Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media. Marvel started in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the early 1950s had generally become known as Atlas Comics. Marvel counts among its characters such well-known properties as Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Captain America and Daredevil; antagonists such as the Green Goblin, Magneto, Doctor Doom, Galactus, and the Red Skull.