BOOK REVIEW: It's A Bird! It's A Plane! It's The Other Guys!

(Originally Published 2012, Paperback Edition 432 pages)

God knows, creative people are not usually the easiest creatures to work with and the passion that comic readers invest in these things is way beyond what I consider healthy. Sending out death threats to writers or artists because they killed a comic-book character isn't exactly someone working with a full storyboard in their head. Mr. Howe's "Marvel Comics: The Untold Story" is a clear-eyed view of the birth and evolution of the mighty comic publisher. A large portion of the book focuses more on the dynamics between management and the creators. The author thankfully avoids immersing "Marvel Comics" into the different cartoon characters' adventures. Sadly, all the illustrators who were the visual and sometimes creative brainchilds of the now iconic superheroes such as Spiderman, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Wolverine and X-Men were looked upon as peons by the original owner Martin Goodman and the other executives who followed in his footsteps. The author does an excellent job of separating fact and fiction about the myths that have arisen around Stan Lee and illustrator-extraordinaire Jack Kirby.

The book certainly removed any romantic impressions I had about working in such a demanding and temperamental field. It was disheartening to see how a scrappy little company churned out these wonderful creations and eventually morphed into a corporate nightmare under the tutelage of odious, corporate raiders Ron Perelman and then Carl Icahn. At some points, you'll shake your head in disbelief at the gang-that-couldn't-shoot-straight executives' actions. I imagine "Marvel Comics" is a work that will interest people who read comics or have an interest in how the industry works. It would be nice to see a book written about the other publishing Goliath, DC Comics. Mr. Howe has written an extremely engaging book. 

 (Meyers - A few years ago, I started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #384)