All of the Marvels

A Journey to the Ends of the Biggest Story Ever Told

De: Douglas Wolk

Narrado por: Douglas Wolk

Winner of the 2022 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Book

A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice

The first-ever full reckoning with Marvel Comics’ interconnected, half-million-page story, a revelatory guide to the “epic of epics”—and to the past sixty years of American culture—from a beloved authority on the subject who read all 27,000+ Marvel superhero comics and lived to tell the tale

“Thorough, fascinating, and joyfully executed, All of the Marvels is essential reading for fans and scholars alike.” —G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel)

“A revelation, a tour both electrifying in its weird charisma and replenishing in its loving specificity . . . a testament, and a tribute.” —Jonathan Lethem

“Brilliant, eccentric, moving and wholly wonderful. . . . Wolk proves to be the perfect guide for this type of adventure: nimble, learned, funny and sincere. . . . All of the Marvels is magnificently marvelous. Wolk’s work will invite many more alliterative superlatives. It deserves them all.” —Junot Díaz, New York Times Book Review

The superhero comic books that Marvel Comics has published since 1961are the longest continuous, self-contained work of fiction ever created. Thousands of writers and artists have contributed to it. Everyone recognizes its protagonists. Eighteen of the hundred highest-grossing movies of all time are based on parts of it. And Douglas Wolk has read the whole thing.

Wolk sees both into the ever-expanding story and through it, as a prism through which to view the landscape of American culture. In his hands, the mammoth Marvel narrative becomes a fun-house-mirror history of the past sixty years—a boisterous, tragicomic, magnificently filigreed epic about power and ethics, set in a world transformed by wonders.

A huge treat for Marvel fans, this book is also a revelation for readers who don’t know Doctor Strange from Doctor Doom. Here, truly, are all of the marvels.

Inspired me to read comics again…

Loved this…deep and thoughtful with insight into the Marvel stories I had not thought about in a long time. This is a fantastic book to understand the story woven by Marvel and all that this can teach us about ourselves.

Solid and fun

We'll written and read. Has pushed me to get back into Marvel comics. Great and well worth my time.

Nerd out!

it's a deep dive and not for nubes. I found it entertaining and made me inspired to reread my old collection

"Some of the Marvels"

I'll start off by saying that overall, I enjoyed this book.. I grew up a fan of Marvel Comics, having read many of the pre-2000s comics Wolk discusses, and somewhat curious about the current (at least as of 2018) state of Marvel Comics.
Douglas Wolk's decision to read "all the Marvels" was a herculean task, and the book describes his efforts to accomplish that, resorting to various media and methods to make his way through the thousands of issues published by Marvel in its 60 year history.
Wolk's tour through Marvel history is framed in an unusual, but effective way. Rather than cover characters, series, themes and events chronologically, Wolk leaps backward and forward through time, touching on particular issues, and occasionally weaving them into the larger framework.
The book's major weakness is what it leaves out. Obviously, the author can't be expected to include every B-Lister or passer-by who made an appearance over the years, and at the beginning of the book, Wolk discusses some of the titles he wouldn't be including in this book (but that he did read), mostly toy tie-ins, Westerns, fantasy and anything not set in the Marvel Universe. Unfortunately, while the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spider-Man and select others (including, perhaps inexplicably, Shang-Chi) are discussed at length, several other significant series and events aren't discussed at all.
Early on in the book Wolk devotes entirely too much time lamenting those comics fans who are critical of "Legacy Heroes," and spends the better part of the chapter not defending these characters' merits, but rather impugning the motives of the critics. It seemed a little childish, and it left a bad taste in my mouth.
If you're a fan of Marvel Comics, then you might enjoy this thematic interpretation/introduction to Marvel history. I did--it was pretty good. But for anyone not already a fan and a bit of a historian, you probably shouldn't bother.

Flat out AWESOME!

I absolutely loved this book. What a great listen. The writer/narrator is truly passionate about comic books and all things Marvel. When it ended, I really wanted more. As a huge comic book fan myself, I loved getting lost in the Marvel story. This author needs a podcast to keep telling Marvel history as it unfolds.

A great and intriguing listen!

While slow to start, once “All The Marvels” start rolling? Our Author/Narrator drops some serious knowledge on the table, and passes it around. I loved this book and will definitely listen again at some point 👍👍

Highly Recommended if you are, like me, interested in the mysteries and complexity of Comic Book Culture.

All (mostly) of the the marvels

When I first saw that there was going to be an audiobook about the in-universe history of marvel comics I was thrilled. When I pick it up months later I can say that it was a great book to listen to. It made me want to follow some of the plot threads and explore more of the marvel comic book. It is really helpful if you you want to start to read superhero comics. Also there is a twist at the end that makes the book even more special.

Thoughtful and engaging

All of the Marvels is one of the most unique and engaging books on comics that I’ve ever encountered. The author’s approach is excellent- not super clear in the beginning but it all comes together and it’s just brilliant. The audiobook is terrific. Very good narration.

Lots of nostalgic fun that takes us down memory lane and the history of this modern mythology. Nuff Said.

Lots of nostalgic fun. This Marvelous Book takes us down memory lane and connects all the dots on our modern mythology. Nuff said.

Interesting but flawed book

I was disappointed that the offer that only made a few historical mistakes but also reshape things that were his opinion into fact. I wish he would have added in my opinion and I think this is. Far too to often with projects like this they don’t seek out to talk to any of the original creators involved and put in their own narratives to finish how they think or why they think things happened. One of the biggest most clearing mistakes was the referance to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles having anything to do with being based on the X-Men. Having consumed many historical books on history of comics the author misses quite a few historical information and accidentally uses rumors and misinformation fact. When the author sticks to his experience reading the books and what he got from them without a narrative of his opinion it is a very interesting book however because of the Misses there are moments that I just don’t trust. I think this is a good book to go into understanding this is based on more of opinion and him reading books versus actually talking to the creators behind the books going to Comic Con‘s and having conversations. He also would’ve benefited from reading at least six history books about Comics and watching some Comic Con panels were some of these things where debunked. I would still suggest getting this book as it does have value.