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The Marvel Comics Encyclopedia: A Complete Guide to the Characters of the Marvel Univers
A comprehensive overview of all of Marvel's greatest heroes and villains furnishes profiles of more than one thousand characters that document their individual superpowers and their careers, in a reference that traces the history of Marvel Comics and encompasses stunning artwork by some of Marvel's greatest artists.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2009
About the author
Tom DeFalco
2,410 books102 followersTom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well-known for his association with Marvel Comics and Spider-Man.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
January 19, 2024
A book I wish I never read in 2009! After successfully given up reading comics for over two decades it was this well penned and pretty exhaustive summary of the Marvel Universe that pulled me back in. I wanted to know what had happened to Daredevil? Why and how did the Avengers Disassemble?
The coming of Grant Morrison's X-Men...
What was the House of M?
There was a Civil War!!!
And more! This book is a huge teaser stroke for the Marvel Universe and it does its job really well, and in the case of the 2005 edition I read, it was when the Marvel (graphic novel) Universe was at its best laying down most of the story foundations for what is now known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Excelsior! 8 out of 12, fabulous four stars
2009 read
The coming of Grant Morrison's X-Men...
What was the House of M?
There was a Civil War!!!
And more! This book is a huge teaser stroke for the Marvel Universe and it does its job really well, and in the case of the 2005 edition I read, it was when the Marvel (graphic novel) Universe was at its best laying down most of the story foundations for what is now known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Excelsior! 8 out of 12, fabulous four stars
2009 read
March 13, 2018
The Marvel Age is upon us!
GREAT COMICS COME WITH GREAT ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Obviously, in an ever-changing environment like comic books, any encyclopedia about the topic is outdated almost when it comes out...
...but that never stopped us to buy them!
Definitely, any avid comic books' reader needs such companion books, not only to reaffirm what one knows about our chosen comic book characters and titles, but also to have a fair understanding about the whole universe of the publishing house, in this case, Marvel.
Everything started, back then, when it was still called Timely Comics, having early hits like Captain America, Namor, the Submariner and the original Human Torch, defining the cornerstones of the way that their heroes were like, dreamers, controversial ones and outcasts,...
...later the 60's revolution bring The Fantastic Four, adding the disfunctional factor to the storytelling, establishing the Marvel Age of Comics, when Spider-Man proved that a teenager could be a standing-alone hero and not just a sidekick, along that getting superpowers wouldn't solve your personal life but instead complicated it and demanding unavoidable responsibilities...
...and not always you will be able to save the girl...
...moreover, ever-arguing teams like The Avengers, where gods and monsters meet with men-out-of-time, to face threats that single heroes couldn't deal with...
...along with mutants like X-Men defending a world that fears them...
...street justice in the hands of Daredevil and others alike, defending the common fellow that doesn't have anyone else to look for assistance...
...introducing fictional foreign lands where superpowered kings and tyrants alike where acclaimed by their subjects...
...impossible dimensions and galactic empires...
...eating-planets' beings, energy-infused ever-rising creatures and even a man able to surf over outer space...
...and of course, a gauntlet that anybody fears or wants to have...
...this is the Marvel Universe!
And here, you have a great option to have an amazing overview of this comic book universe and its uncanny characters.
GREAT COMICS COME WITH GREAT ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Obviously, in an ever-changing environment like comic books, any encyclopedia about the topic is outdated almost when it comes out...
...but that never stopped us to buy them!
Definitely, any avid comic books' reader needs such companion books, not only to reaffirm what one knows about our chosen comic book characters and titles, but also to have a fair understanding about the whole universe of the publishing house, in this case, Marvel.
Everything started, back then, when it was still called Timely Comics, having early hits like Captain America, Namor, the Submariner and the original Human Torch, defining the cornerstones of the way that their heroes were like, dreamers, controversial ones and outcasts,...
...later the 60's revolution bring The Fantastic Four, adding the disfunctional factor to the storytelling, establishing the Marvel Age of Comics, when Spider-Man proved that a teenager could be a standing-alone hero and not just a sidekick, along that getting superpowers wouldn't solve your personal life but instead complicated it and demanding unavoidable responsibilities...
...and not always you will be able to save the girl...
...moreover, ever-arguing teams like The Avengers, where gods and monsters meet with men-out-of-time, to face threats that single heroes couldn't deal with...
...along with mutants like X-Men defending a world that fears them...
...street justice in the hands of Daredevil and others alike, defending the common fellow that doesn't have anyone else to look for assistance...
...introducing fictional foreign lands where superpowered kings and tyrants alike where acclaimed by their subjects...
...impossible dimensions and galactic empires...
...eating-planets' beings, energy-infused ever-rising creatures and even a man able to surf over outer space...
...and of course, a gauntlet that anybody fears or wants to have...
...this is the Marvel Universe!
And here, you have a great option to have an amazing overview of this comic book universe and its uncanny characters.
Read
February 19, 2021this was really informative and fun, it’s an easy way for someone to get into the comic marvel universe without having to wonder where to start.
January 22, 2022
The previous edition by Matt Forbeck came out in 2009. A lot has happened in the Marvel Universe since then (and Disney is very happy about that).
One of the best aspects of this book are the expanded origins stories and another is the specific references to key events in many characters’ careers. A word of caution is to look through it before handing it over to your pre-teen just to make sure that you all are comfortable with the illustrations.
This edition (2019), if you want the hardbound version, could set you back around $50 but the electronic version frequently is on sale for less than $15. Edited by Stephen Wiacek and with some of the last writing by Stan Lee, it is more than an update. DK’s graphics are great and the Kindle Fire is an easy and enjoyable way to search and dive into your favorite characters.
Quite Satisfactory.
One of the best aspects of this book are the expanded origins stories and another is the specific references to key events in many characters’ careers. A word of caution is to look through it before handing it over to your pre-teen just to make sure that you all are comfortable with the illustrations.
This edition (2019), if you want the hardbound version, could set you back around $50 but the electronic version frequently is on sale for less than $15. Edited by Stephen Wiacek and with some of the last writing by Stan Lee, it is more than an update. DK’s graphics are great and the Kindle Fire is an easy and enjoyable way to search and dive into your favorite characters.
Quite Satisfactory.
December 16, 2015
This massive hardcover is great on so many levels: big, colourful, exhaustive, and - for now at least - up to date. Published in March 2014, this fanboy's reference book lists even the latest Marvel events: Age of Ultron, Avengers vs. X-Men, Infinity.
Just leafing through it I saw some lame 80's villains (weren't there so many in those days!), characters I haven't seen since I was in middle school, so that brought back some 'Hey I remember this guy!' kind of exclamations. Of course the character bios are somewhat streamlined in the interest of clarity and of keeping this book's page count reasonable.
We got our son this book as a present for his ninth birthday, and he absolutely loves it! There's just so much information about so many characters, I think it's wonderful for him to have this book to learn more about the Marvel Universe. We'd gotten him DC Comics Ultimate Character Guide for Christmas, and he loved that one too, but there's just no comparing these two books: Marvel's book has so much more, is so much bigger.
Definitely recommended for comic book fans, young or old.
Excelsior!
Just leafing through it I saw some lame 80's villains (weren't there so many in those days!), characters I haven't seen since I was in middle school, so that brought back some 'Hey I remember this guy!' kind of exclamations. Of course the character bios are somewhat streamlined in the interest of clarity and of keeping this book's page count reasonable.
We got our son this book as a present for his ninth birthday, and he absolutely loves it! There's just so much information about so many characters, I think it's wonderful for him to have this book to learn more about the Marvel Universe. We'd gotten him DC Comics Ultimate Character Guide for Christmas, and he loved that one too, but there's just no comparing these two books: Marvel's book has so much more, is so much bigger.
Definitely recommended for comic book fans, young or old.
Excelsior!
May 8, 2016
This book is so massive and full of useful information about pretty much every marvel comic character you can shake an adamantium-laced stick at. You want to know the difference between the Young X-men and Young Avengers? Of course you do... Don't be silly. This is the book for you
April 20, 2015
I've been flipping through this monstrous tome for a month now and it must go back to the library.
It's basically Marvel comics characters alphabetized. I read some of the entries but not all.
Good book and informative. Heavy, though. A bit exhausting to hold. Nicely illustrated.
It's basically Marvel comics characters alphabetized. I read some of the entries but not all.
Good book and informative. Heavy, though. A bit exhausting to hold. Nicely illustrated.
November 17, 2022
I really like this book. I like looking at the pictures and reading all the information. I have seen most of the movies and started reading the comics, so I know lots of the characters and finding out lots about them. This book would be good for marvel fans.
August 8, 2014
The ultimate encyclopedic book for any fan of Marvel.
I must say, I really enjoyed reading through this. For many people, it's simply not the type of book you read from start to finish. Rather, it's an especially great coffee table book to have sitting at home so that when friends come over and we get to talking about characters from the Marvel Universe (or multiverse or omniverse or whatever it is these days), then this is the perfect reference guide.
I, on the other hand, that will sit down and read this book from front to back. And I did just that. It did take me nearly three months to pore over every single entry, examine the details of each individual character (complete with their height, weight, home base, and superpower), and stare in awe at the beautiful artwork. This book truly is an exceptional piece of work. I will admit that there were a few minuscule errors here and there throughout the book (text overlapping with images, oddly arranged text and images), but those in no way diminish the quality of the book. I wouldn't even remember where they were now that I'm done.
Not being a reader of the comics, I feel like I learned so much more about the Marvel universe. Sure I could have just spent some time online reading fan theories, wikipedia pages, and blogs galore, but nothing beats a physical book. I'm sure that's why anyone would be reading this review on goodreads anyway, amirite?
A great book for any fan of everything Marvel.
I must say, I really enjoyed reading through this. For many people, it's simply not the type of book you read from start to finish. Rather, it's an especially great coffee table book to have sitting at home so that when friends come over and we get to talking about characters from the Marvel Universe (or multiverse or omniverse or whatever it is these days), then this is the perfect reference guide.
I, on the other hand, that will sit down and read this book from front to back. And I did just that. It did take me nearly three months to pore over every single entry, examine the details of each individual character (complete with their height, weight, home base, and superpower), and stare in awe at the beautiful artwork. This book truly is an exceptional piece of work. I will admit that there were a few minuscule errors here and there throughout the book (text overlapping with images, oddly arranged text and images), but those in no way diminish the quality of the book. I wouldn't even remember where they were now that I'm done.
Not being a reader of the comics, I feel like I learned so much more about the Marvel universe. Sure I could have just spent some time online reading fan theories, wikipedia pages, and blogs galore, but nothing beats a physical book. I'm sure that's why anyone would be reading this review on goodreads anyway, amirite?
A great book for any fan of everything Marvel.
July 2, 2016
I got this book for Christmas one year. I was not into the brilliant universe of Marvel yet, and I didn't know a lot of the characters. I then read it front-to-back. Then again. And again. And again. I studied that book like my life depends on it (in fact, I still do).
I basically have the thing memorized now, and my family picks on me for that. They also ask me questions too that I am now able to answer thanks to what I have dubbed The Book of All Knowledge.
Now, I am forever grateful to this one, ingenious, thick book for kick-starting my lifelong geekiness on anything and everything Marvel.
I rarely write reviews, and in fact, this is my first. But this book is so good I have to spill my guts about it.
The artwork is fantastic, for it is plucked out of the best comicbooks they can supply. The storylines are incredible, and the characters are flawless, with entries ranging from eighth to six pages.
All in all, I recommend this book highly to everyone. Except those who either hate Marvel for some reason that is beyond my comprehension, and those who loath everything and anything.
I basically have the thing memorized now, and my family picks on me for that. They also ask me questions too that I am now able to answer thanks to what I have dubbed The Book of All Knowledge.
Now, I am forever grateful to this one, ingenious, thick book for kick-starting my lifelong geekiness on anything and everything Marvel.
I rarely write reviews, and in fact, this is my first. But this book is so good I have to spill my guts about it.
The artwork is fantastic, for it is plucked out of the best comicbooks they can supply. The storylines are incredible, and the characters are flawless, with entries ranging from eighth to six pages.
All in all, I recommend this book highly to everyone. Except those who either hate Marvel for some reason that is beyond my comprehension, and those who loath everything and anything.
April 2, 2010
It's fun. It is one of those books I would always pick up at the Barnes & Noble and thumb through, but put back because it was a bit too self indulgent. But a friend bought it for me for Christmas, so I happily dove in and found out I don't know half of the comic book characters in the (ever-expanding) Marvel Universe. There are some real doozies, I might add, including a character Ulysses Bloodstone, who is a soldier of fortunate and looks like Fabio (perfect for the Flooze)! Others include Master Order (he must be anal retentive), Lightmaster (Lite Brite, making things with light) and Plantman (you must return here with a shrubbery).
Love the expanded profiles included on some of the core characters, such as The Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, etc.
I began reading and collecting comics when I was about eight. They reinforced my love of reading and made great companions during my endless summers in the Poconos when I would read and reread them. Needless to say (which, ironically, is in itself, needless to say), I would recommend this book for anyone who loves comics. It's fun.
Love the expanded profiles included on some of the core characters, such as The Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, etc.
I began reading and collecting comics when I was about eight. They reinforced my love of reading and made great companions during my endless summers in the Poconos when I would read and reread them. Needless to say (which, ironically, is in itself, needless to say), I would recommend this book for anyone who loves comics. It's fun.
April 18, 2017
The Marvel Encyclopedia is basically a book explaining the marvel universe. Characters, stories, and other stuff. The book goes into more detail about important areas in the marvel universe also in detail of the characters and there powers and a brief backstory.
I like how the book got in depth with the story and hero's. Also the drawing and pictures were very detailed and stuff like that. I can tell a lot of effort was put int into the pictures, i can tell because they were bright and colorful.
I recommend this book for fro comic book geeks and people who want to get 3 books assignment over with fast because its a easy read.
I like how the book got in depth with the story and hero's. Also the drawing and pictures were very detailed and stuff like that. I can tell a lot of effort was put int into the pictures, i can tell because they were bright and colorful.
I recommend this book for fro comic book geeks and people who want to get 3 books assignment over with fast because its a easy read.
September 7, 2021
This is old me buying a gift to the child I was. God did I wish to have a book like that when I was young, but those encyclopedia are expensive and we didn't have much money growing up, and even if book were always something my parents would love to buy for me, well this was just too much. Long story short I have been wanting it forever and now I own it!
It's very cool for every Marvel fan out there. Not much to say, an encyclopedia of every Marvel characters, teams and even some events, with tons of info, stats, storyline recommendations and all that. Perfect reference book for comic nerds! I love it!
It's very cool for every Marvel fan out there. Not much to say, an encyclopedia of every Marvel characters, teams and even some events, with tons of info, stats, storyline recommendations and all that. Perfect reference book for comic nerds! I love it!
February 26, 2018
Not very complete compared to the DC encyclopedia
April 27, 2022
I love anything Marvel and this makes for a great coffee table book!
August 29, 2018
Excelente libro de consulta para los personajes de MARVEL desde sus inicios hasta la actualidad. Un recurso para aprender mas de tus heroes o villanos preferidos !!!!
July 8, 2021
The book that started the Tiltonverse, Bought and Trained, has a lot of different inspirations, most of them in erotica. I love to think about it, though, in terms of its relation to other magnificent storytelling universes, and although Greek mythology represents the true background, and Tolkien's Quenta (if you know what that word means, you're my kind) provided the impetus, I'm convinced the ball of interconnected storyworld didn't really get rolling until Marvel came along.
Bought and Trained
Bought and Trained
October 12, 2011
A visually appealing and highly informative guide to the Marvel universe. It can be very easy to get lost within the immense width of the knowledge of that world...
March 21, 2016
I'd never thought I'd find such a perfect book. Every illustration, every story, every freaking hero and villain. All here.
July 27, 2017
Bought both marvel and dc dk encyclopeias and I found the marvel edition largely lacking in effort compared to the dc edition. 👎
July 23, 2019
I’ve read this book cover-to-cover six times. I don’t really know how to rate it, because it’s an encyclopedia, but I’ll give it 4.5 stars.
August 28, 2021
Loved that Stan Lee used ‘excelsior!’ to close out his introduction.
December 8, 2021
Fun and entertaining entries that cover most, if not actually all, of the characters you’ll find in the pages of Marvel Comics.
February 6, 2009
Back at my previous site (*cough*don’t mind the link, fellas!*cough*), I had written a glowing review of DK Publishing’s DC Comics Encylopedia. Then, a couple months back, I wrote another glowing review of their Guide to Conan. I had every reason to expect greatness from their new Marvel Encyclopedia. Maybe those heightened expectations help explain my disappointment. Maybe it’s the involvement of current Marvel editorial in this edition, as contrasted with DC’s freelancer-driven version. Maybe it’s that there are major glaring character omissions, as opposed to the minor ones that first struck me with the DC Encyclopedia. Whatever the case, though, while the Marvel Encyclopedia is hardly a disaster, it’s certainly a big letdown after seeing what DK Publishing is capable of previously.
I should start by saying that, aside from the Essential Official Handbooks Marvel has produced, this is still the best game in town. It’s got gorgeous production values, is obviously the product of a lot of hard work and features more characters than your average fan will encounter in their comic-book reading lifetime. The basics of the Marvel Encyclopedia are exactly the same as the DC Encyclopedia. An alphabetical listing of characters, as comprehensive as possible, with art selected from throughout Marvel’s history. And in terms of basic structure, the book is still a treasure, especially for those with only a mild knowledge of the Marvel Universe. If you’ve never put your hands on an Official Handbook, if you’ve only been reading for a few years, if you’re a young reader who just wants to read about a ton of characters, the Encyclopedia will do you just fine. But if you’re one of those longtime fans who just loves these character and universe guides, who grew up on the Official Handbooks and were hoping this would be a long-overdue update… well, get ready for some disappointment.
The mistakes in this Encyclopedia are relatively minor, but they’re systemic. You can’t flip more than a page or two without hitting something that seems wrong. Maybe Marvel just had more of a flood of bad art in the ’90s and the ’00s than DC, but it seems like some really weird artistic decisions were made here. The Encyclopedia is more the place for definitive looks, rather than experimental takes. Why use Joe Madeureira’s version of Magneto, or the godawful ’90s version of the West Coast Avengers or the Clayton Henry version of Alpha Flight, when a Jim Lee Magneto, John Byrne West Coast Avengers and Alpha Flight are all easily available and far more definitive? I’m not saying that only old art should be used, as the Encyclopedia makes good use of modern work by Adi Granov (for Iron Man) and Tim Sale (for Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane), but for God’s sake, why is Elektra done by Mike Deodato (from the forgettable ’90s series) instead of Frank Miller? Yes, it’s nitpicking, but this kind of project deserves that kind of scrutiny. Especially when the DC Volume placed the bar so high.
To be fair, the Encyclopedia really does cover the obscure, and in some cases the best left forgotten. You’ll find all sorts of relics of the ’90s here, from Sugar Man to Terror, as well as recent questionable characters like Chuck Austen’s Azazel. The focus in a lot of ways seems to be on obscure characters who have premiered since the last Official Handbook, which is probably wise on the surface, except that so many of those characters are so bad, and they get full write-ups where more interesting obscura from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s are lightly touched upon. One also can’t help but notice that co-writer Tom DeFalco’s Spider-Girl universe and Clone Saga stories are unusually well-represented, disproportionate to their popularity. The character write-ups are inconsistent, sometimes featuring up-to-date continuity but oftentimes out of date or just plain wrong. Emma Frost leaves off with Generation X, with no mention of her New or Astonishing X-Men doings. Bucky’s entry mentions that he is the Winter Soldier, but there’s no indication of what that means, and no entry for the Winter Soldier. Meanwhile, the Runaways are nowhere to be found, except for a mention in Swarm’s entry. Given that they’re probably the most enduring new characters created for Marvel in the past few years, this seems like a pretty notable error. Sadly, it’s but one of many.
If you’re a fan who bought the DC Encyclopedia to read with your kids, then the Marvel Encyclopedia will not disappoint. There are thousands of colorful characters and write-ups, complete with power listings, height, weight, all that good stuff. It’s all very well organized, with a spiffy index in the back, and while a lot of the art seems miscast, there are certainly some good choices in there as well. The book looks terrific at a casual glance. But it seems like it was put together with the same care for continuity with which Marvel puts together all of its books these days, which is to say that it’s sloppy and inconsistent.
Where the DC Encyclopedia surprised me with its loving tribute to all characters, the Marvel Encyclopedia seems to show favoritism towards pet characters of the writers and the characters in modern use, with the others given a bare minimum of attention. What impressed me about the DC Encyclopedia was its all-encompassing, something-for-everyone approach, and that approach is not to be found here. If someone puts this under your Christmas tree, thank them, because any comics fan will probably get a kick out of the book… but I can’t quite give the “rush out and buy this” recommendation I gave the DC Encyclopedia two years ago.
I should start by saying that, aside from the Essential Official Handbooks Marvel has produced, this is still the best game in town. It’s got gorgeous production values, is obviously the product of a lot of hard work and features more characters than your average fan will encounter in their comic-book reading lifetime. The basics of the Marvel Encyclopedia are exactly the same as the DC Encyclopedia. An alphabetical listing of characters, as comprehensive as possible, with art selected from throughout Marvel’s history. And in terms of basic structure, the book is still a treasure, especially for those with only a mild knowledge of the Marvel Universe. If you’ve never put your hands on an Official Handbook, if you’ve only been reading for a few years, if you’re a young reader who just wants to read about a ton of characters, the Encyclopedia will do you just fine. But if you’re one of those longtime fans who just loves these character and universe guides, who grew up on the Official Handbooks and were hoping this would be a long-overdue update… well, get ready for some disappointment.
The mistakes in this Encyclopedia are relatively minor, but they’re systemic. You can’t flip more than a page or two without hitting something that seems wrong. Maybe Marvel just had more of a flood of bad art in the ’90s and the ’00s than DC, but it seems like some really weird artistic decisions were made here. The Encyclopedia is more the place for definitive looks, rather than experimental takes. Why use Joe Madeureira’s version of Magneto, or the godawful ’90s version of the West Coast Avengers or the Clayton Henry version of Alpha Flight, when a Jim Lee Magneto, John Byrne West Coast Avengers and Alpha Flight are all easily available and far more definitive? I’m not saying that only old art should be used, as the Encyclopedia makes good use of modern work by Adi Granov (for Iron Man) and Tim Sale (for Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane), but for God’s sake, why is Elektra done by Mike Deodato (from the forgettable ’90s series) instead of Frank Miller? Yes, it’s nitpicking, but this kind of project deserves that kind of scrutiny. Especially when the DC Volume placed the bar so high.
To be fair, the Encyclopedia really does cover the obscure, and in some cases the best left forgotten. You’ll find all sorts of relics of the ’90s here, from Sugar Man to Terror, as well as recent questionable characters like Chuck Austen’s Azazel. The focus in a lot of ways seems to be on obscure characters who have premiered since the last Official Handbook, which is probably wise on the surface, except that so many of those characters are so bad, and they get full write-ups where more interesting obscura from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s are lightly touched upon. One also can’t help but notice that co-writer Tom DeFalco’s Spider-Girl universe and Clone Saga stories are unusually well-represented, disproportionate to their popularity. The character write-ups are inconsistent, sometimes featuring up-to-date continuity but oftentimes out of date or just plain wrong. Emma Frost leaves off with Generation X, with no mention of her New or Astonishing X-Men doings. Bucky’s entry mentions that he is the Winter Soldier, but there’s no indication of what that means, and no entry for the Winter Soldier. Meanwhile, the Runaways are nowhere to be found, except for a mention in Swarm’s entry. Given that they’re probably the most enduring new characters created for Marvel in the past few years, this seems like a pretty notable error. Sadly, it’s but one of many.
If you’re a fan who bought the DC Encyclopedia to read with your kids, then the Marvel Encyclopedia will not disappoint. There are thousands of colorful characters and write-ups, complete with power listings, height, weight, all that good stuff. It’s all very well organized, with a spiffy index in the back, and while a lot of the art seems miscast, there are certainly some good choices in there as well. The book looks terrific at a casual glance. But it seems like it was put together with the same care for continuity with which Marvel puts together all of its books these days, which is to say that it’s sloppy and inconsistent.
Where the DC Encyclopedia surprised me with its loving tribute to all characters, the Marvel Encyclopedia seems to show favoritism towards pet characters of the writers and the characters in modern use, with the others given a bare minimum of attention. What impressed me about the DC Encyclopedia was its all-encompassing, something-for-everyone approach, and that approach is not to be found here. If someone puts this under your Christmas tree, thank them, because any comics fan will probably get a kick out of the book… but I can’t quite give the “rush out and buy this” recommendation I gave the DC Encyclopedia two years ago.
April 2, 2019
A sturdy introduction to the Marvel mythos, this encyclopedia makes me miss the long, labyrinthine entries in the original "Official Handbook" series. They were sprawling and a big intimidating, but they captured the scope of the Marvel Universe, sharing all the crazy twists and turns these characters had experienced, things you had to catch up with as a reader.
Here, we're largely confined to origin stories and recent events. A few classic tales enter the spotlight, but even entries for iconic characters like Doctor Doom or the X-men feel a bit cursory. The book is more approachable (and affordable) for it, but I miss the dense ink and detailed backstories of previous versions.
Here, we're largely confined to origin stories and recent events. A few classic tales enter the spotlight, but even entries for iconic characters like Doctor Doom or the X-men feel a bit cursory. The book is more approachable (and affordable) for it, but I miss the dense ink and detailed backstories of previous versions.
March 30, 2020
Let's hope they cleaned up this encyclopedia after the 2006 edition, which is what I have. Sentences that stop, without actually ending, incorrect dates and data, and poor art selection lead me to hope that some more time was taken with editions following 2006. A new editorial team or a larger group of proofreaders was needed for the 2006 edition. I've been reading comics since the early seventies and this was a disappointment.
August 16, 2022
An obvious addition to anyone's library who loves Marvel Comics or just comics in general. An extensive catalog of every Marvel character with detailed overviews of those that have left such a large mark on society, as well as small entries for those who lasted a single issue.
The entries are alphabetical and follow a basic history of Marvel, and the illustrations are bold and beautiful.
Well worth the price.
The entries are alphabetical and follow a basic history of Marvel, and the illustrations are bold and beautiful.
Well worth the price.
December 16, 2022
A bit longer than the DC Encyclopedia, though I don't know Marvel as well so I can't tell if any important minor characters were left out. This does include some event summaries which helps when reading the individual character biographies. As with the DC one, I would have preferred more information on the creation of the characters rather than just when they first appeared and their fictional histories.
May 28, 2018
Brilliant resource. It's even fun to read a random entry and go to the entries that are referenced in it. Helps in keeping those pesky time lines and story arcs straight in books you never read or only heard about. I know online editions of this kind of thing exist. That said, I think it's totally worth having a proper, hard copy around to refer to.
March 25, 2024
Great reference book for all marvel fans who are not really familiar with the comics. I could have placed this book on 'currently reading', but then it would have stayed there forever: I come back to this book with each new series or movie I watch or game I play to find out more about interesting characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews