Source: comicsalliance.com
3. Marvel Comics: The Untold Story
An amazing read, if not necessarily a fun one.
Sean Howe’s Marvel Comics: The Untold Story is an in-depth examination of the history of Marvel Comics, from beginning to present. Don’t go into this one looking for a book about specific stories from the comics, this isn’t a history of the Marvel universe, it’s about the business and the people behind those pages. And it’s an incredibly balanced account.
No one comes off looking like a villain, but no one comes out as a hero either. The struggles between Stan and Jack, Jim Shooter’s reign, Heroes Reborn, Marvel Knights, Perlmutter…it’s all broken down, step by step. I will warn you its “there are no real heroes†approach will leave you having less fun with comics for a little while afterwards. Seeing how the sausage is made (and historically has been made for so much time) tends to have that effect on people.
But if you like Marvel Comics and want the deepest understanding possible about their long history, this is the book for you. It’s really good.
