23 Things You Probably Didn't Know About How Marvel Designs Its Superheroes

From left to right: Ryan Meinerding (Head of Visual Development), Andy Park (Visual Development Supervisor), Anthony Francisco (Senior Visual Development Illustrator), Jackson Sze (Senior Visual Development Illustrator), and Rodney Fuentebella (Senior Visual Development Illustrator).

Meinerding, who's been at Marvel since the first Iron Man film, explained, "Working on superhero movies, you'd think it might be the same thing over and over again, but each character brings its own unique challenges and its own set of history and iconography. And finding ways of translating that from the comics into the story world they're creating for the film is always a unique challenge."

"We're not just like throwing this impossible thing out there and saying, 'Make this work!' Marvel Studios has a way of focusing on the iconic image and then finding a way of making it happen," said Meinerding.

Meinerding explained, "We definitely collaborate and talk with the costume designers to figure out if there's something we're doing that's pushing things too far, that they think can't be done practically. And what we each bring to the table allows us to reach a result that couldn't have been accomplished by either one of us alone."

Park explained that there will be multiple fittings with the actor, where they make notes and find "problem" areas to make adjustments.

Park explained that with Hela, for example, there wasn't even a story or script yet when the team started designing her.

Meinerding explained, "The suit in Civil War had a lot layering and fine details — it was meant to look more like it was constructed in a way that 'western eyes' wouldn't understand. Ryan Coogler (who directed Black Panther), however, wanted more of a 'nanotech' suit with a singular skin look." (Meinerding designed the suit for Civil War, while artist Adi Granov designed the Black Panther suit.)

Coogler really wanted the new suit to have more of an actual cat "feel" with a high-tech stylized face according to Meinerding.

"After Iron Man, Marvel asked me to come back and do long-lead stuff on Captain America, Thor, and then that transitioned into Iron Man 2. And when Avengers came around, that's when the team started," said Meinerding.

Francisco explained, "We've drawn these characters multiple times, in our own minds. So, it's really coming from the heart when we design stuff."

Although, because there is so much overlap in the films, they'll often work on each other's project. For example, Meinerding was the lead on Black Panther, but Park provided designs for T'Chaka.

Whether he's creating artwork for one film or going to a meeting for another, it can get pretty busy!

Sze explained, "We are either working on character designs or key frame illustrations to offer the film's director and executives options."

Sze said, for example, "Our skillsets evolved. I used to not do character design, but, being here, I have to do character design. They were kind and patient enough to work with me as I learned how to do that at a level that they need. And now we all just do anything."

Anthony Francisco, who was responsible for the iconic Dora Milaje designs in Black Panther, also designed Baby Groot, and he was largely inspired by his own son during the process.

Sze made a lot of the key frame illustrations Black Panther — like the Killmonger and T'Challa fight falling into the vibranium mine. He explained, "A key frame illustration is a piece of art or illustration that encapsulates a scene to capture the spirit of the moment."

Fuentebella explained that with Killmonger in Black Panther, "The scars were a good visual metaphor for what he's been through and how he went through his journey."

Francisco said, "We don't try to change the look at all, we try to keep it as close to the comic book as possible, while putting our own design flair into it."