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Title: The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Abomination to Circus of Crime by Peter Sanderson, Stan Lee, Various Artists ISBN: 0-87135-208-7 Publisher: Marvel Books Pub. Date: September, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.95

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Average Customer Rating: 4 (1 review)

Rating: 4
Summary: Out-dated but fun guide to the Marvel Universe
Comment: The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe trade paperbacks reprint the deluxe editions of the comic book from the mid '80s.

Out-dated now, these guides were mandatory reading for those interested in the machinations and sub-plots of the pre-90's Marvel universe. For scholars of the modern Marvel universe, you must be aware of the plots of the last 10 years or so to be able to understand how characters could go from the bios listed here to where they are today.

Each character is highlighted by a full-body portrait by some of comicdom's then-brightest artists. (Unless, as in the case of the Midgard Serpent, the character was too large for a full rendition.) Quite a few up-and-coming artists started work in those pages, too.
Each character, in addition to a full portrait, is treated to a page or more of concise biography, and if the character's history is long and varied, action shots representing various stages of their career are shown.

Unfortunately, several characters were lost in the reprinting process- a check between the original issues and the trade paperbacks reveals several characters that Marvel felt they should suppress (such as the androgynistic Cloud). Also, several characters' biographies were shortened, while typographical and typesetting errors were left intact... adding up to a less than accurate reference work.

For comic historians and amateur artists wanting quick reference to characters, these guides are valuable- but to a casual reader or someone puzzling over a storyline in a back issue, it leaves much to be desired.