The Merry Marvel Marching Society

Also in 1965, Marvel created its own fan community with the Merry Marvel Marching Society, The club crystallized Lee's happy-go-lucky public persona. Announced in the January books, those who joined for the price of $1 received a package consisting of a membership card, stickers, a membership button, and a letter of introduction signed by 'The Bullpen Gang'."

From Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book, by Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon

• Click the image to the right to download an mp3 of the MMMS's record... You'll never want to part with it!
  
• A great, image-packed article on the history of the MMMS by Terrence J. Brady
• Merry Marvel Marching Society vs Mary Marvel Marching Society
• Dograt.com's article on the MMMS's Flexi disc recordings, with mp3s
  
• YouTube slideshow of the first Flexi disc recording and Bullpen photos
  
• Jack Kirby's memories of the recording session, via Mark Evanier
• YouTube slideshow of the MMMS's history
  
• Fred Hembeck's December 15th, 2004 blog entry about Marvel's various fan clubs
• Bullpen Pages featuring MMMS rolls
  

Starring Reed Richards! Ben Grimm! Johnny Storm! Sue Storm! And Spider-Man!

Only another few months till Marvel makes the network! Starting in September, the FF and Spidey will be presented border-to-border and coast-to-coast by the American Broadcasting Company! Our fascinatin' foursome will be produced by Hanna-Barbera, while your favorite web-slinger will be filmed at the Universal City studios of Grantray-Lawrence - with both half-hour shows being in full animation and glowing color!

-Bullpen Bulletin, August 1967

Click on the images above to browse YouTube playlists of episodes of Fantastic Four and Spider-Man.

Making their debut on September 9, 1967, the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man cartoon series carried on the tradition of faithful adaptations and great voice work begun by 1966's Marvel Superheroes cartoon, but with improved animation courtesy of such talents as the late Alex Toth and Ralph Bakshi.

Although the Fantastic Four series ran for only twenty episodes, Spider-Man continued for three seasons, in time becoming just as much, if not more, of a cultural touchstone as the comic series that inspired it. For more great Spider-Man info, check out Wallopin' Websnappers, a fun Flash-based site narrated by Spidey himself, Paul Soles (Who also provided vox for Hermie the Misfit Elf!) which takes a look at the actors who lent their voices to the cartoon's cast of characters, and WFMU's Beware the Blog's article on the show's timeless music and its production history.

The Marvel Superheroes Have Arrived!

Marvel super-heroes on TV! Here's the official scoop so far - our first stations will begin showing animated films of five - yep, FIVE - of our Marvel heroes in the middle of September. The characters to be featured will be: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Sub-Mariner, and the Hulk - all in full color! What's more, we'll use exactly the same art and stories which have made our mags the sensation of the nation! Production is under way right now, at the famous Grantray-Lawrence Animation Co. in Hollywood..."

-Bullpen Bulletin, October 1966

Well, sort of.

The Ol' Bullpen Page wasn't kidding about The Marvel Superheroes series using "exactly the same art and stories"; panels from the comics were directly incorporated into the cartoon, xeroxed onto the cels and given life via very limited animation techniques and camera work.

Reuse of backgrounds, expressions, and any other bit of celluloid that looked like it had one more go in it was a hallmark of the series, as was wonderful voice acting, courtesy of many great talents from the CBC (Including John Vernon and pretty much anyone who had a speaking part on Wayne & Shuster.) Click to image to the left to browse a YouTube playlist featuring episodes of the series.

Grantray-Lawrence and Krantz Films also produced the immortal Rocket Robin Hood cartoon, and in 1967, the first Spider-Man cartoon, which also featured occasionally wonky animation, swell voice work, and theme songs catchier than herpes and more sanity-damaging than syphilis.