Douglas Wolk

Author Douglas Wolk took on the monumental task of reading every Marvel comic and this book is the highlights of his total immersion in the universe. The book isn't truly a memoir, although plenty of Wolk's personality shines through, nor is it a summary of the entire narrative, although the appendix does a very brief version of that. Instead, after spending a couple chapters on what comics he included or excluded in the project and clearly outlining what his goals were in undertaking the show more project, Wolk takes the reader on a tour through some of the major arcs that stood out to him. Whether it's a chapter on the turning web-like nature of Spider-Man's story, the compelling ways that the X-Men use its central metaphor, or how Squirrel Girl and Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel are challenging everything that's expected of superhero comics, Wolk explores his theme while highlighting specific issues of note in the journey. Interspersed are shorter chapters that take on other Marvel-related issues like the appearance of various presidents in the comics, the various announcements of Marvel related films that happened over the decades before the MCU as we know it now, or how the Marvel universe might really be about Linda Carter, night nurse. Wolk's love of comics is obvious throughout but he doesn't shy away from the flaws in a world created predominantly by cis-het white men for so long (and fully cognizant that Wolk himself is one as well). Whether you're a long-time, hardcore Marvel comics fan, someone who follows select arcs of interest (like me), or just interested in what all the fuss can possibly be about after over fifty years, there's joy to be found in this read. Recommended. show less

I was fascinated by the idea of this book before I’d read a single page. I’d seen posts online about Wolk setting himself the task of reading “all” the Marvel comics produced. Technically he restricted himself to all the mainstream superhero books published between 1961 and 2017 - which is still over 27,000 issues. I couldn’t figure out how you could condense that into a single book.

But Wolk does it exceptionally well. He has produced a thoughtful and personal overview of the show more Marvel Universe mixing selected plot summaries with historical overviews and insightful commentary to great effect.

It doesn’t matter if you are new to the world of Marvel Comics, or have read thousands of issues you will find something to think about and pointers to new areas of the vast Marvel Universe to explore show less

I'm a sucker for books about comics anyway, but this is a particularly fun and thought provoking read. It isn't the dry or chronological recitation of Marvel comics that one might think, but instead jumps back and forth throughout the long history of Marvel comics, looking at issues here and there, which is probably the only sane way to try and get a handle on this crazy amount of comics. My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer....I would have read another 500 pages of this!

As a longtime Marvel fan, this book was made for me. It was also made for casual fans, and the ones who stopped a while back, and the ones who are jealous Wolk did this first.

Wolk makes an interesting point that being a comics fan (comics defined here as the kind with the big sprawling mythologies, i.e., Marvel & DC) means that you always feel like you're missing part of the story, be it someone's origin, or the first time two characters met, or what happened to so-n-so? It's just the show more natural state of things, and you have to get used to it. Just like in real life! Maybe so, but I think that's why so many comics fans turn into completionists. There is the illusion that it can be done. Take it from Wolk, it can't. show less