Marvel Comics is the brand name and primary imprint of Marvel Worldwide Inc., formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, a publisher of American comic books and related media. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Worldwide's parent company.
Marvel started in 1939 as Timely Comics,[2] and by 1951 had generally become known as Atlas Comics. The Marvel era began in 1961, the year that the company launched The Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and many others. The Marvel brand had been used over the years, but solidified as the company's only brand within a couple of years.
Marvel counts among its characters such well-known superheroes as Spider-Man, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Wolverine, Daredevil, the Punisher, Deadpool and Black Panther, such teams as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Defenders and the Guardians of the Galaxy, and supervillains including Doctor Doom, Thanos, Magneto, Ultron, Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin, Red Skull, Loki, Venom and Galactus. Most of Marvel's fictional characters operate in a single reality known as the Marvel Universe, with most locations mirroring real-life places; many major characters are based in New York City.[3]
In Other Media[]
Films[]
Main article: Marvel Cinematic Universe and List of Marvel Films
These include films for popular characters such Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals and Fantastic Four.
Animation[]
Animation based on Marvel Comics characters appear in Animated TV Shows and Movies.
Television[]
Main article: Marvel Cinematic Universe and List of Marvel TV Shows
Many television series, both live-action and animated, have based their productions on Marvel Comics characters. These include series for popular characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, the Avengers, the X-Men, Fantastic Four, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, the Punisher, the Defenders, S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Deadpool, Legion, and others. Additionally, a handful of television movies, usually also pilots, based on Marvel Comics characters have been made.
Video Games[]
Video games based on Marvel characters go back to 1984 and the Atari game, Spider-Man. Since then several dozen video games have been released and all have been produced by outside licensees such as Spider-Man, Avengers, Ultimate Alliance. In 2014, Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes was released that brought Marvel characters to the existing Disney sandbox video game.