The Marvel Universe
WHY WE WORSHIP THESE HEROES • Marvel’s icons thrill us with their sensational exploits while simultaneously forging an emotional connection with their humanity
80 Years and Counting
The Origin of a Superhero Powerhouse • For more than 80 years, Marvel has been an ambitious comic-book innovator, revolutionizing the pop-culture landscape
MARVEL’S UNSUNG ARTISTIC HEROES • Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko were long denied proper credit
Spidey Saves the Day • Despite objections from his boss, Stan Lee crafted a plan to give life to an unlikely superhero. Little did he know that a legend was about to be born
ALL HAIL STAN LEE, THE KING OF CAMEOS • Nobody loved the spotlight more than Stan Lee, who reveled in his opportunities to make cameo appearances in Marvel films (including 2019 posthumous appearances in Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame). Thanks to his celebrity status, he was also an in-demand guest star in a variety of non-Marvel movies and TV shows.
Marvelous Milestones • Revisiting some of the company’s most memorable and influential stories
Marvel Goes Hollywood
The Man Behind the Movies • Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige worked his way to the top of Hollywood by respecting comic-book lore and taking chances on unheralded heroes
A TRIP THROUGH THE UNIVERSE • From Iron Man’s origin to that notorious finger snap (and beyond), highlights from an epic cinematic journey
Phase 4 Marches On • As the Multiverse expands, here’s a look at the present and future of Marvel’s film and TV offerings
Outside of the MCU • Some of Marvel’s earliest comic-book creations (the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four) initially made their way to the screen as selfcontained franchises
THE POWER OF THE SPIDER-VERSE • The animated adventures of Miles Morales put a new spin on one of Marvel’s classic heroes
The Evolution Has Been Televised • From early animation to today’s dynamic live action dramas, Marvel has a long and colorful history of bringing its heroes to life on TV
THE NEW TV FRONTIER • Marvel is finally fully integrating storytelling between film and television—with a multiverse’s worth of potential ahead
Cultural Impact
The Black Panther Phenomenon • Wakanda Forever! Marvel’s first African hero conquered the box office and generated widespread cultural influence
Remembering Chadwick Boseman • The director of Black Panther penned an emotional tribute to his regal star
EARTH’S MIGHTIEST POP-CULTURE INFLUENCE • Marvel’s heroes are frequent fodder for entertainment parodies and adoration
LIVE FROM NEW YORK … SNL LOVES MARVEL • Over the years, Saturday Night Live has enjoyed poking fun at the Marvel universe.
The Marvel Universe
CREDITS
’NUFF SAID