The Marvel Vault – A Visual History

I remember as a kid in the 1980s, you were either a Marvel Comics or DC Comics fan, there was no in-between. I didn’t get serious into collecting comics until the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Marvel had an amazing staple of talents like Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefield, Marc Silverstri, Whilce Portacio and Jae Lee, just to name a few. Every week I had a stack of Marvel comic books and a issue was like .75 cents! If you know you have a Marvel fan this Holiday season, then The Marvel Vault – A Visual History will make a great gift item.

The original Marvel Vault was published over a decade ago, now this new Marvel Vault has been updated with 16 pages of new material. Each decade of Marvel’s history has been given a chapter from the beginning (1940s) and to the present (2010s). It chronicles the Golden Age, the rise of Marvel comics, the superheroes created, the Marvel bankruptcy and the comic book bust in the mid-90s. The book features lots of behind-the-scenes photos, artwork from the comics, and the classic comic book covers. And a bonus, the Marvel Vault is packed Marvel “documents” like the Marvel Convention Program guide from 1975, 1990s Marvel trading cards and a copy of the Fantastic Four synopsis.

“Make Mine Marvel!” Being a Marvel fan, I really enjoyed flipping through the pages. I like the fact that the book is coffee table size, so you can see all the cool artwork and comic book covers without squinting. And bringing a sense of nostalgia, I really like the envelope of Marvel historical goodies, especially the Impel Marketing Marvel trading cards from the 1990s. What memories!