The Marvel Universe Receives an Easy-to-Read Guide in Marvel Super Graphic

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For idiosyncratic conscionable discovering comics, the Marvel Universe, astatine first, tin seen totally impenetrable. When a institution has continued publishing monthly stories, uninterrupted, since 1961, continuity becomes complicated, locations change, character’s motives shift—it each becomes tremendously hard to track. You whitethorn find yourself asking, “What broadside of the Civil War spawned from Speedball accidentally blowing up Stamford, Connecticut was Professor Xavier’s estranged, mentally sick lad on, again?” Or, “What authorities was the Blob calved in?”

To compensate, graphic decorator Tim Leong has written Marvel Super Graphic, a publication of easy-to-read charts and graphs detailing the ins and outs of the House of Ideas’ analyzable history. We sat down to sermon his caller book, and covered topics ranging from Thing’s often interrupted poker games to superhero dietary restrictions.

Gordon Jackson, io9: As a decorator with a agelong past of creating infographics for magazines, what attracted you to charting the Marvel universe, over, say, DC?

Tim Leong: I’m a immense comics fan, period. I powerfully judge that fandom doesn’t person to beryllium a zero-sum game. That was the thought down the archetypal Super Graphic book—that there’s thing for everyone, nary substance your interests. That said, Marvel was my archetypal love, my archetypal vulnerability to comics. I dipped my toed successful with Spider-Man and past went head-first with the X-Men. I conscionable ate up the Jim Lee era.

io9: Which infographic successful the publication was the astir hard to research, oregon support way of? And bash you person a favourite oregon least-favorite for either reason?

Tim Leong: There’s a illustration that is simply a bid of Venn diagrams that shows the commonalities and differences of assorted characters from Spider-Verses. That was a batch harder than I thought it was going to be. Honestly, “that was harder than I thought” was a beauteous communal refrain for me. But successful this case, determination are truthful galore specifics and nuances to each Spider story, it was hard to fig retired which 1 went where. There’s besides conscionable SO. MANY. Spider-people determination was nary mode I could acceptable them each in—leaving chill characters retired is ever hard.

io9: Mapping retired the analyzable Summers household histrion felt similar a necessity, but however did you determine connected creating a graph for superhero dietary restrictions, oregon the assorted reasons the Thing’s poker games were interrupted?

Tim Leong: The Thing’s recurring poker games is 1 of my favourite charts. Going into this process, I knew the Thing liked playing poker arsenic a wide trope, but I didn’t cognize the specifics oregon the history. The bully happening the publication does is link the history, adhd context, and person a small amusive on the way. I didn’t privation the publication to consciousness similar homework—this is not a substance book. Not everything should beryllium super-dense data. I wanted to besides item what makes Marvel Comics consciousness fun, consciousness personal, and marque definite the stories shine, but besides the characters. And poker.

io9: From a selling perspective, who bash you judge a publication similar this is for?

Tim Leong: I approached the publication with the thought that there’s nary acquisition necessary. That is, there’s thing of worth for caller fans, casual readers, and life-long vets. I deliberation passionateness is contagious. My extremity is to dispersed my emotion for Marvel Comics and exposure you to caller characters, caller stories, and caller interest-piquing facts. When I was younger I was obsessed with the Marvel Universe trading cards. They had powerfulness charts, and absorbing facts. The cards besides featured a batch of characters and stories I’d ne'er heard of, and it made maine privation to larn much astir them. That’s what I anticipation to do.

io9: Since you antecedently wrote a publication of charts and graphs detailing the Star Wars universe, is determination different IP oregon adjacent a idiosyncratic involvement you’d besides similar to tackle successful this manner?

Tim Leong: These books are highly hard to do—from the probe to the plan to the writing—this 1 is inactive occupying truthful overmuch abstraction successful my brain. That said, I americium a instrumentality of truthful galore things—comics, movies, video games, sports—there’s amusive information to beryllium recovered everywhere.

io9: Was determination thing you had to permission retired of the publication you regret?

Tim Leong: Regardless however overmuch Gambit is successful the book, determination should ever beryllium 20 percent much Gambit!

io9: Finally, who is Irma and however did she go the authoritative Super Graphic mascot?

Tim Leong: Irma is my pug. Wherever you’re speechmaking this, you tin astir apt perceive her snoring close now. I secretly enactment her successful the backmost of the publication solely to spot the reactions of my kids erstwhile they recovered the page. Let maine archer you—it was worthy it.

Marvel Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Marvel Comics Universe is connected merchantability adjacent Tuesday, September 24. Pre-order here.

Want much io9 news? Check retired erstwhile to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s adjacent for the DC Universe connected movie and TV, and everything you request to cognize astir the aboriginal of Doctor Who.

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