The storied history and legacy of DC Comics is set to be the subject of an upcoming documentary which is being developed by HBO Max.
The doco will be a three-part series which, according to its logline, will “allow fans to rediscover the universe of characters, as well as the iconic comic book company’s origins, its evolution and its nearly nine-decade cultural impact across every artistic medium.”
Leslie Iwerks, who is the granddaughter of Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks as well as an accomplished director and an Oscar and Emmy nominee, is developing the project alongside producing extraordinaire Greg Berlanti who is the force behind Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl to name a few.
Jim Lee, publisher and chief creative officer at DC expressed his excitement at the docu-series in a statement saying, “DC has a rich legacy of over 80 years of iconic storytelling: from the introduction of the genre defining superhero Superman in 1938 to the amazing movies, TV shows, cartoons, games and comics which have been synonymous with superheroism for generations thereafter.”
Added Iwerks, “The DC Universe is vast, rich and incredibly cool, and we’re looking forward to bringing the untold stories of the characters, artists and storytellers to life in a fresh new way.”
The decision to create a docu-series around the beloved DC Universe will potentially level out the playing field with Marvel somewhat, who have delved into the company’s backstory previously with documentary specials like Marvel’s Behind the Mask and Marvel 616 on Disney+.
DC Comics was founded in 1934 with the first comic under the DC banner being published in 1937. The company has created iconic characters such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Green Arrow as well as the Justice League and The Suicide Squad.
The comic books created by DC have spawned over 25 feature films and well over 30 live-action and animated television series.
Iwerks and Berlanti’s docu-series is yet to receive a title or release date.
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