One of the biggest fantasy worlds of modern times is the Marvel universe. Julia is in conversation with Ed Saunders, tracing the origins of the MCU in comics and latterly in films. We find out what the Marvel method is and how some creatives flourish while others struggle. Enjoy our deep dive into the strong currents of the fluctuating fortunes of the company, including the phase when they sold all their best properties and had to resort to the B team which included such also rans as Iron Man. And look how that turned out! We go on to discuss the thorny issues of representation of women and non-white heroes, before taking a look at where it is going next. In the final section, we discuss which is the best comic book city to visit and what insurance premiums must be like in the Avengers' New York.

This podcast is brought to you by The Oxford Center for Fantasy, visit https://oxfordcentreforfantasy.org for more information.