Corporation Marvel: History and Facts
Comics Marvel is one of the most famous in the world. We all know Spider-Man, Captain America, People-X, and Iron Man and already discussed Deadpool. We all like to watch movies or read comics from Marvel. We are used to that magical, enchanting world, which almost every year pleases us by a blockbuster film about superheroes. However, if you look a little deeper, what is the story of their success? Which were their experiences on the way to worldwide recognition!?
Founded in 1939
So! A reputable publisher Marvel Pulp-journals Martin Goodman founded the company in 1939. At first, it was a group of subsidiaries under the title «Timely Comics». The journal began to work publishing the first comic book, called «Marvel Comics. » The main character in it was the Human Torch, a member of the Fantastic Four and his rival – the Sub-Mariner, Namor, a hybrid/mutant and ruler of Atlantis.
Superheroes theme become extremely popular, and Goodman’s business began to grow.
The first editor, writer and artist Joe Simon joined forces with the future legend of the comics industry, Jack Kirby, an American writer, artist, and editor of comic books. Together they created the legendary character of the universe Marvel – Captain America.
Released in 1941 on the comic superhero made incredibly patriotic furor Americans. This comic was created for the beginning of World War II, when the «Timely» decided that it is an appropriate time to create a character that will morally support the spirit of the nation.
The First Avenger: Conquest
The subsequently legendary company ceased to attract buyers, but years later the world again saw Captain America in the new comics, cartoons and movies, such as “Captain America” in 1966 through the cycle “Superheroes Marvel,” “Captain America” (1944, 1979, 1990), and of course, the most famous feature film “The First Avenger” (2011) and “The First Avenger: Another War” (2014). In addition, this year, the world will see a third film, which will be called “The First Avenger: Conquest.”
The range of heroes and villains of the Marvel universe replenished accumulating more and more heroes and soon became the company, which needs new staff. Then Goodman hired the son of a cousin of his wife, 17-year-old Stanley Lieber, who in twenty years will be worldwide fame under the name Stan Lee. He first performed minor work in the creative process, but soon his ability and desire to work noticed some of the best comics’ editors working in «Timely» and loaded him with a large amount of work on the comics. It then spreads to comics began to appear the signatures Lieber (Ed.: name – Stan Lee).
After the war, patriotic heroes have lost their fame and «Timely» began to experience hard times. Some good editors left the company, but Stan Lee managed to be on the front. He soon became chief editor of the comics, but his enthusiasm still was not able to facilitate the return of the former greatness of Marvel, after all, the Human Torch and Captain America, and a new, equally interesting characters and comics lost popularity.
Meanwhile, the company renamed in «Atlas Comics» and continues to explore themes of comics that would be interesting to people.
Up until 1957, the company published a comic based on the story-Westerns, horror, comedy, stories about animals, spy stories, romantic novels. However, it did not attract new readers. Then Goodman, along with their chief editors decided to try gaining popularity subject of science fiction. At that time, in 1957, the company finally got its name, known to us now as «Marvel Comics. »
Publishers just released six science fiction series that could not become popular because of weak subjects. The company experienced major financial problems and lived only on comics with fancy stories and stories for girls.
60th – rebirth
Then came the 60s and “Marvel”, trying to keep pace with major competitors “DC Comics”, using public interest in superheroes, began to “rebirth” his most successful creations.
That is the moment when Stan Lee became successful and created a legendary story of the Fantastic Four in partnership with Jack Kirby. Comics of this story had great success mainly because the characters do not lead a double life and made no secret of their personalities, but rather showing and bad features of “ideal” superheroes. Moreover, characters originally even did not wear costumes, although in their squad was a monster. The domestic life of a superhero, whose application in the plots of comics began to call as “Superheroes in real life” brought the company huge success and after the “Fantastic Four” went Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, Ant-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, and Daredevil.
In the story of the comic later appear an incredible number of cartoons and feature films need only recall the series of cartoons and films about Spider-Man. Interestingly, initially, Goodman urged against production of the story of Spider-Man, arguing his request because children are afraid of spiders, and it was unpredictable how can turn this story into the success of “Marvel.” Nevertheless, this was the most famous character in the history of comics.
Stan Lee is one of the most famous people in the comics industry because most legendary stories belong to him.
In 1968, the founder of the «Marvel» Martin Goodman sold «Marvel Comics» and all its other publishing company «Perfect Film and Chemical Corporation». All former company Goodman was united in subsection «Magazine Management Co. », and he was the publisher.
Captain Britain 1976 to
In 1976, Stan Lee conquered the British audience, creating a purely British hero Captain Britain. This comic the company produced for export.
In 1972, Goodman left his post, and Stan Lee starts to manage the company. Goodman left him the teachings.
However, on the new post, the new manager could not devote enough time to comics and stories lost their fantastic content. They became monotonous and conventional and therefore in the field of comics began to decline.
In 1978, the company again changed its leader. Jimmy Shooter became the new manager. Despite the fact that his temper was pretty bad, Shooter turned «Marvel» former glory. The company began to revive and put bars higher and higher, and the new leader helped them to hold for the next ten years.
Meanwhile, the company’s competitors, “DC Comics” due to the fact that they get some of the editors from “Marvel” and “DC Comics” began to regain its leadership position and soon moved “Marvel” in the background.
Not losing hope, workers continued to work year after year on new exciting stories of comics and so, in the early 90s, “Marvel” series released “2099,” which told about the heroes of the future.
The following years were the most difficult for the company in history: they suffered the collapse of the collapse, first lost seven best artists and lost huge sums from the budget. They began literally to survive, trying to get to the former position by creating alternative covers, various figures, and toys most popular characters. Finally, in “Marvel” declared bankruptcy.
The company would have ceased to exist if at the end of the 90s was not found a sponsor who has redeemed all of its shares and invested a lot of money in the restoration of the image of «Marvel. »
Marvel Universe
Therefore, in the new millennium appeared the new and so familiar for us universe «Marvel».
In 2009, Disney bought the company and had since started to appear blockbuster films based on comic plots that once conquered millions of viewers.
It is worth noting that «Marvel» was always a shareholding company, which bought, sold and resold as a whole and as particles.