The_Marvel_Action_Hour

<i>The Marvel Action Hour</i>

The Marvel Action Hour

Syndicated programming block


The Marvel Action Hour, later Marvel Action Universe, was a 1994–1996 syndicated television block from Genesis Entertainment featuring animated adaptations of Marvel Comics superheroes Fantastic Four and Iron Man, with Biker Mice from Mars added for the block's second season.[1] It aired in syndication[2] for two years before being cancelled.[3]

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Format

The first half of the hour was an episode of Iron Man;[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] the second half, an episode of Fantastic Four.[12][13][14][15][16][17] During the first season, Stan Lee introduced the episode.[12]

Both the Fantastic Four[18][19][20] and Iron Man[21] were radically retooled[22] for the second seasons, sporting new opening sequences, improved animation,[23] and more mature writing, though the introductions by Stan Lee were shortened and now against a green screen displaying various production paintings from both shows.[24]

In most markets, the second season was known as Marvel Action Universe, which was the name of a previous syndicated programming block in the late 1980s, with the addition of Biker Mice from Mars extending the block to 90 minutes.[1] The structure was like this: there was a pre-opening overview[25][26][27][28] of the each respective series, then the Marvel Action Universe opening,[29] then the Stan Lee intro, then the episode prologue, then the regular show opening, and finally the episode.

UK modification

The show underwent a notable modification when broadcast on the BBC[30] in the United Kingdom; because the BBC does not feature commercial breaks, the two shows that made up the Marvel Action Hour would actually only have totaled about forty minutes, and so episodes of the 1980s Incredible Hulk series were added between the two original shows to bring the whole bundle up to the promised hour in length. The Stan Lee segments were, however, dropped. First series was broadcast from 20 April[31] until 22 June 1996[32] with 3 further episodes in late August and early September. The series was repeated in 1997 and 1998; however, the BBC did not screen Marvel Action Universe, due to the fact Channel 4 held the UK rights to Biker Mice from Mars.

Series overview programme

CBBC Animated Series overview programme

  • Incredible Hulk (September 18, 1982 – October 8, 1983) was added into the programme.

Stations

Generally, New World owned television stations broadcast The Marvel Action Hour along with generally Fox, The WB, UPN, or independent stations in markets where New World did not own a station.

See also


References

  1. "New mice on the block". Broadcasting & Cable. Cahners Business Information. 1994. Archived from the original on 2016-08-05. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 317–321. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. Sims, Chris (December 6, 2019). "Every Marvel Cartoon On Disney+ Ranked Worst To Best". Looper.
  4. Caire, Fernando (May 9, 2010). "IRON MAN: The Animated Series Review". cgchannel.com.
  5. Mathers, Anthony (June 28, 2014). "SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS: IRON MAN (1994)". Two-Headed Nerd.
  6. Greenberger, Robert (May 5, 2010). "Review: 'Iron Man The Complete 1994 Animated Television Series'". ComicMix.
  7. Hatfield, Don (March 8, 2012). "Ten 90s Animated Series To Rewatch On Netflix Instant". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  8. Dietsch, TJ (November 20, 2019). "The 'Fantastic Four' '94 Reading Guide". Marvel.
  9. Russo, Tom. "Behind The Scenes of the Marvel Action Hour". DRG4's Marvel Cartoon Pages.
  10. James, Dave (August 17, 2015). "Marvel's First Family: Revisiting Fantastic Four (1994-1996)". SquabbleBox.co.uk.
  11. Cyrenne, Randell (July 10, 2005). "Fantastic Four : The Complete 1994-95 Animated Series". Animated Views.
  12. "FANTASTIC FOUR (1994) SEASON TWO". doctor-multiverse.com. September 20, 2000.
  13. Anderson, Kyle (August 10, 2015). "5 TIMES THE FANTASTIC FOUR WERE FANTASTIC IN CARTOON FORM". Nerdist.
  14. Adler, Matt (May 9, 2010). "DVD REVIEW: IRON MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES". iFanboy.
  15. "BBC One London - 20 April 1996 - BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  16. "BBC One London - 22 June 1996 - BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  17. "Retro: Albany, GA, Saturday, July 20, 1996". Radio Discussions. June 26, 2017.
  18. "Retro: Rome, GA, Thursday, December 18, 1997". Radio Discussions. March 9, 2018.
  19. "Retro: Charlotte Saturday, September 16, 1995". Radio Discussions. September 16, 2010.
  20. "Retro Chicago TV - Saturday September 23, 1995". Radio Discussions. February 11, 2012.
  21. "Is Marvel Action Hour cancelled?". rec.arts.comics.other-media. May 29, 1995.
  22. "Retro: Dayton/Cincinnati, Sunday, November 13, 1994". Radio Discussions. February 14, 2019.
  23. "Marvel Action Hour times..." rec.arts.animation. October 2, 1994.
  24. "Retro: Tri-Cities TN/VA Sat, Aug 19, 1995". Radio Discussions. August 19, 2010.
  25. "Retro: Kansas City/Topeka, Sunday, March 12, 1995". Radio Discussions. December 19, 2017.
  26. "Retro: Milwaukee, Dec. 10-11, 1994". Radio Discussions. October 21, 2015.
  27. "Retro: Oklahoma City - Week of May 26th, 1996". Radio Discussions. October 27, 2018.
  28. "RETRO: ORLANDO - 3/11/1995". Radio Discussions. April 23, 2012.
  29. "Marvel Action Hour: Philly/S.Jersey". rec.arts.comics.misc. September 23, 1994.
  30. "RETRO: PITTSBURGH - 2/04/1995". Radio Discussions. November 17, 2011.
  31. "Retro: Portland, OR, Sat. January 14th, 1995". Radio Discussions. September 17, 2012.
  32. "Marvel Action Hour times..." rec.arts.comics.misc. September 20, 1994.
  33. "Retro: Seattle/Tacoma, Sunday, Mar 5, 1995". Radio Discussions. July 28, 2013.
  34. "RETRO: TAMPA BAY - 6/22/1996". Radio Discussions. November 6, 2011.
  35. "Retro: Yakima/Seattle Saturday April 20, 1996". Radio Discussions. July 26, 2010.

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