Marvel will release Marvel Comics #1000 in August to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the publication of the first Marvel characters in Marvel Comics #1, published on August 31, 1939, according to the New York Times.  It will feature a cover by Alex Ross.

The 80-page story will feature one page corresponding to each year of Marvel's history, each drawn by a different creative team (ads for the teams began appearing in this week’s comics), with the project overseen by Al Ewing.  Teams will include not only comic creators past and present, but also celebrity fans from other fields that had some Marvel connection, such as Phil Lord and Chistopher Miller, the producing/directing team behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; and Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas.

The original Marvel Comics #1 introduced Namor, the Sub-Mariner, Human Torch, and the Angel (some of whom vary significantly from today’s characters).  The first panel of Marvel Comics #1000 will be taken from that first Marvel comic from 1939.

The numbering of the special issue as #1000 "was a symbolic thing," Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort told the Times.  Marvel undoubtedly noted the success of DC’s Action Comics #1000 last year, and Detective Comics #1000 this March (see "DC Has Top Share in Big March in Comic Stores").

Click Gallery below for full-size cover(s)!