When Wolverine Roared in Español — Mundi-Comics’ La Masa #4
If you were a Marvel fan in Spain in 1974, you didn’t read The Incredible Hulk — you read La Masa. Published by Mundi-Comics in Barcelona, La Masa #4 brought Spanish readers one of the most important stories in comic-book history: the first full appearance of Wolverine.
📰 Publication Details
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Publisher: Mundi-Comics (Barcelona, Spain)
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Series Title: La Masa
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Issue Number: 4
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Year of Release: 1974
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Format: Full magazine size (approx. 8.5 × 11 in / 21.5 × 28 cm), black-and-white interiors
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Language: Spanish (Castilian)
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Original Story: The Incredible Hulk #181 (U.S., Nov 1974)
🎨 What Makes It Special
The Mundi-Comics era marked a turning point for Marvel in Spain — larger-format issues, sharper printing, and a steady push toward modern distribution. La Masa #4 followed that model: full-size, black-and-white, with Wolverine and the Hulk’s brutal showdown reproduced almost panel-for-panel from the U.S. original.
The translation captured Wolverine’s rough, sardonic tone without softening it for local audiences. Herb Trimpe’s cover art was re-scaled to fit the magazine layout, losing none of its energy — Hulk’s roar and Wolverine’s first leap toward legend preserved perfectly in monochrome.
Collectors value this issue not just for its rarity but because it represents Wolverine’s first appearance outside North America, a milestone in the globalization of Marvel’s heroes.
💬 Collector Notes
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Print runs were small; surviving copies often show tanning and edge wear typical of Spanish stock paper.
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High-grade copies (VF or better) are scarce and command strong prices on the international market.
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Occasional blue editorial stamps or regional distributor marks appear on the inside front cover.
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Later Mundi-Comics issues transitioned to color, but #4 remains entirely black and white, making it visually distinct among foreign Hulk #181 editions.
🌍 Legacy
For Spanish readers, La Masa #4 was the moment Wolverine entered their world — a fierce new anti-hero unleashed in ink and grit. It proved that Marvel’s myths could travel across languages and still hit with the same impact.
Nearly half a century later, this magazine-sized edition stands as a cornerstone of international comic collecting — a Spanish echo of an American legend.
Next in this series: We head across the Atlantic to America, where Marvel Comics The Immortal Hulk #1I the 16 Bit Variant by Matthew Waite.
Stay nerdy,
Randell
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