Tune in to PBS on Tuesday, October 15 for Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle, a comprehensive look at the humble beginnings of the comic book industry. Clocking in at three hours of interviews and footage, the documentary features some of the comic industry’s luminaries like the legendary Stan Lee, Geoff Johns, Carmine Infantino, Neal Adams, Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and many more. Fan favorite actors Adam West and Lynda Carter also put in appearances.
Host Liev Schreiber, who played his own part in the Marvel cinematic universe as Sabretooth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, walks viewers through the long history of comic books. The three-part documentary aims to examine:
[T]he dawn of the comic book genre and its powerful legacy, as well as the evolution of the characters who leapt from the pages over the last 75 years and their ongoing worldwide cultural impact. It chronicles how these “disposable diversions” were subject to intense government scrutiny for their influence on American children and how they were created, in large part, by the children of immigrants whose fierce loyalty to a new homeland laid the foundation for a multi-billion-dollar industry that is now an influential part of our national identity.
Also included in the documentary are the perspectives of women in the industry, including publisher Jenette Kahn, writer Louise Simonson, and writer Trina Robbins.
Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle airs October 15. (Check your local PBS listings.) In the meantime, you can take a look at some in-depth interviews with creators and actors in these web exclusives.
