Royal Mail has unveiled a special set of superhero stamps to mark the UK’s celebration of Marvel comics.
The set features some of the most popular superheroes from the comic books, with 10 picturing the characters Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Peggy Carter, Black Panther, Captain Britain and Union Jack.
A further five stamps are part of an exclusive short comic strip story contained in a miniature sheet.
The release coincides with Marvel’s 80th anniversary this year.
The stamps were designed by comic book artist Alan Davis, who has worked with Marvel since the early 1980s and has illustrated Captain Britain, the first Marvel superhero created for the UK.
Davis also illustrated the special five stamp story, which is entitled Avengers UK and sees Captain Britain rallying superheroes to face the arch villain Thanos.
He said: “I really can’t take all the credit for producing these stamps. The speed of production required in US comics makes it necessary to separate the creative disciplines into four individual jobs. Writer, penciller, inker and colourist. My primary focus is writing and pencilling.
“My long-time collaborator Mark Farmer supplied the blackline inks for the stamps and Laura Martin added the colour.”
Philip Parker, from Royal Mail, said: “Generations have grown up, spellbound by the adventures and the personalities of these superheroes.
“Our epic new stamps celebrate each in characteristic pose, emerging from the stamp frame.”
The stamps and a range of collectable products are available now to pre-order from www.royalmail.com/marvel and go on general sale from March 14 by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices throughout the UK.