This is one of at least three 75yr celebratory documentaries about Marvel and the first one I've seen. It stands at only 40 minutes and therein lies the problem.It takes a look back at Marvels humble beginnings, where Stan Lee & Jack Kirby came in, the shifts in popularity and the bankruptcy that caused the distribution of characters.Truth is telling a story like this that dates back all the way to WW2 cannot be summed up in 40 minutes and that makes the whole thing feel extremely rushed.This is prime material for a documentary, but not to be compacted into little more than half an hour. There are some good interviews with both people from the industry, cast and crew of the modern Marvel cinematic universe and lots of celebrity fans but even they are little more than sound bites.Great content but just not enough of it.The Good:Good selection of intervieweesEmily VanCamps Fairly eye openingThe Bad:Far too shortThings I Learnt From This Movie:Hearing them say that the thing Marvel do best is get the best directors during this James Gunn debacle is quite interesting

"Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop!" is a 42-minute documentary from 2014, so two more years only until this has its 75th anniversary. Director is Zak Knutson, nobody really new to the subject as he worked on other Marvel documentaries too. It is one of his most known works though. And it is easily the most known work for writer Laura Shields because she hardly worked on anything else. At least according to IMDb. Here the interviewees include several names of actors that play a (not so) major role in the Marvel Universe, also or especially on the small screen. But there's also guys like host Emily VanCamp in here or Jimmy Kimmel who do not necessarily have a great connection with the subject. Anyway, I think this is more for those who really like the superhero television shows and not for those who like the films and I count myself clearly more among the latter. Overall, this documentary does not pretend to be anything it is not, so Ill be relatively generous with my rating here, even if I did not really enjoy the watch and I can see how this has at least partially due to my subjective approach. You don't learn anything new from it either, but for Marvel fans it is worth checking out.

BY BORROWING A PAGE from the founder of MARVEL COMICS now Parent Company, the Comics producer was able to at once give us an on screen History of the company and at the same time get the public to watch what was essentially an Infomercial. IT MAY BEEN about the ups & downs of publishing 4 color illustrated stories, but it was much more. Much as Walt Disney's DISNEYLAND TV Show, the unbridled plugging of both TV and Theatrical films in production passes for entertainment.AS FOR THE overall effect and intent of the production we are left with mixed emotions. While a good deal of its content was nothing more than this aforementioned self-promotion, on the other hand, it brought out so much previously unseen bits of comics history.VINTIGE PHOTOS OF people like Joe Simon & Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Publisher, Martin Goodman,. were presented to us. Added to that are countless likenesses of historical and now priceless$$ collector$ item$.INCLUDED ARE RECENT interviews with a sort of veritable WHO'S WHO IN THE COMICS World. These people's participation make the project highly worthwhile; raising the film a notch or two in the scheme of things. As the years go by, we will truly appreciate what has been done here. IF WE MAY be so bold as to offer one other objection to the handling of the story of the Super Hero Comic, it is that it was glossed over too quickly and omitted any mention of some other very important contributors to the Art Form of Sequential Art. The impetus generated by the appearance of the Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster collaboration of SUPERMAN in DC's ACTION COMICS no. 1 is mentioned, but only in passing.OTHERS WHO CONTRIBUTED so much to the business deserved to at least get an honorable mention, such as: Will Eisner and his Comic Book/Strip THE SPIRIT, Bill Parker & C.C. Beck's CAPTAIN MARVEL and Creator/Writer/Editor, Jerry Iger.BUT THEN AGAIN, this was MARVEL'S Show and it's only fair that they should enjoy the Lion's share of the Spotlight for both their printed and celluloid "Joke Books."* PERHAPS WE'LL SOON see a more Comprehensive & Multi Episode program covering all aspects of the business.RED'S SUGHGESTION BOX: How about someone adapting something like Steranko's HISTORY OF THE COMICS to the screen? And just you remember Mr. Hollywood Producer, who suggested it!** NOTE * There was no mention of any previous adaptations of Timley/Atlas/Marvel Comics to the screen, of which there was one. The production of the CAPTAIN America Serial (Republic Pictures, 1944) is the only one prior to 1966's animated MARVEL TALES TV. The revisionists had a field day, though, as very little was left of the Simon & Kirby's World War Comics hero. His name (from Steve Rogers to Grant Gardner), his occupation (from Soldier to District Attorney) were casualties of the pen. There wasn't any connection to the War, although it was out in 1944! NOTE ** Before we call it a day, let us make mention of a story that has been circulating around for some time. The tale is that of a proposed SUB-MARINER Live Action TV Series that never materialized. It was said to have Richard Egan in the role of Atlantian, Prince Namor. Lord, if that were true, all the athletic & muscular Mr.Egan would have needed was a set of "Mr. Spock" ears!

Watched this on the DVR a couple of days ago. Host Emily VanCamp helps chronicle the comic company's beginnings to when it was originally called Timely Comics back in the late '30s when the Sub-Mariner and The Human Torch were created to the Marvel Age which started with The Fantastic Four in '61 to the creation of the Marvel Studios series of current superhero movies. Yes, Stan Lee talks here and there are plenty of mentions of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.. Yes, the movies made by the studio are mentioned and clips of them are shown. And, yes, there's a preview clip of "Agent Carter" at the end. As a long-time comic fan, I was stoked watching this! So on that note, Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop! did the job it was meant to do.