Like an all too louche Lando, we proclaim “My, my, what have we here?” Think you are the grandmaster of the Avengers? Or know nothing about them and want to brush up on their lore before the upcoming juggernaut that will be Infinity War? DK has got your back.
A mighty slab of a book, lifting this weighty tome will have you feeling like Thor himself wielding Mjolnir, but with a pleasantly reasonable price tag. DK does what they do best here, filling every page with eye-bleedingly beautiful images and insightful text. Crammed full is an oft-used phrase, but in the case of Avengers: The Ultimate Guide, proves to be an apt one.
Split into decades, the book aims to tell all of the backstories of our favourite crime fighting, world-saving team. It literally and literally provides a breakdown of every character ever to have joined the team, alongside side every villain they have ever fought. Want to know more about Klara Prast, a plant-loving Dr Doolittle? She’s here. Hulkling, Reptil and Mettle? Check. D-man? Who? You’ll soon find out.
What is truly wonderful here is seeing how the artwork of our heroes evolves, from the naivety of the ‘60s to the hyper-realism of the 90s and then back to the more fantastical stylings of the modern age. DK have thrown everything at this and more. Throughout the book, there are offerings as to where to jump into the comic books, selecting key issues that provide stepping on points for the casual reader or as nostalgic reminders for the more hard-core among us.
Much like the publishers’ Star Wars offerings, there is a wealth of knowledge on every spread. Annotations, box outs and lengthy plot synopses fill almost every inch of the page, not otherwise covered by the glorious artwork of esteemed artists from down through the ages. Even if you didn’t read an ounce of the text, the pictures pop hard enough to give what may be risibly described as an eye-gasm.
Once again, DK has proved their Mettle and gifted us a glorious book that works on all levels. Avengers blowhards will still find nuggets of previously unknown ephemera, while newbies will garner all they need to know to dip their toes into the violent waters of The Avengers. Love Marvel? Love The Avengers? Then you need this in your life. And don’t miss the post-index scene.
MARVEL AVENGERS: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE / PUBLISHER: DK / RELEASE DATE: APRIL 5TH
