You may know George R.R. Martin as the writer of the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, which was adapted into the HBO series Game of Thrones. But long before becoming a world-renowned science fiction and fantasy writer, George R.R. Martin was just a kid in Bayonne, New Jersey, who read a LOT of comics. Lorraine and Evan chatted with George on last week’s episode—but there was so much more to talk about! In this final bonus episode, George speaks more about his early days as an avid Marvel reader, his engagement with the fanzine community as a teen, and the lasting impression that Marvel stories have left on his life and work. Plus, he reads one of his early letters to Marvel!

To close out this season of Marvel’s Declassified, Lorraine and Evan shift gears to tell the story of Marvel fandom through the years—through the voices of people who were there. From the glory days of the Merry Marvel Marching Society to the massive comic conventions of today, they look at how fandom has evolved since Marvel’s earliest days—and what still holds true today. Fandom means different things to different people—so as Marvel continues to tell the story of the “world outside your window,” Lorraine and Evan reflect on how those windows are continuing to grow and multiply.

How have visions of the future influenced Marvel's stories? And on the flip side, how has Marvel shaped ideas about the future? From Iron Man's armor to the visionary technology of Wakanda, Lorraine and Evan explore how Marvel has answered these questions

What are the inner workings of the Spider-Verse? And what happens when a Spider-Man alternate reality spills off the page and into real life? Lorraine and Evan discover all of that and more on today’s episode. After chatting with Spider-Man writers past and present, they unearth what happened when a publisher in Mexico began making its own Spider-Man storyline where Gwen Stacy never lost her life and instead continued her adventures with Peter Parker.

Marvel’s Declassified presents: a bonus, extended interview with legendary Captain Marvel writer Kelly Sue DeConnick! In this candid conversation with Lorraine, DeConnick talks about what was on her mind when she was writing Carol Danvers, how the Carol Corps started (hint: the Kiss Army is involved), and why Captain Marvel is an “upward-facing character.”

How did Marvel Knights — a now-legendary imprint created by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti — save Marvel Comics from near-extinction? On this episode, Evan and Lorraine find out from the people who made it happen. They hear a firsthand account of how Quesada and Palmiotti went from co-founding an indie comic book label to marching into a meeting with the President of Marvel Comics, Joe Calamari, and requesting to be Marvel’s new co-Editors in Chief. They delve into the imprint’s experimental style, grim and grittier aesthetic, as well as its violent, realistic tone. Plus, they explore how the imprint’s risky decisions paid off.

The Hulk’s creation in 1962 was partly a result of the Cold War. His origin story is not only a metaphor for the fear and tension that permeated society during that time, but also a literal depiction of the capability of nuclear power. On this episode, Evan and Lorraine trace the evolution of The Hulk through the eyes of his creators, and look at how subsequent comic book runs have added pieces to the puzzle—from carefree Professor Hulk to seedy Gray Hulk to World War Hulk. And with the help of a psychologist, they dive into the psychology of the Hulk and Bruce Banner, and what they can tell us about anger.

 In 1977, Ms. Marvel burst onto the scene and Carol Danvers went from side character to Super Hero. Taking on the honorific “Ms.,” she embodied the identity of the women’s movement in the United States. In this episode, Lorraine and Evan explore how Carol Danvers’ evolution has reflected wider societal trends—from clothing design to larger questions of agency and power. Along the way, they chat with some of the writers who shaped Ms. Marvel’s journey, from Carol Danvers to Kamala Khan.

Audio excerpt provided by the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, www.texasarchive.org.

In this bonus, extended cut of Evan’s interview with Christopher Priest, they'll talk about what it was like to be a writer and editor on books like Spider-Man, Black Panther, Power Man and Iron Fist at Marvel from the ‘80s to the ‘00s, his friendship with fellow editor Larry Hama, and how Priest committed to finding his own voice as a creator during some of Marvel’s most creative eras.

Marvel’s predecessor Timely Comics was founded in 1939, the same year World War II began. From the earliest days, our creators were thinking about battles overseas and close to home. With artists, writers, and editors experiencing the war, sometimes on the frontlines, the pages flooded with patriotism, heroes, and horrors. With World War II and the Vietnam War as benchmarks, Lorraine and Evan look at how Marvel has responded to military conflict on its pages. Along the way, they explore the relationship between art and propaganda, and how a good idea can be used for both good and evil. 

Archival clip of the 1939 Nazi rally courtesy New York Public Radio.

Archival clip of “This Is Our Enemy” courtesy Municipal Archives, City of New York. 

Paul S. Hirsch’s upcoming book, Pulp Empire: The Secret History of Comic Book Imperialism, will be available in February 2021 from the University of Chicago Press. The book is available for preorder on Amazon here, and more information is available via his website.