marvel-resurrection of a pop-culture icon

7/23/2019 Marvel-resurrection of a Pop-culture Icon

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/marvel-resurrection-of-a-pop-culture-icon 1/10

!"#$%&' )%*+##%,-./0 /1 " 2/23,+&-+#% .,/0

% & ' ( ) * + , ( ' " & % - . / 0 - 1

2 3 * 2 4 * 5 2 3 4



$

!"#$% '( )'*!%*!

+*!,'-.)!+'* /

0",1%$2 !3% ',+4+*5 /

0",1%$65 4'$-%* "4% 7

0",1%$65 -%)$+*% 8

'* !3% 1%,4% '( #"*9,.:!); 8

(,'0 "53%5 !' 5.:%, 3%,' '( !3% %*!%,!"+*0%*! <

)'*)$.5+'* =>

,%(%,%*)%5 =>



%

0&6(,'7869,&

Probably one the first things that comes to mind when talking about super-heroes is the American media group, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. Recently

bought by the Walt Disney company, Marvel entertainment has created overthe years more than 5000 super-heroes and super-villains that are woven intothe very fabric of today’s worldwide popular culture. From its very inception inthe 1930s, the Marvel machine succeeded in maintaining a dominant positionin the comics market in the USA, and is responsible for some of the biggestmovie success in the recent years regarding revenues from theatricalexploitation. Nonetheless the company’s history hasn’t always been so brightand Marvel provides a very good example of a successful strategy shiftoperated around the production of “blockbuster” movies and the successfulintegration with the Walt Disney Company. In the next pages we will comeback on the rich history of the firm, exploring the massive universe developedby the creators of the firm, and see how it managed to become one of themost profitable franchise of the decade even though the company nearlycollapsed in in the 90s.

:"(;<#= .>< ,(9?9&@

The history of the most famous comic book publisher in the world starts in1939 with the creation of the publishing house Timely Comics, founded byMartin Goodman. The first publication of Timely comics dates back to October

1939 and was named “Marvel comics”. Back then the magazine waspublishing the adventures of the “Human Torch”, “Namor the Sub-Mariner”,and later on, those of “Captain America” (1940). During this period of war, theadventures of captain America were a big success in the US. The fathers ofthe character, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, initially created Captain America asa propaganda tool against the Nazis. The character was conceived as theembodiment of the American patriotism, the protector of a free worldendangered by the tyranny of evil forces. However, the success of the seriesstarted declining at the end of WWII in favor of more conventional stories.

The decline in sales caused by this market change eventually caused TimelyComics to cease its activity in 1951. The different comics characters createdby the Goodman brothers kept on living through the publications of the AtlasNews Company, another publishing house created by Martin Goodman. Yet,this decline in sales coupled with the fear of the pending creation of theComics Code Authority (CCA), which would have meant increased regulationconcerning comics’ content, especially for violent content, pushed thepublisher to diversify its publications towards more mundane subjects likeWesterns, humoristic short stories, and horror stories.



&

:"(;<#A@ ?,#'<& "?<

We’ll have to wait for the 60s to see Atlas coming back from limbo. At thattime, one of the main players on the comics market, DC comics, waspublishing a series called “Justice league” which was fairly successful. Inreaction to this, Martin Goodman asked a young employee, Stanley Lieber(alias Stan lee), to create a new series featuring a group of super-heroes.

In collaboration with Jack Kirby, they gave birth to the “Fantastic Four”, a hugehit, first published in august 1961. This famous duo of authors became part ofthe most influential figures of the comic book industry and are to be thankedfor the creation of many comics characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, TheIncredible Hulk, Daredevil, the X-Men, and the Mighty Thor.

!"#$% '""( %")*+, -+"# .$#*/0 !"#$%,



'

Unlike their direct competitors, Lee and Kirby focused on creating flawedheroes, imperfect characters subject to moral dilemmas, heroes to which thereaders could easily identify. That characteristic of Marvel’s heroes is certainlyone of the main factors that allowed the publisher to distinguish itself andbecome so successful. In a matter of a decade, the creation of this super-herocatalogue made its mark on history and pop-culture. As a matter of fact, the60s are referred as Marvel’s golden age and as the silver age of comics ingeneral.

At that time, Marvel started ignoring the CCA, created in 1954. The code ofthe CCA was meant to protect comics readers and banned graphic depictionsof violence and gore in crime and horror comics, as well as sexual innuendos.Already largely unenforced, Marvel pushed the transgression even further andwas one of the first comics publishers to implement more mature themes suchas drugs (Amazing Spider-man #96-98) in its stories. The immediate successof such stories spelled the end for the CCA.

The house of ideas (Marvel’s common nickname) was also the first comicspublisher to include minorities in its stories. The publisher supported theAfrican-American civil rights movement and since 1964, regular appearancesof persons of color could be witnessed in the stories, without them beingcaricatured. As soon as 1966, Marvel created its first black super heroes withBlack Panther and Luke Cage.

During this golden age, ownership of the publishing house changed hands. In1968, Martin Goodman sells his press group, Magazine Management, towhich he had transferred his comics’ copyrights, to the Perfect Film andChemical Corporation. In 1973, the Perfect Film and Chemical Corporationchanges its name to Cadence Industries and renames its press division to

Marvel Comics Group.

1$+,2 34'/$%52$"6, "- 27* 15625,2$% 1"4+ 568 9:;*6



(

:"(;<#A@ '<8#9&<

The 70’s marked a new era for the comic book. The audience was growingand expected to see their favorite super-heroes grow with them. In the real

world, the Watergate scandal, the failure of the Vietnam War, and the peakingcrime rates in the US 1 shaped the comics landscape. Stories became closerto real life than fiction. Marvel tried to follow this trend and scripted majorevents in the Marvel universe. The brutal killing of Spiderman’s girlfriend(Amazing Spider-Man #121-122) by the hands of the Green Goblin, thecreation of cold blooded anti-heroes likes the Punisher, and the Wolverine,are examples of Marvel’s attempts to close the gap between their content andthe expectations of the readers. Progressively the stories offered by comics’became darker but Marvel didn’t succeed in establishing a strong storylinearound this trend and sales started declining to reach a low in 1972.

/& 6>< ;<(?< ,B C"&D(7E68F

)* +,#(- ./01*21 3*04567315 8915 :/*;74<6 /*0 35 =97210 69 >3?430/61 365 03==171*6/55165@ )65 <7155 03A3539* BC/7A1> .9D325E 35 59>0 69 F1G H97>0 I*6176/3*D1*66J1 5/D1 K1/7@ L16795<1263A1>K- 6J35 /2?4353639* G/5 / :/0 D9A1 =97 F1G H97>0I*6176/3*D1*6 /5 6J711 K1/75 >/617 6J1 5/D1 521*/739 71<1/65 3651>= /*0 6J1 *1G9G*17 9= C/7A1> .9D325 35 =97210 69 51>> 6J1 <4:>35J17 041 69 =3*/*23/> 6794:>1@MJ45- 3* +,#,- C/7A1> .9D325 /*0 />> 365 54:5303/7315 /71 59>0 69 C2N*071G OP97:15 )*297<97/610@ MJ35 J9>03*8 29D</*K 9G*10 6J1 :3>>39*/371 3*A15697L9*/>0 Q171>D/* :4K5 6J1 29D325 <4:>35J17 =97 #$@' D3>>39* 09>>/75@ Q171>D/* 35/ 5422155=4> =3*/*2317 :46 J35 A31G 9* 6J1 =46471 9= 6J1 29D</*K 53D<>K 29*5356103* /2?4373*8 36 69 9G* 6J1 C/7A1> 29<K738J65 /*0 <79=36 =79D 631R3* D172J/*0351@)* +,,+ 6J1 J9>03*8 29D</*K <7921105 69 C/7A1>S5 )QT /*0 4515 6J1 D9*1K7/3510 =79D 6J1 9<17/639* 69 03A1753=K@ MJ1 J9>03*8 1*05 4< :4K3*8 *4D1794529D</*315 6J/6 36 G3>> 29*59>30/61 /794*0 C/7A1> 69 1U<>936 6J1 :7/*0@ MJ1 696/>2956 9= 6J151 /2?4353639*5 4>63D/61>K <45J10 C/7A1>V5 01:6 69 879G 9A17 WX""

+ J66<YZZ1*@G3;3<103/@978ZG3;3Z.73D1[3*[6J1[\*3610[]6/615



X

D3>>39* 09>>/75@ ND9*8 6J951 /2?4353639*5 G1 2/* D1*639* 6J1 9*1 9= 6J1 QNF)F)8794< =97 9A17 +'" D3>>39* 09>>/75@

]63>>- />> 6J951 1A1*65 030*S6 569< 6J1 C/7A1> D/2J3*1@ MJ1 ,"5 G171 A17K<79=36/:>1 =97 6J1 <4:>35J17 /*0 G1 G36*15510 6J1 271/639* 9= 51A17/> /*3D/610517315 6J/6 D/01 / D/7; 9* 1A17K ;30 :97* 3* 6J1 ,"5@ MJ7948J 6J1 54:5303/7KC/7A1> =3>D5- 6J1 =37D 271/610 MJ1 /D/^3*8 ]<3017D/*- C1* 3* _>/2;Y MJ1 ]17315-`RC1*- P/*6/5632 P947- /*0 )79* C/*- 59D1 9= 6J1 D956 5422155=4> /*3D/610517315 271/610 0473*8 6J/6 <17390@

MJ1 8794< 29*63*415 365 03A1753=32/639* /*0 :129D15 / D/a9736K 5J/71J9>017 9=M9K:3^- / 69K D/*4=/264717@ MJ1 1U<>936/639* 9= 6J1 :7/*0 6J7948J 6J1 5/>15 9=69K5 /*0 631R3* <7904265 35 A17K <79=36/:>1 :46 6J1 J481 01:6 9= 6J1 29D</*K 35 /:4701* 6J/6 6J1 9G*175 =/3>10 69 />>1A3/61@ )* b121D:17 +,,( 6J1 =37D 9==323/>>K

8915 :/*;74<6 =97 6J1 =3756 63D1 3* 365 J35697K@

P79D 6J1* 9* / <9G17 567488>1 :183*5 :16G11* L9* Q171>D/* /*0 ./7> )2/J*-/*96J17 :3>>39*/371 3*A15697 GJ9 G/5 3*61715610 3* :129D3*8 / D/a9736K5J/71J9>017 9= C/7A1> 3* 97017 69 3D<951 J35 9G* :9/70 9= 037126975 69 6J129D</*K@ M9 09 59- )2/J* <79211010 69 :4K3*8 :/2; C/7A1>S5 5692; 9* 6J1D/7;16- 6J45 /2J31A3*8 / '"c 9G*175J3< 3* 6J1 29D</*K@ )* +,,X / *1G :9/70 9=037126975 G/5 /<<93*610@

b473*8 6J951 K1/75- C/7A1> G/5 =97210 69 51>> 59D1 9= 365 >321*515 69 >3D36 6J10/D/815@ d1*21 6J1 >955 9= 6J1 23*1D/632 738J65 9= ]<3017D/*- 59>0 69 ]9*KQ326471 I*6176/3*D1*6 3* +,,,@ ND9*8 6J1 96J17 23*1D/632 >321*515 59>0- G1 2/*D1*639* 6J951 9= 6J1 )*27103:>1 d4>; 69 \*3A175/> <3264715- )79* C/* 69 F1G e3*1.3*1D/- /*0 6J1 `RC1* /*0 6J1 P/*6/5632 P947 69 6J1 $" 6J .1*647K P9U@

!(,G "@><@ 6, H7E<( I<(, ,B 6>< <&6<(6"9&G<&6

MJ1 647D93> 29*63*415 =97 C/7A1> /*0 3* 1/7>K +,,#- 6J1 ]I. 9A1774>15 )2/J*J9563>1 6/;19A17 9= 6J1 29D</*K- /*0 J1 35 71D9A10 =79D 6J1 :9/70@ C1/*GJ3>1-M9K:3^- >10 :K )5//2 Q17>D46617- /*0 NA3 N7/0- <46 69816J17 G36J C/7A1>- / D17817

<>/*@ MJ1 3*21*63A1 :1J3*0 6J/6 G/5 6J/6 6J137 =3*/*23/> 5364/639* 01<1*010

<3$8*+#56 = 27* 56$#52*8 ,*+$*, >?@@AB 9:#*6 >?@@CB



#

871/6>K =79D 9*1 /*96J17 /6 6J/6 63D1@ MJ1 D17817 G/5 /2J31A10 3* T269:17 +,,#/*0 6J1 =37D 35 71*/D10 C/7A1> I*617<73515@

T* 6J1 29D325 5301- NA3 N7/0 /*0 )5//2 Q17>D46617 7127436 *1G 1036975 69 83A1 /=715J 3*<46 9* 6J1 C/7A1> 29D325 4*3A1751@ )* +,,# 6J1K 7127436 f/D15 Q/>D39663/*0 f91 g415/0/@ MJ1 =97D17 :12/D1 / :38 */D1 3* 6J1 3*04567K /*0 71D/3*10103697 3* 2J31= /6 C/7A1> .9D325 4*63> $"+"@ M9816J17- g415/0/ /*0 Q/>D39663271/610 D/*K *1G 2J/7/26175 542J /5 b/7101A3>- _>/2; Q/*6J17- 6J1 Q4*35J17 /*06J1 )*J4D/*5@ MJ1 29D325 /263A36K 56/7610 8/3*3*8 D9D1*64D /8/3* /*0 6J1<4:>35J17 56/7610 71274363*8 6/>1*610 <>/K175 3* 6J1 3*04567K 542J /5 _73/*C32J/1> _1*035 /*0 C/7; C3>>/7- 715<9*53:>1 =97 6J1 71:996 9= 6J1 NA1*8175- /*0/46J975 9= 96J17 871/6 J365 542J /5 d9451 9= C- NA1*8175 b35/551D:>10- /*0 .3A3>H/7@ )* $""+ 6J1 29D</*K =3*/>>K :129D15 <79=36/:>1 /8/3* /*0 /**94*215 *167154>65 9= %"@( D3>>39* 09>>/75- 29D</710 69 / *16 >955 9= &@( D3>>39* 09>>/75 6J1</56 K1/7@

L18/703*8 6J1 1U<>936/639* 9= D9A315- C/7A1> G/5 =3*03*8 3651>= 3* / 03==324>6<953639*- /5 36 294>0*S6 451 D956 9= 365 54<17RJ17915 3* 6J1/6715 :12/451 D/*K738J65 G171 59>0 3* 6J1 ,"5 69 29<1 G36J 6J1 =3*/*23/> 03==324>6315 6J1 =37D G1*66J7948J@ T6J17 29D</*315 3*67904210 6J1 <4:>32 G36J 6J35 *1G 54<17RJ179 17/G1 /71 24771*6>K 3*@ d9>>KG990 =94*0 3651>= 27/A3*8 =97 54<17RJ17915 /=617 D9A315542J /5 _>/01 B+,,#E- `RC1* B$"""E- ]<3017D/* B$""$E- d4>; B$""%E- _/6D/*_183* B$""'E@ ]4<17RJ17915 ?432;>K :12/D1 :9UR9==321 J365 :46 6J1 79K/>631571213A10 :K C/7A1> G171 563>> 699 >9G 69 />>9G 6J1 01A1>9<D1*6 9= 6J1 C/7A1>2/6/>9841 3* 6J1/6715@ ]113*8 6J1 3*271/53*8 A9>4D1 9= D9A315 1U<>9363*8 3652J/7/26175- C/7A1> 0123010 69 6/;1 6J3*85 3* J/*0- /*0 3* $""&- C/7A1>29*67/2610 / '$' D3>>39* 09>>/7 >9/* 69 :4KR:/2; 365 >321*515 /*0 <790421 365 9G*D9A315@ )* $""' 6J1 29D</*K 35 71*/D10 C/7A1> I*6176/3*D1*6 69 D/7; 3659731*6/639* 69G/70 23*1D/6987/<JK /*0 6J1 29D</*K 5422155=4>>K /2?43715 6J1

738J65 =97 )79*RC/* B<71A3945>K 59>0 69 F1G >3*1 .3*1D/E /*0 6J1 738J65 =97 MJ1d4>; B<71A3945>K 59>0 69 \*3A175/> Q3264715E@ MJ35 35 <79:/:>K 6J1 ;1K 0/61 3*

!")*+ "- D"4,* "- ; >CEEFB !")*+ "- !$)$/ G5+ >CEEHB



,

C/7A1>S5 *1G /81@ )* $""# 6J1 D9A315 )79* C/* 35 4*>1/5J10 3* 6J1/6715- 879553*8D971 6J/* ,# D3>>39* 09>>/7 6J1 =3756 G11; 9= 365 71>1/51$@

C/7A1> 35 01=3*363A1>K 5/A10 =79D 01/6J@ MJ1 =37D J/0 035<>/K10 <95363A1 *167154>65 1U21103*8 +"" D3>>39* 09>>/75 =97 6J1 </56 X K1/75 /*0 6J1 D9A31 )79* C/*792;1610 6J1 C/7A1> 5640395 /6 6J1 69< 9= d9>>KG990 1U<126/639*5@ )* 6J1D1/*GJ3>1- Q17>D46617- >1=6 3* 29DD/*0 /=617 6J1 01</76471 9= NA3 N7/0 3* $""(-0123010 69 978/*3^1 GJ/6 G3>> :1 6J1 871/6156 567/61832 D9A1 3* C/7A1>S5 J35697KY6J1 5/>1 9= C/7A1> I*6176/3*D1*6 69 b35*1K =97 & :3>>39* 09>>/75@ MJ35 /2?4353639*35 51/>10 3* $"+" G36J 6J1 *9D3*/639* 9= h1A3* P1381 /5 <715301*6 9= C/7A1>]640395 /*0 f91 g415/0/ /5 .J31= .71/63A1 T==3217 9= C/7A1> I*6176/3*D1*6

MJ7948J 6J1 =9>>9G3*8 K1/75- H/>6 b35*1K /*0 C/7A1> I*6176/3*D1*6 D/*/810 69:4KR:/2; D956 9= 6J1 738J65 =97 C/7A1>S5 2J/7/26175 1U21<6 =97 6J1 `RC1*- MJ1P/*6/5632 P947 /*0 ]<3017D/*@ MJ1 1U<>936/:>1 2/6/>9841 :12/D1 732J 1*948J 69>/4*2J D971 /D:363945 <79a1265 542J /5 )79* C/* $ B$"+"E- MJ97 B$"++E- ./<6/3*ND1732/Y MJ1 P3756 NA1*817 B$"++E- /*0 9= 294751 MJ1 NA1*8175 B$"+$E- 879553*8D971 6J/* $"" D3>>39* 09>>/75 6J1 G11; 9= 365 71>1/51@ T* /A17/81- 6J1 ++ C/7A1>D9A315 6J/6 G171 71>1/510 59 =/7 J/A1 81*17/610 9A17 (X" D3>>39* 09>>/75 9=87955 3*29D1%@

b35*1K 030*S6 3*617=171 G36J C/7A1>S5 1036973/> >3*1 /*0 4*01756990 6J1 7/G<961*63/> 6J/6 6J1 <4:>35J17 294>0 :73*8@ MJ1 01/> G/5 :1*1=323/> =97 :96J29D</*315@ T* 9*1 J/*0- b35*1K 8/3*10 D/7;16 5J/715 /*0 3*271/510 365 <79=3656J7948J 6J35 /2?4353639* /*0 4*>92;10 6J1 271/63A1 <961*63/> 9= C/7A1> :K :4K3*8:/2; 6J1 >321*515@ T* 6J1 96J17 J/*0- C/7A1> 294>0 *9G <790421 365 9G* D9A315

/*0 8/3*10 /22155 69 6J1 8>9:/> 035673:4639* 2J/**1>5 9= b35*1K- */D1>K 6J1b35*1KRN_. 61>1A3539* 8794<@

$ J66<YZZGGG@:9U9==321D9a9@29DZ/>>63D1ZG11;1*05Z % J66<YZZ1*@G3;3<103/@978ZG3;3Ze356[9=[J38J156R879553*8[=3>D5id38J156R879553*8[=7/*2J3515[/*0[=3>D[517315

I$,6*0J, ,2"%( 3+$%* >$6 '/4*B ,7"K, 5 LCCMN $6%+*5,* ,$6%* 27* 5%O4$,$2$"6 "- ;5+)*/ P62*+25$6#*62



+"

J,&8#7@9,&

)* 29*2>4539*- =79D C/7A1> .9D325 69 C/7A1> I*6176/3*D1*6- 6J1 29D</*KD/*/810 69 1*0471 6J7948J 6J1 012/015 /*0 542211010 3* :129D3*8 6J1 271/6979= 6J1 5129*0 D956 <79=36/:>1 =7/*2J351 /=617 6J1 d/77K <96617 =7/*2J351&@ MJ1/2?4353639* 9= C/7A1> :K b35*1K 030*S6 2J/*81 /*K6J3*8 29*217*3*8 6J1 1036973/>>3*1 /*0 567/618K 9= 6J1 <4:>35J17@ M90/K- 6J1 C/7A1> 4*3A1751 ;11<5 1U</*03*86J7948J 6J1 29D325 517315 /*0 6J1 1036975 J/A1 ;1<6 29*679> 9A17 6J101A1>9<D1*6 9= 6J137 5697K>3*1@ MJ1 5422155 9= 6J1 )79* C/* D9A31 5/A10 6J1564039 =79D / 2176/3* 01/6J /*0 />>9G10 36 69 <46 69816J17 / 23*1D/632 /*0 Mj4*3A1751 6J/*;5 69 6J1 54<<976 9= 6J1 H/>6 b35*1K .9D</*K@ MJ1 5640395 J/A1<>/**10 / 696/> 9= , D9A315 =97 6J1 *1U6 =947 K1/75 /*0 Mj <79a1265 56/73*81D:>1D/632 2J/7/26175 >3;1 b/7101A3> /*0 e4;1 ./81 /71 5113*8 0/K>38J6@ )6 D38J6:1 699 599* 69 61>> :46 2J/*215 /71 6J/6 G1 /71 G36*1553*8 6J1 5129*0 89>01* /819= 6J1 C/7A1> 29D</*K@

K<B<(<&8<@

• C/7A1> ]640395 Y >SJ3569371 B$"+&E- /A/3>/:>1 /6 YJ66<YZZ035*1KR<>/*16@=7ZD/7A1>R5640395R>J3569371

• C/7A1> I*6176/3*D1*6- /A/3>/:>1 /6 YJ66<YZZ1*@G3;3<103/@978ZG3;3ZC/7A1>[I*6176/3*D1*6

• C/7A1> .3*1D/632 \*3A1751- /A/3>/:>1 /6 YJ66<YZZ1*@G3;3<103/@978ZG3;3ZC/7A1>[.3*1D/632[\*3A1751

• C/7A1> 69 D/;1 D9A315 :/510 9* 29D32 :99;5- e95 N*81>15 M3D15 B"(Z",Z"'E-/A/3>/:>1 /6 YJ66<YZZ/7632>15@>/63D15@29DZ$""'Z51<Z"(Z:453*155Z=3RD/7A1>(

• d9G Q171>D/*V5 M1/D F1/7>K b15679K10 6J1 I*6371 H97>0 9= .9D325- /A/3>/:>1/6 YJ66<YZZGGG@G1:236/639*@978Z'T>MAX\];

& J66<YZZ1*@G3;3<103/@978ZG3;3Ze356[9=[J38J156R879553*8[=3>D5id38J156R879553*8[=7/*2J3515[/*0[=3>D[517315

marvel-resurrection of a pop-culture icon

Documents