By Michael Lyons
Low-budgets, questionable effects, catchy theme songs.
Three things one would never associate with today’s Marvel Universe of films. But, when the Marvel heroes first leapt from comic book pages to the screen, on TV, they did so with shoestring animation and opening theme songs that still act as ear worms for an entire generation.
With “Black Panther,” the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that’s currently tearing up the box office and a decade of Marvel blockbusters that started with “Iron Man” in 2008, it’s the perfect time to re-visit Marvel’s humble, small screen beginnings.
“The Marvel Super Heroes” animated series debuted on TV in syndication in September of 1966, as a series of five minute segments, where each focused on a different Super Hero: Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Sub-Mariner and Thor.
TV stations showing the cartoons could show them individually, or together as a half hour show. “The Marvel Super Heroes” would bring the characters to life, for the first time, in a medium outside of comic books. However...to say that the segments were animated would be stretching things...”animated” is more appropriate.
In a creative approach that helped preserve the look of a comic book, the creators of the show used a process in which images from the comics were photocopied and then small moving elements within each (mouth moves, eye blinks, hand or arm movements, background effects) were added. It was limited animation in every sense of the word, but audiences were able to literally watch a comic book on TV.
Additionally, Stan Lee himself was directly involved with the stories, creating another direct bridge from page to screen.
Then, there were those theme songs:
“When Captain America throws his mighty shield,
All those who chose to appose his shield must yield!”
“Tony Stark makes you feel,
He’s a cool exec with a heart of steel”
“Cross the Rainbow Bridge of Asgard,
Where the booming heavens roar,
You’ll behold in breathless wonder,
The God of Thunder, Mighty Thor!”
In a brilliant act of synergy, Marvel comics announced the series in action-packed full page ads in their comic books, featuring the Heroes jumping out of a TV set!
Through the years, “The Marvel Super Heroes” appeared and disappeared off and on of local syndicated stations, where they were relegated to “filler” during post-school afternoons.
While the show was released to home video during the days of VHS, an official DVD has yet to be seen. Of course, they can be found on You Tube and other forgotten video sources on the internet.
While “The Marvel Super Heroes” does definitely pale in comparison to the smorgasbord of Marvel choices we have today, it’s innocent ‘60’s-comic-book-kitsch is extremely comforting. They are definitely worth seeking out for fans who have never seen, or haven’t seen in a while.
After watching them, however, just be prepared to hum the theme songs for the next couple of days.
Sources:
Wikipedia
You Tube
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