Gene Pelc

Gene Pelc (born Eugene Joseph Pelc; April 16, 1944) is an American entrepreneur, producer, and entertainment industry veteran.^[1] He is known for international exchange of media and entertainment content, particularly between the United States and Japan.^[2] He is also known as Marvel Comics' representative in Japan, who facilitated the adaptation and licensing of Marvel properties, including the creation of the Japanese Spider-Man series and several other projects.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Gene Pelc
Born	Eugene Joseph Pelc (1944-04-16) April 16, 1944 (age 81)
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Fordham University (BA)
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, producer, business executive
Known for	Marvel Comics Japan representative; creator of Japanese Spider-Man
Notable work	Supaidāman (Japanese Spider-Man), Francis, Brother of the Universe, Bushido: Way of the Warrior
Spouse	Married (over 50 years)

Early life and career

Gene Pelc was born in the United States and spent his early years in Roscoe, New York.^[9] Pelc started his career as a radio announcer at WALL Radio, owned by WMCA, in New York.

Marvel's Man in Japan

In 1978, he met Stan Lee and pitched the idea of expanding Marvel Comics' influence into Japan, leading to his role as "Marvel's Man in Japan"^[3][10] During the late 1970s, Pelc created Supaidāman, a Japanese live-action TV series. Aired from May 17, 1978, to March 14, 1979, this series introduced Takuya Yamashiro. Pelc's vision for this series received support from Stan Lee despite initial skepticism from other Marvel executives.^[11] His collaborations with Toei laid the groundwork for the Super Sentai series, which later inspired the creation of the Power Rangers in the U.S.^[12] He also produced several Marvel-related shows with Toei, including Marvel's 616,^[13][14] Battle Fever J, Denshi Sentai Denjiman, Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan and Bushido: Way of the Warrior. Pelc worked on various animated projects, including The Adventures of T-Rex with Kitty Films and animation for Pink Panther, G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, Spider-Man and Friends, and Dungeons & Dragons. He and Stan Lee co-created the comic book Shogun Warriors which inspired the Transformers. Pelc also contributed to the animation of the Transformers movie and TV series.^[15]

Pelc was with Marvel until the 90's, during that time he was involved with World Pacific Wrestling. Later he got involved with the UWF International, a Japanese shoot wrestling organization.^[16] Here, he produced "Bushido:The Way of the Warrior," a TV series syndicated worldwide. He also produced "SHOOT WRESTLING:It’s Real" and provided color commentary for Pay-Per-View specials.^[17][18]

Other Marvel Comic Projects

Pelc conceived and created Marvel's comic, Francis, Brother of the Universe,^[19] which chronicles the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Published in 1980, it was Marvel's first comic to sell over one million copies and was translated into eight languages. He later produced The Life of Pope John Paul II, overcoming challenges presented by Poland's Communist regime to gather material for the biography. Both comics are recognized for their international reach and notable impact, introducing religious figures to mainstream comic audiences.^[20][21][22]

Music merchandising career

Pelc founded Pelc Enterprises, a merchandising company for international music artists.^[23] The company served as the main venue merchandiser for USA and UK music artists, handling retail and licensing operations for Japanese tours.^[24] Pelc's first major client was Duran Duran, whose lead singer Simon Le Bon insisted that Pelc handle their merchandise or the band would not perform.^[24] His client roster later expanded to include major artists such as Billie Eilish and Lady Gaga during their Japanese tours.^[24]

Books

Pelc is the author of CONDEMNED: The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan (2025), which covers the history and martyrdom of early Japanese Christians. The book was reviewed in the National Catholic Register, which discussed Pelc’s approach to documenting these events.^[25]

Personal life

Pelc met his wife, Mary Angela Eastlake, while attending Fordham University.^[26][27] The couple have been married for over 50 years.^[28] Pelc’s marriage formed an early connection to Japan which influenced his decision to work for Marvel in the country.^[29]