Comic Book Herald

A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans

Marvel Comics

The Marvel 52: One Graphic Novel Per Week To Understand Marvel Comics

by 3 Comments

Given the nature of Comic Book Herald, I’m regularly thinking about “on ramps” for new comics readers. This is the premise for My Marvelous Year, the reading club and podcast where we go through the most essential storylines in Marvel history, year by year.

For a significantly more streamlined approach, though, I thought it would be fun to craft a “one book per week” read through Marvel’s now 80 year timeline. To be fair, I also think it’s fun to pick my favorite single years in Marvel publishing history by decade and to organize the entire convoluted history of Hawkman, so clearly I can’t be trusted. [Read more…] about The Marvel 52: One Graphic Novel Per Week To Understand Marvel Comics

How The MCU Has Influenced Marvel Comics

by Leave a Comment

Marvel’s characters have always been larger than life and, in that, no one art form has ever been able to singularly contain them. It’s something the late Stan Lee’s been hawking as a life’s mission from easily as far back as the 1960s. And in that spirit, certainly the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an achievement beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings.

That said, the publication wing would be utterly remiss if it didn’t periodically take into account what the crazy successful younger sibling is up to and maybe try to cop some of its style. Call it synergy. Call it the tail wagging the dog. Call it a neverending feedback loop. Call it art imitating another art eating its own tail. More eyeballs on these creations is more eyeballs on these creations and that can’t be bad.

Let’s take a look back over the last decade and see exactly how the MCU has come to influence Marvel Comics! [Read more…] about How The MCU Has Influenced Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics Without Movies (Options for the Future of the MCU!)

by Leave a Comment

It’s only been a few short weeks since the release of Avengers: Endgame and, as expected, speculation is huge as to what comes next. Certainly, there’s already some definite franchises to anchor the MCU into Phase 4 and beyond. However, for as much bankability of, say, a Black Panther 2 or the already-announced intentions for a live-action Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, there’s still a ton of Marvel properties that have yet to be translated into a filmed medium.

Let’s take a look at some now and pretend “elevator pitch” these concepts into an ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. [Read more…] about Marvel Comics Without Movies (Options for the Future of the MCU!)

Marvel Comics 101: A Salute To 80 Years

by Leave a Comment

It’s almost without question that Marvel is the entertainment juggernaut to beat these days. The current runaway release of Avengers: Endgame is a well-earned, and indeed, well-timed victory lap as 2019 also marks the eightieth anniversary of Marvel Comics.

So, whether you’ve seen some of those big superhero movies everyone’s been talking about and are now comic book curious or you’re just new to the planet and are curious about this “Marvel phenomenon”- either way, you are covered!

Let’s take it from the top, take advantage of the added attention and highlight some of the fundamental building blocks of the House of Ideas that is Marvel… [Read more…] about Marvel Comics 101: A Salute To 80 Years