Jeph_Loeb.jpgTV and comics veteran Jeph Loeb has been named to a new position within Marvel, according to a press release, below. As Executive Vice President, Head of Television, Loeb will work on bringing Marvel’s characters to television and oversee both development and distribution of their series efforts, both animated and live-action. He will report to Marvel Publisher Dan Buckley.

While Marvel’s film triumphs are well known, in TV, their major output of late has been animated, with a series of direct to DVD movies such as the recent PLANET HULK, and new series for Thor and The Mighty Avengers planned for later this year. Marvel’s recent TV product has found a ready home of Disney’s boy-themed Disney XD channel, and certainly Disney would welcome more male-skewing programming to balance their strong slate for girls. Getting a TV expert like Loeb to guide development, is a smart move for all.

Marvel Entertainment, LLC announced today that it has appointed Jeph Loeb as Executive Vice President, Head of Television, a newly created division of Marvel Entertainment.  In this new role, Mr. Loeb will work alongside Dan Buckley, Publisher & President of the Print, Animation & Digital Divisions, Marvel Worldwide, Inc., to translate Marvel’s popular characters and stories to the television medium, in both live-action and animation formats. In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Loeb will oversee the development and distribution of live-action, animated and direct-to-DVD series. Mr. Loeb was previously a Marvel-exclusive Eisner-Award-winning comic book writer and an Emmy-nominated writer for his work on NBC’s Heroes. The announcement was made today by Alan Fine, Executive Vice President, Office of the President and Chairman of Marvel Studios’ Creative Committee, and by Mr. Buckley, to whom Mr. Loeb will report.

Mr. Fine stated, “It’s with tremendous pride that I announce the creation of our Marvel Television division and the appointment of Jeph Loeb as Executive Vice President. His work in the comic book field is in a class of its own, showing his passion and talent for bringing Marvel’s finest characters to life in an innovative manner. Jeph’s work on multiple award-winning television series and popular films has shown fans worldwide his ability to deliver thrilling entertainment in a number of media. With Jeph as our EVP, fans will experience the highest quality and most exciting television projects featuring their favorite Marvel characters.”

“I couldn’t be happier to accept this new position at Marvel Entertainment, working with both Dan and Alan to deliver exciting, cutting edge television projects,” said Mr. Loeb. “Marvel continues to break new ground in storytelling in both their comic book and film ventures, so, along with everyone here, I’m excited to bring the same brand of excitement into homes across the globe.”

Mr. Loeb has written acclaimed stories featuring every major super hero in comics, including Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Daredevil, Spider-Man, the X-Men and more. Multiple-time winner of the prestigious Eisner Award for his writing, Mr. Loeb quickly established himself as one of the most sought after writers in the comic industry. Mr. Loeb also served as writer/producer on television series Smallville and Lost; writer/co-executive producer on Heroes; and writer of hit films Commando and Teen Wolf.

1 COMMENT

  1. Could’ja bring down the size on that publicity photo?

    It’s too early in the week to stare at Jeph Loeb’s pores.

    As for the news itself, I’m not sure if it was Marvel’s wisest move. I’ve always been mystified by Loeb’s prominence in comics and TV circles, and I think it’s fair to say his work is…to put it kindly…polarizing.

  2. Hmmmm. I know Jeph Loeb is responsible for a more, shall we say, Hollywood approach to books like Hulk and Superman/Batman. That might be a good thing for bringing Marvel properties to TV. Not sure about him being the cause for Heroes downfall.

    On the other hand… Maybe the Disney Channel would be a great home for a series based on Spider-Girl. It’s like Kim Possible meets Spider-Man… Total win! Another show which might benefit from a humorous Kim Possible-like vibe would be She-Hulk. Maybe we could see the start of an animated “Spider-Girl and She-Hulk Power Hour!” THAT might be a lot of fun!

  3. I just watched Teen Wolf last weekend and my thought was, “What a thoroughly terrible movie.” I love Teen Wolf, but I realized it’s because of Michael J Fox and how cheezey everything is.

  4. It’s like his pores are tiny eyes. I like Loeb, he single handley ruined Heroes? The villian!

    Been actually wanting to pick up Red Hulk or whatever, heard it’s completly ridiculous, could be my cup of tea.

    Also why not a Commando Animated series? Where Matrix takes on a third world dicatorship each week with gardening tools.

  5. I’ve always thought that She-Hulk could be a live action property a’la The Incredible Hulk TV series.

    Sandra Bullock as Jennifer Walters and Superstar Wrestler China as She-Hulk

  6. Jeph Loeb may not have single-handedly killed Heroes, but he was fired from the show in the middle of the third season, which is when the quality of the show was arguably at its low point.

    This doesn’t bode well for Marvel’s properties if Loeb will be a head writer. However, he does have solid contacts within the TV industry, so if he’s working more as a producer it could be exciting to see some Marvel properties brought to TV.

    On the other hand, the last Marvel property on the small screen was that awful Blade TV show.

  7. “Just be very thankful I didn’t post that naked picture of Dean Haspiel I got this morning!” – Uhm, WHY should we be thankful? I for one would LIKE to see THAT! Man… :)

  8. That’s the photo being run everywhere. Are people supposed to think that someone at Marvel doesn’t like Loeb, or that he has poor taste re good pics?

    SRS

  9. Marvel + Loeb = worse fit ever. He has no affinity at all for the Marvel characters. Who could forget his first Ultimates arc where it was clear that he and the artist had never read any of the Millar/Hitch run or any of the Ultimates line for that matter.

    I am interested in the fact that Marvel wants to get their characters on TV. I really loved the Immortal Iron Fist book by Brubaker, Fraction and Aja and it would provide the basis for a great TV show.

  10. Jeph’s a hell of a guy and I know him from way back. Congratulations to him and the haters can go screw…

  11. “While Marvel’s film triumphs are well known, in TV, their major output of late has been animated, with a series of direct to DVD movies such as the recent PLANET HULK, and new series for Thor and The Mighty Avengers planned for later this year.”

    AND it’s a system that doesn’t need fixing. However – I do feel cheated that they prematurely ended such shows as Spectaculr Spider-Man (a show I use to submit rating reports for at Sony) and Wolverine & The X-men, just to make way for everything that’s related to Avengers.

    So what is Loeb supposed to do, turn everything Marvel related into a Smallville teen age soap opera?

    ~

    Coat

  12. His primary experience in TV seems to be low-wattage live action shows featuring talky teens and twenty-somethings (along with an aborted Buffy animated series if I remember right), but I’m not sure how that experience helps Marvel bring more fantastical, action-oriented properties to the small screen.

    Unless they’re interested in low-wattage live action shows featuring talky teens and twenty-somethings.

    “The Coffee Shop Avengers”?

  13. Personally, I think Marvel tweaked that picture of Jeph Loeb so that it’d be easier to identify him as the writer of the Red Hulk storyline. My dad kinda looks like that before his blood pressure meds take effect…

    I told my daughter about this and she said she’d love a new X-Men that’s closer to the original stories; all the various versions that divert from the original stories really bug her. Honest! Plus she’d like to see the X-Men the Animated Series on Disney XD. She also liked my ideas for animated Spider-Girl and She-Hulk series on the Disney Channel; anything to fill the gap in Disney programming now that Kim Possible is in limbo…

  14. Jeph Loeb has written some of the best comics (Batman: Long Halloween, Superman: For all Seasons, Daredevil: Yellow) and some of the worst comics of all time (Ultimates 3, Ultimatium, Hulk relaunch), so it will be interesting to see where this goes….

    However, that picture of him looks like a mug shot from Dateline: To Catch a Predator. Why doesn’t Marvel and DC both hire someone for their PR departments that either knows how to take a photo, or hire someone that knows how to hire someone to take professional photos. (I mention DC too, becuase when Jim Lee was promoted to CO EIC or whatever his title was, they used an old photo of him in a tattered ball cap. Seriously, guys, if you want comics to be seen as legit and professional, act that way.

  15. The only thing I take issue with is the hyperbole. Jeph Loeb was never an ‘innovative’ writer. This isn’t a knock against his writing, but a matter of the copywriter defining Loeb’s writing correctly. To see what I’m getting at, imagine if Tom Defalco was decribed as a groundbreaking because he worked on a lot of stuff. Do they expect the general public to believe that their upcoming projects will be ” cutting edge”? Television, particularly scripted live action television tends to be conservative.