Books : Marvels

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Rating:

- MARVELS-ous Masterpiece
How can I be objective: that's us in this four issue series that followed an everyman through WWII and into the beginning of the Marvel Universe circa 1970-something. Ross used many of his friends (and idols) as models in this magnificent tribute to the compendium of Marvel's greatest moments.

MARVELS shows heroes at their best across three decades of great Marvel comics. Any aging fanboy reader of the 60's would love this.

You can spend a fortune on more elaborate versions of MARVELS with all of the notes, script and such, but for a good old-fashioned reading experience, this softbound edition is terrific.

Aside from WATCHMEN and perhaps LOVE & ROCKETS, Alex Ross put his heart on every page of this history of heroes. A loving tribute to the best of American comic book mythology, MARVELS forced open the pages of Marvel's at-the-time kicked-around heroes and painted them as legends. It redefined comic book production values and dared the industry to think quality. Without MARVELS, there wouldn't have been a KINGDOM COME or DC's splendid Ross books.

After MARVELS, Marvel produced a non-Ross sequel called RUINS that portrayed the Scarlet Witch as a prostitute in a bombed out New York: shameful, embarrassing hackery at an all-time low that was as insulting to their characters as it was to their readers and especially Ross and Busiek's noble opus. Ross returned to Marvel with EARTH X and UNIVERSE X, both under-appreciated epics with a great, great team of writers and artists on board: real WOW! stuff. 2007's DC series JUSTICE did for the JLA what MARVELS brought to the masses: painted art, silver-age heroes and a reason to be a kid again for all of 20-some pages every couple of months. Somewhere in the great perhaps, Jack Kirby is lovin' alla this...

Rating:

- Pretty and Interesting
Marvels offers a look at the greatest moments in the Marvel comics universe but for the first time from the perspective of the common citizen. It features the hatred and contempt that the ordinary people feel toward something different then themselves and applies it towards superheroes instead of people of different genders or races. When matched with beautiful artwork the interesting perspective is very enjoyable.

Rating:

- Graphic SF Reader
An introduction to the greatness of Alex Ross' style, with Busiek providing more Astro City style commentary. This is the Marvel universe seen through the eyes of your garden variety photojournalist. The point of view character here is just a normal man, trying to get along in this world of giants, gods and monsters. Not to mention mutants and aliens. Also an introduction to the breathtaking painting style of Alex Ross.

Rating:

- Still spectacular all these years later
The comic series that helped make writer Kurt Busiek and artist Alex Ross household names for comic book fans is re-produced brilliantly in this handsome, 10th Anniversary hardcover edition. Marvels tells the story of photographer Phil Sheldon; an average joe who witnesses pivotal events in Marvel history through his eyes as well as his camera. From the first battle between Namor the Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch, to the coming of Captain America in World War II, to the fear and hatred expressed by normal people towards the mutant menace, to the coming of Galactus, to the death of Gwen Stacy at the hands of Spider-Man's arch nemesis the Green Goblin; Sheldon is there to witness it all. Throughout the mini-series, Busiek manages to pack in plenty of events and tell a very poignant story, but it's the brilliantly painted artwork of Ross that makes Marvels worth owning. His lush and lifelike interpretations of classic Marvel icons remain some of the best work the in-demand artist has ever done, and only makes readers ache for him to do more Marvel work. In addition to the story, there is a horde of extras included in this pricey hardcover, including essays and reflections from Busiek, Ross, Stan Lee, and John Romita, Sr. among others. Also included are some of Ross' early designs, the original proposals and scripts, and even a look at the many cameos packed throughout Ross' illustrations. While the main story itself begs to be just a little bit longer, Marvels was a classic then, and it remains so all these years later. All in all, this anniversary edition of Marvels is a must own for Marvel comic fans new and old alike.

Rating:

- very good graphic novel...
alex ross is the greatest comic artist out there. marvels is a fine story, a kind of overview to the goings on of the marvel universe as seen from a normal guy outsider. but this is why the story isn't a true 5 star graphic novel, because let's be honest no one cares about the normal guy watching we're just waiting for the superheroes to pop in and out. by itself it is not so bad, but if you read kingdom come and earth x you'll see the guy watching from the outside type thing gets old.

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