Superman style comic art for The Secret History of Comics

Robert Kirkman leads Secret History of Comics on BLAZE

Somewhere between art, writing and television, comic books are unique in the way they tell stories. Each comic will have its own style and every panel will have hours of work put behind it. Led by executive producer Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), this new documentary series delves into the many stories, people and events that have made the world of comic books what it is today.

27/07/2022

Considering the incredible popularity of iconic characters like Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, Wonder Woman, Wolverine, and so many other superheroes, anti-heroes, and of course villains, the impact the world of comic books has had on modern pop culture can’t be underestimated. With new records being broken with almost every new Marvel blockbuster hitting our screens, as well as new television series and video games being made all the time (from Prime Video’s The Boys to Heartstopper on Netflix – yes, Heartstopper is based on a graphic novel!), the continuously evolving world of comics seems to reach new heights of popularity every day.

No wonder Robert Kirkman wanted to bring the focus back to the craft of the comic books themselves in this surprising and fascinating new series!

Who is Robert Kirkman?

image of Robert Kirkman speaking in The Secret History of Comics

If you’re a comic book fan, chances are you’ve heard the name Robert Kirkman many times before. His post-apocalyptic zombie comic book series The Walking Dead not only inspired AMC’s long-running television series of the same name, but also numerous spin-off series and video games.

So, it comes as no surprise that, first and foremost, Robert Kirkman considers himself a comic creator, despite the many new avenues his career has taken him down. No doubt it’s his passion for the craft that has prompted him to act as Executive Producer on this fascinating series, looking back at the icons who inspired him onto the many hidden secrets and struggles of the comic book industry and how it’s changed in the modern world.

What is the Secret History of Comics about?

image of Stan Lee speaking in an interview

The new, six-part documentary series takes a deeper look into the many stories and creators that make up the world of comic books. Featuring interviews with comic book icons such as the legendary Stan Lee, the creator of Marvel and many of our most popular Marvel superheroes including Spider-Man, Superman, Hulk, X-Men, The Avengers and countless more popular characters.

Here are a few more famous faces we’ll hear from:

Patty Jenkins, the director of 2017’s Wonder Woman which broke the record for the biggest grossing live-action film directed by a woman and became the highest grossing film of the summer.
Lynda Carter, the actress behind the original 1970s television adaptation of Wonder Woman.
Kevin Smith, perhaps best known for creating the View Askewniverse and appearing as Silent Bob in multiple movies including Clerks (1994) and Dogma (1999), he’s also a well-known comic book creator, having written for both Marvel and DC Comics.
Famke Jassen, who played Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men films
J.K. Simmons, the iconic actor who has had roles in both Spider-Man as the incorrigible editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson, and in Robert Kirkman’s Invincible as Omni-Man.
Michelle Rodriguez, the Fast and Furious star who has also had key roles in the Resident Evil franchise and much more.
Todd McFarlane, the comic book creator, writer, artist and filmmaker best known for his art on The Amazing Spider-Man and work on horror-fantasy series Spawn.

The episodes cover a wide range of events in the comic book industry, from the creation of Marvel and DC Comics to the surprising and often scandalous stories behind the creators themselves (do you know the real inspiration behind Wonder Woman?), to political commentary within comic book narratives and the breakout of independent comic book publishers in the modern day, this series will chart the birth and rise in popularity of comic books and their enduring influence on popular culture in this passionate documentary series.

How can I watch the Secret History of Comics for free?

The Secret History of Comics will air on BLAZE (Freesat channel 162) from Saturday 6th August at 11pm. Each episode is an hour long and will explore some seriously amazing secrets and first-hand knowledge of the world of comic books, so make sure to set a reminder or record this exciting new series so you don’t miss a thing!

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