Historical text from Comixfan including material from the Wayback Machine
Eric J. Moreels
2006
Coming in January from Marvel Comics...

ALL-NEW OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z: UPDATE #1 (of 4)
Written by JEFF CHRISTIANSEN, STUART VANDAL, RONALD BYRD, SEAN MCQUAID, MARK O’ENGLISH, MIKE FICHERA, ANTHONY FLAMINI, ERIC J. MOREELS, MICHAEL HOSKIN, CHRIS BIGGS, MADISON CARTER, RICH GREEN & AL SJOERDSMA
Cover by TOM RANEY

What’s the origin of M-11 the Human Robot? Who are the members of the Circus of Crime? What are the powers of Spider-Man 2099? Who are Digitek and Garko the Man-Frog? Who was Cage’s first costumed foe? Find the answers to all these questions and many more here, as the Official Handbook continues to visit not just the Marvel Universe proper, but all related universes beyond! This one has something for everyone! New characters getting their first Handbook coverage? Freedom Ring, Death’s Head 3.0, Nextwave and more – CHECK! Older characters not covered in 2000s Handbooks? Arcade, Circus of Crime, Graviton, Ikaris, Impossible Man, In-Betweener, Tiger Shark and more – CHECK! Older characters that never had a Handbook entry before? Bug-Eyed Voice, Human Robot, Thundersword and more – CHECK! Major characters getting massive expansions and updates to reflect their new status? Norman Osborn, Quasar, Storm and more – CHECK! Entries for major events, technology, pantheons and alien races – and for characters from different countries, deepest space, other realities, dimensions, and past and future eras – covering more of Marvel’s universes than ever before? Contest of Champions, Digitek, Badoon, MC2’s Fantastic Five, New Universe’s Mark Hazzard, Japanese Gods, the M’kraan Crystal, Spider-Man 2099 and more – CHECK! These updates will ship quarterly in 2007!

64 PGS./NO ADS/Rated T+ ...$3.99
 
Zach Kinkead
2006
So they’re only letting you guys put these things out quarterly now?
 
Loki
2006

Zach Kinkead wrote:

So they’re only letting you guys put these things out quarterly now?

We're only putting the A-Z Updates out quarterly...
 
Zach Kinkead
2006

Loki wrote:

We're only putting the A-Z Updates out quarterly...

But you still have other projects going? Good.
 
skippcomet
2006
On the Cover:

Smuggler, Death's Head 3.0 (I assume), Puck/Eugene Judd, Ikaris, Spider-Man 2099, Impossible Man, Tiger Shark, somebody in armor with spikes on the gloves (next to Tiger Shark) (Front Row)

Unknown Face behind Ikaris's right shoulder, Arcade (behind Ikaris's left shoulder), somebody in deep blue or purple, Norman Osborn holding a Green Goblin mask (row behind Front Row but still standing up)

Quasar, Human Robot, Graviton, Storm, unknown blond man in red next to Storm (Flying Row)

Can anybody identify the characters I couldn't?
 
Madison Carter
2006

skippcomet wrote:

Death's Head 3.0 (I assume),

Yep, and we promise he'll actually be IN this issue this time. :whistle:

On a related note, I need to go ahead and point out that while the character Thundersword is listed as being included, last minute decisions forced him out of this book. Don't fret though, as he'll be in another Handbook coming out even sooner.
 
Andy E. Nystrom
2006

Madison Carter wrote:

Yep, and we promise he'll actually be IN this issue this time. :whistle:

On a related note, I need to go ahead and point out that while the character Thundersword is listed as being included, last minute decisions forced him out of this book. Don't fret though, as he'll be in another Handbook coming out even sooner.

Hmm, a Secret Wars related Handbook?

(It's a tad scary that I actually still remember Thundersword after all these years).
 
Madison Carter
2006

skippcomet wrote:

On the Cover:

Smuggler, Death's Head 3.0 (I assume), Puck/Eugene Judd, Ikaris, Spider-Man 2099, Impossible Man, Tiger Shark, somebody in armor with spikes on the gloves (next to Tiger Shark) (Front Row)

Unknown Face behind Ikaris's right shoulder, Arcade (behind Ikaris's left shoulder), somebody in deep blue or purple, Norman Osborn holding a Green Goblin mask (row behind Front Row but still standing up)

Quasar, Human Robot, Graviton, Storm, unknown blond man in red next to Storm (Flying Row)

Can anybody identify the characters I couldn't?

the armored guy with spikes and the deep blue guy both had small but pivotal roles in Civil War so far.
 
TheMetalMetrosexual
2006
I believe the guy with spikes is Speedfreak, who was part of Nitro's crew, and the other is Digitek, a Marvel UK character who had a three issue mini in the 90's--he was captured by the registration in Frontline and killed himself.
 
Rayeye
2006
This is very good news, I'm so glad the Handbooks will go on in 2007!
I think that you guys did make a good decision by releasing this Update edition with new characters, character who haven't had a profile yet and characters like Storm and Quasar who needed an update and also including events and characters from alternate realities.

By the way, I think the guy next to Storm is Freedom Ring.
I'm glad to see Puck, because I really missed him in the 2006 Handbooks.
And since Spider-Man 2099 finally got his profile I hope more 2099 characters will follow (like X-Men 2099 members!!!).

Chris Day
2006
these updates look like they're covering a great many things... including pantheons... does this mean that a marvel gods/pantheons handbook is not going to be made?
 
Eric J. Moreels
2006

Chris Day wrote:

these updates look like they're covering a great many things... including pantheons... does this mean that a marvel gods/pantheons handbook is not going to be made?

Anything's possible. Enough people have to ask Marvel for it, though!
 
Glorificus
2006
Is this the book that Selene is "tentatively scheduled" to be included in then?
 
mike7
2006

Glorificus wrote:

Is this the book that Selene is "tentatively scheduled" to be included in then?

I hope so.

Andy E. Nystrom
May 1, 2010, 01:36 am

Had to start a new thread. The old one is 2 pages yet blank, and said to be "not accepting new posts". If the old thread can somehow be fixed, the admins should definitely feel free to move this over.

List of changes in Hardcovers. This is for the 2007 series, not to be confused with the 2010 series.

Amatsu-Kami
Hardcover Volume: 1
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: Art Credits and new paragraph in History added
Graphic Changes: None

Arcade
Hardcover Volume: 1
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text/Graphic Changes: None

Badoon
Hardcover Volume: 1
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: None
Graphic Changes: One secondary illo less cropped

Brynocki
Hardcover Volume: 2
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: None
Graphic Changes: New secondary illo added

Circus of Crime
Hardcover Volume: 2
Page Count: Increased from 3 to 4
Text Changes: Current/Former members revised.
Graphic Changes: Main caption now indicates first appearances. Shot of Ringmaster and Princess Python removed and replaced with full body shots of each with first appearances. 3 illos less cropped than before. Two more illos have captions added, one with first appearances. Headshots expanded from 11 to 21 (mostly to depict Golden Age members) with first appearances and role added.

Contest of Champions
Hardcover Volume: 2
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text/Graphic Changes: None

Death’s Head 3.0
Hardcover Volume: 3
Now Listed As: Death’s Head (Warguard)
Page Count: Increased from 1 to 2
Text Changes: History completely revised and expanded, no longer shorter than the Note following it. Power Grid added
Graphic Changes: 3 secondary illos (2 being parts diagrams)

Digitek
Hardcover Volume: 3
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: New sentence added to end of History
Graphic Changes: None

Fantastic Five
Hardcover Volume: 4
Now Listed As: Fantastic Five (MC2)
Page Count: Increased from 1 to 2
Text Changes: Current and Former members revised. Final History paragraph revised/expanded.
Graphic Changes: Original main illo removed, replaced with new captioned one. 8 new captioned secondary illos.

Graviton
Hardcover Volume: 4
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: History somewhat revised, including 3 History paragraphs merged, 2 new sentences added to end of final paragraph
Graphic Changes: None

Hammer
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: first History paragraph revised.
Graphic Changes: 2 new secondary illos

Mark Hazard
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: final History paragraph slightly expanded
Graphic Changes: None

Human Robot
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: final History sentence replaced with two new ones.
Graphic Changes: New captioned secondary illo of creator

Huntarr
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text/Graphic Changes: None

Hunter in Darkness
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: 1st 2 History paragraphs merged, final paragraph slightly expanded.
Graphic Changes: None

Ikaris
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: Occupation and final History paragraph revised.
Graphic Changes: One secondary illo removed, the other cropped to make room for a new captioned one.

Impossible Man
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: None
Graphic Changes: New captioned secondary illo

In-Betweener
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: Some of the History moved to an earlier part of the History, resulting in the 2nd paragraph being split in 2.
Graphic Changes: None

Khonshu
Hardcover Volume: 6
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: None
Graphic Changes: New captioned secondary illo

Living Laser
Hardcover Volume: 6
Page Count: Increased from 2 to 3
Text Changes: History and Abilities/Accessories considerably revised and expanded, though a lot of original text still present. Physical Stats expanded.
Graphic Changes: Background added to main illo making it easier to see. 3 new secondary illos.

Khonshu
Hardcover Volume: 7
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: Final History sentence tweaked and new one added at end.
Graphic Changes: None

M’Kraan Crystal
Hardcover Volume: 7
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: New History paragraph added between 4th and 5th; final History sentence removed but new final paragraph added.
Graphic Changes: Main illo cropped.

Nextwave Squad
Hardcover Volume: 8
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: Base of Operations revised. Old final paragraph split in two, which final sentence in second half replaced by three new sentences, then a new final paragraph.
Graphic Changes: Old illo replaced with new one (also captioned).

Nightshade
Hardcover Volume: 8
Now Listed As: Nightshade (Johnson)
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: Vital Statistics revised. 2nd and 3rd, then 4th and 5th History paragraphs merged; final praragraph replaced with new larger one; Abilities/Accessories a bit expanded.
Graphic Changes: New secondary illo.

Norman Osborn
Hardcover Volume: 8
Page Count: Increased from 3 to 4
Text Changes: Vital Statistics revised. History considerably revised/expanded, though a lot of old text (even some entire paragraphs) still present. Height and Weight revised. New final paragraph added to Abilities/Accessories.
Graphic Changes: Main illo and three secondary illos removed (leaving one old one present); New main illo and three new captioned secondary illos

Puck
Hardcover Volume: 9
Now Listed As: Puck (Judd)
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: Known Relatives revised. Some History paragraphs merged and final sentence tweaked. Abilities/Accessories revised/expanded.
Graphic Changes: None

Quasar
Hardcover Volume: 9
Page Count: Increased from 3 to 4
Text Changes: Group Affiliation revised. End of 5th History paragraph slightly expanded; last sentence removed from History, but new sentences then 2 new paragraphs added. Abilities/Accessories further greatly revised/expanded especially at beginning, with new text weaving in and out of old.
Graphic Changes: Old main illo now secondary; new main illo and 3 new secondary illos (1 captioned).

Rebel Ralston
Hardcover Volume: 9
Now Listed As: “Rebel” Ralston
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: final History sentence abridged
Graphic Changes: None

Reptyl
Hardcover Volume: 9
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text/Graphic Changes: None

Smuggler
Hardcover Volume: 10
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: Identity, Occupation, Known Relatives, Group Affiliation revised. More alter egos added to History
Graphic Changes: None

Speedfreak
Hardcover Volume: 11
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: More alter egos added to History
Graphic Changes: Secondary illo a little adjusted

Spider-Man (2099 A.D.)
Hardcover Volume: 11
Now Listed As: Spider-Man (2099)
Page Count: Unchanged at 3
Text Changes: Passages moved around a bit in the History paragraph starting on the 2nd page and ending on the 3rd
Graphic Changes: New captioned secondary illo

Steel Wind
Hardcover Volume: 11
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text Changes: Real Name and Known Relatives revised. 1st History sentence revised
Graphic Changes: None

Storm
Hardcover Volume: 11
Page Count: Increased from 4 to 5
Text Changes: Vital Statistics revised. History and Abilities/Accessories mostly revised/expanded
Graphic Changes: New main illo (old one now cropped secondary); cropping altered in at least seven of the old secondary illos; 2 o the old secondary illos now captioned; 10 new secondary illos (3 captioned)

Suspiria
Hardcover Volume: 11
Page Count: Unchanged at 1
Text/Graphic Changes: None

Tiger Shark
Hardcover Volume: 12
Page Count: Unchanged at 2
Text Changes: Initially only minor History changes, including alter egos added; final History paragraph’s final sentence replaced with new one, then new large final paragraph ending with the old final sentence (plus a little more text tweaking). Final two Abilities/Accessories paragraphs merged/abridged
Graphic Changes: None

Bug-Eyed Voice
Hardcover Volume: 2
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text/Graphic Changes: None

Danger Man
Hardcover Volume: 3
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: Eyes and Hair revised.
Graphic Changes: New secondary illo.

Daydream
Hardcover Volume: 3
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: Known Relatives tweaked
Graphic Changes: None

Diamondback
Hardcover Volume: 3
Now Listed As: Diamondback (Stryker)
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Additional Text/Graphic Changes: None

Droog
Hardcover Volume: 3
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: Known Relatives tweaked
Graphic Changes: None

Freedom Ring
Hardcover Volume: 4
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: Final History sentence expanded. Power Numbers now include ring stats.
Graphic Changes: None

Garko the Man-Frog
Hardcover Volume: 5
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: Real Name tweaked.
Graphic Changes: None

Manticore
Hardcover Volume: 8
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: end of final History sentence removed; new final sentence added. Eyes tweaked.
Graphic Changes: None

Red Raven
Hardcover Volume: 9
Now Listed As: “Red” Raven
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: Real Name revised.
Graphic Changes: None

Walker
Hardcover Volume: 13
Page Count: Unchanged at ½
Text Changes: History slightly revised
Graphic Changes: None

Glossary
Hardcover Volume: 1-2
Page Count: Increased from ½ to 8 total: 6 pages v1, 2 v2
Text Changes: This was originally an entry spread over 4 Handbooks, now it’s spread over the first two hardcovers; so greatly revised/expanded if you just count this segment, somewhat revised/expanded total
Graphic Changes: None

Last edited by Andy E. Nystrom (1/23/2020 1:50 pm)