Super Graphic has released “MARVEL SUPER GRAPHIC: A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE MARVEL COMICS UNIVERSE”. The latest installment in the visual compilation series of infographics, this latest book by talented editorial director and writer Tim Leung will be available soon, following both Star Wars and comic book themed versions .
This 175-page Marvel Super Graphic is packed with interesting statistics and graphics, making it the perfect coffee table book. As a beginner’s guide, it features events, charts, and random pieces of Marvel history, presenting easily accessible data in a visual realm.
Photo courtesy of Christian Angeles An interior page of the Marvel Super Graphics book depicting Uncle Ben’s famous lines.
The original Super Graphic Visual Comics Guide included fun tidbits such as a guide to the various multiverses of comics and a ranked list of the fortunes of the richest comic book characters. The Marvel version of this book is a bit more focused, as a beginner’s guide for those interested in learning about Marvel’s comic book history, and for all MCU fans who want to get into comics. Perfect for.
In Marvel Super Graphic: A Visual Guide, you’ll learn random infographic facts like Drax’s uncanny ability to play the saxophone, and see a visual guide to Marvel’s magical books. Some of my personal favorites include Marvel’s map of Manhattan, a comparison of the Infinity Stones and the Mandarin Ring in terms of abilities and colors, and a breakdown of the Silent Council of Krakoa. There was even some nifty information that even I didn’t know, like a list of times when Mjolnir the Undying was actually destroyed.
Inside photo of MARVEL SUPER GRAPHIC Book. This is one of the various AI photos created by Tony: Christian Angeles.
For more information, check out our interview with Tim Leong.
Portraits of Tim Leung’s staff. Courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Christian Angeles: You’ve been publishing super-graphic books for over a decade. Your first work won many awards and your eye for presentation is amazing. What do you think is the appeal of these books to everyday readers?
Tim Leung: Essentially, Marvel Super Graphics is there to help you. The Marvel Universe is so vast, with decades of great stories and characters. This book is a guide that will give you conversation-worthy information you didn’t know before, and will also open doors to characters and stories you didn’t know existed.
Angels: Between your time at Comic Foundry and your role at Entertainment Weekly, you have an impressive resume. Can you walk us through how you started your journey and where you ended up today?
Leon: Yes. I earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri, majoring in Magazine Design. After college, I went straight to New York to work in the art department at Men’s Health Magazine. Around that time, I came up with the idea for Comic Foundry. This was originally a resource site for manga artists and aspiring writers. Back then, Friendster was still the No. 1 social networking site. As a way to drive people to the site, we conducted a number of interviews with creators that focused on process and education.
As that content took off, it eventually became a print magazine, focusing solely on articles and interviews. That magazine went out of print, and I refocused my attention on other magazines, working at Complex, Wired, Fortune, and then as creative director and associate editor at Entertainment Weekly. But I always tried to incorporate comic books into every magazine I worked for, even if I didn’t work directly with comics. I often hired cartoonists to illustrate magazine articles, and I always pitched articles and interviews about important comics and creators.
Angels: Can you talk about your graphic design background in terms of producing these books? Do you do it yourself? Do you have a team? Who chooses the topic?
Leon: Of course. The first book and the latest book are 100% my creation. All research, writing, and design was done by me.
How did you choose the topic? That’s exactly what interested me. Publishing a book is a huge undertaking, so you have to be 100% interested in the book. And if it’s interesting to me, you can bet it’ll be interesting to others too.
In the case of Star Wars Super Graphics, the timeline was short, so I helped create a background design template using the Imperial Corridor pattern and created character icons.
Angeles: Why did you choose Marvel compared to the history of DC and Image?
Leon: I love DC, but Marvel was my first love. Marvel has always had a special place in my heart because that was Spider-Man for me and then the X-Men.
A list of numerous Avengers teams in Marvel history. Photo credit: Christian Angeles
Angels: What makes MARVEL SUPER GRAPHIC: A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE MARVEL COMICS UNIVERSE different from the original?
LEONG: I try to add a little variation to the design of each book. This latest book focuses more on gradients and textures to give the look a slightly different feel. Marvel Super Graphic also has a new recurring feature called “Story Spotlight.” These are charts about some important books and stories that I think people should read. Classics like Days of Future Past and Daredevil: Born Again.
Angels: There were a lot of interesting tidbits and icons in your book, but if you had to choose a few favorites from this Marvel series, what would they be?For whatever reason.
LEONG: We strive to make every page interesting with a combination of insight, beautiful design, and interesting text. I hope it’s candy. That’s why I always try to incorporate jokes into my work, both visually and in text. My favorite blurb is the chart for character eye colors, which is also one of my favorite designs. It says: “Some people think cartoon characters are too dark. In fact, they’re very colorful. Look into their eyes. See? Iris, that’s my case.” It’s expensive.
Angels: Given your knowledge of comics, what do you think about comics today? Especially considering how vast it has become and how difficult it is to command attention.
LEONG: There are so many great books out now. FML by Kelly Sue DeConnick and David Lopez, the new Uncanny X-Men series by Gail Simone and David Marquez, and Ice Cream Man by W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo. I just got Rare Flavor Trades from Ram V and Felipe Andrade and I can’t wait to read it.
That being said, I think you’re one hundred percent right. As great as many books are, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get them the attention they deserve. The field of comics journalism is more decentralized than ever before. Those who can solve the discoverability problem will win.
Angeles: My final question to you is, do you have any advice for someone who wants to get into comics journalism today?
LEONG: My advice is to be specific about what you want to do. Especially if you’re launching something new. With so many sites and channels, expressing your opinion has never been easier. So anything you can do to flesh out your opinion will not only help you stand out, but it will also help you generate your own opinion and perspective on the subject matter you want to cover.
Something like this:
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