Marvel Comics

The Untold Story

By: Sean Howe

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 17 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

The defining, behind-the-scenes chronicle of one of the most extraordinary, beloved, and dominant pop cultural entities in America’s history - Marvel Comics - and the outsized personalities who made Marvel, including Martin Goodman, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby.

“Sean Howe’s history of Marvel makes a compulsively readable, riotous and heartbreaking version of my favorite story, that of how a bunch of weirdoes changed the world…That it’s all true is just frosting on the cake.” (Jonathan Lethem)

For the first time, Marvel Comics tells the stories of the men who made Marvel: Martin Goodman, the self-made publisher who forayed into comics after a get-rich-quick tip in 1939; Stan Lee, the energetic editor who would shepherd the company through thick and thin for decades; and Jack Kirby, the WW II veteran who would co-create Captain America in 1940 and, 20 years later, developed with Lee the bulk of the company’s marquee characters in a three-year frenzy.

Incorporating more than 100 original interviews with those who worked behind the scenes at Marvel over a 70-year-span, Marvel Comics packs anecdotes and analysis into a gripping narrative of how a small group of people on the cusp of failure created one of the most enduring pop cultural forces in contemporary America.

©2012 Sean Howe (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

I'm curious what the creators think...

I took this book with on a business conference/golf outing and found myself looking for time alone to listen to it.
It was fun to hear more about people I've only known as names in comic book credits. There is plenty in these 18 hours that I didn't know at all, some good , some bad. The first half, after a brief recap of Marvel before 1960, talks about the Marvel age and the people behind it. Lots of interesting personalities there. You have your shirt sleeves and tie crowd and your dope smoking, acid dropping witch crowd working on the books almost side by side. It must have been interesting days to say the least.
The first half of the be book covers the stories and characters, giving attention to the people who wrote and drew them. Once Marvel becomes a corporate entity the focus shifts to more boardroom decisions and it becomes more dry. Less attention is given to the creators until we arrive at the Liefeld/McFarlane period (and you learn what a couple of morons they truly are).
My only beef with this reading is how the reader is allowed to mispronounce some of the names. The producers could have easily name checked these. It didn't ruin anything, just seemed amateurish.
I'm curious to hear what the creators would have to say about the accuracy of this book.
UPDATE:
Before he passed away I asked Len Wein what he thought of this book. He said it was about 50% accurate. I don't know if he had any ax to grind tithe author or publisher, but that's what he said. I just listened to it again and thought it was terrific.

WOW. Very eye opening

I have always loved Marvel comics since I started reading them waaaaaaay back in 1974. I always thought the bullpen was exactly as it was dipicted in the comics. Who knew, right? Overall I really enjoyed the truth on what Marvel went through. I will of course miss Mr Stan Lee. RIP sir.

Marvelous

Mostly good and thorough history of Marvel (as well as the drama between Lee and Kirby), but my complaints reside with the fact that the early portion of Marvel seems a bit heavy on the fanboy material and the contemporary portion ends with 2012, and there have been a lot of developments since that point that are now left out.

It might help if you do some research on the major Marvel players over the years to acquaint yourself with the litany of names that will be thrown at you. It's hard to keep track if you've never heard of them before.

Creators beware!

This book is a great cautionary tale for creative employees in "work for hire" arrangements. Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko feuded with Stan Lee for 50 years over their claims over Marvel's most valuable characters. Even Stan Lee sued Marvel for $10 million over his contractual rights to profits from the first Spider Man movie.

Rival Comics

So many heroes, battles and betrayals. The history of marvel shows that we're all human

Fantastic!

I fell in love with comics in 1993 and from that point on, devoured every morsel of information I could get my hands on. Even then, I learned something new with every passing minute of this fantastic book.

If you're a lover of comics and you can recognize the names of the industry legends, I couldn't recommend this more. It covers most of the biggest moments in comics history in great detail For a more modest fan, it may be a boring read but still a great crash course in what went on behind the scenes at "The House of Ideas" and their "Distinguished Competition".

couldn't read the book BUT LOVED the Audible book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

well researched story with tons of insider information about how marvel was born and the many phases it went through to become the current Film Juggernaut we know today

What was one of the most memorable moments of Marvel Comics?

Hearing how close Marvel was to shutting down multiple times. realizing how crazy the 70's were with Steve Gerber, Steve Englehart, Len Wein and Jim Starlin writing comics for marvel

Which scene was your favorite?

The retelling of the Jack Kirby radio interview and Herb Trimpe's final days

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no

Any additional comments?

Stephen Hoye = awesome narration!

My new favorite Narrator and Author

POW! What a double whammy! The Narrator was just amazing!! The facts and history gathered by the Author is incredible!
The Narrator gives life to each line and is never bored reading the almost 18 hours of material.
This is my favorite book for 2021 hands down.
If you want to know how Marvel became Marvel, all the sweat, the financial woes, the great decisions and some of the worst decisions, from artists, inkers, all the way to corporate corruption, Wow, just wow!!
Amazing listen!

Great case study for commerce vs art

enjoyable study of how Marvel has been managed over the years. behind the scenes at the comics factory has it all: exploitation, bad management, haphazard creative processes, myopic business strategy, and infighting.
read with pulpy panache by Stephen Hoye!

Interesting look behind the scenes

I collected comic books over twenty years ago, so a lot of the background on Marvel in the 70s and 80s was interesting to hear. The stuff on the early days was informative, but the post-1993 material wasn't as well developed. I'd have liked more on the guys who went to Image, and then those who garnered some acclaim before 2010. Also, the financial aspects got tedious in the last few chapters. Ultimately a good listen overall, and I can't help but pity the artists who got screwed by corporate capitalism at its finest.