As hefty as the Hulk and alluring as Elektra, this is the history that celebrates the past 75 years of Marvel comics. Highlighting the hallmarks that made the Marvel Universe an icon of popular culture, this 713-page, 2,000-image colossal tome begins with the Golden Age of the 1940s with one-of-a-kind original artwork and then upon the explosively creative “Marvel Age of Comics” of the 1960s in which hundreds of characters were created, ranging from the Fantastic Four to the Silver Surfer. Over 300 biographies tell the story of the artists, writers, editors, and fans who helped shape Marvel’s history. The often overlooked “Atlas era” of the 1950s—known for an emphasis on horror, sci-fi, and westerns when very few super hero comic books were written—is discussed as a forgotten era that seved as a seed bed for Stan Lee to reinvent the medium for all time. A 10-page, fold-out timeline places key Marvel milestones within the context of history with color illustrations and brief descriptions. Hardcover. 16" H x 11 3/4" W x 3 1/4" D. (16 lbs.)