Marvel Hulk Not Smash: Practice Mindfulness the Mighty Marvel Way

by Amy Ratcliffe, Jason Loo (illustrator)

“Be in the now.”—Hawkeye
 
An illustrated, accessible guide to mindfulness that explores life-improving lessons we can learn from Marvel comics characters as they face tests of perseverance, focus, community, and strength beyond just the physical.

Life is full of choices. Like the Hulk, we can smash or choose not to. We can practice flexibility like Mister Fantastic, trust our team like Rocket Racoon, problem-solve like Shuri, and develop awareness like Doctor Strange. Grounded in character and story events drawn from the comics, this inspirational collection pairs Marvel heroes with helpful real-life advice and mindfulness guidance in a light and accessible way.

Each entry presents a character spotlight with a way of appreciating their example, a related practice that readers can put into action, and a playful illustration by acclaimed comics artist Jason Loo. Featuring Hawkeye (deep focus), Groot (being who you are), Spider-Man (the gift and obligation of responsibility), Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Captain America, Shang-Chi, and dozens more, Hulk Not Smash makes it easy and fun for fans to incorporate these lessons into their lives.

© 2024 MARVEL

FUN AND Amy Ratcliffe (author of The Jedi Secrets from the Force for Balance and Peace) gently demystifies the concept of mindfulness and makes it playfully accessible, rooted as it is in Marvel character examples. Anyone can put these lessons into practice.
 
REAL MINDFULNESS Each practice is thoughtfully paired with an illuminating character and rooted in tried and true actions and mindsets that can bring peace, including breathing exercises, paying attention to the present, examining fears, concentration, labeling feelings, nonjudgement, stretching, examining routines, and much more.
 
UNIQUE MARVEL For fans of Marvel, this one-of-a-kind mindfulness book offers wide-ranging lessons and character studies to draw inspiration from, (Sense of Scale)Beast (Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover)Black Widow (Being Prepared)Black Panther (Leadership)Mantis (Emotion Identification)Professor X (Radical Empathy)Scarlet Witch (Accepting Reality)Silver Surfer (Putting Your Burdens to Rest)Storm (Embrace Change). . . and many more

Perfect fans who are seeking inner calm or resources for practicing mindfulness, self-care, and reflectionAnyone looking for an entry-level mindfulness primer, or for practitioners who seek fresh, playful inspirationFans who enjoyed the author’s similarly accessible, real-advice-plus-pop-culture approach in her book The Jedi Secrets from the Force for Balance and Peace

80 pages, Hardcover

Published October 8, 2024

Reviews

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I forgot exactly how I came across this book but as someone who practices mindfulness, I thought this was hilarious. Had no idea what to expect or what it would entail, so I was very excited to learn more from our favorite Marvel heroes on how to be more mindful.

In this relatively short book, all of your favorite characters get two pages: a picture of the character, plus their take on being mindful and other general advice in their own way. Whether it's not judging by appearances (Beast), being more confident (Ms. Marvel), how to face your fears (Daredevil), etc. you get a situation the character might find themselves in how they deal with it. Then you get a few bullet points on what the practice you/the character might specifically follow (Rocket genuinely taking the time to listen to his team, Shuri putting together a puzzle to think through solving a problem, Ironheart taking a moment to set her intentions, etc.).

While not aimed towards children, the language is relatively "simple" in the sense that it's not bogged down with academic jargon behind the science of mindfulness or New Age platitudes. Whether they entries match the characters might be up to debate amongst Marvel fans, but for a "casual" fan I really enjoyed the meld of pop culture and mindfulness. It's definitely aimed towards comics fans who might be interested in such a practice rather than getting philosophical or diving super deep into the topic. There is also no "organization" in the sense that it is not a program that requires you to complete the exercise before advancing and you don't have to necessarily read in any particular order.

Overall I enjoyed it. Without having any expectations I thought it was an enjoyable read, maybe best for beginners at mindfulness and/or someone looking for something more approachable than other books/programs/etc. Will you become an expert at being mindful? I have no idea but it might be helpful in your day to day life, whether it's slowing down for the moment or reassessing what your goals are, etc.

If I had to criticize I'd say it would have been nice to have some sort of guide (if you're feeling sad/stressed/overwhelmed/etc. try reading these entries, etc.) although you might be able to find it via the table of contents. But it was fun and would definitely make for a good gift and/or fun read in this new year.

Bought mostly full price (had a coupon) and I was fine with that. Library is always a good option if it's available to you.

[Nick DiColandrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy’s book is both fun for grownups and kids! My one son and I enjoyed reading about all the marvel superheroes and ways that you can pull out mindfulness strategies from their stories and lore. It’s a great easy read for parents with their kids and it’s beautifully illustrated!

A must buy as a gift or for any Marvel fan!

[Ms Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for all ages but a glossary or some explanations of bigger words would have been a welcome addition for younger readers.

[Hensley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was in the juvenile section. But when I read it, it seemed like I was more for teenagers or adults. I feel like some of these concepts where a bit advanced for a young child.