MANILA, Philippines — Few brand names are as enduring or wide-reaching as Marvel: casual and hardcore fans from all age groups line up to catch the latest movie, what with this year’s anticipated releases being Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-man and the Wasp. Now in its 79th year, Marvel has come a long way from its roots as a comic book publisher, encompassing blockbuster movies, television, games, digital media and even consumer products.
The Marvel Creative Day Out, held last Jan. 10 at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde featured special guests who shed light on the story behind making Marvel a cultural mainstay. The event featured appearances by CB Cebulski, editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, and Allen Au-Yeung, VP for Creatives for Walt Disney Greater China, as well as Filipino Marvel artists Leinil Yu and Harvey Tolibao. The Philippines, in particular, has a special relationship with Marvel: we have the third highest percentage of artists working for them, following Italy (second) and the United States (first).
Great Characters + Great; Creators = Great Content
It’s hard to believe that Marvel once had to file for bankruptcy in 1997, following the Great Comics Crash of 1996. Cebulski shares the formula that the now multi-billion-dollar company has always banked on, since rebuilding from the ground up: “Great Characters and Great Creators equals Great Content. Comics is still the heart of what Marvel does. It’s where many of the ideas are born and spread out into the lines of business.”
Cebulski hopes that Marvel not just entertains, but also inspires and educates its viewers with its diverse pool of characters and countless possibilities for stories. “Marvel is reflective of the world outside your window. We want everyone, no matter where they are the world, to pick up a comic book and see a hero that they can relate to. No matter where they’re from, what color their skin is, what their religion is, what their sexuality is. At Marvel, there’s something for everybody,” said Cebulski. This rings true with Black Panther and Luke Cage, the first African-American superheroes, and Ms. Marvel, the first female Muslim superhero.
Marvel is unafraid to take big risks — who would think that before 2008’s box office smash, Iron Man was a B-list character? “Everybody thought that we had licensed away all the good characters — The Fantastic Four, The X-men, Spider-Man — but we had hidden gems,” mentioned Cebulski. “We took what many people thought was a flop of a character, and by telling a good story, with a great actor and a fantastic plot, by going back to basics to what Marvel was, we told them what it was like to be a superhero.”
From Comics to Lifestyle
Today, Marvel has become a literal household name with everyday products such as clothes, toys, water bottles and gadgets under its belt. This is the work of Au-Yeung and his creative team of around 40 members from different design backgrounds.
Product design is an often overlooked, yet essential aspect to the Marvel story. As Au-Yeung put it, “Consumer products are where we extend our story. This is where we can get our story to exist much longer in the market, providing the right product that tells the right story.” A product can inspire an emotional connection with a particular Marvel character. “Even when you do stylized versions, you have to understand the story. Make sure Captain America has the right pose, throwing the shield, and that’s the right story to tell.”
Au-Yeung is well aware of today’s technologically inclined landscape, which is why Disney carries products like a Guardians of the Galaxy “cassette player” (which plays songs loaded via USB), an AI Jarvis, and headphones with interchangeable designs: “You can change any character, any story, any time you want,” said Au-Yeung. Marvel has already opened a number of stores in Korea, and Au-Yeung hopes to expand its reach throughout Asia.
Marvel’s Neverending Story
Marvel’s story began in 1939, and since that point its story continues to unfold in a multitude of ways. “The beauty of Marvel is that it started as a comic book company, but it’s growing in so many different ways that it so many different forms of entertainment. It’s on its way to becoming what we call a lifestyle brand,” said Cebulski, forecasting the future growth of Marvel.