Do cartoons provide a better gateway for kids to the Marvel Universe [Archive]

The Master Meglomaniac

07-10-2009, 08:11 AM

Make Mine Mar-Vell

07-10-2009, 08:16 AM

Um, to answer your initial question....

YES.

Great post, BTW.

Libaax

07-10-2009, 08:21 AM

Yeah they do.

I remember as a kid watching 90s X-men cartoon,Spidey cartoon. I of course went and tried Spidey at the wrong time that the was the Clone Saga. I didnt go back until 2000s to LCS :P

The problem here in sweden is that they show anime but american superhero cartoons disappeared one day.

ocelotrevs

07-10-2009, 08:25 AM

Yes.
It's much easier to get into a cartoon with a straightforward single series, than a comic that has 40 years of history, and then it may also have 3 series on at the same time. Such as X-Men, or Avengers.

It can be confusing when you step over to comics from cartoons though

J592

07-10-2009, 08:35 AM

The X-Men cartoon is the reason I got into buying comics and probably why for years I only brought X-titles.

I think this is a good idea and a brillant stragegy to fight back against the anime invasion.

Sixa

07-10-2009, 08:40 AM

CMBMOOL

07-10-2009, 08:50 AM

Yes, I mean it was the 90s animated series of Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, Spider-man, and the X-men, that got me into comics later on in my life. :redface:

ThisMortalSoil

07-10-2009, 08:57 AM

Yes! Definitely. That's what got me into the Marvel heroes. Even when I was at an age too young to get into comics themselves, the cartoons (X-Men, Spider-Man, and for DC, Batman) did everything so beautifully in a form that was digestible then and still holds up today. I didn't start reading comics until years later. The other Marvel series (Iron Man/F4) were amusing at the time but were not as good as the others. But I did learn of Ultimo and the Skrulls from them at least :tongue:

XPac

07-10-2009, 09:03 AM

I think think the Superfriends cartoon is a big part of the reason why DC has more "iconic" superheroes.

Had there been an Avengers cartoon that lasted as long as Superfriends, I think it's very possible that Thor would have been just as much a household name as Aquaman. It's not like Aquamans comic in any way, shape, or form really put the character on the map. Most non-comic book readers that know who Aquaman is probably wouldn't even recognize Aquaman in his comic for a good amount of his publication history.

Lord S

07-10-2009, 09:07 AM

I'll have to echo everyone else and say YES!

The 90's X-Men cartoon got me reading X-Men, then eventually the rest of Marvel. I loved that cartoon with a passion...it saddens me that Marvel has still not released it on DVD. X-Men Evolution was fun as well, but didn't have the magic (for me) that the 90's series did. In my experience the X-Men Children of the Atom video game provided additional magic, and was really the icing on the cake. I don't think I have gotten into comics directly without those two to stimulate my imagination.

The Master Meglomaniac

07-10-2009, 09:09 AM

I have to agree that there are more followings on Japanese anime/manga here in Australia.Or at least starting to look like it.

I believe that cartoon/animation series a good way for introducing younger people to world of american style comic(lets be honest here,I am getting tired of those anime and manga...).My younger brother has started t show interest in comic after watching some iron-man cartoon series.

It got me thinking where will American comic be(outside of US of course) 5-10 years from now.Will japanese manga/anime dominate?Will there be less interest on superheroes comic?
I am posting this view of mine based on interest of young teenagers in another country like Singapore,Australia,Malaysia,Indonesia and other non american/european countries.

I think anime is less popular now then a decade ago, there is far less of it TV, at least in North America and super hero cartoons do seem to bring in good ratings form like nothing cable channels like Nicktoons and Disney DX.

I think kids like the concepts of super heroes, they just don't like the comic bok format.

I'll have to echo everyone else and say YES!

The 90's X-Men cartoon got me reading X-Men, then eventually the rest of Marvel. I loved that cartoon with a passion...it saddens me that Marvel has still not released it on DVD. X-Men Evolution was fun as well, but didn't have the magic (for me) that the 90's series did. In my experience the X-Men Children of the Atom video game provided additional magic, and was really the icing on the cake. I don't think I have gotten into comics directly without those two to stimulate my imagination.

The X-Men cartoon has recently been released on DVD, the reason it only happened now, is because Disney has the rights to the series, not Marvel. The first two seasons and part of the third have already been released.

XPac

07-10-2009, 09:13 AM

Libaax

07-10-2009, 09:16 AM

Movie isnt the same as cartoon you wait for the weekends for as a kid.

We woke up early on saturdays to watch the cartoons. As a kid a movie doesnt mean the same as weekly cartoon.

passer-by

07-10-2009, 09:20 AM

To answer the initial question - they do now. If a reader tries to get into Marvel today, they most probably will be pretty confused where to start and with what to follow.

There are regularly threads opened here (and probably on other boards) with the question where to start and what books/storyarcs to look for.

The Marvel Universe right now is not exactly reader-friendly for newcomers. It's more for long-time fans with a good knowledge of continuity. There are exceptions, of course, but again - one must know where to look.

I started reading Marvel on a regular basis in 1986 with Uncanny X-Men #172-173. Things were much better explained and easy to follow back then. Not to mention the constant reminders what powers has the character X and what happened before the issue Y that you're reading. When reading (for example) the Claremont X-Men of his first run or stories of the 60s and 70s nowadays many people are fed up with such reminders, but they were very helpful back in the day when we had no internet and practically no other way to get information about these characters than what was said in the comics themselves.

Very good choice of topic.

XPac

07-10-2009, 09:23 AM

To answer the initial qiestion - they do now. If a reader tries to get into Marvel today, they most probably will be pretty confused where to start and with what to follow.

There are regurlarly threads opened here (and probably on other boards) with the question where to start and what books/storyarcs to look for.

The Marvel Universe right now is not exactly reader-friendly for newcomers. It's more for long-time fans with a good knowledge of continuity. There are exceptions, of course, but again - one must know where to look.

I started reading Marvel on a regular basis in 1986 with Uncanny X-Men #172-173. Things were much better explained and easy to follow back then. Not to mention the constant reminders what powers has the character X and what happened before the issue Y that you're reading. When reading (for example) the Claremont X-Men of his first run nowadays many people are fed up with such reminders, but they were very helpful back in the day when we had no internet and practically no other way to get information about these characters than what was said in the comics themselves.

Very good choice of topic.

That's the advantage of trades though.

You can just sit there in Borders, and read a few years worth of comics in a sitting to catch yourself up in you need to.

From there, you can springboard back into the monthlies if you like what you read.

The Master Meglomaniac

07-10-2009, 09:24 AM

Just to take the process one step further...

The BEST gateway is probably a movie. Obviously movies can potentially generate greater exposure.

But moreso than that, superhero movies are usually followed up upon by a cartoon adaptation of the movie. That's the typical formula anyways, provided the movie was a sucess.

True enough, I do think the movies are the only reason we see comic book cartoons nowadays.

However the movies are good, but they have the limitations of being a movie, that has to tell an epic story in about 2 hours. So some things can glossed over (though it also means ditching bunch of uneeded crap from the comcis.)

I a cartoon with a serial format can introduce characters and have them develop over the course of the series and tell more off beat stories. Plus some parents may not want to take thier little kids to see dark Knight.

Of course I love a good comic book movie though, because they can get to the point in two hours and tell a really epic story.

passer-by

07-10-2009, 09:26 AM

That's the advantage of trades though.

You can just sit there in Borders, and read a few years worth of comics in a sitting to catch yourself up in you need to.

From there, you can springboard back into the monthlies if you like what you read.But again, you must know where to start and which trades to look for, which titles, which storyarcs. It's a bit more confusing today than 20-30 years ago, I think. :wink:

So yes, it's a good thing that we have more and more Marvel cartoons and especially movies nowadays.

The Master Meglomaniac

07-10-2009, 09:30 AM

That's the advantage of trades though.

You can just sit there in Borders, and read a few years worth of comics in a sitting to catch yourself up in you need to.

From there, you can springboard back into the monthlies if you like what you read.

Except those are expensive, kids and parents don't want to spend that much money to get a story, when there are cheaper and less confusing Japanese in the same store.

Libaax

07-10-2009, 09:36 AM

It isnt imo cause i read 20 years of Bat stories in a few weeks thanks to several trades ;)

I bought 10+ trades when i started reading comics in 2005.

Alex Scott

07-10-2009, 09:39 AM

Another difference:

Japanese comics have a much broader range of genres and topics, and includes titles specifically created for girls.

XPac

07-10-2009, 09:39 AM

Except those are expensive, kids and parents don't want to spend that much money to get a story, when there are cheaper and less confusing Japanese in the same store.

Sure they're expensive. But if you ever go to the Graphic Novel section of a Borders or a Barnes and Nobles, I think you'll see people sitting there reading with no intention of actually buying the books.

I know I DO that all the time.

And they also have the additional benefit of allowing you to check out other books you might not know about because you didn't want to spend the money. For those that have access to those type of bookstores, it gives you a chance to sample a lot of other stuff for free.

That's why I never really believed the arguement that trades kill the monthlies, even though I understand them. I honestly think the availability of trades in bookstores are the "gateway drugs" to a lot of books you normally wouldn't try.

Vegetarian Goat

07-10-2009, 09:45 AM

Sure they're expensive. But if you ever go to the Graphic Novel section of a Borders or a Barnes and Nobles, I think you'll see people sitting there reading with no intention of actually buying the books.

I know I DO that all the time.

I hope you guys put the books back when you're done. Otherwise, us book store employees are just going to talk about you and give you snotty nicknames. :wink:

Libaax

07-10-2009, 09:48 AM

That's why I never really believed the arguement that trades kill the monthlies, even though I understand them. I honestly think the availability of trades in bookstores are the "gateway drugs" to a lot of books you normally wouldn't try.

I also always thought that was foolish about trades killing monthlies. Trades 9/10 for me are a way to catch up to a new monthly that sounds interesting.

Only series i dont wait for a trade to try is series done by the best creators who you trust.

You cant read every new comic, the trade is the only good choice to catch up and instead looking for old single issues.

Make Mine Mar-Vell

07-10-2009, 09:48 AM

Let's be honest here, I'm a Marvel fan, and I think they need an answer to McDuffie's (among others) JLU work. Especially, in particular, the last season. Brilliant stuff.

That was great stuff. Marvel needs to answer that "challenge", so to speak.

I don't mean any specific character, but a "Marvel Superheros" cartoon that answers their challenge in terms of accessibility and quality (speaking of the current Marvel 'tunes of course), not that those guys aren't working hard or are untalented, because they are. They've even gotten better this time around, I just don't know if the target audience is what they perceive it as.

However, I'm talking about the overall direction.

You know, something that really exposes the "Marvel way" to the young viewer, but simulatenously is acceptable by the older or more knowledgeable one. (Whichever it is...age does not always mean intelligence.)

The Hulk vs. Wolverine was a good start. If we could get that kind of quality on a weekly basis in a cartoon that spotlights all of the MU, it would rock.

They need a weekly epic that can focus on many different characters, not just X-Men, not that I don't like them, I certainly want them involved, especially Wolverine and so forth, I mean like something that unites everybody, maybe Avengers.

I know the name "Marvel Superheros" derives itself from something most consider cliche', but if the right production and attention to detail was provided, it would work.

You can revolve what ever character you wanted to in a weekly story format. It needs to be aimed at the more intellectual viewer and the production quality needs to be raised.

Forget about the risk, people will like it, if it's good.

For a company based on uprising, they've become so conservative in their approach.

Hey, man...I'm just being honest, for now I'm a reader/viewer on the front lines of Marvel's mainstream perception.

Bottom Line: The cartoons SUCK! They need to be of 'Wolverine vs. Hulk' quality or better, on a weekly basis, in a cartoon that spotlights all of the heros in the Marvel Universe. They need to be targeted at the core of the fanbase. Don't worry, if you build it, they will be present. People, regardless of age, are smarter than given credit for.

Do you understand?

The Master Meglomaniac

07-10-2009, 09:52 AM

Sure they're expensive. But if you ever go to the Graphic Novel section of a Borders or a Barnes and Nobles, I think you'll see people sitting there reading with no intention of actually buying the books.

I know I DO that all the time.

And they also have the additional benefit of allowing you to check out other books you might not know about because you didn't want to spend the money. For those that have access to those type of bookstores, it gives you a chance to sample a lot of other stuff for free.

That's why I never really believed the arguement that trades kill the monthlies, even though I understand them. I honestly think the availability of trades in bookstores are the "gateway drugs" to a lot of books you normally wouldn't try.

Meh, too expensive for me, I mostly only get TPBs from the library nowadays.

Let's ne honest here, I'm a Marvel fan, and I think they need an answer to McDuffie's (among others) JLU work.

That was good stuff. Marvel needs to answer it.

I don't mean any specific character, but a "Marvel Superheros" cartoon that answers their challenge in terms of accessibility and quality, not that those guys aren't working hard or are untalented. I'm talking about the overall direction, something that really exposes the "Marvel way" to the young viewer, but simulatenously is acceptable by the older or more knowledgeable one. (Whichever it is...age does not always mean intelligence.)

The Hulk vs. Wolverine was a good start. If we could get that kind of quality on a weekly basis in a cartoon that spotlights all of the MU, it would rock.

They need a weekly epic that can focus on many different characters, not just X-Men, not that I don't like them, I certainly want them involved, especially Wolverine and so forth, I mean like something that unites everybody, maybe Avengers.

Help me out here...do you know what I'm saying?

The problem is the media rights for Marvel characters are far more spread out then DC's, where everything is owned by WB.

Sony owns the Spider-Man media rights and they won't let him appear in another cartoon. I think you could get a great Avengers cartoon, with the right writing staff, animators and voice actors, but you couldn't have Spidey or his villains, guest star.

Also Standards and Practices would not only a weekly series to have the content you saw in Hulk vs. Wolverine.

Make Mine Mar-Vell

07-10-2009, 10:10 AM

The Master Meglomaniac

07-10-2009, 10:41 AM

I'm thinking "MARVEL UNIVERSE" perhaps.

This would work, if the execution is there. I mean, look at the board we're posting on, perhaps it's not that complicated. Heh.

However, if it's not right, the animated Marvel series I suggest, would come across corny.

In other words, there's no need to "dumb it down" for viewers.

It'd be a revolving door for whatever character we wanted to spotlight that week and subsequently, every creative team or style of animation.

Not going to happen because the media rights for different Marvel characters belong to different companies, who don't want to share. Sony owns the media rights to Spider-Man and they won't share those characters with anyone else.

Even in JLU, WB did not let them use most of the Batman characters for some odd reason.

You can't have Marvel universe animated concept, because the media rights for these characters are split between many different companies. Sony wasn't alowed to put Kingpin in the latest Spidey cartoon, because Fox owns the media rights to Daredevil and thus Kingpin.

Make Mine Mar-Vell

07-10-2009, 10:45 AM

Thanks for the information, much appreciated insight.

Hypothetically speaking, which ones can we use?

I mean there's enough there to get a season or two out of, right?

CrimsonComedian

07-10-2009, 10:52 AM

Definitely. If you look at most of the high selling products, they're mostly T+. Kids don't read them anymore, its all us older people. They get into them later after YEARS of cartoons and movies and games.

ijffdrie

07-10-2009, 10:54 AM

it depends on what you see as kids

some members see 8 year olds as kids, others see 17 year olds as kisd

for the first group i say thee yay, for the latter i say thee nay

Make Mine Mar-Vell

07-10-2009, 11:00 AM

I think fans, regardless of age or fanbase, would rally around a universal Marvel cartoon with high quality animation and educated storylines true to the comics. In doing so, using the characters "available" in a unified weekly series. A series that spotlights various characters of the MU, thus capitilzing on all of the various fanbase.

The Master Meglomaniac

07-10-2009, 11:02 AM

Thanks for the information, much appreciated insight.

Hypothetically speaking, which ones can we use?

I mean there's enough there to get a season or two out of, right?

I'm not exactly sure, I know Marvel has a cartoon coming up that features most characters across the universe, except for Spidey characters, that is aimed at toddlers. Also Hulk has shown up on the new X-Men cartoon and will appear on the new Iron Man cartoon.

I think fans, regardless of age or fanbase, would rally around a universal Marvel cartoon with high quality animation and educated storylines true to the comics, using the characters available in a unified weekly series than spotlights various characters of the MU.

Depends on the storyline, some would be harder to transfer to aniamtion then others, it would be hard to get the Mutant Masscre story past standards and practices, you have to tone down and have it make more sense (Mr. Sinister's reasons for killing the Murlocks are beyond convoluted.)

Aldo you would need one central character or storyline to make this cartoon work, Batman: Brave and the Bold has batman teaming up with different heroes to do different things each week and JLU had a central storyline at its core, you can't have just a bunch of episodes that have no relation to eachother, that would have no focus and the audience would loss interest.

strathcona

07-10-2009, 11:33 AM

Wow! I am impressed with how many people got into comics via cartoons and movies... I didn't think that happened anymore.

ijffdrie

07-10-2009, 11:39 AM

i got into comics due to x-men3 and spiderman3

yes, i went there

YouthofToday

07-10-2009, 12:15 PM

Not going to happen because the media rights for different Marvel characters belong to different companies, who don't want to share. Sony owns the media rights to Spider-Man and they won't share those characters with anyone else.

Even in JLU, WB did not let them use most of the Batman characters for some odd reason.

You can't have Marvel universe animated concept, because the media rights for these characters are split between many different companies. Sony wasn't alowed to put Kingpin in the latest Spidey cartoon, because Fox owns the media rights to Daredevil and thus Kingpin.

Wonder how Marvel got to use Wolverine and Deadpool on the Hulk Vs movie? Fox has the rights to both. Wonder if they had to pay Fox to use them? Hulk did show up in an episode of Wolverine and X-men, maybe they had a trade off?

xorn87

07-10-2009, 12:26 PM

Yes. Because of the Original 60's Spider-Man cartoon I started reading comics. Although my brother got into comics because the Richie Rich cartoon! The only draw back to kids now is that most of the cartoons are very different from the comics they're based on.

Scott Taylor

07-10-2009, 12:48 PM

Cartoons have many of the same issues as the comics. One being oversaturation. There are just so many of them on so many different channels. Its not as if every kid sits around on Saturday morning watching the cartoons within this limited window. Any time of day all week long they can sit at a TV and watch something, anything from Clone Wars to Johnny Test to Spectacular Spider-Man to whatever.

Its entertaining stuff, and a great way to reach kids, but not really much of a gateway to printed material. Gateway to the characters and the universe, sure. But where does that get you? Its an end to itself.

Rurik

07-10-2009, 02:43 PM

JaredMilne

07-10-2009, 06:28 PM

Well the basic idea is the same as the old Joe Camel commercials, get the kids interested when they're young, so when they get older they'll want to get into the comics. Now I admit, I actually enjoy the current Iron Man: Amroured Adventures cartoon, it's a lot better than the last Iron Man series they did, and to be honest, I like it more than I do the comic book counterpart. Why? Because this Tony Stark is a hero, he's not getting drunk and slapping around UN ambassadors, he's not launching his friends into deep space, he's not hunting down other super heroes, he's beating the stuffing out of guys like Unicorn and Killer Shrike.

Yeah, but here's the problem-if and when those kids make the transition to the comics, look at what they'll see:

-They'll see a world where superheroes are forced to register, and are jailed if they don't.

-They'll see a world where mass murderers and psychopaths are considered "heroes", and used as living weapons to hunt down non-compliant heroes.

-They'll see a world where supposed "heroes" stab each other in the back, jail their friends, piss on each others' civil rights, and are borderline fascists, all for the sake of "putting a little dirt on them".

People who don't already have a background in the mythos the way many longtime fans do will be left questioning why superheroes are being forced to register-isn't having a secret identity one of the fundamental aspects of the universe? Seeing Superman or Batman report for duty at something like Camp Hammond, and otherwise keep in regular contact with some quasi-police authority to keep their superhero licences wouldn't exactly be a selling point for many new readers.

And then, again, there's the graphic violence. If I can't bear seeing Spider-Man getting his eye torn out, or the Steel Spider getting his flesh-and-blood arm torn off and eaten by Venom, how could I justify showing it to my son or daughter, if I had one?

As a parent, if I saw my kid with anything written by Bendis, Morrison, Millar, Ennis, or Ellis, I'd take it away from them and run it through the paper shredder, no questions asked. Instead, I'd give them my old back issues and the Marvel Adventures series, which are written by people who understand the Marvel Universe better than these supposedly hotshot creators ever have and ever will.

Rurik

07-10-2009, 06:41 PM

I'm inclined to agree. I mean, I'm all for a little grim and grit, I love Deadpool, and I can't imagine him being able to work as a PG character like Spider-Man, I also love the Marvel Zombies line, but I don't like how the Marvel universe is almost all grim and grit nowadays. Still, cartoons are a good way to get them indoctrinated into the fan base early on. I doubt I'd have gotten into comic books if I didn't watch shows like Spider-Man and Batman the Animated Series. (Not really a Batman fan, but I always loved the Joker and Harley Quinn) Speaking of which, the cartoons can have a big impact on the comics too, Batman the Animated Series is a perfect example, they introduced the concept of Mr. Freeze having a tragic past, which has become part of the comic canon, as has Harley Quin.

Hulk_Is

07-10-2009, 07:56 PM

Cartoons are mega important as much today as it was for me back in the early 80's.

If you didn't have a comic book handy, you perhaps had a cartoon. Heck, some characters even had a live action television series also.

And, if you had an action figure and needed to further imagine situations for your fave characters any ol' character, catoons provided a weekly medium that essentially refreshed your memory - even if the cartoon medium was loosely based on and/or out of comic book continuity.

Cartoons are definitely crucial to young ones developing a taste for the Marvel Universe.

Shoulda been a poll.

The Sword Is Drawn

07-10-2009, 10:50 PM

Let's face it, kids don't read comic books any more, except for Japanese comics.

So I was wondering, do you think cartoons provide a better gateway for kids into the Marvel Universe, then comics? A cartoon doesn't have some of the problems a comic would, that prevent kids from reading it, ex: content parents may find unsuitable, 40 years of continuity, etc.

Plus a cartoon when done well can improve upon concepts found in a comic, like what BTAS did with Mr. Freeze.

Absolutely. The 90s X-Men and Spider-man cartoons really got me into buying comics from both stables more seriously, and hunting down trades for the true versions of events I'd seen in those cartoons.

But I think that the key strength in both cases was that they were quite so supremely faithful to that original continuity. The real stories were often simplified for the cartoon, using different characters to re-tell the same events, but they were very faithful; to the concept of the original story itself. X-Men's take on the Phoenix/dark Phoenix Saga, for example. In fact that one was in some ways sharper told.

More recent adaptations to cartoon though, such as X-Men Evolution, Avengers and Spider-man reboots have all failed in this area, in my opinion. Yes they've brought new readers, but they're lack of adhering to original continuity doesn't build long term readers in quite the same way. It leaves them with very different expectations which the comics do not, nor cannot, match.

passer-by

07-10-2009, 11:46 PM

More recent adaptations to cartoon though, such as X-Men Evolution, Avengers and Spider-man reboots have all failed in this area, in my opinion. Yes they've brought new readers, but they're lack of adhering to original continuity doesn't build long term readers in quite the same way. It leaves them with very different expectations which the comics do not, nor cannot, match.Which as I said above is more due to the present state of comics stories and their intricacy (including the constant crossovers/events with 5637563 tie-ins and mini-series) than to the cartoon stories themselves. :wink:

JaredMilne also makes an excellent point about the grim and gritty current editorial comics policy as opposed to the more idealized cartoon version.

Rurik

07-11-2009, 12:22 AM

Yeah, can't exactly have teenaged Tony Stark getting drunk and slapping around a UN senator on Armoured Adventures, and frankly, I wouldn't want him to. I dislike the turn the Iron Man continuity has taken in the comics, I'd rather the cartoon stick with him being a hero.

Micca

07-11-2009, 01:21 AM

Yeah I would go along with the theory that it's better to start with the cartoons. I still remember the day the X-Men animated series started on TV, I must have been about 5 or 6, watched the first episode and was hooked. From there that got me into Spider-Man and I watched both of those from start to finish and loved them.

It was through these I got into the idea of reading the comics, although that wasn't until a few years later. Like people have said, with the number of titles/crossovers around today it's very hard/daunting trying to find starting places, you dont have these hassles with cartoons.

I also dont go along with the movie aspect being a big reason. Maybe for really young kids who love the special effects and who dont need a story line, they can be good starting points but they certainly wouldn't have been for me. I havent been a fan of any Marvel movie, would go with the cartoons over them every time.

mikeb

07-11-2009, 04:35 AM

I think it is very important.I got into comics because of X-Men TAS.To me, though, the problem with today's AS as apposed to the 1990's is that of accessibility.Back in the 1990's anyone with a roof antenna could get Fox kids or NBC's Marvel Action Hour shows.Today if you don't have Nicktoon's and/or Disney XD, you are SOL.I think Marvel is shooting its self in the foot by not making their AS more assessable, at least on a channel like the Cartoon Network.

Rurik

07-11-2009, 05:04 AM

They barely even show cartoons on Cartoon Network now, I do miss having Saturday morning cartoons like Spider-Man and Batman the Animated Series that were actually worth watching on the local stations, even at 21, there are few greater pleasures in my mind than sitting in bed with a bowl of super sugary cereal and Saturday morning cartoons.

Lord S

07-11-2009, 09:14 AM

The X-Men cartoon has recently been released on DVD, the reason it only happened now, is because Disney has the rights to the series, not Marvel. The first two seasons and part of the third have already been released. Thanks for the info!

I went to Wal-Mart last night and found volume 2, but didn't buy it. I figure I'll wait for all five seasons to be released, and buy them all at once. But is this really the actual cartoon series, or the cartoon in comic form on DVD? The DVD cover implies the latter.

xorn87

10-22-2009, 01:02 AM

The Teen Titans cartoon has gotten a few of my nephews into comics. There just isn't enough good cartoon nowadays. I'm guessing now that Disney has Marvel well be seeing more toons on the Disney Channel.

whiteshark

10-22-2009, 01:52 AM

No.
I think both cartoons and comics are both valid gateway for the Marvel Universe.

The continuity doesnt play any significant thing,i started reading comics when i was a kid and had decades of continuity in the comics i was reading and i was still able to enjoy them.Continuity is something that comics will always have,if somebody is really enjoying a comic book chances are that with time they will want to find out more about continuity.But continuity by itself can not stop anybody by enjoying any curent story by casual fans.

About comics being inapropriate i will disagee with this,Marvel have a line of comics for really younger audiences.
And the comics in the main continuity doesnt seem to be that inapropriate at all to me,hell in the 80`s i think comics had more mature plots that comics have now that could have been seen as inapropriate.

DC comics now are even looking to have comics comics more violent and a bit more grim that Marvel with their main event now,from heroes coming back from the dead and the gore that is shown in the fighting scenes.

HectorP

10-22-2009, 09:47 PM

I watched cartoons of comic characters (like the X-Men series) when I wouldn't buy issues of anything, and when I started reading comics much later it wasn't done so much out of nostalgia but for the stuff itself.

volrath50

10-23-2009, 02:23 PM

Absolutely. Movies too, if done right. I got into comics when I was 9, because of X-Men TAS and the '90s Spiderman. To this day, I still read those comics with the voices from those shows. (Though, I've switched my Batman voice from Batman TAS to the Dark Knight). I got really into watching the shows, wanted more, and went to my local grocery store and picked up X-Men and Spider-man comics. Were it not for the cartoons, I'd have neither been aware of, nor cared about those characters.

BTW: I was the jerk who kept the Clone Saga going for so long because back then I loved it. :biggrin:

Ofpromise

10-23-2009, 02:52 PM

I could not agree more with the above posters. Cartoons are the way to go. Same for video games, movies.. Whatever media format is popular. The house of Ideas needs to be involved.

It's a great way to use the printed stories in the mainstream comics, like what Marvel is doing with the PLANET HULK dvd, and the CIVIL WAR themed ultimate Alliance 2 game.

The problem is that Marvel's strength can at times be their weakness. Let's face facts, this universe was built brick by brick, on the idea of a shared universe. Shared heroes and villians poping up in each others books. Creating a shared history of stories- while this is good and all.. It makes it tough to transfer the big M into media format. Most shows star one to four characters, and throwing in other characters can be sort of difficult when you think about the rights being sold off to rival companies. A lot of characters like Hulk, Deadpool, Spider-man, Hercules, Thunderbolts, etc

But yeah, Marvel is changing. We are seeing more and more guest star episodes, and greater talent coming together.. Like Spectacular Spider-man, and Hulk VS.

jlmoor

10-24-2009, 09:41 AM

Yes, cartoons lead to more media exposure as do movies. This leads to backpacks, lunch boxes etc. The problem is that kids get into the characters, but a ton of these kiddos are like 4-10 so what they can read is pretty limited. I think if they can keep interested they will stay engaged. I was the odd one who started in comics, then got into the cartoon (XMTAS). BTAS was such an amazing cartoon it did get me interested in the Bats comics when I was younger. My youngest loves knowing more about the characters than his friends who only watch the cartoons.
There are constantly little kids in the comic stores looking for stuff on their fav character (generally Wolves) and the only thing I can think of is the Magazine.It would be nice if there was something in between that is not totally kiddish, but theat parents won't freak over the sex and violence. I am happy both my kids would rather read comics than play video games. Reading comics also got my youngest into reading in general. Before he would not read anything, now he is reading novels. COMICS ARE GOOD FOR THE WORLD!!