An exec who helped start ESPN Films wants to use Marvel's digital content to tell real-world stories

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Marvel New Media, a division of Marvel Entertainment, announced new digital content at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo on Saturday.
Marvel New Media vice president Dan Silver talked to Business Insider about Marvel's digital push and how it focuses on true stories.
The content includes a variety of new podcasts and video series — "Women in Marvel," for instance, is a podcast that focuses on the comic industry from a female perspective.

As an entertainment company with a bevy of fictional characters at its disposal, Marvel isn't exactly in the business of telling true stories. But a new digital push hopes to change that.

Dan Silver, vice president of Marvel New Media — a division of Marvel Entertainment — told Business Insider that Marvel is a "lifestyle brand" now, and should be telling stories that appeal to anyone. That means telling "real" stories, too.

Silver comes from a nonfiction background. He's been with Disney — which owns Marvel — for a decade, and helped start ESPN Films, which produces sports films such as the "30 for 30" documentary series.

While at ESPN, Silver worked on the documentary "1 of 1 — Genesis," which he said was about "the crossover between the world’s greatest athletes and the world’s greatest superheroes."

"We interviewed athletes about their own ‘origin stories’ and created video comics for it," he continued.

It's these kinds of stories — "stories that represent Marvel in the real world" — that Silver ultimately hopes to capture with its new digital content.

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"There are so many stories nowadays [for example], of people buying out theaters to go see 'Black Panther,' and we should be a participant in those stories in telling them," he said.

"Women of Marvel," for instance, is a bi-weekly podcast re-launched in February that focuses on the comic-book industry — an industry largely dominated by men — from a female perspective.

During a panel at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) on Saturday, Marvel New Media announced this and five more new digital series.

What does all this digital content mean for Marvel's comics line? Much of the content will still be inspired by the comics, Silver said, so fans shouldn't worry.

Cooking show "Eat the Universe" will be hosted by Justin Warner, who is not only a celebrity chef (he was a winner on the Food Network series, "Food Network Star"), but also a huge Marvel fan. Dishes on the show will be inspired by Marvel comics and characters.

Dan Silver "My hope is that what we’re doing forms a symbiotic relationship with our comics just as there is with all of our lines of business," Silver said.

Silver also teased that the content won't be the only thing that's new, but the platforms — like Marvel.com — will be changing, as well.

"Over the next few months you’ll start seeing improvements in the products our audience is consuming," he said. "That includes places — that’s a bit of a tease."

All of the content is currently or will be available on Marvel.com, Marvel's social media, or its YouTube channel.

A full list of new content is below:

This Week in Marvel
A weekly podcast offering a behind-the-scenes look at Marvel. (Relaunching this month; originally launched in November 2011)

Earth’s Mightiest Show
A weekly variety web-series focusing on fandom and Marvel culture. (Launched in March)

Women of Marvel
A bi-weekly podcast that looks at the comic industry from a female perspective. (Relaunched in February; originally launched in June 2014)

Marvel’s Voices
Released bi-weekly as both a podcast and set of video clips, it features interviews that focus on a variety of cultural topics. (Launching this month)

Marvel’s Eat the Universe
Celebrity Chef Justin Warner — who's also a hardcore Marvel fan — cooks dishes inspired by Marvel comics and characters. (Launching this month)

Wolverine: The Long Night
Marvel's first scripted podcast, starring the X-Man Wolverine. (Launched in March)

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