is from Queens. Matt Murdock, Luke Cage, & Jessica Jones are in and around Hell’s Kitchen. And Tony Stark bounced between The Big Apple and the coastline of Southern California. However, the Fantastic Four—made up of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch) & Ben Grimm (The Thing)—resided in the fictional “Central City, CA.”
Some comic book fans wondered why this supergroup was given a fictional spot instead of an actual city. At the same time, comic book shops were looking for opportunities to get an icon in their industry to visit them for the benefit of their customers. These two comic-focused mindsets resided within two Stocktonians; two individuals who would go on to leave an impact on our resilient city. Those two men are Al Greco & Joe Field—two faithful citizens who would go on to become loyal superheroes of Stockton.
Spirit of '86
It's late '85. The following year would mark the 25th anniversary of Marvel Comics. At the time, Marvel Comics Publisher & comic book forefather Stan Lee would visit small town comic shops to meet his fanbase and sign autographs. Within the walls of Greco's own comic shop Al's Comics, the idea of getting Stan Lee to Stockton was born. A petition was conjured up to get over 300 true blue Marvel and Stan Lee fans (which Marvel would verify) to sign. Once signed, Greco would send it off to Lee. Meanwhile, Field—who was working promotions for KJOY-AM Radio—pushed the idea of getting Marvel to name Stockton the home of the Fantastic Four, giving them a headquarters right here in the Central Valley.
Through the radio, Field’s petition got local media attention, which led to the Stockton City Council joining in and pushing forward a resolution that Stockton should be known as the home of the Fantastic Four. Then, the news went national when the Los Angeles Times wrote a story about the proposal, followed by a KCRA News 3 report from Rich Ibarra. Eventually, both the petition signatures and the city resolution news made their way to Stan Lee—and Lee was fully onboard.
With Lee’s backing, there was no way the Marvel crew in New York could say no. On February 26, 1986, Stan “The Man” Lee came to Stockton, stood on the steps of City Hall for a special ceremony, and made it official. The Fantastic Four comic issue #296 would be the first issue to reference Stockton as the foursome’s home. Stockton would go on to be featured in future Fantastic Four stories Marvels: Eye of the Camera Vol.11 (Dec. 2008) and The Fantastic Four Season 1 Vol. 11 (October 2011).
Homecoming
For Stan Lee, it was a fun-filled visit. He spent time amongst his fanbase and brought an energy to the city. For Al Greco, it was a fulfilling venture that brought joy and excitement to the loyal customers of Al's Comics as Lee signed autographs and posed for pictures. Al's Comics would go on to become a staple in Stockton, providing an outlet for local comic and pop culture fans for decades to come. For Joe Field, it would lead to a heavily comic-influenced future. He would go on to create WonderCon (which at the time was Northern California’s largest comic book convention) and become the mastermind of National Free Comic Book Day. From there, he opened his own comic shop—Flying Colors Comics in Concord, which has been in operation for over 30 years. All this was born from two goals from two of Stockton's own. Two goals that placed our beloved “Brick City” Stockton within the Marvel Universe.
Side note: In 1960, Stan Lee was ready to give up writing comics, suffering failure after failure. His wife Joan told him to write just one more—one he would really like and give it his all as a final goodbye. That comic… was the Fantastic Four. The rest is history.
Epilogue: A Home for Comic Creators & Comic Lovers
Stockton has been a home for highly talented storytellers, and that includes in the comic realm. Dan Slott, known for his Spider-Man and She-Hulk works, was born and raised here. Additionally, local artist Ramon Villalobos has done numerous works for DC & Marvel and was the co-creator of the comic series Border Town.
Follow Dan Slott and Ramon Villalobos on their respective social media!
If you're looking for more comic-related material in the home of the Fantastic Four, make your way over to the Stockton staple Al's Comic Shop over on the Miracle Mile. There are also JNA Collectibles and Grapevine Comics & Cards in our fair city—perfect for you to dive even further into the multiverse.
Plus, keep an eye out for all news regarding StocktonCon, an event occurring multiple times throughout the year featuring a GINORMOUS abundance of comics, cosplay, wrestling, and all things pop culture in our city.
Looking for more suggestions? You can message us 7 days a week for assistance on shopping, dining, and things to do in Stockton.
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