The stories collected in this book are before the comic book industry allowed money to be the sole purpose for publishing comics. The stories are written and drawn by comic book legends from the two greatest comic book publishers: DC and Marvel. I can read these stories over and over again. If you are into reading good comic book stories, then buy this book.

This book collects the first four DC/Marvel crossover stories and comprises 2 Superman/Spider-Man stories, Batman/Hulk, and X-Men/New Teen Titans. They're all excellent stories. Superman vs. Spider-Man while seems a silly story by today's standards is actually very entertaining and fun. Both of them really shine. It kind of set how crossover books are to be done though, heroes who don't know each other fight and then realize they've been duped then team-up against common foes. The second Supes/Spidey story is more on the serious side and somewhat better than the first but I felt Jim Shooter (the writer) tried to cram a lot of stuffs by including subplots and Wonder Woman and Hulk appearing. For those not in the know, it is in this story that contains the first ever battle between Superman and the Hulk. The third story is perhaps the most mismatched heroes, Batman vs. the Hulk. It sometimes feels more like a Batman story rather than a true Batman/Hulk story because of its tendency to shine more on you-know-who. Oh, and Bats practically beat the Hulk, you just got to read it to find out how. Lastly, the best of the crossover classics would have to be X-Men/New Teen Titans. Two of comicdom's favorite teams against the most dangerous villains of the DC and Marvel Universes: Darkseid and Dark Phoenix. Combine that with an excellent Chris Claremont story and you got a winner. Nuff said.

Not the best Avengers tale but a good read nonetheless. Buscema and Palmer have always drawn the Avengers well and this is no exception (wonder if they'll get around to reprinting their great 60s and 70s stories in Essential).

If you want to see a tale where the Avengers come close to the edge of existance...this one's a keeper! It has everything from Captain America under attack by some great classic villians to the all the Avengers doubting their chances of ever coming out alive from this attack! The art by Buscema is what drives the story right along at a breakneck pace. It's a must have of any classic Marvel fan

This is definitely one of Marvel's Finest. The Avengers get overwhelmed one by one. The odds are against them. Baron Zemo proves to be a ruthless, conniving villian. The heroes eventually do triumph, but at the loss of their mansion. The story has great suspense, action and excellent characters. A must for any Avengers fan!!

Mr. DeFalco's latest Guide for the Incredible Hulk shows a tremendous amount of research and skill in editing in focusing on the history and surrounding chararacters of the Hulk mythos.

I confess this is my first Marvel DK Book, that I've looked at. Previously, I've spent more time examining the DC ones, (Superman, Batman, the Justice League, etc). And I have to confess that background gives me a slant.

Unlike DC, Marvel did not trash or recon its history as extensively as the Superman Group did in the mid-eighties, so their continuity is far more coherent than in DC. I confess I love that.

It's a good read. Mr. Defalco covers the major storylines, with recommendations on some of his best-loved favorites. There were a few two-age spreads that I thought could have been used for more textual information. But that's just my humble opinion.

Of course, this is to tie-in with the upcoming Hulk movie release (smart move, wait till a major publicity event is coming to relaunch books like these).

I look forward to more such books from both DC and Marvel. From Marvel: The Fantastic Four and Daredevel, From DC: Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel.

Not bad.

JThree

carolyn@dia.net

This is the first of the Marvel Guides I've commented on. In the past, I've focused primarily on the DC titles (Superman, Batman, JLA), but this is the first real Marvel one.

Someone I've skipped the Spider Man and X-Men ones. Hey, A guy can't afford everything.

Anyway, I got an early copy of the text yesterday, and I must say Mr. Defalco did his homework and research really well. The Visual Guide covers most of the highlights of the Hulk's 40 year career.

The one advantage that the Marvel Books have over DC, is they don't have to worry about all the revisionism problems that DC ran into in the mid 80's when Superman and a few other character's history got rewritten. So in effect, the Marvel history is far more coherent, and doesn't have all the "glitches" the DC texts have.

As for this one, I loved the set up, and how the chapters were broken up. The major characters, and events were mentioned. Somehow I had the idea that the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno tv version would get a few pages. But I was mistaken, this was a comics only Guide.

Still, it's a great overview, and the DK books have really helped give a general idea of the high points in the Hulk Comics. And the afterword points to some of the best stories.

I look forward to more of these books both from Marvel and DC. In particular, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil.

And from DC, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and a few miscellaneous characters.

One side bar, is there any way, future versions of these books, can focus all the various incarnations of the characters from film, television, and cartoons.

Tom DeFalco does a great job again (as he did with Spider-Man The Ultimate Guide), and I consider this book the best Hulk encyclopedia out there. Precise, accurate, giving proper credit to all Hulk artists, major or not, with tons of great images, easy-and-fun-to-read, in summary, a great buy. I could not say the same about the Hulk Marvel Encyclopedia by Kit Kiefer, which is a true dissapointment, a 3/5 stars book (tops), deserved by the great artwork on it, and the sections about Hulk merchandising, the TV series, and the 2k3 movie. Kit's book is sometimes inaccurate (for ex., it says that on the first issues, Banner changed into the Hulk when he was asleep, page 28, but it was nightfall that triggered the changes), calls the Hulk a 'keep-it-simple-stupid-character' (page 22), ridiculizes Peter David's run saying about his comics: 'they were not the Hulk', does not even mention Sal Buscema, the most prolific Hulk artist of all, but does mention his late brother John who probably did 3 issues maximum. It's your money, but I suggest you get DeFalco's guide, a true homage to the incredible Hulk.

The standout character of the novel is the new student from Nebraska, Walter Nowland, codenamed "Statis" because of his ability to manipulate ambient static electricity. Walter is the only really three-dimensional character in the book, and he largely saves it from being completely pedestrian. He is also largely figuring out what menace the group faces, and for thwarting it. Walter is a very endearing character with surprising depth and originality, but the regular characters actually suffer by comparison.

Unfortunately, this means that while Generation X isn't a complete waste of paper for fans of the series, it does little to supplement one's understanding of the regular characters. The novel leaves so much potential material untapped. Any one of the kids could easily be the focus of an entire novel. The fact that Generation X barely probed depths beyond what can be found in a regular issue of the comic book series was a disappointment.

The lack of great character insights and exploration is not even offset by a great action-packed plot or compelling villain. The main plot basically has most of the team filled with despair. I actually found this very unusual and interesting. But I'm sure that many readers won't find malaise a sufficiently exciting central theme.

One strong redeeming feature in the novel is Maggin's subtle but well-executed venture into areas of faith. Even when faced with a terminal illness, Walter has an amazingly positive attitude, due in part to guidance from beyond the grave (a ghost named Hiram) as well as faith in an afterlife. Maggin is a practicing Jew and has brought an intelligent, affirmative faith-based perspective to all of his novels, this one included. These elements are not overwhelming in the book, and are handled so generically and thoughtfully that they will not bother non-religious readers. But Maggin's appreciation of spirituality, ethical values, and non-quantifiable truths mark him as a student of such talented and well-rounded writers as C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesteron, Orson Scott Card, and J. R. R. Tolkien.

Unless you're a diehard fan of Generation X, Scott Lobdell, or Elliot S. Maggin, Generation X is a novel you should probably avoid. Fans of the series will find this prose treatment format interesting, especially as it was co-written by the series creator. Fans of Maggin's novels will find it interesting to see how this work fits in between his earlier Superman novels and his later masterpiece Kingdom Come. Thus, the novel may satisfy certain academic curiosities. But as a source of simple reading enjoyment, this book will only be read enthusiastically by young or fairly inexperienced readers.

I love Generation X, it's one of my favorite X-teams. I enjoy the story and the way it developed but there really was no depth to the story. Usually we get a kind of extra insight or understanding of these characters but I missed this in the book. I understand that you can't get into the mindset of these characters in a short novel but still..... Oer all it's a good plotline story if not character development-wise.

I thought this book was one of the best books I have ever read. A perfectly drawn Gen X reality. It reflects the comic book perfectly.

Usually these "Somebody Vs. Somebody" One-shot specials that Marvel does have boring plots, inconsistancies in character behavior, and over-the-top meaningless fight scenes.

This one was surprisingly well done. Both Wolverine and Spidey's characters are true to form. Spidey cracks jokes and, as usual, gets in a little over his head by trying to do what's right. Wolverine proves just how much of a [tough-guy] he is, and also says and does things that show that inside he is a very intelligent man who also understands how to manipulate people.

The story is an entertaining and self-contained one, yet still one that manages to have far-reaching implications in the Marvel Universe; traits that all Marvel comics creative teams should try to emulate.

The dialogue and art are well done. Chronologically, this story takes place soon before the "Wedding of Spiderman" storyline.

Writer James Owsley, now known for writing books such as Quantum & Woody and Black Panther under the name Christopher Priest, and frequent collaborator Mark Bright present a tale of intrigue and espionage that sees Wolverine and Spider-Man in Germany, trying to stop a rogue spy on a murderous mission.

The story has a few neat twists, and the art is well-done, but it's most memorable for the death of a long-time supporting character, who, as it later turned out, was the Villain known as The Hobgoblin.

A well-told story that's worth a look.

The New Warriors was a dream of Fabian's that he pushed till it came true. This book is a collection of their first appearance in the pages of Thor where they along with Thor take down the Juggarnaut. After that it's the first four issues of the New Warriors title. The first book of New Warriors in this collection is really just a throw together of forming the team quickly when they fight Terrax, but you also get some backround on some of the characters and there's some mystery as to why Night Thrasher is trying to form the team. The next story delves into Thrasher's past from when he first started fighting crime and how the the dealings with his former partners went sour. You can feel his pain and guilt over what happened as well as his fear. It shows the team is willing to deal with his problems even when he isn't. The next one features the Mad Thinker and is there to give backround on the team and make them think about what it is they are trying to do. It's what makes them decide to really come together as a team. The last one in there they fight a bunch of genetically made psychos in a lab and the team for the first time really seems to be on the same page. The series in itself after this moved on and eventually delved deeper into a lot of things and became very gritty dealing with a lot of issues other books weren't touching at the time. This book is worth getting for the beginnings but I would also look into buying the whole series because you really get attached to the characters as you move along and things become very breathtaking as you feel what they feel while reading it.

This book was a great tale of action and writing. The book is a must read which features four more great charachters added to the marvel lineup. It has action and humor in this awesome graphic novel showing the webslinger at his best . Excellently written and drawn no wonder it is a favorite of many fans of marvel.

Actually, This was a brilliant way to add life to the series. Before Identnty Crisis, the Sipder-Man books were going downhill, and fast. This book shows Marvel's ability to give a title a quick boost (Identity Crisis sold very well on the shelves) And then return to a normal storyline afterwards, regaining their reading audience. And the Slingers weren't totally random either, each of the four represented a specific portion of Parker's personality, or Spider Man's powers. An excellent collection.

Many are right when they say that Marvel has gone down as of recently, but this superbly written and illustrated book shows what Marvel can really do. Some of Spider-Man's best writers and artists got together on this book and forever made an imprint in the Marvel universe.

Crossovers are not always well-developed, and it is necesary to admit that there were many details that far from perfeection, but these "amalgam-books" were a pretty nice idea and I really enjoyed reading them. They are not going to change the way you look at the world, but you'll have fun.

I think this is a very original idea. The stories are of varied quality, from so so to the ones that leave one wishing for more.

This book is so good. Especially the spider boy character. There is a story with like 200 characters in it and it is hilarious. Buy it today

Two characters that work really well in comicdom is without a doubt Batman and Superman. Supes provides the strength, but it is Batman who makes it up with the brains. Their relationship is not mutual, but complimentary of one another. This, however, is not true for Daredevil and Spider-Man. Both characters are set in the same city, NY. Both hold real jobs when out of costume. And both are like what anyone of us, who has a best friend can relate to. They're real and they work very very well together. From the little gestures to the all time witty repartee between the two. They are so different from Batman and Superman, that the only thing they have in common with the others is the fact that each one knows the other's secret.

So what went wrong here? Paul Jenkins weaves a very poorly constructed story that involves the two best team-ups in all comicdom. This is not expected at all from a master such as Jenkins. One, who actually writes, Spidey each month and has written such unforgettable works as the critically acclaimed Inhumans and Origins. Perhaps one of the reasons why he falls short is the fact that he uses the mystic and the magic to bring these characters together to share a common threat. That may work fine with someone like Dr. Strange, just not DD and Spidey. A more street-wise threat would have been a much better choice to go forth into.

The art doesn't help either. Though it maybe right for bringing out the theme,plot and direction of the story, it just doesn't suit the characters. Spidey and DD should be drawn as humanly as possible, but with a touch of acrobatics. Phil Winslade makes you believe that Spidey is a rubber band. While that may work for a guy with spider powers, it's incredulous when it comes a simple acrobat such as DD.

I had such high expectations with this title and never thought twice when I saw that it was under the Marvel Knights imprint. I guess I just expected too much. Hope that the next team-up between the two does them justice and holds true to the witticism to seeing two good friends hopping around in costume. The three stars only come because you can never feel all that bad when you see DD (1 star) and Spidey (1 star) doing their thing, no matter how bad the story and art (1 star) are.

A perfect example of "you can't judge a book by its cover..." The title, dust jacket and description appear intriguing. However, this is just a conventional summary of various technologies used in WWII, already widely reported elsewhere. To add to the pile of mistakes already reported in other reviews, the author mentions W.R. Whitney of G.E. as a "well-known physicist"--actually he was a chemist. Don't bother with this book...

This book was a real disappointment. Contributes nothing that anyone reasonably familiar with WWII technology would not already know. Full of irritating errors, inaccuracies and omissions. For instance, there is no mention of the ignored radar detection of the incoming Pearl Harbor air raid and its lessons, the dramatic defenses of the Anzio beachhead and the Remagen bridge by radar-directed artillery, the ordeal of the radar picket ships at Okinawa? Not a word. You think there might be a chapter on The Manhattan Project? There is none. Shachtman even gets the story of the defense of London against the V-1 bombs completely wrong.

Tries to tell the story following loose biographical lines of scientists but it does not hang together. Little tactical or strategic insight.

The inaccuracies are rampant and annoying. Examples: Shachtman calls the famous British Chain Home radar system "Home Chain". In referring to a number of Japanese radar pioneers he names half surname-first Western style and the other half family-name first, Japanese style. How about two mistakes in the same sentence? "The Phillips company of Einthoven, Holland" How about "the Philips company of Eindhoven, Holland", which is by the way very much still in business.

All in all, this book is a waste of time. There are much better books on the subject.

"Terrors And Marvels" by Tom Shachtman, sub-titled "How Science and Technology Changed the Character and Outcome of World War II".
HarperCollins Publishers, 2002.

This book attempts too much. The author attempted a more or less complete history of technology development and its impact in all the warring nations of World War II. The resultant volume is almost an Anglophile book, emphasizing more the war between the Western Allies and the Nazis. History is not only the material being included but also by whatever is excluded; Shachtman tends to include the efforts and counter-measures of the Anglo-Americans against the Germans. Often excluded are the successes in the Pacific Theatre. For example, at the commencement of hostilities, the Japanese Imperial Navy had an advantage in night fighting over the American navy. When radar was introduced to American ships, night fighting advantage swung to the Americans. This important story is not really covered in this book. In a similar fashion, the struggle for air superiority in the Pacific was a major technological success for the Americans. The Mitsubishi Zero fighter permitted Japan to dominate the early war in the Pacific. Then, the efforts of Grumman Aviation, Long Island, NY, as an example, in developing the Wildcat countered the advantage of the Japanese Zero. This story would be enough for a book in itself. On page 111, Shachtman notes that the Dutch government ordered "...its two radar experts to flee to Great Britain". Why not give the names of these two Dutchmen? And why not edit out the in fighting in England where one Englishman was made a lord and the other was insulted? Who cares? The major technological advance and change from marvel into a terror was, of course, the development of the atomic bomb. This effort has been documented so well in other books, that the author does not pay enough attention (in my opinion) to the success of the Manhattan Project and the use of the A-bomb.

I found this book difficult to read. The book is generally in chronological order, but the author uses "white spaces" as the simple expedient to signal a subject change. This results in the reader's attention being focused on a subject, and then, in the next paragraph, you have jumped from guided missile rocketry to the Katyn Forest massacre of Polish officers by the Soviets. (p. 227). With all due respect, in a work where any one of the interesting technological subjects could fill the entire book, why bring in something as unrelated to the theme as Katyn Forest?

The book would benefit from one more editing review. Besides moving the port of Antwerp back to Belgium (see the other Amazon reviews), the editor could look at some other pages:
...Page 211: High Frequency Direction Finder: the author calls HFDF a "radar". High Frequency Direction Finder was NOT a radar, but rather a technique to obtain range and bearing on a source of RF transmission. If two vessels could obtain range and bearing on a submarine transmitting, then, by triangulation, it was possible to determine the sub's position. Technological incorrect to call HFDF "radar".
..Page 234: Author uses "...1500 valves in 'Colossus'" ... when else where in the book (see Raytheon) he employs the American term, "vacuum tube". Need to be consistent.
Page 254: Error: "would not to use it against third parties" should read "...would not use it against...".

Five stars for the content and attempt to bring so much history into one book. One star for mistakes that would not be acceptable on an MA thesis. Average: three stars.