Marvel has already taken over cinemas with movies like the avengers and guardians of the galaxy, and while agents of s. The 20 most obscure superheroes that only true nerds will recognize. The history channel comic book superheroes unmasked format. Mcfarland, jan 10, 2014 literary criticism 230 pages.
A history by gambit1024 april 25, 2012 23 comments the most recognizable comics characters in the world. The film is about the history of the american comic book industry from its origins in the 1930s to the present day, and how comic books have mirrored and affected the society around them. Superhero comics are one of the most common genres of american comic books. Basically a place to talk about and share obscure facts and forgotten heroes, villains, and.
Funnyman featured the adventures of tv comedian larry davis. Andrew wahl explores how comic books are a mirror of their times. The league of regrettable superheroes celebrates the oddball characters of comic book history september 11, 2015 for every memorable superhero that etches itself into the collective minds of fanboys everywhere, theres probably one or more oddball crimefighter that ended up relegated to obscurity. He was a combination of all the crappiest parts of bruce wayne and timothy mcveigh, a wealthy miner who used his knowledge of explosives to bomb crime. Her character goes way back to the early 40s, during the golden age of comics. The show will track the history of comic books and superheroes through the decades. Comic book fans are used to truly obscure characters making unexpected. Comic book writers and artists discuss the depiction of superheroes in the medium.
From then on, they made cameos in other marvel shows, until finally appearing together in 1999 for avengers. History orders comic book special superheroes decoded. Cool documentary i wonder why dont history channel dont make stuff like these again. Trace the humble roots of comic book history, from obscure characters to vintage art to longlost stories about creators and publishers.
Comic book history series jon morris and hope nicholson comic books werent always a billiondollar industry, but theyve always been a unique and fascinating medium. Marvel reveals its most obscure, unlikely superhero. Comic book superheroes and american society, 1938 to the present. Fredric werthham was the scariest thing to ever happen to comic books.
Itself a work of history, jules feiffers 1965 essay was arguably the first attempt to create a critical history of the golden age of comic book superheroes, with the writer looking at the impact. Comic book historian craig yoe has a new book out called super weird heroes, a 320page compendium of golden age comic book stories featuring some of. The avengers have been a mainstay in tv cartoons since the 60s, though it took them a surprisingly long time to actually assemble. Given the comics limited run and lack of exposure, a credible argument could be made that dark town is the most obscure comic book to ever be adapted into a major feature film. Here is screen rant s list of the 11 most obscure tv superheroes. The 20 most obscure superheroes that only true nerds will.
The man with the power is very obscure, though it has a connection of sorts with one of the most popular science fiction franchises of all time. With rare access to top creators at both dc and marvel, superheroes decoded uncovers how the rise of the superhero parallels americas rise as a superpower in the 20th century, evolving. The devotion they show and the varied content they produce proves the fact why they are the best comic book channel on the internet. It details the important historical points of comics, such as the creation of the very first superhero, superman, and how it was almost never published, how comics almost died when the seduction of the innocent proclaimed that comics were destroying the minds of kids, and how. Manimal 1983 dr jonathan chase wealthy, young, handsome. Every comic book documentary you must watch elongated man. A character largely rendered redundant by wade lafarge. It presents an overview of american history from the 1930s up until the beginning of the obama presidency. The origins of the medium, the evolution of superheroes and all the other genres as they born in different eras. But history also changes the course of superheroes. It seems like theres never been a better time to be an obscure superhero or comic book property.
Let the comicbook seller have their mythic superheroes. With rare access to top creators at both dc and marvel, superheroes. Weird comic book history explained nerdsync duration. The first captain marvel, the one with the magic word shazam, ceased. The first and greatest weird comics superhero was thor, god of thunder, which got a little confusing when, five issues later, they added a second, less amazing thor to the comic. If you are like me and are at all interested in history, specifically comic book history and how the industry has evolved and responded to events over the years then this is a. So began manimal a story of a successful english scientist played by simon maccorkindale who fights evil using the powers of shapeshifting he. From my vhs recordings, here is the documentary comic book superheroes unmasked, which aired on june 23rd, 2003 with commercials.
The team was made up of various dc solo superhero characters that had failed to catch on during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. After sixty years of being lost to comic book history, claire was later welcomed into the official marvel universe in the twelve, a 2007 miniseries by j. Comic book superheroes unmasked history channel aired june 23rd, 2003. The two characters were too similar for their own good, though walshs changes to grant wilsons costume were cool and less dramatic than. Besides being a good documentary on comic book superheroes, this also serves as a glimpse into what the history channel was like in the summer of 2003. Superheroes in comic books through history retro planet. Comic book superheroes unmasked tv movie 2003 imdb. Once the war ended, interest in superheroes waned and publishers turned to other comic book genres, like detective stories, westerns, horror and crime. Comedy the greatest american hero, about a teacherturnedsuperhero, ran for three seasons on abc between 1981 and 1983, but it wasnt based on a comic book, and didnt last too long. Comic book superheroes unmasked is a television documentary that aired on the history channel in 2003. Top 10 obscure superheroes who deserve their own movies. In the less than eight decades since supermans debut in 1938, comic book superheroes have become an indispensable part of american society and the nations dominant mythology. History is tapping some big names from marvel and dc to uncover the hidden origin stories of comics biggest heroes.
In search of steve ditko bbc4, 2007 comic book legend documentary. It also has the distinction of being adapted as a marvel comic book series that lasted for eight issues. Captain america is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by marvel comics. Superman, batman, spiderman, the hulk, and countless other comic book. Comic book confidential this documentary produced by m etrogoldwynmayer features the whole picture of the comicbook phenomenon in the united states as of 1988. The definitive 100 greatest black comic book superheroesvillains. But believe it or not, there is a long, sort of secret history of comic book movies you may or may. What inspired you to write a series on regrettable comic book characters. How american history created the american superhero. Written and drawn by neal adams, skateman tells the story of billy moon, an aimless.
Edition discs price new from used from dvd, color please retry. Hosted by stan lee, cocreator of some of the most iconic comic book superheroes of all time, like spiderman and the xmen, this series goes in search of more real people with extraordinary powers. It featured traditional historians, people from inside the industry such as stan lee, and people who grew. Comic book superheroes unmasked history channel aired. Just some strange leaps in logic for this old fan boy. A twonight documentary about the history of superheroes in comic books, the movies, and on television, superheroes decoded does a good job.
Joel christian gill brings obscure black history to life in comics. Weirdest comic book superheroes of all time boing boing. You do feel like your visiting your friendly great uncle as he shares a piece of comic book history with you. Superhero comics feature stories about superheroes and the universes these characters inhabit. Comic book superheroes unmasked is a history channel documentary which tells the past of superhero comics. Created originally as something of a parody of superheroes, she was also genuinely unique since she was one of the first, if not the first, female superhero, and older and overweight to boot.
Great superhero cartoons that nobody remembers cbr. Joel christian gill brings obscure black history to life. See more ideas about superhero, comics and comic books. Comic book superheroes unmasked part 1 of 9 youtube. With peta wilson, denny oneil, jim steranko, michael chabon. Like the woman in red before her, the new old black widow has a completely different backstory than her golden age counterpart and also belongs to a. A history of superheroes in comic books, from the first appearance. Marvel reveals its most obscure, unlikely superhero revival yet. By that logic this list could have been 10 randomly chosen characters. The genre rose to prominence in the 1930s and became extremely popular in the 1940s and has remained the dominant form of comic book in north america since the 1960s. Obscure comic book characters public group facebook. Many superheroes were temporarily shelved by publishers. The argument being made that the list is obscure to people who dont read comics is kind of silly. Comic book superheroes unmasked documentary youtube.