''The Marvel Action Hour'', later ''Marvel Action Universe'', was a 1994–1996 syndicated television block from

Genesis Entertainment New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 197 ...

featuring animated adaptions of

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

superheroes ''

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...

'', ''

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...

'', ''

Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...

'', ''

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...

'', '' Incredible Hulk'', '' Silver Surfer'', '' Spider-Man Unlimted'', '' Avengers United They Stand'', and '' Biker Mice from Mars''. It aired in syndication for two years before being cancelled.

Format

The first half of the hour was an episode of ''

''; the second half, an episode of ''

''. During the first season,

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...

introduced the episode. Both the ''Fantastic Four'' and ''Iron Man'' were radically retooled for the second seasons, sporting new opening sequences, improved animation, 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. 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. The structure was like this: there was a pre-opening overview of the each respective series, then the ''Marvel Action Universe'' opening, 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 #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

; 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 until 22 June 1996 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

*''

'' and ''

'' (September 24, 1994 – February 24, 1996) *'' Biker Mice from Mars'' from the second season.

CBBC Animated Series overview programme

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

Stations

Generally,

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...

owned television stations broadcast ''The Marvel Action Hour'' along with generally

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

The WB The WB Television Network (for Warner Bros., or the "Frog Network", for its former mascot, Michigan J. Frog) was an American television network launched on broadcast television on January 11, 1995, as a joint venture between the Warner Bros. ...

UPN The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which prod ...

, or independent stations in markets where New World did not own a station.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marvel Action Hour Television programming blocks in the United States

Format

UK modification

Series overview programme

CBBC Animated Series overview programme

Stations

See also

References