The Marvel Cinematic Universe stands as one of the largest media empires in the world, and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. While film-only fans might think the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor are only a decade old, those with an awareness of comic book history know that MCU character ages are quite a bit older than the general public may realize. In fact, the publication date of characters in the Marvel movies often predates other major historical events. When was Spider-Man first published? When Kennedy was still in office. Some characters, like Hulk, Ant-Man, and even Groot, an original Guardian of the Galaxy, existed before man first walked on the moon, and they’ve been in continual publication ever since.
Fans may be surprised to find out just how old some of their favorite MCU characters are, even many hardcore comic followers. While some characters arrived late to the MCU, they may have been around much longer than some of the MCU's inaugural roster. Who could have guessed that Rocket Raccoon had been around longer than War Machine, one of the first individuals to appear in the MCU?
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