Marvel Encyclopedia: Spider-Man

Marvel Encyclopedia #4

by Kit Kiefer, Jonathan Couper-Smartt

Marvel's best-selling Encyclopedia series continues! This fully illustrated, comprehensive deluxe hardcover volume includes in-depth biographies, statistics, and essential reading lists for the world's most popular comic book hero, Spider-Man, and all his friends and foes like the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus and Mary Jane Watson! An essential Who's Who of the Spider-Man universe for fans new and old of all ages!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Reference, Spider Man, Superheroes

Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative reference on hundreds of Marvel characters who've interacted with Spider-Man. Most characters fit 3 per page, and key characters are given 1-3 pages each. Some characters have great artwork; others I don't understand why they chose the artwork they did (that goes for the cover, too).

Character details included
• Real name
• First appearance in comics (issue, year)
• Height
• Weight
• Powers/weapons
• Description, including how character has interacted with Spider-Man
• Ratings (intelligence, strength, speed, durability, energy projection, fighting skills)

Notes
Black Cat doesn't have ability to inflict bad luck; she arranged traps to give that impression.

Gwen Stacy was killed by sudden stop when Spider-Man used web to catch her.

Green Goblin wasn't killed when impaled by glider; he healed in morgue. He went to Europe and worked with Scriers to clone Peter and Gwen. Peter's clone was Ben Reilly. When Green Goblin attacked Peter and Ben, Ben died protecting Peter.

Kaine was a flawed clone of Peter, produced by the Jackal.

When Ben and May Parker were dating, they were often saddled by Ben's younger brother Richard, so when Ben and May married, they chose not to have kids. They doted on Peter when he was a child.

May discovered Peter's secret ID after his battle with Morlun.

Richard and Mary Parker infiltrated the Red Skull's org. He found out and killed them.

Liz Allen took an interest in Peter after he became Spider-Man. He later dated Betty Brant. When he later went to college, he met Gwen Stacy, then Mary Jane Watson. He dated Gwen, and MJ dated Harry Osborn. After Gwen's death, Peter dated MJ. He proposed just before graduation, but MJ declined because she'd seen too much pain in her family. She moved to Florida. Spider-Man later began a relationship with Black Cat, though she was more interested in Spider-Man than Peter. MJ returned from Florida and told Peter she'd known he was Spider-Man for some time. They dated again, then got married.

Spider-Girl (May Parker) is Peter and MJ's daughter in an alternate reality.

Spider-Woman is Jessica Drew. There have been 3 Spider-Women after her.

Web shooters can shoot 20 yds horizontally, 50 parabolically, and 15 vertically.

[B. Austin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book (and the others in this series) tries too hard to be “hip” and "cool," and is neither. The encyclopedia information on the characters makes pretty good reference material, but overall this book has poor presentation and bad wrappings.

[Michael Morelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bring me more books of Spider-Man!

[Craig Lotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this an unwanted part of a bundle of graphic novels I bought. I'm a bit old for it, but still, as an offline Encyclopedia for all things Spider-man it does a great job, giving a good overview of Spider-man, his world, his allies and his foes. Easy to digest, lots of pictures, and a fun little addition for any kid who is falling into the world of comic books' shelf.

[Julie Takara · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOVE IT

[Ismail menasterly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it tells everything that happened to spiderman in his universe and what he does in his life and who he fights and how he does it.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

it had some inaccuracies and is out of date