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52nd out of 175 books
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81 voters
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Marvels (Coleccionable Marvel Héroes #17)
by
Kurt Busiek,
Alex Ross
All-new edition Welcome to New York. Here, burning figures roam the streets, men in brightly colored costumes scale the glass and concrete walls, and creatures from space threaten to devour our world. This is the Marvel Universe, where the ordinary and fantastic interact daily. This is the world of Marvels Collects Marvels #0-4.
Hardcover, 248 pages
Published
July 9th 2008
by Marvel Comics
(first published January 1st 2001)
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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 Mar...more
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 Mar...more
Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross’ Marvels is their love letter to the superheroes of the Golden Age and Silver Age of Marvel Comics. Theirs is a tale that examines the Marvel universe through the eye of an everyman character, Phil Sheldon. Like his fellow unpowered denizens, he and his family have to live through every invasion, super-villain attack and the coming of Galactus fearing that each crisis would bring about the end of their world.
The story brought it acclaim and the theme explored ...more
The story brought it acclaim and the theme explored ...more
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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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 yo...more
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 yo...more
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...more
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 ...more
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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 bo...more
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 ...more
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 ...more
The heroes of the Marvel universe seen through the eyes of a photo journalist. I like the perspective here, because it means the focus is on the oh-so-fickle normal people of that universe, and while one may not share their opinion, this makes it easier to at least get their point. There are snapshots of the big events in Marvel history (not all of which I recognized, of course, but I understood enough). Alex Ross' art works really, really well here, probably better than in any other long storie...more
Here’s yet another graphic novel with an explosive cast, another ‘alternative’ view on superheroes. But unlike Millar’s ‘Civil War’, the ‘Marvels’ creators Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross get the art AND the storyline spot on. This time the story actually works and I think that may have something to do with the fact that not only are they putting the reader firmly in the place of ‘helpless spectator’, but cementing this angle with a narrator who (by default) is in that situation too.
Mee...more
Mee...more
My rating for this is an average of my rating for the story and the art. I'd give the Alex Ross a 5, while the story was only a 3+. I think, while I enjoyed the story, I had a few problems with it. One problem I had was with the storyline about the public turning against the heroes. I felt that was a very similar storyline to what Busiek tackled in Astro City in a more polished way. The other problem
was that occasionally I felt he tried to cram too many references to events in Marvel h...more
was that occasionally I felt he tried to cram too many references to events in Marvel h...more
This rating is all about the artwork. There are shots in this book that are literally breathtaking.
That's not to say the story is a slouch. Its actually a really fun idea. Its a retelling / look back at the emergence of superheroes onto the world scene, from the eyes of a reporter in Mahattan who was lucky enough to have a front row seat. Its a nice tweak on the usual superhero stories, in that its told from the POV of a shocked normal guy... and the art is gorgeous, pieced toget...more
That's not to say the story is a slouch. Its actually a really fun idea. Its a retelling / look back at the emergence of superheroes onto the world scene, from the eyes of a reporter in Mahattan who was lucky enough to have a front row seat. Its a nice tweak on the usual superhero stories, in that its told from the POV of a shocked normal guy... and the art is gorgeous, pieced toget...more
My brother owned a comic book store in the early-mid 90s , by the time we liquidated everything I kept only a handful of comic books. This was one of them and not because I thought it would be worth money , simply because it was my favourite story from the mid 90s. Fantastic perspective on some of Marvel's biggest events , and of course Alex Ross melts the canvas with his inks. This is a must read if you're into the Marvel universe , or even if you're not its still worth checking out for it's un...more
(Spoilers only if you don't know about Gwen Stacy, I guess)
Gorgeous art, nice story conceit. I enjoyed the beginning contrast between the Torch's POV and the human POV, and would have liked to see more of that (but don't think it was absolutely necessary). I would have found it more interesting if the protagonist had struggled with his "faith" instead of just giving up after witnessing Stacy's death--and, come on, I know war correspondents were generally a cloistered bunch bu...more
Gorgeous art, nice story conceit. I enjoyed the beginning contrast between the Torch's POV and the human POV, and would have liked to see more of that (but don't think it was absolutely necessary). I would have found it more interesting if the protagonist had struggled with his "faith" instead of just giving up after witnessing Stacy's death--and, come on, I know war correspondents were generally a cloistered bunch bu...more
Marvels is an awesome concept, with top-notch artistic execution, that only lags behind with its one-dimensional dialogue. The work of Alex Ross is never questioned, and Marvels is another example where the images seem to tell the story better than the words they accompany. Kurt Busiek's story is well intentioned: photojournalist Phil Sheldon captures iconic moments in Marvel's history from the ground level of the average joe. What would it look like to watch Iron Man, Thor and Captain America b...more
Despite the title of comic-book being "Marvels", the marvel superheroes themselves play second fiddle to a normal, ordinary photographer, Phil Sheldon. The book follows Sheldon's rise through his professional just as the familiar marvel superheroes themselves rise from being freaks of nature to the celebrity superheroes they eventually become. And it is through Phil's eyes, as a sort of paparazzi to the Marvels that stories from earlier and more recent marvel issues come together to cr...more
The extraordinarily talented combination of scripter Kurt Busiek and artist Alex Ross produced a story that transcends its "low" art media. If you like good, detailed storytelling, you should check this out, regardless of whether or not you enjoy comics.
A superhero story in which the superheroes are ancillary support structures, "Marvels" is told from the perspective of photojournalist Phil Sheldon, a regular human being who chronicles the rise of the age of hero...more
A superhero story in which the superheroes are ancillary support structures, "Marvels" is told from the perspective of photojournalist Phil Sheldon, a regular human being who chronicles the rise of the age of hero...more
Marvels is a look at the early years of the Marvel Universe from the viewpoint of normal folks. Our everyman is Phil Sheldon, a news photographer. As the events of various Marvel comics occur in the background, Phil observes and reacts to them. The original series had four issues. The first deals with the rise of super-powered beings, referred to as "marvels" by Phil. The second shifts to the second age of Marvel comics in the early sixties, contrasting the celebrity of the Fantastic F...more
Marvels isn’t the typical graphic novel that follows someone like Spider-man or a group like the X-men. Instead it’s told from a normal citizens point of view, looking at these superheroes as freaks or gods. These are the people that get hit by cement when two superheroes are fighting, or the one that loses his car when the Hulk throws it at a bad guy.
Phil Sheldon is a newspaper photographer that starts seeing these “marvels” around the city he lives in. And he’s the one that we ...more
Phil Sheldon is a newspaper photographer that starts seeing these “marvels” around the city he lives in. And he’s the one that we ...more
If I could have lunch with one author it would have to be Kurt Busiek. Busiek + Ross = Amazingness. Although, reading Marvels kind of got me wondering: is the feeble human living in the world of superhumans schtick the only thing Ross does? Not that I'm complaining, because he does an amazing, amazing job with it, but everything from Astro City, to Superman: Secret Identity, to Marvels shares that common theme. Other commonalities include a full discussion and exploration of human beings' "...more
Next time Marvel comics starts getting me down with their retconning and character assassination, this is the place I'm going to go. It's a re-telling of a thousand familiar stories in the Marvel 616 continuity, but with a lot of originality funneled in (ala Ultimate, but not as weird), and told from the point of view of a regular guy-- one you actually care about. Definitely something by (and for) people who know and love the kind of magic only Marvel can offer, at its best.
This wou...more
This wou...more
I've read this previously when it was originally published in 1994, but decided to revisit it in the wake of interest over "Watchmen." the story of the evolution of the Marvel Superhero universe, as seen from the viewpoint of an ordinary freelance photographer, has held up very well over the years. The combination of Kurt Busiek's writing and research with Alex Ross's painstakingly artwork (which resembles old photographs at times) still hits the reader with grace and power.
Julie
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all my comic book geeks!
Recommended to Julie by:
Brendan, Rian?
Shelves:
graphic-novels
The story of the birth of the Marvel universe as seen through the eyes of ... the common people, not the heroes. Specifically, the lens of a photographer/reporter.
And holy shit. This book reads like a punch to the gut, and in a seriously good way -- it constantly had me on the verge of tears, though that might just be because something resonated oddly well with me. Awesomely tackled themes all around; not to mention, it's gotten me pondering what a Marvel-oriented, Cloverfield-esque ...more
And holy shit. This book reads like a punch to the gut, and in a seriously good way -- it constantly had me on the verge of tears, though that might just be because something resonated oddly well with me. Awesomely tackled themes all around; not to mention, it's gotten me pondering what a Marvel-oriented, Cloverfield-esque ...more
I'm often wary of gimmicky comic concepts. Marvel Zombies, for example, just seems too too trendy to actually have good writing and story. Luckily, Marvels is an example of gimmick done well: What it's like to be an Everyman in a world where superheroes, mutants and costumed villains are all real. The art is magnificent, the story is a walk through the history of the Marvel universe and philosophical issues related to the in-world rejection/embracing of "marvels" is well explored.
Granted, it's not a fair comparison to make - but all I could think of was "Well, it's no Kingdom Come..." The art is great, and I wouldn't expect any less from Alex Ross, but I didn't find the story to be that engaging. The idea of weaving some of the major events in the history of the Marvel Universe into an explicitly real-world storyline is a good one, but it didn't really get off the ground for me. Still, it's worth a look, if only for the artwork.
Marvels takes a totally different perspective on the events that shaped the Marvel Universe - that of photojournalist Phil Sheldon who lived through it all. His point of view gives a unique look at how these superheroes and supervillains (may have) changed the lives of the ordinary people around them. At the same time, it also puts the major events that occurred in the Marvel Universe, mostly in New York, in chronological order. Even though these major conflicts play out in the background, their...more
I thought thos was a great book not only did it show groups such as the X-Men,Avengers, and Fantastic 4, it showed the Allies including the Captain, the Human Torch,the Sub-mariner, and many others. It also included other Marvel comics such as the marriage of Reed Richiards and Susan Storm, the death of Gwen Stacy, and the attack of Galactus. All in all, this was one of the greatest works of Marvel I've ever read.
This is both a well-told story and a truly beautiful art book. The paintings are at times breath-taking, and always enhance the narrative flow. It's the story of the emergence of the Marvel superheroes from the perspective of a very normal photographer, and it does an excellent job of portraying the viewpoint of the common man as the costumed characters become prevalent. It's a really remarkable volume.
Wow. The first book I bought with the art of Alex Ross in it. Plus, the story is very good and it was an unexpected surprise to me. I liked the perspective that the story had throughout the book. At this point in my life, I had joined the Marines and was looking for a new start in life. Comic books were in my past but this book reaffirmed my love of comic book / graphic novels.
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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-par...more
More about Kurt Busiek...
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-par...more
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