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Background: This company was founded in 1980 as the successor to DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. After Friz Freleng's departure, the studio was reincorporated as the animation unit for Marvel Comics Group.
Marvel Comics Animation
Opening Logo (1979)
Nickname: "Spidey Bust"
Logo: On a blue background, we see a white circle on the top right of the screen. The words "Marvel Comics Animation" appear around it in black. A picture of Spider-Man's mask appears in the center. We see the words "A MARVEL COMICS Animation Presentation" in white in the center of the screen.
SFX: None. It's a static logo.
Music: No music.
Availability: Rare. It appeared on syndicated reruns of "Spider-Man," "The New Fantastic Four" and "Spider-Woman" as well as on reprints of "Marvel Super Heroes." It also turned up recently on "Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends" on ABC Family.
Scare Factor: Minimum. Though, the Spidey mask could get to some.
Closing Logo (1979) Nickname: "Spidey Bust 2" Logo: On a navy blue background, we see a giant white circle with a
picture of Spider-Man's mask inside. The words "Marvel Comics
Animation" appear in yellow and surrounds the circle. SFX: None. It's a static logo.
Music: No regular music. Availability: Extremely Rare. This only appeared on
"Spider-Woman," which is not widely shown on TV. Scare Factor: Minimum. The dark background might startle some.
Marvel Productions Ltd
1st Logo
(1981-1982)
Nickname: "MP"
Logo: On a dark blue background, several large sets of lines rotate. Over the lines, a "star" traces out the company logo that of a stylized "MP", with another M cut out of the "M" part of the logo. When the logo is fully traced and the lines are in position (with horizontal lines for the M part and vertical lines for the P), the logo flashes, and the M cut out turns white while the rest turns yellow. The logo shrinks to the top-left corner, and "MARVEL PRODUCTIONS LTD" is drawn out with a star below it in a font not unlike the 1970s Filmways logo. "A CADENCE COMPANY" is similarly drawn out on the bottom-right of the screen.
SFX: The "star" effects and drawing in of the logo, and the rotating lines, which remind one of Avco-Embassy's logo.
Music: A very dramatic fanfare.
Availability: Most Marvel shows of this time have been updated with either the second logo or a Saban logo. However, you may still see this logo on some videos of Marvel shows of this time. It also turned up sometimes when "Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends" was being reran on ABC Family.
Scare Factor: The fanfare is overly dramatic and the animation is cheesy, so some might be startled by it.
2nd Logo
(1983-1986)
Nickname: "MP '83"
Logo: On a dark blue background, we see the segmented stylized "MP" (with horizontal lines for the M part and vertical lines for the P) in blue and white. The logo shrinks to the upper third, and "MARVEL PRODUCTIONS LTD" appears below the logo. "A CADENCE COMPANY" appears at the bottom right of the company name. The MP pings at the top right.
SFX: The shrinking MP, the "star ping" effect.
Music: No regular music.
Availability: Most Marvel shows of this time have been updated with either the second logo or a Saban logo. It was retained as a static variant on season one episodes of "Muppet Babies."
Scare Factor: Minimum. The dark colors might get to some.
2nd Logo
(1986-1993)
Logo: In space, we pan out through a series of glowing 3D bars. As the bars rotate up towards us, we see that it is the Marvel Productions logo, done in glorious 3D (and with the M cut-out not filled in). In the background, a CGI Spider-Man leaps up, and the logo is "absorbed" into his body, turning him silver. The space background goes to "timewarp" into a silver background, as the words "MARVEL PRODUCTIONS, LTD" rise up from the bottom-right with a trail behind it. The MP logo returns to the screen, as the silver Spider-Man somersaults to the top of it and takes a prowler-like stance above it as the logo takes its place on the center of the screen. The Marvel Productions text takes its place below the logo. "A New World Company" fades in when the animation is all done.
(Note: The reason for the MP logo being absorbed and then mysteriously reappearing is to provide a place to cut the logo so that it is not as long-in most cases, however, the logo is shortened so that only the tail-end of the animation is seen)
SFX: EXCELLENT CGI Effects; this logo holds up VERY well, even today, and the CGI effects were ahead of its time.
Music: A THX-like "chord" sound-on the 1989 X-Men pilot, a synth tune is heard
Availability: Rare, the short version was seen on many shows, most notably "Muppet Babies" -the longer version can be considered extinct.
Scare Factor: Minimal, just awe-inspiring computer animation :)
Marvel Entertainment
Group
(1992-1997)
Logo: On a black/gray gradient background, a yellow "starburst" appears. Inside it is the current Marvel Comics logo, consisting of a large "M" design with "MARVEL" embedded into it. Across the M is the word "COMICS" scrawled in a graffiti-like font. Next to the logo is a larger blue sunburst with "MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP" inside of it in a plain font.
SFX: Nothing, this is a static logo.
Music: The end theme of the show, usually.
Availability: Most 1992-1997 Marvel shows have it, but X-Men's logo has been updated with the current Marvel Studios logo.
Scare Factor: Not scary at all.
Marvel Films/Studios
1st Logo
(1992-1997)
Logo: On a black background, in a white square, a logo similar to the Marvel Comics logo is seen, but the M now has squares cut out on either side of it and "Films" written in script across it. "A Division of New World Entertainment" appears below.
Variation: A different logo was used on Spider-Man. It featured the Marvel/M combination tilting and zooming out to face us. In the M is an animation of Spider-Man. Once the M reaches its position, it flashes and "Films" is written, in script. The background is a space bg and the New World disclaimer appears below.
SFX: Nothing for the regular, but the Spidey logo had the tilting and flash.
Cheesy Factor: The tilting and flash on Spidey's logo look kind of fake.
Music: The end of the show's theme.
Availability: Most Marvel shows from this period keep this logo.
Scare Factor: Not scary, more effort was spent on this.
2nd Logo
(1997-1999)
Logo: In space, a globe of the Earth spins around. From the bottom of the screen, a red, bold "MARVEL" zooms up, and from the top, the Marvel M made out the same way as the Marvel Films logo but with nothing written across it, zooms towards the bottom. When they both reach their respective points, both logo flashes, and the words "ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC." appear under the Marvel logo, and the word "Studios" appears on the Marvel M. After the flash, the countries on the globe are now filled in with pictures of the Marvel Comics characters.
(Note: The words "Based on the Marvel Comics Characters" appeared under this logo on "Silver Surfer".)
SFX: The spinning globe, the flying words and flashing logos
Cheesy Factor: Pretty low budget, although not as bad as the Marvel Entertainment logo.
Music: End of the show's theme.
Availability: It was only seen on two Marvel shows-Silver Surfer on Fox Kids, and the (abysmal) second season of The Incredible Hulk on UPN. Therefore, it was only used for one year.
Scare Factor: Not scary at all
3rd Logo
(1999-)
Logo: On a blue shiny background, we see a backlit Marvel M, with nothing written across it. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a red "Studios", written in script, zooms out and plasters itself on top of the M. As it plasters itself on top of the M, the Marvel M shines and lights up, revealing the same granite-like finish in the previous two logos.
SFX: Nifty CGI
Cheesy Factor: Not as much cheesy as confusing-it's kinda hard to tell what's going on as the animation goes by so fast.
Music: A loud phaser-like sound.
Availability: Uncommon. Could be seen on The Avengers and Spider-Man Unlimited, and is now appearing on repeats of "Spider-Man" on ABC Family. A still of this can be seen on "Mutant X" and "X-Men: Evolution."
Scare Factor: The loud phasing sound could get to some.
