Marvel is an American media and entertainment company known for creating and publishing comic books, TV shows, movies, and video games based on comic book characters and stories. Their characters including Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Avengers, X-Men, Hulk, Thor, and many others have become household names and cultural icons around the world.
- Marvel Comics was founded in 1939 as Timely Publications by Martin Goodman.
- The company later became Atlas Comics in the 1950s and eventually changed its name to Marvel Comics in 1961.
- In the 1960s, Marvel revolutionized the comic book industry by introducing more complex characters, such as Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four, who were flawed and relatable.
- Marvel's success continued in the following decades, expanding into movies, TV shows, and video games, and becoming a dominant player in popular culture.
- In 2009, Marvel was acquired by The Walt Disney Company for $4 billion.
DC Comics is an American comic book publisher and media company. Their characters include Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash.
Image Comics is an American comic book publisher founded in 1992 by seven high-profile artists. Their titles include The Walking Dead and Spawn.
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book publisher founded in 1986. They are known for their licensed properties, such as Star Wars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and original titles like Hellboy.
Marvel publishes a wide variety of comic book series featuring their popular characters, as well as new and original titles.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a franchise of interconnected superhero movies produced by Marvel Studios. The series began with Iron Man in 2008 and has since expanded to include over 20 movies, with more planned for the future.
Marvel's Avengers is a video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix. It allows players to take control of the Avengers and participate in a single-player campaign or online multiplayer missions.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe movies can be watched in chronological or release order. The chronological order is: Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home.
The most popular Marvel characters are Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and Wolverine.
The best Marvel video game is a matter of personal preference, but some of the most highly-rated games include Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Avengers, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite.
Some upcoming Marvel movies include Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love and Thunder.
Stan Lee was a co-creator of many iconic Marvel characters, including Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, and many others. He also made numerous cameos in Marvel movies and TV shows.