That Marvel Comics has published countless comics is a well-known fact. What's not so popular are the books about the publisher, its stories, or its characters. And that's precisely what we're going to show you today: a selection of the best volumes related to the great company behind many of history's most important superheroes. Take note, and don't leave your credit card too far away.
Marvel, the great superhero factory
You'd have to be living in a very, very deep cave not to know what Marvel is (or at least recognize its name). Behind this brand lies one of the world's most important comic book publishers, the birthplace of some of the most famous superheroes of recent decades. Owned by The Walt Disney Company, it's an American entertainment company (with several subsidiaries today) that originated in 1939 as Timely Publications.
Its founder was a young entrepreneur named Martin Goodman, who already owned a small publishing house called Western Fiction Publishing. Due to the burgeoning popularity of comics, he decided to expand into this sector, hiring Funnies Inc., a workshop of artists and writers specializing in creating this type of content. The company's staff began to grow as comic book sales increased, and more artists joined, including a young man who had just finished high school named Stanley Martin, who signed his work with the pseudonym Stan Lee.
One of the high points of this early period came when Timely Publications began pitting its superheroes against the Nazis, two years before the outbreak of World War II. The Human Torch, for example, aided British airmen, not to mention the cover where Captain America punched Hitler. The public embraced this wartime theme in comics quite enthusiastically, selling thousands upon thousands of copies.
As for Lee, after a break in which he was forced to enlist in the army, the cartoonist returned to a publishing house, but things had changed a lot: those superheroes were no longer as interesting and in the comic world people I asked for other types of content. In addition to this disenchantment for the artist and the departure of some company managers, a name change was decided, so that at the end of the 40s, the volumes began to be printed under two companies: Marvel Magazine and Marvel Comics.
It wouldn't last long. Goodman created a new distributor for his comics, Atlas, which, however, ran into a major problem in the 50s : the imposition of very conservative codes of conduct, which numerous publishers adopted, generating very bad press for the comic book industry. Atlas closed in 1957, and after several failed attempts, the businessman was forced to reach an agreement with DC, one of his rivals, which agreed to distribute a maximum of only eight titles per month.
In the early 1960s, things began to change. The Fantastic Four arrived and were so popular that they paved the way for the later arrival of Hulk, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, Thor, and Iron Man, among others. The company began publishing again under the name Marvel Comics, leading to the birth of the Avengers and the X-Men in the early 1960s, and benefiting from Stan Lee, who had become the face of the company as its main writer and creator of most of the characters.
What follows is a textbook roller coaster : the purchase of the company from Goodman in '68 by Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation, the acquisition of new studios and labels, the change of management, the start of the first television series, the departure of many of its creatives in the '90s, the massive drop in sales, the changes (again) of management and the first films.
In just a few days, however, it will be 11 years since The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment for nearly $4.000 billion , not to mention the numerous films it has produced, some of the most important franchises in the industry, and the series yet to come. This represents a true revaluation of the Marvel brand and a universe that now boasts fans all over the world.
best marvel related books
Below we make a selection of the best books related to Marvel that you can buy for your collection. They should not be confused with the volumes that are responsible for compiling the entire comic book run of a character or season; What you will find here are pages with data, illustrations and special content about the stories that have characterized the publisher.
Do you have any that are not on the list? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
Marvel: The Encyclopedia
A great way to catch up on everything Marvel is to get your hands on this encyclopedia of the publisher's heroes (and villains). From Captain America to Spider-Man, and including Iron Man, Thanos, and Loki, this who's who of over 1.200 characters is explained. You'll find basic information about each one, discover secret histories, and see illustrations of them all.
A perfect volume that's said to be suitable for both "devoted fans" and "newcomers," and which has a 5-star rating on Amazon . It also includes a foreword by Stan Lee. What more needs to be said? It belongs on your bookshelf.
See offer on AmazonMarvel superheroes: the 100 essential
If the encyclopedia that you have a few lines above seems too dense or you don't play with a budget that allows you to buy it, you can always opt for this other volume. It is a selection with the 100 essential characters of the editorial, of which you will be able to consult all their powers and origin.
Iron Man, Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Wolverine, Captain America, Storm… the list is made up of the most well-known faces in Marvel history , and you can also discover interesting facts and of course enjoy full-color images.
See offer on AmazonThe Avengers: The Encyclopedia
If you're a big fan of the Avengers, instead of going for the complete Marvel encyclopedia, you're better off choosing this one, which specializes specifically in the Avengers. Its format is very similar: pages dedicated to getting to know each member of this elite team in depth, their main allies, enemies, and formations.
In the book there is room for both the heroes and the villains related to the Avengers, so we will not stop seeing faces that are also on the side of evil. Many say that it is a fantastic way to get started in the world without spending a lot.
See offer on AmazonMarvel: Girls Power
Since we're getting into more detail, how about we take a look at Marvel's superheroines? Planeta publishing house has this volume that brings together 65 women who have starred in stories from the publisher , with their profiles, origins, and histories.
Most of those who have this book also agree on the same thing: how incredible the images are, fantastic illustrations all created by Alice X. Zhang. Another essential with which to bring to your library a compilation of the women of Marvel, generally relegated to the background due to the fame of their male colleagues. It is time for that to change.
See offer on AmazonMarvel: Definitive Visual Chronicle
According to its description, it's "the most complete history of the Marvel Universe ever published." This is how this book presents itself, recounting, year by year, all the important events in Marvel from its beginnings in the 30s to the present day.
This edition is the latest release and is updated through 2017, including characters like Thor and Captain America, as well as one of the most important storylines, Secret Wars, among other details. It's a great way to catch up on everything related to the Marvel universe, both in terms of content and the company itself.
See offer on AmazonMarvel Studios: The Visual Dictionary
Let's move on to film and look at another encyclopedia, also very comprehensive, but this one focused on Marvel Studios movies . This "vocal" dictionary is a perfect compilation of everything you've seen in theaters so far, with a good number of images (including stills) and features on the most important characters.
You will be able to give a good review of Iron Man's armor, the SHIELD organization's helicarriers, the towers of Asgard, Hawkeye's bow and even Thor's hammer. The most iconic heroes, villains and elements that have passed in front of you while you ate popcorn are now gathered in this hardcover book that also does not exceed 30 euros. To take account.
See offer on Amazonhow i met your marvel
If you're a Marvel fan and a regular YouTuber, you're probably familiar with the channel " Strip Marvel ," where Daniel Priego (better known as Dani Lagi) delights us with a wealth of information about everything related to the publisher and film studios. Capitalizing on his popularity (he has over half a million subscribers), he decided to release a book with the charming title "How I Met Your Marvel."
In it, Lagi tells us about the first ten years of Marvel Studios in a humorous way , giving a good amount of facts and behind-the-scenes details in a volume that many readers describe as "entertaining and fun".
See offer on AmazonThe Stan Lee Story
We've saved the most special book for last , the one that absolutely must be on the shelves of every Marvel fan—and I, for one, own a copy. It's a special edition book from Taschen honoring Stan Lee , the creator of the publisher's most iconic characters. This extra-large volume (seriously, it's gigantic) offers a comprehensive overview of the writer and artist's career, featuring hundreds of full-color illustrations, detailed illustrations, and even a few selected comic book panels at the end.
The book, originally published as a Collector's Edition and signed by Lee, sold out within its first week. The author and narrator is none other than Roy Thomas , Lee's successor at Marvel, so you can imagine the care and attention to detail that went into its creation and how accurately it captures the essence of Stan Lee. A true gem, perfect as a gift or a treat for yourself, its only drawback being that it's in English. It's worth every penny. You won't be disappointed. It's impossible.
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*Note to the reader: Some of the links in this article are part of our agreement with the Amazon Associates Program. Even so, our purchase recommendations are always created freely, without attending to any type of request from the mentioned brands.