Book picks similar to
Marvel Chronicle by Tom DeFalco


non-fiction
marvel
comics
graphic-novels

The Avengers: The Ultimate Guide to Earth's Mightiest Heroes


Scott Beatty - 2012
    Making their very first appearance in The Avengers #1 in September of 1963, The Avengers have been known as the "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" ever since!Full of stunning comic book art, DK's Avengers: The Ultimate Guide to Earth's Mightiest Heroes allows readers to discover the backstories, powers, allegiances, and archenemies of each member of this spectacular Super Hero team including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, and many more.Did you know Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) was born on Long Island? Or that Captain America's uniform is made of a fire-retardant material? With engaging information full of interesting character facts and a dynamic and innovative page design, Avengers: The Ultimate Guide to Earth's Mightiest Heroes is guaranteed to WOW even the most die-hard Avengers fans.

X-Men: Legion Quest


Scott Lobdell - 1996
    Avalon; a world created for the survival of his chosen people--mutants--sworn to follow a madman's lead. Charles Xavier; the most powerful mind on earth, whose Dream for peaceful co-existence between humans and mutants may be the earth's last hope. Wolverine; the berserker mutant whose adamantium skeleton may be the very thing that destroys him.X-Men! X-Force! X-Factor! And Excalibur! Still reeling from the death of one of their own--they now face their greatest enemy in a battle that could mean the end of the world!

All-New, All-Different Avengers #1


Mark WaidNick Bradshaw
    Marvel, and Miles Morales a.k.a. Spider-Man!

The Great Comic Book Heroes


Jules Feiffer - 1965
    In 1965, Feiffer wrote what is arguably the first critical history of the comic book superheroes of the late 1930s and early 1940s, including Plastic Man, Batman, Superman, The Spirit and others. In the book, Feiffer writes about the unique the place of comics in the space between high and low art and the power which this space offers both the creator and reader.The Great Comic Book Heroes is widely acknowledged to be the first book to analyze the juvenile medium of superhero comics in a critical manner, but without denying the iconic hold such works have over readers of all ages. Out of print for over 30 years, Feiffer's book discusses the role that the patriotic superhero played during World War II in shaping the public spirit of civilians and soldiers, as well as the escapist power these stories held over the zeitgeist of America. With wit and insight Feiffer discusses what the great comic book heroes meant to him as a child and later as an artist.

Batman Animated


Paul Dini - 1998
    Since its premiere in September 1992, Batman: The Animated Series has been acclaimed by enthusiastic viewers and longtime fans of the Batman character as the defining image of the Dark Knight onscreen. Now readers are offered an inside look into the creation of the series. Granted unprecedented access to the archives of the Warner Bros. Animation Studio, Chip Kidd has combined breathtaking photographs by Award-winning photographer Geoff Spear and fashioned an imaginative layout of never-before-published preproduction and finished artwork that echoes the boldness of producer-designer Bruce Timm's powerful TV show.Paul Dini's text offers entertaining and informative commentary on the series history, development, and continuing production. It includes glimpses into the making of the Batman animated features Mask of the Phantasm and SubZero, and a sneak peek into the future projects.Featuring a detailed episode guide, comments from the series creators and voice actors, and an introduction by Bruce Timm, Batman Animated is a must-have for Batman fans young and old.

Marvel Knights 4, Volume 1: Wolf at the Door


Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa - 2004
    The Fantastic Four are four-closed!Collecting: Marvel Knights 4 1-7

DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle


Daniel Wallace - 2010
    Here, for the first time, is the chronological account of the adventures of both the characters and the company that created them. The" DC Chronicle Year by Year" traces DC's fascinating story: the company's beginnings as National Allied Publications in the 1934, and its subsequent change to Detective Comics, Inc. in 1937. The book details all the major DC publishing landmarks and more, displayed clearly, month by month. Highlighting the debuts of Superman and Batman, the geniuses that invented them, and the real-life events-like the Vietnam War, the atom bomb, the Space Race- that shaped the atmosphere of the times, "DC Chronicle Year by Year" follows the characters' foray into the real world through TV series and blockbuster movies. Features original cover art by well-known DC artist Ryan Sook and a foreword by Paul Levitz, who was president of DC Comics from 2002 - 2009. TM & (c) DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

Superman: The High-Flying History of the Man of Steel


Larry Tye - 2012
    Now Larry Tye, the prize-winning journalist and "New York Times" bestselling author of "Satchel, " has written the first full-fledged history not just of the Man of Steel but of the creators, designers, owners, and performers who made him the icon he is today. Legions of fans from Boston to Buenos Aires can recite the story of the child born Kal-El, scion of the doomed planet Krypton, who was rocketed to Earth as an infant, raised by humble Kansas farmers, and rechristened Clark Kent. Known to law-abiders and evildoers alike as Superman, he was destined to become the invincible champion of all that is good and just--and a star in every medium from comic books and comic strips to radio, TV, and film. But behind the high-flying legend lies a true-to-life saga every bit as compelling, one that begins not in the far reaches of outer space but in the middle of America's heartland. During the depths of the Great Depression, Jerry Siegel was a shy, awkward teenager in Cleveland. Raised on adventure tales and robbed of his father at a young age, Jerry dreamed of a hero for a boy and a world that desperately needed one. Together with neighborhood chum and kindred spirit Joe Shuster, young Siegel conjured a human-sized god who was everything his creators yearned to be: handsome, stalwart, and brave, able to protect the innocent, punish the wicked, save the day, and win the girl. It was on Superman's muscle-bound back that the comic book and the very idea of the superhero took flight. Tye chronicles the adventures of the men and women who kept Siegel and Shuster's "Man of Tomorrow" aloft and vitally alive through seven decades and counting. Here are the savvy publishers and visionary writers and artists of comics' Golden Age who ushered the red-and-blue-clad titan through changing eras and evolving incarnations; and the actors--including George Reeves and Christopher Reeve--who brought the Man of Steel to life on screen, only to succumb themselves to all-too-human tragedy in the mortal world. Here too is the poignant and compelling history of Siegel and Shuster's lifelong struggle for the recognition and rewards rightly due to the architects of a genuine cultural phenomenon. From two-fisted crimebuster to Uber-patriot, social crusader to spiritual savior, Superman--perhaps like no other mythical character before or since--has evolved in a way that offers a Rorschach test of his times and our aspirations. In this deftly realized appreciation, Larry Tye reveals a portrait of America over seventy years through the lens of that otherworldly hero who continues to embody our best selves. Praise for "Superman"" ""Engaging, fun, inspiring--like the Man of Steel."--The Huffington Post "Powerful . . . wonderfully readable."--"The Plain Dealer" "A story as American as Superman himself . . . The best origin story pulsing through "Superman" is not the one about the Krypton-to-Kansas alien baby, but rather the one about the superhero's mortal and sometimes star-crossed creators."--"The Washington Post"" " "Fun, enlightening pop-cultural history."--"Kirkus Reviews" "A rich history full of lively heroes and villains' much like a comic book. Essential for Superman fans.""--Library Journal "(starred review) "[A] comprehensive, definitive history.""--Publishers Weekly"

Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book


Gerard Jones - 2004
    "This history of the birth of superhero comics highlights three pivotal figures. The story begins early in the last century, on the Lower East Side, where Harry Donenfeld rises from the streets to become the king of the 'smooshes'-soft-core magazines with titles like French Humor and Hot Tales. Later, two high school friends in Cleveland, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, become avid fans of 'scientifiction,' the new kind of literature promoted by their favorite pulp magazines. The disparate worlds of the wise guy and the geeks collide in 1938, and the result is Action Comics #1, the debut of Superman. For Donenfeld, the comics were a way to sidestep the censors. For Shuster and Siegel, they were both a calling and an eventual source of misery: the pair waged a lifelong campaign for credit and appropriate compensation." -The New Yorker

Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe


Tim Leong - 2013
    This book by one of Wired magazine's art directors traverses the graphic world through a collection of pie charts, bar graphs, timelines, scatter plots, and more. Super Graphic offers readers a unique look at the intricate and sometimes contradictory storylines that weave their way through comic books, and shares advice for navigating the pages of some of the most popular, longest-running, and best-loved comics and graphic novels out there. From a colorful breakdown of the DC Comics reader demographic to a witty Venn diagram of superhero comic tropes and a Chris Ware sadness scale, this book charts the most arbitrary and monumental characters, moments, and equipment of the wide world of comics.

The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen: Awesome Female Characters from Comic Book History


Hope Nicholson - 2017
    Think comic books can t feature strong female protagonists? Think again! In The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen you ll meet the most fascinating exemplars of the powerful, compelling, entertaining, and heroic female characters who ve populated comic books from the very beginning. This spectacular sisterhood includes costumed crimebusters like Miss Fury, super-spies like Tiffany Sinn, sci-fi pioneers like Gale Allen, and even kid troublemakers like Little Lulu. With vintage art, publication details, a decade-by-decade survey of industry trends and women s roles in comics, and spotlights on iconic favorites like Wonder Woman and Ms. Marvel, The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen proves that not only do strong female protagonists belong in comics, they ve always been there."

What If?: Civil War


Ed BrubakerChristopher Yost - 2008
    Wolverine

X-Men: First Class - Band of Brothers


Jeff Parker - 2008
    These are the hidden stories of the team that laid the foundation of a mutant dynasty In this volume, the fledgling X-Men encounter shape-shifting Skrulls from outer space, the swamp-dwelling creature called the Man-Thing, Magneto's daugher, the Scarlet Witch, super-spy the Black Widow, and more Collects X-Men: First Class #6-10.

X-Men: The End


Chris Claremont - 2009
    The epic finale to the story of the Children of the Atom! Renowned X-Men scribe Chris Claremont (Uncanny X-Men) joins with star artist Sean Chen (Wolverine) for a trilogy in the style of the Lord of the Rings movies, one that spans the length and breadth of the X-Men canon and brings the saga of Marvel's mutants to a climax! Collects X-Men: The End -- Dreamers and Demons #1 to 6, Heroes and Martyrs #1 to 6, and Men and X-Men #1 to 6.

Edge of Venomverse #1


Matthew Rosenberg - 2017
    Bonding with the alien enhances her already considerable abilities, and aids in her escape, but it begins to alter her mind! On the run from the very people that made her, can X-23 hold it together or is she doomed to give in to Venom!