The World According to……. Spiderman and …. Wolverine
Published by Transworld / Bantam Books, June 2014.
Spiderman: Written by Daniel Wallace, illustrated by Mirco Pierfederici.
Wolverine: Written by Matthew K. Manning, illustrated by Stephen Mooney.
ISBNs: Spiderman: 978 0 593 07423 7; Wolverine: 978 0 593 07424 4.
64 pages each.
Review by Mark Yon
These two small books are clearly designed as entry level information for those wanting to know more about the recent cinematic heroes of Spiderman and Wolverine/X Men.
Written as if they are from the characters themselves, the books give valuable information for any would-be superhero or student at the Charles Xavier Academy.
Lots of questions are raised and answered. What is it like being a superhero? What qualities do you need to live life like a true hero? What are the advantages of being an Avenger? How do you cope with superstar status, or loss, something most superheroes need to learn to deal with? (Although Logan/Wolverine may not be the best person to use as an example on this one, something he freely admits in the book.) How about ‘Cowl Hair’? (Clearly important when you’re a superhero.) How do you make a living? How do you choose the right partner (both at work and in your personal life) to be with, or indeed, stay away from the wrong one? Who are your friends and your enemies?
For the young fan, at which these are clearly designed for, there are lots of Archive-like pull-out cards, reports, letters and posters that the reader can detach along the way. Want to read a letter from Jonah J Jameson, firing Peter Parker from the Daily Bugle? How about a letter from Logan as headmaster at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, New York? Or how about an email from Tony Stark (Iron Man) politely asking Wolverine, as an Avenger, to tidy up after himself and ending with the polite request, “In all seriousness, please don’t stab me?” All here.
Throughout there’s an element of interaction, with detachable pictures of each character’s fellow-heroes and villains. How about Logan’s birth certificate? Beer mats from his favourite haunts? Aunt May’s recipe for Tummy-Tickling Wheatcakes? Of the two characters here, it is perhaps Wolverine’s that is the more revealing. As a loner and an outsider, there’s a lot here that isn’t usually revealed directly through the movies or the comics. Peter Parker’s is, as you might expect, deliberately more humorous, reflecting the wisecracking personality of the hero.
The books do concentrate more on the comic versions than the film, although viewers of the cinematic version will recognise aspects of their backstory. Both authors are known for their knowledge of the Marvel Universe, Daniel previously writing The Marvel Encyclopedia, and Matthew Spider-Man Unlimited amongst other books.
In summary, these are a great read for the young comic/film buff wanting to know more about how these characters fit into the Marvel universe. Good fun.
Mark Yon, June 2014.
