Comic-Con@Home: Disney+ Docu-series “Marvel’s 616” will Make You Love Comics

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What is “Marvel’s 616”?? Learn more about this documentary-series coming to Disney+ this fall, featuring creators of Marvel properties.

About “Marvel’s 616” Docu-Series

Coming to Disney+ September 25th, 2020, Marvel’s 616 is an original anthology docuseries that explores the origins of various Marvel properties with creators. The series delves into a whole new side of the comic book company through eight episodes exploring characters, creators and stories from the past eight decades of content. “We’re going to make everyone love comics,” said Jason Sterman, series executive producer, at the July 23rd Virtual Comic-Con@Home panel (watch below).

Because each episode of Marvel’s 616 is helmed by a different director, each explores a different journey through the Marvel comic universe. Like any good documentary, often the story was found while filming.

Sarah Amos, executive producer, explained at the Comic-Con@Home panel, “Lots of people have an idea of what Marvel fans and creators look like. But Marvel has characters and creators that speak to every walk of life and this documentary series highlights that in a unique way.”

Sneak Peak: “Higher, Further, Faster”

As an example, Disney+ shared an exclusive sneak peek from the episode “Higher, Further, Faster” directed by actor/director Gillian Jacobs. The episode shines a light on the trailblazing women of Marvel Comics and how they found ways to tell stories of representation and inclusion.

Sana Amanat (VP of Content & Character Development, Marvel Comics) shares how her childhood experience as a Muslim led to her connecting with Muslin G. Willow Wilson (Hugo award winner) and ultimately the re-incarnation of Ms. Marvel.

“Marvel said ‘Yes, we want to put together a Muslim writer and a Muslim editor on a book about a Muslim character.’ I was like, you’re going to have to hire an intern to deal with all this hate mail.”

G. Willow Wilson
Episode 2 Sneak Peek: Higher, Further, Faster | Marvel’s 616 | Disney+

Fortunately Wilson’s fears were unfounded, and Ms. Marvel successfully spawned new properties like the Marvel Rising YouTube series (Red Carpet Interview with Sana Amanat can be found here).

At the panel, director Gillian Jacobs explained that she took a deep dive into the Marvel lexicon to learn about the comics and creators. Before this project, she had never picked up a comic book! Her favorite part of the process was bringing together women who may have worked together 20+ years ago, but now were reuniting for the first time on set. The stories she learned! Needless to say, “Higher, Further, Faster!” will be the first Marvel’s 616 episode I watch.

Sneak Peak: “Lost and Found”

The second exclusive Marvel’s 616 sneak peak is from the Paul Scheer-directed episode “Lost and Found,” following the actor and comedian’s eye-opening and hilarious journey to discover the “forgotten” characters of Marvel Comics.

Episode 4 Sneak Peek: Lost and Found | Marvel’s 616 | Disney+

Paul Scheer has written several Marvel comics and hosts Marvel’s The World’s Greatest Book Club on YouTube. While directing “Lost and Found,” Paul noticed that certain Marvel characters languished until someone picked it up and created something unique. “It’s the person behind the character that can really raise it up, they invigorate the characters in different ways.” As this clip teases, this is exactly what happened when Reginald Hudlin took over Black Panther in 2005.

Paul uncovers more of these fascinating stories in this episode, and now I want to read the 2005 Black Panther series on Marvel Unlimited. As the executive producers warn, watch at your own risk because,

We’re going to make everyone love comics!

Films 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” Panel – Comic-Con@Home

A Look Inside “Marvel’s 616” on Disney+ | Comic-Con@Home 2020

Thursday, July 23, 1:00 p.m. PT – Join Gillian, Paul and Marvel’s 616 executive producers Sarah Amos and Jason Sterman with moderator Angélique Roché (host of Marvel’s Voices and The Women of Marvel Podcasts), for the virtual Comic-Con@Home panel; “A Look Inside ‘Marvel’s 616’”, where they will discuss the making of this new Disney+ original docuseries. The link below will be available on 7/23 at 1:00 p.m.

“Marvel’s 616” premieres exclusively on Disney+ on 9/25/20 and is produced by Marvel New Media with Supper Club. The series is executive produced by Joe Quesada, Shane Rahmani, Stephen Wacker, John Cerilli, Harry Go, and Sarah Amos for Marvel; and Jason Sterman, Brian McGinn, and David Gelb for Supper Club.

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