Historical text from Comixfan

ultrabasurero

Nov 6, 2008, 03:12 pm

If this isn't the right place for this, you can move it.

Has anyone bought the Marvel Chronicle, the 352 page HC that details a year by year history of Marvel? I wanted to see if anyone had anything to say, so I can see if I should buy it or not.




Michael Regan

Nov 6, 2008, 03:14 pm


That sound like an awesome book. http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Chronic.../dp/0756641233

I may have to hunt that down.




rplss

Nov 16, 2008, 06:58 pm


I have it! Its' really big and shiny. The cover is die-cut in the shape of an M. The story starts from 1939 and goes year by year, month by month for most years right up until October 2008 and gives a timeline of what was happening not only in the comics but also in the Marvel offices. It reads like an illustrated story, unfolding gradually to modernity. Along the way you get bonus artwork, a ton of cover art and sidebars describing major events in (real world) history to put the story in context. I would say that regardless of your familiarity or interest in the Golden and Silver Ages, you will find the layout, writing and style of presentation enjoyable. If you ever thought to yourself, "Gee, I really admire the (Golden or Silver) Age of comics and always wanted to get to know it better but I don't feel like sitting down and reading hundreds of comics...." then this is a great way to get the Cliff's Notes of it all. Once you get into modern times, the month-by-month progress becomes really interesting, because you will be able to personally remember how the story lines played out.

I have two critical points: 1) the lettering in speech bubbles in the artwork taken from Golden Age panels was replaced with a modern font. Although this makes for great readability, you really lose the effect of antiquity. I wish they had instead just enhanced or slightly corrected the actual lettering, or left it alone and captioned it below. And 2) they failed to mention the launch of Alpha Flight #1 in 1983, a book that sold over 500,000 copies. The fact that it's not even mentioned is just a glaring omission to me.

Oh also let me add it comes with two posters and a red ribbon to help you get the elephantine tome out of the shiny box.




drmick

Jan 18, 2009, 04:47 am

rplss wrote:

 And 2) they failed to mention the launch of Alpha Flight #1 in 1983, a book that sold over 500,000 copies. The fact that it's not even mentioned is just a glaring omission to me.

It is mentioned, somewhere in the late 70's, when they first appeared to hound Wolverine.

Excellent, excellent book. A desert island book for sure.




Michael Regan

Jan 18, 2009, 05:41 am

rplss wrote:

 Oh also let me add it comes with two posters and a red ribbon to help you get the elephantine tome out of the shiny box.

I only got one poster in mine... assuming what I got would be considered a poster...




Sidney Osinga

Jan 18, 2009, 03:09 pm

rplss wrote:

 Oh also let me add it comes with two posters and a red ribbon to help you get the elephantine tome out of the shiny box.

I assume by posters, you mean the two art prints (that's what I consider them) inside the envelope on the inside? One is the inked cover art and the other is the unaltered colored cover.




Michael Regan

Jan 18, 2009, 03:10 pm


Mine only had the coloured print. That's fine then.




rplss

Jan 26, 2009, 05:43 pm

Sidney Osinga wrote:

 I assume by posters, you mean the two art prints (that's what I consider them) inside the envelope on the inside? One is the inked cover art and the other is the unaltered colored cover.

Yes, that's what I meant, two art prints, one colored and one b/w.