Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe : Collectors (Hardcover)

Book Description
The mythological giants of popular culture include Captain America, Silver Surfer, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, The X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Incredible Hulk. For 60 years Marvel has not only brought these larger-than-life heroes to their fans but has also created and sustained a coherent universe where all their adventures take place. In a discussion of the evolution of these superheroes, Michael Mallory draws on informative interviews with cartoonists such as Stan Lee, Joe Simon, and Roy Thomas. Illustrated with incomparable reproductions of comic art and hundreds of photographs from film and TV, this revised edition features new, original cover art by Kaare Andrews and contains updated material on the new Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and X-Men movies.

Review: An Excellent Overview of the "Marvel Age" Of Super Hero Comics
I put off buying Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe because of the price. I finally decided to give in to the temptation, and WOW, am I glad I did! I had an absolute BLAST reading this book.

The book is beautifully designed; It looks, smells, and feels GREAT. It's so attractive that at times I actually hated to open it for fear of getting it dirty. The cover art by Kaare Andrews is just gorgeous. Content-wise, Author Michael Mallory does a nice job of covering the history of the Marvel Bullpen and it's major players (Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko), and the Marvel Universe and it's major characters (Captain America, The Hulk, Spider-Man, and The X-Men each get extensive chapters of their own, The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Daredevil, The Silver Surfer, et al, all share smaller chapters). The chapters are lavishly illustrated, and filled with beautiful art from the Comics, Movies, TV shows, and video games that the characters have appeared in. I'm a REAL Marvel Comic afficionado, and not only did I NOT find too many mistakes in the book (A few, but nothing major...), but I actually learned a lot; My favorite tidbit- Captain America co-creator Joe Simon hails from my adopted hometown of Rochester, New York.

The super hero Characters and Their Universe is a luxury item, to be sure, but one I'm glad I splurged on. I guarantee any Marvel Zombie will love it.

Review: The Best Introduction to Marvel Super Heros I've Seen
Most people who know me know I've loved comic books since I was a mere lad. Mallory's book on the Marvel Universe not only reminds me of exactly why comic books have inspired and thrilled me throughout my life, it includes things that not even I (ravenous comic book consumer that I am) have experienced. Mallory divides his book into several sections, some of which chronicle in detail the pop culture evolution of particular characters in the Universe (Spiderman, The Hulk, Captain America, and the X-Men come to mind.) It also details why comic book lovers consider the universe so special. Marvel was the first comic book company to seriously attempt to create a coherent universe out of all their titles. Ironically, unlike DC, they seem to have had less difficulty making readers take their universe seriously, by-passing all of the convoluted Earths and complicated and contradictory timelines that caused DC to write sometimes horribly ridiculous cross-over events to eradicate half of their characters.
One of the most important things that Mallory outlines in this book, and what makes Marvel so accessible to broad ranges of people, is the fact that the characters to come out of the Marvel Universe are so believable. They aren't perfect gods like their DC counterparts. They do sometimes make the wrong decisions. Spiderman, for instance, is a computer nerd. Iron Man is an alcoholic who has a hard time relating to other people. The X-Men are shunned across the globe because of their powers. These characters aren't automatically celebrated as like Superman and the Flash. People are afraid of those with more power than themselves. Mallory brings out this most human, and ultimately most important, aspect of the Marvel Universe. His book works because it brings out the characters behind those shiny and colorful spandex costumes, making sure that the reader understands that superheroics is not just about having powers and easily saving the day. It's also about wrestling with personal issues.

The book itself is quite simply beautiful. Hundreds of full color pictures chronicle the development of these characters. Dozens of interviews with such people as Stan Lee, Joe Simon and others add to the nuanced approach this book takes in discussing its subject matter. When I recieved the book in the mail, I was literally taken aback at the cover. I think many of you would agree, its one of the most spectacular covers I've ever seen on a book. More than simply chronicling the stories of the Marvel Universe, more than simply being a critical review of the characters within the universe, the book itself is a work of art, something you can display proudly on a coffee table or the like. Mallory brings up so many social issues that were inevitably tied with the production of these comics (Tony Stark's experiences in Vietnam being only one example), that the book inspires many discussions on the ways in which popular culture interacts with the world. Comic books aren't just superficial stories to escape the world. If Marvel comics have taught us anything, it's that comics can deal with real world issues in ways that are appealing. We don't have to think that gods from Olympus (a recent metaphor used to describe the characters in DC comics) watch down on us. They are among us. We have the ability to become heroes ourselves. The Marvel Universe, and indeed Mallory's analysis of that universe, reminds us of our own powers and our own responsibilities. Like Peter Parker's Uncle Ben once said "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." Mallory's book shows us the degree to which Marvel comics aren't an escape from the world, but are an inspiration to act responsibly as heroes within our own world.

Review: Very Nice Looking Collectors/Coffee Table Book
This book, while lacking a little in historical content compared to Marvel: Five Fabulous Decadess of the World's Greatest Comics, exceels in Character content on primary Marvel heros. The art work, photos, and some updated material is nice (eventhough, in the age of comic movies, it is now behgind, but that cannot be helped).

Chapters on Captian America, Spider-man, and the Fantastic Four are very nice, but it does not do justice to other marvel heros such as the second tier group like the Punisher or Daredevil.

All in all, this book functions well as a coffee table book, of which it is intended. I am a Marvel and DC fan, and find this book to be a nice collection.

Review: Marvel had Jack Kirby, DC never quite did.....
One reason why Marvel has so much better characters then Dc is that Marvel had the artistic genius of Jack Kirby working for them. Jack being the artist, and Stan being the writer/editor was a combination that has not been seen in comics before and most likely will not be seen again in the field. Together they created about 50% of the Marvel Universe as we know it now between 1961 and 1966. Kirby would later work at DC both on and off over the years, but the amount of work he did there was less then half of what he did for Marvel. If there is one reason why Marvel has enjoyed the success they have, is because Jack Kirby worked there as long as he did, and I think it's time they acknowledge that.

Review: Great Read and Coffee Table Book
This book is great. It goes into, although briefly the rise of marvel comics. The meat and potatoes of this book though is the study of the marvel characters. Captain America, Spider-man, The Incredible Hulk, and the X-Men are looked into in depth. Other characters in the marvel universe are also explored but not in the length of the others mentioned. Whats great about this book is that it looks at the characters major story lines and their origins but also their representations in other mediums. WOndering about Captain America in the movies or on t.v.? Then this is the book for you. There is also another great book titled "marvel universe." That book looks at the characters in the comics only. So if you want just a study of the comics go with "Marvel Universe." If you want a book that looks at everything invovled with the character go with this one. Or buy both, they are fantastic books. So buy both! I did.

Review: Action packed
This book is great. Full color, large pictures and information from the past to present on most Marvel Heroes. What is great is that you can be entertained and kept interested while reading about charactors you might not have had any interest in before.




DC Comics Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up - This browser's delight brings together approximately 1000 superheroes, supervillains, sidekicks, demons, techno-sorcerers, malevolent entities, professional criminals, primordial beings, despotic conquerors, and similarly colorful characters from DC Comic's 70 years of history - systematically providing fact boxes, narrative introductions, and melodramatic period portraits for each one. The entries, more or less alphabetically ordered, range from the full spreads given to Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, to quarter-columns for the likes of Ambush Bug, General Immortus, and such guest villains as Beelzebub and Morgaine Le Fey; each one includes physical descriptions, special abilities, origins, ultimate fate (if settled), and book and date of first appearance. Despite adding occasional topical spreads ("Amazing Weapons," for example, or "Romantic Moments"), the authors focus mainly on characters or teams rather than publishing history - which means that writers and artists are not identified, and the most significant event in the collective DC universe, "The Crisis on Infinite Earths," is relegated to two paragraphs on a "Great Battles" spread. Smaller collections, or those serving serious young historians of the comics, may be better off with Ron Goulart's Comic Book Encyclopedia (Morrow/Avon, 2004) or more narrowly focused reference works, but, like the Marvel Encyclopedia, which is currently up to volume six (Marvel, 2004), this compendium should provide hours of pleasure for both avid and casual collectors. - John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
This copiously illustrated encyclopedia chronicles more than 1,000 DC Comics characters from the 1930s to the present. Arranged alphabetically, each entry gives the first appearance, status (hero, villain, etc.), real name, occupation, height, weight, and eye and hair color of the superheroes or supervillains. Special abilities and superpowers are also listed along with ample cross-references to other comic characters or superleague affiliations, such as the L.E.G.I.O.N. cosmic peacekeeping force.
The biographical entries make fascinating reading in alternative history. For example, the Crimson Avenger served in a league called the Seven Soldiers of Victory during World War II. Afterward, he was sent backward in time. He came forward in time and discovered that he was struck with a terminal disease. After his death, an unknown woman purchased two guns that had belonged to him. These guns transformed her into Crimson Avenger II, who became an agent of vengeance and execution. Of course, famous characters such as Wonder Woman or Batman are included. But lesser-known characters, such as Superman's college flame, Lori Lemaris (a mermaid), are also listed.

The colorful design makes this book a pleasure to browse. Special two-page features, such as "Amazing Weapons" and "Romantic Moments," are interspersed with the biographies. Recommended for public libraries with active comic readership. Jack O'Gorman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review: Must have!
If you're into comics and super heros you deserve this "document" on DC characters. I recommend it!

Review: Awesome information
I really didn't know what to expect when I bought this book. It was just something to help me figure out who some of the characters were in the DC universe. What I found was a history of EVERY character DC has ever created! There were some really obscure characters in there dating back to the 1940s that I had never even heard of.

If you're into DC comics, it's well worth the price. I know I've had hours of fun reading the different entries on not only the characters I knew but many I didn't.

Review: The DC Comics Encyclopedia
This is true meaning of an encyclopedia because this book has every person you either knew are never heard of in the book. I have the Marvel Encyclopedia and they are good book but it they don't compare to this one. I would recommend this book to anyone of likes or loves comics.

Review: DC Comics Encyclopedia
Very in depth. Great pictures. Great descriptions of characters and their histories. High quality hard cover book. Perfect for DC comic book fans of all ages.

Review: Great DC Comics book!
This is a very good book. If you are familiar with the Star Wars Visual Guides then you will love this book! Its unbelievable how many characters there are in this one. Though there may be heroes and heroines missing but only the hard-core and older fans of the DC Universe will notice. There is a small photo of John Constantine. The book does however have a large section of Swamp Thing! There are huge sections of Superman and Batman and most of their villains are present in great detail and write ups. For instance, Superman's villains like Doomsday, Lex Luthor, Bizarro, Sinestro, The Eradicator, and Darkseid all have good sections. Batman's villains like the Joker, Riddler, Mr. Freeze, Penguin, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Bane, Two-Face, Scarecrow, Man-Bat, Killer Croc, Black Mask, and Ra's Al Ghul all have great sections as well! Also big sections of Wonder Woman, Aqua Man, the Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkman and the rest of the JLA. Many other shots of other groups as well! Great pictures of Powergirl, Supergirl, Batgirl, The Birds of Prey (Oracle, Black Canary, and the Huntress) have decent pictures and sections. People such as Alfred, Robin, Nightwing and other have good sections. Many simians such as Gorilla Grodd have good sections. There is a huge index at the end of the book to quickly find who you're looking for! The cover art by Alex Ross is unbeatable! The heroes and villains look like real human beings! I really dig the pictures of Supergirl, Batgirl, The Black Canary, and Catwoman! The book has so many, really neat pictures from the DC Universe all in color. If you are looking for a book that has most of DC's characters and information about them such as real names and what issue and year they first appeared in and more then I strongly recommend this book!

Review: A fun reference
I like this book. It includes an amazing number of characters from over 60 years of the DC universe. It's full of tons of great art and descriptions. The artwork all comes from previously published work unlike the old "Who's Who In the DC Universe" publications, where artists were hired to create new portraits of each character. In fact some of the artwork in this book comes straight from the early 1990's "Who's Who" series. It would have been nice to have seen original art for each character like that again, but the way it's done here works well enough. I'm sure the expense of commissioning over 1000 new portraits seemed ridiculous to the publisher, considering the treasure trove of existing art from which to choose.

One thing i don't like about the book is the fact that the artists' credits do not correspond to the artwork in any way. I don't mind the fact that the names are put in the back as they are instead of included with each image, but I would like to have seen page numbers next to the names at least. Anyway, this is a small criticism. Overall, it's a good book.

My only other comment is more of a fantasy. I really wish this were even more detailed. It would have been wonderful to have seen this made into a real encyclopedia set, with numerous volumes, much more detailed descriptions, and even more art. The set could be standardized in a way such that outdated volumes (for example, book 14/N-P) could be easily replaced with an updated version. A set like this could live on for decades. Oh well, maybe some day.

Review: Dc Comics Encyclopedia
From a fan of comics and the iconic characters of this universe. I have to say that this is a must have book if you love any hero or villian from DC Comics.

Review: Good, but slightly flawed
This is a great way to educate yourself on some lesser known characters in the DC Universe. One problem that this book has though is that it is written by several different people and some of the writers are much stronger than others. I know that some elements of the DC Universe are confusing, but a few of these writers just turn it into a mess. Still, it is a great resource.

Review: A Must Have Book
Theres nothing bad to say about this book .
Anyone into D.C.comics either Expert or Novice should have this book in their collection . It is Alphabetized and very easy to read . Graphic Illustrations are wonderful and alot of people have put much time , effort and research into giving you the most information in the backgrounds of each Villan & Hero .

I Highly Recommend this book and Please get the Hard Cover edition . This is one for the coffee table or Book shelf for a long time.

I hope those that buy this enjoy it as much as I have .

Review: This is a pretty deep source on DC Comics Super Heros
As soon as I've laid my eyes on this encyclopedia, knowing more about it on the Internet, I decided to buy one copy for me. After all, you don't find such a book easily, not even at the best comic shops. This book doesn't intend to be a definitive guide, but a compreensive guide on DC Comics characters. Well, they surely did a very nice job. The illustrations are great and the information on each character is reasonable. Of course a few characters are missing, so what? This shouldn't be a problem. At least it's not a problem for me. Would you care for a piece of advice? Don't miss it. The DC Comics Encyclopedia will turn out to be a marvellous coffe-table book for the entire family.

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