Staff Writer
PBS’ “Superhero Night” has a new air date but the same awesome line up. Now airing on October 15th, the three-hour special program is hosted and narrated by Liev Schreiber and is built around the documentary Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle. The film, from Emmy-award winning producer and director Michael Kantor, chronicles the history of comic books and some of the most beloved characters of all time.
Featured in Superheroes are a slew of cultural icons such as Stan Lee, Adam West, Lynda Carter and Geoff Johns. The late comic book creators Jerry Robinson, who co-created the Joker, and Joe Simon, co-creator of Captain America, are also included.
The documentary begins with the dawn of the comic book era and details how the Great Depression and World War II influenced the creation and popularity of heroes who embodied the American spirit. Part two moves into many of the Marvel characters we know and love. The contrast between characters like Spider-Man and the Hulk, who had problems adults identified with, and earlier heroes paved the way for contemporary social issues to be addressed within the comic book pages.
The final part of Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle focuses on the modern enthusiasm for heroes. The transition of costumed saviors like Batman into darker, more complex personalities is made possible by TV, film, and the ever-changing American culture.
Superheroes was originally intended to air over the course of three weeks beginning on October 8th. Now the documentary will play in full on October 15th, at 8 pm ET. More information about the special is available at www.pbs.org/superheroes.
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