All of the Marvels

Douglas Wolk is the author of the Eisner Award-winning <i>Reading Comics</i> and the host of the Marvel-themed podcast <i>The Voice of Latveria</i>. He has written about comic books, graphic novels, pop music and technology for <i>The New York Times</i>, <i>Rolling Stone</i>, <i>Washington Post</i>, <i>Los Angeles Times</i> and <i>Pitchfork</i>.<p><b>'Magnificently marvellous' Junot Diaz</b><br><br><b>'An account of how a motley gang of accidental collaborators created a vernacular mythology out of the dodgiest of commercial occasions ... a revelation' Jonathan Lethem</b><br><br>Every schoolchild recognises their protagonists: the Avengers, the X-Men, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. The superhero comics that Marvel has published since 1961 make up the biggest self-contained work of fiction ever created: over half a million pages and counting. Eighteen of the 100 highest-grossing movies of all time are based on it. And not even the people telling the story have read the whole thing.<br><br>But Douglas Wolk did. In <i>All Of The Marvels</i>, a critic and superfan takes on the epic to end all epics. What he finds is a magic mirror of the past 60 years, from the atomic terrors of the Cold War to the political divides of our present. The result is an irresistible travel guide to the magic mountain at the heart of popular culture.</p>A revelatory guide to the 'epic of epics' from a beloved authority, who has read all 27,000 Marvel comicsBrilliant, eccentric, moving and wholly wonderful ... <i>All of the Marvels</i> is magnificently marvelous. Wolk's work will invite many more alliterative superlatives. It deserves them allFor anyone willing to take [a] step into the inconceivably vast and wonderful world that generations of creators have brought to us, issue by issue, month by month, year by year, <i>All of the Marvels</i> is an indispensable handbook. And for anyone seeking an explanation for the enduring popularity of our modern superhero mythology, Wolk has provided as well-informed and well-argued a thesis as you're likely to findA fascinating pop culture journey ... Wolk is a knowledgeable, generous guide, lighting the potentially more confusing corners of the Marvel Universe with enthusiasm, humour and humilityThe way Wolk makes sense of, finds beauty in, and connects all the different stories and details is masterful ... A must-read for all Marvel fans, from devotees to newbies,<i> All of the Marvels</i> is a colorful and heartfelt journey through the Marvel Universe, and highlights just what makes this epic feat of storytelling so special[a] love letter to Marvel comics ... Wolk is having fun and it communicatesDouglas Wolk's naked dive into the Marvel source code is a revelation, a tour both electrifying in its weird charisma, and replenishing in its loving specificity. As an account of how a motley gang of accidental collaborators created a vernacular mythology out of the dodgiest of commercial occasions, it's also a testament, and a tribute What sounds like a madman's quest turns out to be a deeply emotional hero's journey. The best work yet from the best writer about the medium of comicsA generous, freewheeling book ... Wolk is a capable guide, wry, friendly and astute [who] can elucidate not just the chemistry between writers and artists but also the underrated role of colourers and letterersSome of us are haunted by the memory of a childhood glimpse of some vast evocative dream; others exasperated by the slick iconography that has taken over our screens, wallets, and eyeballs. If you're like me, it's both. For all of us, Douglas Wolk's naked dive into the Marvel source code is a revelation, a tour both electrifying in its weird charisma, and replenishing in its loving specificity. As an account of how a motley gang of accidental collaborators created a vernacular mythology out of the dodgiest of commercial occasions, it's also a testament, and a tribute. Like Greil Marcus in <i>Mystery Train</i> or Manny Farber in <i>Negative Space</i>, Wolk pushes aside paraphrase to free up an encounter with what's been there all along, homegrown art