Avengers: The Ultimate Guide [Hardcover]

Tom DeFalco (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 1 and up

From Thor and Iron Man to Captain America and the Incredible Hulk, this exciting book tells readers everything there is to know about Earth's mightiest heroes-from their incredible origins to their superhuman powers. A must for comic fans of any age!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ranking as the web-slinger's top-selling comic-book author, Tom DeFalco has written about the adventures of Spiderman and other super heroes for over 20 years. Tom has been a top writer and Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics. He has written many titles for Marvel and DK, including Hulk: The Incredible Guide in 2003.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN (October 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756614619
• ISBN-13: 978-0756614614
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 10.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #465,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful, but could have been so much better, October 22, 2006

By 

Sutekh (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Avengers: The Ultimate Guide (Hardcover)

Much excellent artwork,but where this book really wins out over all other guides I've come across is in its sheer inclusivity of characters - pretty much anyone who's anyone gets a bio or at the very least,a mention.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the detail in the biograpies the content is sadly lacking. Important details in characters' histories are frequently ommitted and there is no attempt to reference described events by issue number (eg: The Avengers / Defenders War is mentioned, but no information is given to allow the reader to locate the issues it actually took place over). The page layout, while asthetically pleasing also makes little logical sense to read.

Worse still, much of the information appears to have been "sanitised": We are told Tony Stark has "personal problems", but his alcoholism is not directly referred to. Similarly Carol Danver's drinking problem is not mentioned at all. We are told the Pym's marriage was pretty rocky, but Hank's habit of wife-beating doesn't rate a mention. I can probably forgive not disclosing that The Living Lightning is gay, but not acknowledging that Wiccan & Hulkling of the Young Avengers are in a gay relationship seems an extraordinary ommission.

Then there are the errors. Typos abound in bizarre numbers and there are even examples of pictures with the wrong captions. The appendix of character first appearances has so many errors and omissions that it's pretty obvious someone was asleep at the wheel when they wrote this bit.

This really is a nice volume and very useful for background information, but really, it should have been much better put together than this.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book!, December 4, 2006

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Avengers: The Ultimate Guide (Hardcover)

This book is the ultimate walk down memory lane for those of us who have read comic books for years! The book is largely organized chronologically, with the early Avengers, and then the Avengers in the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. Along the way, each Avenger is detailed, along with many colorful illustrations, some scenes from actual stories, nemeses, and interesting factoids.

Overall, I found this to be a great book. I loved how broad the book was in its reach, covering everyone from The Wasp and Power Man to Ant-Man 2 and Spider-Woman. This is a great book, one that I highly recommend for all fans of Marvel's Avengers!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, not great..., September 1, 2006

By 

E. Portoghese "JackBrando" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Avengers: The Ultimate Guide (Hardcover)

I enjoyed the full-color photos and extra info on heroes and villians, as well as, important events in the history of the characters. What is missing is the reference to when in the Avenger's comic universe did these events take place. A timeline with issue numbers would be helpful if you are a collector. Otherwise, a good reference for Avenger's fans. I certainly learned some new info regarding the Avenger's and their foes.