A Guide to Marvin the Martian

Marvin the Martian is an iconic Looney Tunes character and cultural phenomenon.  The rambunctious, warlording little martian made his small screen bow in an episode of Looney Tunes entitled Haredevil Hare that first aired in 1948.  Mel Blanc gave the Roman-suited Martian his upper-crust voice and soft-spoken characteristics.

The creators of Marvin the Martian developed him as the antithesis of Bugs Bunny's other major antagonist, Yosemite Sam.  Marvin the Martian had an unquenchable desire to incinerate the earth, ostensibly so that he could get a better look at the planet Venus through his telescope.  Together with his canine K9, Marvin constantly battled Bugs Bunny (and later Daffy Duck as a futuristic action hero named Duck Dodgers to explode earth with a device called the uranium PU36 modulator. Of course, like many creatures and characters from the Looney Tunes universe, Marvin operates Acme equipment, such as his trusty disintegrater gun.

During the first runs of the Marvin the Martian episodes, our villain did not have a name--he was just referred to as Commander X-2. Later, when producers recognized the cultural cache and marketing potential of the creature, they christened him Marvin.  He has since appeared in a wide array of modern TV shows, including Tiny Toon Adventures and Duck Dodgers.  He has also made appearance in feature films, such as Looney Tunes Back in Action and Space Jam, starring Michel Jordan.

Marvin has also been recast as an icon of 1980s nostalgia.  His image can be found on t-shirts, watches, skateboards, and hoodies sold at places like the Venice Beach boardwalk in California.  With such a unique character, it's no surprise that Marvin the Martian merchandise and cartoons are still popular.