An in-depth documentary series on Marvel Comics, entitled Marvel’s 616, is coming to Disney+, and it looks like a must-watch for comic-book fans.
Obviously, Disney owns Marvel now, so this is definitely going to be very much a positive take on things – don’t expect any muck-racking about the fractured relationship between Stan Lee and Jack Kirby here. But with both Disney’s access and budget, it does look like there will be a lot of worthwhile stuff in Marvel’s 616.
Each of the eight episodes with be on a different subject, from a different director. And there are some pretty big names directing these things, including comedian Paul Scheer, Alison Brie and Gillian Jacobs (maybe they had a quota on Community alumni they had to include?).
Topics covered in Marvel’s 616 include the company’s artists, the “trailblazing women of Marvel Comics”, and the “forgotten characters of Marvel”.
Perhaps the most exciting one though is a film on the Japanese Spider-Man, one of the strangest parts of Marvel’s history. If you are not aware of the story, in the 1970s, Marvel licenced the character to the Toei Company to produce a version of Spider-Man for Japanese audiences.
And it was wild, involving giant robots, emissaries from hell, and Spidey’s alias now being a dirtbike rider.
Hopefully, it might lead to the whole series being put on Disney+.
The complete list of episodes reads:
“Japanese Spider-Man” Directed by David Gelb
“Higher Further Faster” Directed by Gillian Jacobs
“Amazing Artisans” Directed by Clay Jeter
“Lost and Found” Directed by Paul Scheer
“Suit Up!” Directed by Andrew Rossi
“Unboxed” Directed by Sarah Ramos
“The Marvel Method” Directed by Bryan Oakes
“Marvel Spotlight” Directed by Alison Brie
And the official synopsis…
“Marvel’s 616 explores Marvel’s rich legacy of pioneering characters, creators and storytelling to reflect the world outside your window. Each documentary, helmed by a unique filmmaker, showcases the intersections of storytelling, pop culture, and fandom within the Marvel Universe. Episodes in this anthology series will cover topics including Marvel’s world-spanning artists, the trailblazing women of Marvel Comics, discovering the ‘forgotten’ characters of Marvel, and much more.”
Marvel’s 616 comes to Disney+ on 20th November.
