1602 is a Marvel comic by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert. The concept behind it is that it is the year 1602 in the Marvel Universe and the superheroes have appeared four hundred years early. The main characters must solve the mystery behind their own existence, while dealing with intrigue at the courts of Elizabeth and James.

Characters

Sir Nicholas Fury, the Queen's Intelligencer. The 1602 world's version of Nick Fury, in the position of Sir Francis Walsingham.

Doctor Stephen Strange, the Queen's Physician. Also an alchemist and magician. This world's version of Doctor Strange, in the position of Doctor John Dee.

Elizabeth I of England, essentially unchanged from the real-world version. She is assassinated by Count Otto von Doom, a year before she should have died.

Peter Parquagh, Sir Nicholas' apprentice. This world's Spider-Man, although without the powers. A running gag involves Peter repeatedly almost getting bitten by unusual spiders; something that finally occurs at the very end.

Matthew Murdoch, a blind Irish minstrel and freelance agent, who occasionally works for Sir Nicholas. Matthew acquired heightened senses from a mysterious substance he encountered as a child, and is this world's Daredevil.

Virginia Dare, the daughter of Annaias Dare, and the first child born in the Americas. In this world, the Roanoke Colony did not disapear in the 1580s. Inspired by a legend that Virginia was killed in the shape of a white deer, Gaiman gives his version shapeshifting powers.

Rojhaz, Virginia's blond Native American bodyguard, who is actually Steve Rogers, Captain America. Assumed dead in a dystopian future, and sent back in time, Rogers, and the hole his passage left in time, served as the trigger for the warping of history to introduce the other Marvels. He also changed history more directly, by helping the Roanoke Colony through the winter.

The Grand Inquisitor, real name Enrique. As the leader of the Spanish Inquisition, he is responsible for the destruction of the witchbreed, those born with abnormal powers (i.e. mutants). He is secretly a witchbreed himself, and uses his activities as a cover for forming a Brotherhood which will inherit the Earth. He is this world's Magneto.

Wanda and Petros, the Inquisitor's assistants. They are also his children, a fact he has kept from them. They are this world's Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

Carlos Javier, a Spaniard living in England, where he runs a College for the Sons of Gentlefolk. He is also a witchbreed, but unlike the Inquisitor believes in a future of peace between witchbreed and normal humans (the mondani). He is this world's Professor X.

Javier's students, this world's version of the original X-Men. They are Robert Trefuis (Iceman), a nephew of Sir Francis Drake; Scotius Summerisle (Cyclops) and Hal McCoy (the Beast) who escaped from James' Scotland; "John" Grey (Jean Grey), the traditional Shakespearean girl disguised as a boy; and Werner (the Angel), who was rescued from the Inquisition in issue 1.

The Crew of the Fantastick, a famous group of heroes, who feature in Murdoch's favourite ballad (which Gaiman has written a full version of, although only snippets appear in the comic). They consist of Captain Benjamin Grimm (Thing), Sir Richard Reed (Mister Fantastic), Susan Storm Invisible Woman, and John Storm Human Torch, all of whom were transformed when the Fantastick encountered a wave of energy from the Anomaly (the hole in time created by Captain America). They are this world's Fantastic Four.

Count Otto von Doom, the ruler of Latveria, known as Otto the Handsome. A long time enemy of Sir Richard, he is responsible for the Fantastick's disappearance by the story's start. He is this world's version of Doctor Doom.

Natasha, a freelance spy and "the most dangerous woman in Europe". She was partnered with Murdoch by Sir Nicholas, but betrayed him and Donal to Count Otto. She is this world's Black Widow.

Donal, a Knight Templar, who was entrusted with bringing the "Templar Treasure" to Sir Nicholas. This proved to be the hammer Mjolnir, disguised as a simple walking stick. Donal, although believing it was blasphemy, was forced to use the hammer to be transformed to the pagan god Thor. He is this world's version of Donald Blake, aka The Mighty Thor. (In a clever conceit, while the Marvel Universe Thor has Shakespearean speech patterns, the 1602 version speaks in Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse. The calligraphy-style lettering in his speech bubbles is replaced by lettering designed to look like runes.)

The Vultures are Count Otto's flying warriors, based on the Spider-Man villain the Vulture.

James VI of Scotland and I of England, also largely unchanged. His firm belief in the divine right of kings and strong views on witchcraft (including the witchbreed) mean he is cast as something of a villain.

David Banner, an advisor to James VI and I, who replaces Sir Nicholas when James takes the English throne. Towards the end of the story he is caught in the energies of the Anomaly and becomes a brutish monster. He is this world's Incredible Hulk

Uatu, the Watcher who knows this shouldn't be happening, and is tempted to break the rules of the Watchers and interfere (possibly for the first time).

(more to come)