Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle is a 2013 three-part American television documentary series about superheroes written and directed by Michael Kantor and narrated by actor Liev Schreiber. The production company was Ghost Light Films and Oregon Public Broadcasting and funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The three-hour series features interviews with over fifty comic book artists, creators and actors. The series was originally broadcast over a single evening.

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle
GenreTelevision documentary
Developed byMichael Kantor
Written byMichael Kantor
Screenplay byMichael Kantor
Story byMichael Kantor
Directed byMichael Kantor
Narrated byLiev Schreiber
Music byChristopher Rife
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producerMichael Kantor
ProducersMichael Kantor, Sally Rosenthal
CinematographyMead Hunt (Episode 1)
EditorsKris Liem (2 episodes, 2013) Pamela Scott Arnold (1 episode, 2013)
Running time3 hours[1]
Budget$2 million
Original release
NetworkPBS
ReleaseOctober 15, 2013 (2013-10-15)[1]

Interviewees

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Home media

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Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle was released on DVD on October 15, 2013.[citation needed]

Book

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Superheroes!: Capes, Cowls, and the Creation of Comic Book Culture by Laurence Maslon and Michael Kantor is the companion book to the series. It was published by Crown Archetype and released on October 1, 2013. The book, according to director and producer Michael Kantor, "covers lots of characters and stories...we had to cut from the film."[2]

Reception

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The New York Daily News noted that "'Superheroes' brings PBS into the comic book world the way its pledge-drive specials bring PBS into the pop music world, with quality productions that keep things clean and tidy."[3] Washington Post reviewer Michael Cavna called the series "engaging" and noted that "[the] filmmakers smartly set their narratives against the shifts in American life",[4] while The Hollywood Reporter noted that the series was "[a]n engaging historical survey of comics."[5]

Staff writer Jessica Fisher of the Kennesaw State University official student newspaper The Sentinel recognized that its a "fascinating study for fans of comics".[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Lowry, Brian (October 14, 2013). "TV Review: 'Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle'". Variety.
  2. ^ "Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle - Exclusive Interview With Filmmaker Michael Kantor". Comicbook.com.
  3. ^ Hinckley, David. "'Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle': TV review". Daily News. New York.
  4. ^ "PBS' 'Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle' shows comics as uniquely American stories". The Washington Post. October 14, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  5. ^ Keene, Allison (October 15, 2013). "Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. ^ ""Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle" Documentary Review". The Sentinel. Kennesaw State University. January 12, 2015.
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