1. AVENGERS! ASSEMBLE!
Marketing models and Fandom

2. Marvel

3. • Timely Comics 1939
• Atlas Comics 1950
• Marvel Comics 1960
• First featured comic: Fantastic Four
• Chief editor Stan Lee was responsible for all
stories at this point.
• Other popular stories include; Hulk, Thor, Captain
America, Iron Man, X Men, Daredevil, Spiderman.
• Created well known villains such as; Doctor
Doom, Galactus and Magneto.

4. • Split into several entertainment subsidiaries
during l980s. (Marvel Entertainment, Marvel
Productions, Marvel Animations, Marvel UK,
Marvel Music etc)
• To date, Marvel is the highest-grossing movie
brand of all time, its films having grossed a
total of $4,094.6 million.

5. AVENGERS!
• The ‘Marvel Cinema Universe’ – shared
fictional universe created to host Marvel’s
Avengers.
• The universe was established by crossed over
shared elements, plot lines, characters and
settings.

6. • Some of the productions set in the Marvel
Universe;
– Iron Man (2008)
– The Incredible Hulk (2008)
– Iron Man 2 (2010)
– Thor (2011)
– Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
– The Avengers (2012)

7. • John Favreau (2008)
• Main player: Robert Downey Jr
• When wealthy industrialist Tony Stark is forced to
build an armored suit after a life-threatening
incident, he ultimately decides to use its technology
to fight against evil.
• Budget: $140million
• Gross: $585million

8. • Louis Lettrier (2008)
• Main Player: Ed Norton
• Thanks to a gamma ray
experiment gone wrong, Dr.
Bruce Banner transforms into
a giant green-skinned hulk
whenever his pulse rate gets
too high. Meanwhile, a soldier
uses the same technology to
become an evil version of the
original.
• Budget: $150million
• Gross: $263million

9. • Kenneth Branagh (2011)
• After being cast out from
the kingdom of Asgard, the
mighty and powerful Thor is
forced to live on earth. He
quickly becomes one of the
planet’s greatest defenses.
• Budget: $150million
• Gross:$446million
Main players: Chris Hemsworth,
Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins

10. • Joe Johnston (2011)
• Main Players: Chris Evans,
Christopher Markus.
• After being deemed unfit for
military service, Steve Rogers
volunteers for a top secret
research project that turns
him into Captain America, a
superhero dedicated to
defending the USA's ideals.
• Budget: $150million
• Gross: $368million

11. • John Whedon (2012)
• Main Players: Robert
Downey Jr, Chis Evans,
Scarlett Johansson , Chris
Hemsworth, Mark
Ruffalo
• Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D.
brings together a team of
super humans to form The
Avengers to help save the
Earth from Loki and his
army.
• Budget: $220million

12. • Each film’s plot is designed to intertwine with
regards to narrative, characters and setting to
culminate in The Avengers (2012)
• The Avengers will feature an ensemble cast
from each of the preceding Universe movies.
• The movie is the culmination of nearly 15years
of preceding production work and intricately
written, directed and marketed movies.

13. Cult Fandom and the Movie Geek
• Fandom for particular texts or genres can become
exaggerated through mutual appreciation and large
fanbases.
• It stems from a need to stand out from other forms of
popular fandom.
• There will usually be a range of merchandising and
themed events based around the text. (conventions
etc.)
• The text and surrounding items become quasi-religious
(almost a religion) symbols to fans, holding a certain
amount of sentimental and cultural value.

14. Popular Examples
• Comic-Con
• Star Trek
• Twilight
• Harry Potter
• Dr Who
• Lord of the Rings
• World of Warcraft

15. Popular Exmples
• Star Wars
• Star Trek
• Twilight
• Buffy the Vampire
Slayer
• Lord of the Rings
• Dr Who
• Superman/Smallville
• Marvel and DC Comics
• Comic Con

16. TASK AHOY!
• Your mission:
• Get into groups of three or four.
• You will be given one example of a cult fan base to investigate and
produce a Fact Profile for.
• Be sure to include;
– Facts about the movie/genre/convention
– Figures/dates etc
– Images
– Blog postings/fan postings
– Your opinion on why this fan base has generated
GO FORTH AND GEEK!