Marvel 1602

Marvel 1602 is an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2003 by Marvel Comics. The limited series was written by Neil Gaiman, who also wrote Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? Among others. This story doesn’t take place in the normal Marvel Universe, it’s an alternate universe. The reality the Marvel 1602 takes place in is classified as Earth-311.

All over Europe, strange weather is provoking panic. Many believe the unnatural occurrences are the beginning of the Apocalypse. Dr. Stephen Strange, the court magician of Queen Elizabeth I, senses that there are unnatural forces at work. He also comes to learn that the secret treasure of the Knights Templar is being moved from Jerusalem to England; Elizabeth tells her head of intelligence, Sir Nicholas Fury, to bring the weapon to England safely. Fury in turn contracts Matthew Murdoch to rendezvous with the Templar guard and secure the weapon. On the road, Fury and his assistant, Peter Parquagh, are attacked by an assassin, whom Fury disables and locks in the Tower of London. Meanwhile, the ship "Virginia Maid" arrives in England from the New World, carrying the young Virginia Dare, the first child born in Roanoke colony, as well as her hulking Native American bodyguard Rojhaz. When a flying assassin tries to snatch Dare, Rojhaz quickly disables the killer, but Virginia has transformed into a white gryphon. Rojhaz subdues Virginia, and Strange bespells her to human form before Fury sees her transformed. She has strange shapeshifting powers, and Strange suspects she is the cause of the disastrous weather. Fury interrogates one of the assassins to learn who sent him; Fury learns that Otto von Doom, ruler of Latveria, is behind the attempted killings, but is too late to stop one of Doom's machines from killing Elizabeth.
But this is only the beginning, this book is extremely slow paced and almost unbearable to read. I will say that it is fun to see popular Marvel characters in this setting. Read it, and try to enjoy it.