Marvel Illustrated Swimsuit
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From 1991 through 1995, Marvel Comics published an annual magazine-sized Marvel Swimsuit issue featuring pin-ups and tongue-in-cheek articles. The first was titled Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, but subsequent issues were called Marvel Swimsuit Specials, probably to avoid litigation.
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[edit] Cover girls and pinups
She-Hulk was the cover girl for the premier issue, which boasted such feature articles as "The Boys (and Girls) of Summer" and "The Super Olympics Down Under." Articles in other issues include "Take a Wakanda Wild Side," "Big Fun on Monster Island," and "Come to the Moon and Explore Heavenly Bodies."
Rogue was a cover girl for the 1993 and 1994 issues, sharing the second one (the "Mad for Madripoor!" issue) with Gambit. Rogue's Swimsuit Pinup Page features pictures of scantily clad X-Men characters, some of which are taken from the Swimsuit Special issues. Mary Jane Watson-Parker (Spider-Man's wife), the Wasp, and the Enchantress were also featured as pinups. The swimsuit issues also presented male pinups of such characters as Thor, the Hulk, the Punisher, and Tony Stark (Iron Man).
[edit] Artists
The Brothers Hildebrandt drew the preliminary sketch for the 1995 Marvel Swimsuit Special in which Rogue and Gambit appear. Tom Smith painted the watercolor illustrations of the Hulk and Tony Stark.
[edit] Inspiration and imitators
Amazing Heroes began producing swimsuit issues in 1990 which sold well in the direct market comic book stores, which along with Sports Illustrated inspired Marvel Comics. Although the Marvel Swimsuit magazine was discontinued after five years, it spawned many imitators such as Lady Death: Swimsuit from Chaos Comics, and Homage Swimsuit Special from Image Comics. Most of these were standard comic book size publications.
