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Copyright Vigilantes: Intellectual Property and the Hollywood Superhero by Ezra Claverie (2024)

A typical feature of the many (recent) blockbuster superhero movies is the concept they all share; they are not simply a continuation or reinterpretation of stories from comic books published decades ago. But there is more than meets the eye, according to author Ezra Claverie, a writer who for some years has published in Journal […]

Captain America and the American Journey, 1940-2022 by Richard A. Hall (2024)

When the powerful alliance of superheroes named The Avengers were called by Marvel Comics (or rather, by S.H.I.E.L.D.), each member represented certain traits, powers, mindsets and even ideologies. The “Sentinel of Liberty,” a nickname (turned nom-de-guerre at various occasions on countless missions) for Captain America, unlike other superheroes of the Golden Age, did not simply […]

Marvel Comics Library. Silver Surfer. Vol.1. 1968–1970 by Stan Lee, John Buscema, Douglas Wolk (2023

Marvel invented many great and impressive superheroes. Some were allowed their own comic book series; some ran for years or even decades. Compared to other Marvel characters and exclusive series, the Silver Surfer, main actor of the XXL title at hand, archived legendary status after a very short (comic book) lifetime. He was around for […]

Marvel Comics Library. X-Men. Vol. 1. 1963–1966 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Chris Claremont, Fabian Nic

With the fourth installment of the Marvel superheroes edition in XXL size, another one of Stan Lee’s impressive lines of comics is available now: Marvel’s “The X-Men.” A name related to the eXtraordinary or simply X-tra powers the protagonists at hand possessed; without the help of lab accidents, misdirected sun rays or cosmic powers of […]

Marvel By Design. Graphic Design Strategies of the … by gestalten & Liz Stinson (eds.) (2021)

For more than 80 years Marvel, one of the most important comic book companies in the world, provided countless fans with adventure, mystery and tales of superheroes in spectacular arrangements.   And over time, also a unique style of communication through layout was created through typesetting, lettering and altogether unparalleled design. The easily recognizable graphic […]

Marvel Comics Library. Fantastic Four. Vol. 1. 1961–1963 by Mark Waid, Mike Massimino … (2022)

With Fantastic Four. Vol. 1. 1961–1963, Taschen celebrates another idea of Marvel’s mastermind Stan Lee. Following the most welcome publication of recent volumes of the Taschen Marvel Comic Library, the superhero family of four is introduced here in a short text by former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino. Followed by a long essay from acclaimed Marvel […]

Marvel Comics Library. Avengers. Vol. 1. 1963–1965 by Kurt Busiek and Kevin Feige (2022)

Merely six months after the last XXL version of the Marvel Comics Library edition – featuring Spiderman – arrived, Taschen is out to surprise us again. This time with an equally massive edition of the most powerful superheroes that joined forces and became THE AVENGERS. Again, the first 20 (!) comic books that feature the […]

Marvel Comics Library. Spider-Man. Vol. 1. 1962–1964 by David Mandel and Ralph Macchio (eds.) (2021)

Just when you think the last TASCHEN comics themed book was a heavyweight, and one could not expect a volume any bigger and more exciting, be ready for a surprise. Comic book legends Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in the Silver Age of comics created a large pool of superheroes for Marvel, among them a […]

Superhero Thought Experiments: Comic Book Philosophy by C. Gavaler and N. Goldberg (2019)

The main thesis of this book will be of interest to both philosophers and comic book fans, as strange as it may sound at first. In an unusual effort, thought experiments done by philosophers (ancient and recent), and the stories behind many superhero comics are evaluated, and their many similarities revealed, as both groups play […]