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Marvels (Marvels Complete)

4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 · rating details · 11,069 ratings · 208 reviews

Marvel Comics brings back Busiek and Ross's fully painted retelling of key moments in the birth of the Marvel Universe, as seen through the eyes of an innocent bystander.

Paperback, 216 pages

Published January 10th 2007 by Marvel Comics (first published 1994)

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Aug 19, 2012 Kemper rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: superhero, 2012-reread, comics, rubbermaid-treasure, favorites

Treasure of the Rubbermaids 17: Marvel At Marvel’s Marvelous ‘Marvels’!

The on-going discoveries of priceless books and comics found in a stack of Rubbermaid containers previously stored and forgotten at my parent’s house and untouched for almost 20 years. Thanks to my father dumping them back on me, I now spend my spare time unearthing lost treasures from their plastic depths.

I would hate to be a New Yorker in the Marvel universe because it seems like the city is constantly being threatened by s...more Treasure of the Rubbermaids 17: Marvel At Marvel’s Marvelous ‘Marvels’!

The on-going discoveries of priceless books and comics found in a stack of Rubbermaid containers previously stored and forgotten at my parent’s house and untouched for almost 20 years. Thanks to my father dumping them back on me, I now spend my spare time unearthing lost treasures from their plastic depths.

I would hate to be a New Yorker in the Marvel universe because it seems like the city is constantly being threatened by super villains, invaded by aliens, flooded by pissed of Atlanteans or beset by some other form of comic book mayhem. I’ll bet it’s impossible to get property insurance at all.

Comic book readers get a ring side seat and full explanations for everything that’s happening, but what would your average man on the street think about all this insanity? That’s what Marvels explores beautifully.

Phil Sheldon is a young newspaper photographer during the Great Depression who witnesses the public unveiling of the original Human Torch followed shortly after by the appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner. Like most people, Sheldon is initially shocked and disturbed by these new super beings he thinks of as Marvels who routinely turn New York into a battleground. With the coming of WWII and the introduction of Captain America, Phil embraces the costumed heroes who fight the Nazis.

Years later in the early ‘60s, an explosion of superheroes creates an odd mix of emotions in Phil and the general public. The Fantastic Four and The Avengers are celebrities who get put on magazine covers while some don’t know whether Spider-Man is a good guy or a criminal, and the mutant X-Men are feared and persecuted. Phil’s work as a photojournalist puts him in the middle of almost every big event Marvel did during the Silver Age, and he frequently finds himself conflicted about how he feels about them.

This does a great job of exploring that idea of how the public responds to larger than life characters and events that make them feel scared and insignificant, and one of the things I’ve always liked about Marvel’s comics is how they've always portrayed the public's attitudes towards the superheroes as being full of contradictions. People cheer the heroes like Iron Man and Captain America, but some blame them for the fights that cause so much destruction. The mutants are the target of hatred and bigotry while stores sell clothing lines based on the many costumes of Wasp. ]New Yorkers will cheer on the Fantastic Four as they battle Galactus to save the entire world, but just days later their landlord will try to evict them from the Baxter Building.

Phil’s a great character to use in the midst of this because he’s a decent, ordinary guy who is still fully capable of giving into his worst instincts at times. He makes a career out of documenting the craziness that comes with the superheroes and thinks deeply about what the heroes mean to all of them. At times he almost worships them but can easily swing to resentment and jealously. Phil’s attitude towards them mirror how the superheroes have always been portrayed with a mixture of admiration and fear in the Marvel comics.

The stunning artwork has a retro realism to it that really makes you feel like you’re looking at people wearing tights in the 1960s, yet still conveys all the wonder of seeing someone otherworldly like the Silver Surfer.

By showing us how one regular person reacted to some of Marvel’s greatest hits, this moving tribute to the past gives a fresh perspective on how fans relate to the characters in these wild and amazing stories. (less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Dan Schwent rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, 2012, cool-covers

Photographer Phil Sheldon experiences what it's like to live in a world of super heroes, from the rise of the Human Torch in the late thirties all the way to the dawn of the mutants, the first appearance of Galactus, and the death of Gwen Stacy.

When Marvels first hit scene, I was a wee lad of 17. The internet was in its infancy and comic shops were dying by the dozen. As it became easier to come by comics, or "graphic novels" if you're too cool to read comics, I always had a mind to read this bu...more Photographer Phil Sheldon experiences what it's like to live in a world of super heroes, from the rise of the Human Torch in the late thirties all the way to the dawn of the mutants, the first appearance of Galactus, and the death of Gwen Stacy.

When Marvels first hit scene, I was a wee lad of 17. The internet was in its infancy and comic shops were dying by the dozen. As it became easier to come by comics, or "graphic novels" if you're too cool to read comics, I always had a mind to read this but didn't pick it up until recently.

Maybe it was just nearly twenty years of expectations but I wasn't wowed by this. Sure, the premise is cool and Alex Ross is still Alex Ross but not a hell of a lot happens. Busiek's writing has never done much for me and this is no exception. I think Busiek should send Alex Ross a fruit basket or something every week considering this is the book that moved Busiek on to bigger and better things.

Don't get me wrong, I like Phil Sheldon's odyssey through the Marvel universe from an everyman's point of view. It's cool seeing what he thinks about things and how his life unfolds alongside superheroes fighting in the streets and sky of New York for decades.

A brief sidebar, if I may. One thing that always bugged me about the Marvel Universe is how the mutants are continuously feared and/or shat upon but the regular superheroes are idolized for the most part. Really? Is it more likely that the X-Men are going to destroy your house during a battle than the Avengers? Is a mutant more dangerous than someone like the Spider-Man? Anyway, back to the show.

Maybe my less than stellar reaction to this book is due to almost 20 years of speculation on my part. I kept thinking, when is stuff going to happen? I feel like Alex Ross's artwork was wasted and should have been used on a story with more action, more like Kingdom Come, which I rated higher than this but probably won't hold up well under a re-read.

So yeah. Marvels. Fantastic art, kind of a meh story for me. It may have been a case of wrong book, wrong time. Your mileage may vary.

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May 03, 2013 Jonathan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, childhood-book, favourites, want

In my view Marvels is one of, if not the greatest, comics released by Marvel Comics. I first encountered it as a twelve year old and have read it several times since. And each time I encounter again what it is that makes Marvels a stand out work in the Marvel universe of comics.

The artwork in Marvels is clearly a stand-out feature. Though Alex Ross is better known for his work in the also grand Kingdom Come I personally prefer his artwork here where he first worked his unique stylistic magic. In...more

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Mar 22, 2009 Robert Jazo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, superheroes

When I was a kid, I was a complete Marvel Zombie (i.e., a person who only bought Marvel Comic books and nothing else). I even remember picking up The Killing Joke off of a spinner rack, flipping through it, and putting it back because I just couldn't bring myself to buy a DC book, even though it looked good.

Over the years my tastes have shifted quite a bit. I actually collect very few Marvel comics nowadays. Still, because of my youthful obsession, I am have more nostalgia for Marvel Comics than...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Amal El-Mohtar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

I'm trying to be less stingy with my 5 stars, in order to go by "it was amazing" regardless of how less or more amazing it was than another thing to which I gave a positive review. There just aren't enough star-fractions for the latter system.

So this was amazing. The fully painted art style took some getting used to, but quickly began seeping into my reception of the story after the initial "wait this doesn't look like a comic" reaction. The premise is brilliant: if you've ever watched a superhe...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Herman Gigglethorpe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Marvels is the story of the Marvel Universe as told by the bystander. Phil Sheldon is a photographer for the Daily Bugle who one day discovers superheroes when the Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner appear in New York. The people are afraid of them at first because they constantly fight and wreck the city, until the U.S. enters WWII. Captain America is instantly popular along with the other "Marvels", since they are champions of their country. Phil Sheldon and the Daily Bugle act like paparaz...more Marvels is the story of the Marvel Universe as told by the bystander. Phil Sheldon is a photographer for the Daily Bugle who one day discovers superheroes when the Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner appear in New York. The people are afraid of them at first because they constantly fight and wreck the city, until the U.S. enters WWII. Captain America is instantly popular along with the other "Marvels", since they are champions of their country. Phil Sheldon and the Daily Bugle act like paparazzi (sp) trying to take photos of the superheroes and supervillains. The civilians feel inadequate by comparison, and Sheldon has difficulties with his engagement and marriage because of this. He even loses one of his eyes due to "collateral damage" by one of the many superhero battles.

As to why the X-Men are treated so badly by comparison to the other heroes, I'm guessing it's because they're born with their powers. The others get theirs either through accidents (Human Torch, the Hulk, and Spider-Man), or through technology (Iron Man). Namor lives underwater, so he's "out of sight, out of mind" as far as humans are concerned. The X-Men have genetic powers, so they are feared to be a "superior" race that will wipe out normal people. That, and there's a lot of mutants compared to the other superpowered characters There's a lot of science fiction stories about the dangers of transhumans and robots taking over the world. They also appear vaguely sinister at first, like when Cyclops says something to the effect that "he's not worth it", and Sheldon thinks they were about to kill him.

Sheldon's character development makes him grow to like the Marvels. He gains compassion for mutants when his daughters give shelter to a mutant. The superheroes save the world from Galactus, and he criticizes the people for forgetting so soon (many people think Galactus is a hoax because he disappeared instead of dying). Sheldon decides not to do a book on villains because people already have enough to fear. He tries to help Spider-Man clear his name when he is accused of murdering Gwen Stacy's father, only to be disillusioned when Gwen Stacy dies because of Spider-Man's failure. He retires, since young people will be more optimistic and be able to appreciate the superheroes.

This may not have as much action as other comics, but then again, it's from a photographer's point of view. He's meant to represent the helpless bystander.

How do people in superhero comic worlds get insurance from all of the supervillain attacks? I would have loved for this comic to make a joke about this kind of thing. . .

Also, the artwork is amazing. You will never see another comic look this good.

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Nov 03, 2012 Harry Doble rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels-and-comics

I've never been a big fan of the superhero. Although I had a fascination with Spider-Man as a child, there was an inherent silliness to costumed heroes with powers fighting bad guys that I soon felt I had outgrown. Of course, these conventions make sense in context and two graphic novels in particular I credit with having swayed me back with their self-referential nature. One is Alan Moore's Watchmen, which as of writing this I am currently reading. The other is Kurt Busiek's Marvels.

Though unfa...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Oliver Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

What would it be like to live as an ordinary person in a world of superheroes, villains, and comic book cataclysms?

One thing I really enjoyed about this book is its fleshing-out of the Marvel Universe. I recently finished Frank Miller's the Dark Knight Returns and after I put it down I found myself walking away with a feeling of despair - Miller's Gotham is so bleak and hopeless it's impossible to believe that anyone would want to inhabit it. Settings in the DC Universe vary between modernist op...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Jowel Uddin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2011-2012

Marvels

Kurt Busiek's Marvels, takes the everyman approach to comics. Busiek makes the main character an everyman photographer living in the superhero filled New York City. From initial reactions to the original Human Torch to a fear of mutants, everything is shown from the perspective of the individual. The comic is very much enjoyable. The art work is very much amazing, depicting a sense of realism. The story is also pretty great, as a cornucopia of Marvel characters including the Black Pant...more

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May 25, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked Marvels exploration of what the normal folks deal with when superheroes show up to take on the bad guys. There's a whole side of those epic battles that often goes overlooked in most comics - the collateral damage. People get injured or killed, property gets destroyed, and there's just a general sense of fear and powerlessness that's to be expected when things are beyond the average person's control. Marvels captures this well and balances it with the see-saw of awe and reverence for her...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Alazzar rated it 3 of 5 stars

I feel kinda weird only giving this series 3 stars (even though it's really more of a 3.5), just because it's such a cool idea and so damned visually impressive. But for whatever reason, after having finished it yesterday, I look back on it with a sort of apathetic feeling in my mind.

As far as the concept goes, I love the idea of seeing how everyday New Yorkers responded to the rise of the Marvels, the super-powered heroes flying through the air or jumping from the rooftops on their way to stop...more I feel kinda weird only giving this series 3 stars (even though it's really more of a 3.5), just because it's such a cool idea and so damned visually impressive. But for whatever reason, after having finished it yesterday, I look back on it with a sort of apathetic feeling in my mind.

As far as the concept goes, I love the idea of seeing how everyday New Yorkers responded to the rise of the Marvels, the super-powered heroes flying through the air or jumping from the rooftops on their way to stop equally super-powered evil-doers. The story is told by a news photographer who, like Spider-man's alter-ego Peter Parker, earns his living by documenting the deeds of the Marvels. I've got to say, it's really interesting to see the stories told from this unique perspective (even if, for whatever reason, I have a somewhat tepid feeling about the experience right now).

My only real complaint about the storytelling was in volume 2, where society hates the X-men because they're "freaks." And yet, they don't seem to hate any of the other Marvels (the Fantastic Four, Avengers, etc.). Now, as an X-men fan, I know that humans in that world hate them because they're genetically mutated weirdos, but I feel that was never really explained here. It was very bizarre for the New Yorkers to worship some heroes and hate the others, for what seemed like no real reason.

As far as the art goes, everything in this series is fantastic. Alex Ross's painted panels have an incredible sense of realism to them, in a Norman Rockwell sort of way. In fact, some of his best stuff didn't involve the Marvels at all; my favorite panel was one late in the fourth volume, depicting our protagonist (whose name escapes me, at the moment) just sitting in a chair in a dark room, thinking about all the bad stuff he's seen and experienced in his time as a chronicler of the Marvels.

However, I (unfortunately) became somewhat desensitized to the art as time went on. In that first issue, I was taking time to stop and absorb every panel after I'd done all the reading there. But eventually I found myself just going through the stories at a normal comic-reading pace, meaning I wouldn't really take a moment to scrutinize the art unless something specifically caught my eye. Too much of a good thing, I guess?

The more I think about this series, the more I wonder if I should bump it up from 3.5 stars to 4. But it seems like I give out 4-star reviews a little too often these days, so Marvels will unfortunately be a victim of my attempt to reform my rating system. Sorry, Marvels--you're probably better than the 3-star rating suggests, I swear!(less)

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Aug 21, 2011 Sarah Pi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

I love, love, love the combination of Busiek and Ross. I had never bothered with this book before because I'm not usually a Marvel girl, and because I thought that it sounded like it covered the same territory as the excellent Astro City Vol. 1: Life in the Big City, just with known characters. Wrong. It looks at the Marvel characters and the Marvel universe through the lens of one photographer/observer, whose opinions change very realistically over time. The other clever conceit is that it look...more

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Dec 29, 2009 Kristopher rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, comics

Funny. The last comic I reviewed (Demons of Sherwood) had a good story but horrible art. Marvels has great--near legendary--art but basically no story at all.

The main character is an everyman observer watching superheroes evolve over time. Several plot twists seem to exist just to point out how impotent Phil is in a world of Marvels. That could have evolved into a unique POV character for a comic if Busiek had much to say about heroes or coming to terms with something bigger than yourself or wh...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novel

If you're a fan of the Marvel comic universe, you should read this book. You'll recognize most of the characters if you've seen The Fantastic Four, X-Men, The Avengers, and Spiderman movies.

The story is told from a photojournalist's perspective starting in the late 1930s and continuing a few decades. It conveys a feel of what it would be like if superheroes really existed, and even if we'd consider them such.

The painted art is beautiful and you can get a glimpse of how it was done at the back of...more

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Apr 11, 2010 Fizzgig76 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels-and-trade-paperbacks

Reprints Marvels #0-4. Phil Sheldon witnesses the coming of the Marvels in World War II and spends his life photographing them through the changing times. Marvels is a strong stand-alone graphic novel. It is engaging enough for non-readers and full of references for seasoned readers. Ross's art is great independent of the story but sometimes feels repetative within the context of the book because it all of his characters seem to take the same pose, appearance, etc. The story itself, is nice but...more

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Dec 22, 2009 Ryan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels, superheroes

I cut my comics teeth on the Marvel comics of the early 90s, right in the middle of a lot of nostalgia for 60s Marvel due to all of the characters experiencing their 30th anniversaries - as a result, the stories contained in Marvels are all ones that I'm very familiar with, and they're all stories that have been told several times since then as well. Busiek and Ross start with the debut of the Human Torch, Jim Hammond, in 1938, and continue through until the death of Grew Stacy around 25 years a...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, fiction

Sometimes when I watch those big, cheesy Hollywood action movie spectacles which invariably end with the destruction of multiple blocks of some urban area, usually New York City, I find myself thinking of the innocent bystanders. Are there serious injuries from all that fire, those stray bullets and that falling rubble? How do the innocent people cope? Do they suffer from PTSD or anxiety after witnessing these apocalyptic battles in their neighborhoods? It seems like a good story to tell and awf...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Andrew rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

I remember a short story from many years back, tucked in the back of a Fantastic Four annual. It showed a family going about their daily lives, while the television set in the background showed a news program. The reporter provided a few visuals and description of the Fantastic Four and Black Panther in some fight with some third-tier super villain, with the infamous “Details are sketchy” proviso. It was meant to show the average person’s knowledge and reaction to the super beings in their world...more I remember a short story from many years back, tucked in the back of a Fantastic Four annual. It showed a family going about their daily lives, while the television set in the background showed a news program. The reporter provided a few visuals and description of the Fantastic Four and Black Panther in some fight with some third-tier super villain, with the infamous “Details are sketchy” proviso. It was meant to show the average person’s knowledge and reaction to the super beings in their world; it barely scratched the surface of what I would imagine the average person would see & feel.

I don’t know if Kurt Busiek read this story or not – if he did, he saw the failed potential in it. If he did not, then he independently came up with the concept for “Marvels” (a term applied to super-powered beings in his city – New York – and world). Through the lens, eyes, and perceptions of a news photographer, we experience the citizen’s reactions to the events that formed the basis of what is known as “The Marvel Universe”.

This graphic novel, without a doubt, is the best one that I have read since I stopped collecting comics around 20 years ago – and possibly ever. (With apologies to the creative cast of “Marvel 1602”, which is still a fine example of the art, but has been surpassed by this work in my opinion.) From the late 30s, watching the original Human Torch take on the Sub-Mariner over Manhattan, to the death of Gwen Stacy, we witness the Marvel Universe through the eyes of one of our own. Fears, excitement, envy, … name the emotion, we will experience it through Phil Sheldon. His press pass may get him closer to the action than your typical citizen, but his reactions and feelings towards the "Marvels" and their effect on society are no different than would be your next door neighbor’s.

I especially appreciated the little things that allowed me to look back at the comics I read in the 60s and 70s from a whole new perspective. Meeting a young Willie Lumpkin. Being in attendance at an anti-mutant rally. Attending Alicia Masters’ first art show. Having your youngest daughter holding a Xemnu the Titan plush toy. (Now THAT was an obscure reference, Kurt!)

Perhaps the only disappointment was that the story had to come to an end.

“Marvels” is a masterpiece – and I do not use that word casually.
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Aug 06, 2011 tim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels-trade-paperbacks

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 14, 2013 Aditya Sural rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: lookers for rare books

Recommended to Aditya by: The artwork of the book

I had always thought of being a citizen of superhero world. Superheroes swinging by your window, flying above your house, saving me from certain dangers, getting politically involved, giving comments on events, attending award ceremonies....and many more things which happen at cities. And then, I came across this book by accident. I bought this book because of the artwork(it blown me to the core) and later realized that its more than beautiful artwork. Once in a lifetime chance and I grabbed it...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Phillip Berrie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love this kind of stuff and this look at the early days of Marvel comics from the point of view of an outside character (a newspaper photographer) is one of the better examples of this sub-genre of reimagining (if you'll allow me the use of a word that isn't in the spellchecker).

And in this case, the amount of painstaking research that must have gone into the writing of this story with its holistic approach to the events of several comic book titles is well and truly matched by the accuracy a...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Colin Moon rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are too many things to say about this series. It is, in all reality, the essential story to be told about the Marvel Universe: it is the outsider looking in, seeing all the political and social ramifications that the comics implied while being created but which so many people glossed over but in retrospect; it is what we feel as historically aware readers being played out for the laymen. This is what you want people to understand when you tell them that you love a comic book character, and...more

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Mar 25, 2013 C.L. Raven rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Until Marvels, the only graphic novels we'd read were the Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way (which we love), but our mate lent us this one, as we're interested in writing our own. It's fantastic. The artwork by Alex Ross is incredible and the story by Kurt Busiek is unique. Instead of a comic where you just follow the superhero, this book is told from the point of view of a photo journalist and his take on the superheroes, or marvels, as he calls them. He witnesses the things you don't see in other...more

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Nov 20, 2009 Kimberlee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kimberlee-s-home-library, favorites

I am a HUGE fan of Alex Ross's artwork. The photo-realism of his comic book characters bring them so vibrantly & brilliantly to life that it enhances the beauty of the stories he illustrates. This work Mr. Ross & Mr. Kusiek looks at some of the major events in Marvel Comics history through the eyes of the peons - a photojournalist who studies the careers of the "Marvels" & reacts to these landmark events. You don't have to have read any of the references stories before to enjoy this...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Corbin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the best superhero graphic novel I've ever read. I don't know if I can read it enough times - while that might be influenced by the fact that I'm terribly obsessed with the Marvel universe from the Gold, Silver and Bronze age of comics, the narrative Busiek drives of an ordinary person in a painfully extraordinary world lets the reader feel like they're part of the chaos and order of a super-powered world.

Not to mention the art of Alex Ross left me feeling like I had just seen the actua...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Bagus Hendy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels

it was a good book, Marvels will give us story of Marvel-superheroes from civilian perspective (in this case photographer named Phil Sheldon).

about how the worlds (specially america) reaction to these super-human (that phil called them "marvels") about villains and superheroes.

and yeah, luckily (or unfortunately) phil always there when there are several events with these "marvels". like when namor battled original human-torch, when avengers take care villains, when galactus invade earth, when x-...more

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Jan 05, 2009 Randy Lander rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, marvel-superheroes

Though both Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross have had some misses in recent years (honestly, I tend to dislike 90% of Ross's stuff these days, although I do love his political images), this was the big splash for both of them, and it remains a favorite of mine.

Busiek carves out a spot for himself in the niche of superhero nostalgia with an unusual point-of-view, and Ross's work is perfect here, transplanting the four-color world of superheroes into the real world in a way that increase the sense of won...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Carmen Montopoli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

The art was beautiful beautiful beautiful. For once, when the artist wrote in his seemingly obligatory essay at the end, "It took me a whole year to paint this!" I believed him.

The story was intriguing: what would it be like to be a normal person living in New York at a time when the world is regularly collapsing around you and superheroes spend all their time duking it out above your head?

There are also tons of awesome easter eggs (yay Nick Fury! and Luke Cage, Hero for Hire!).

The only reason t...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Rod Hilton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Marvels focuses on different points in time, following various big events (the coming of Galactus, the death of Gwen Stacey) but rather than telling the story through the eyes of superheroes, it is told through the eyes of a news photographer.

Anchoring the story with a simple man has an interesting effect, very much like using the priest character in Kingdom Come. You never see anything about secret identities or personal lives, and the action is always from the outside, from a distance. I appre...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Deirdre rated it 4 of 5 stars

You really would have to know the Marvel Universe to understand some of this, but overall it's an interesting story of a man, Phil Sheldon, a photographer, and his experience of living in a city populated by supereroes and what this does to him and his life.

In this story the everyman takes centre stage while the superheroes are in the background, the aftermath of their battles is felt rather than being ignored and the emotions of the characters, feelings of resentment and stress can also be seen...more

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About Kurt Busiek

Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.

Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc;...more Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.

Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.

During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).

Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.

In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.

In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.

In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.

Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.

Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998, (less)

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