Product Description

Following the success of the first edition, the updated and revised DC Comics Encyclopedia offers even more incredible DC detail and imagery than the original. 48 brand-new pages include major updates on characters and storylines (including the recent "Infinite Crisis" story arc). This spectacular, up-to-the-minute encyclopedia will delight comic fans of every age.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9530 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From Booklist
This copiously illustrated encyclopedia chronicles more than 1,000 DC Comics characters from the 1930s to the present. Arranged alphabetically, each entry gives the first appearance, status (hero, villain, etc.), real name, occupation, height, weight, and eye and hair color of the superheroes or supervillains. Special abilities and superpowers are also listed along with ample cross-references to other comic characters or superleague affiliations, such as the L.E.G.I.O.N. cosmic peacekeeping force.

The biographical entries make fascinating reading in alternative history. For example, the Crimson Avenger served in a league called the Seven Soldiers of Victory during World War II. Afterward, he was sent backward in time. He came forward in time and discovered that he was struck with a terminal disease. After his death, an unknown woman purchased two guns that had belonged to him. These guns transformed her into Crimson Avenger II, who became an agent of vengeance and execution. Of course, famous characters such as Wonder Woman or Batman are included. But lesser-known characters, such as Superman's college flame, Lori Lemaris (a mermaid), are also listed.

The colorful design makes this book a pleasure to browse. Special two-page features, such as "Amazing Weapons" and "Romantic Moments," are interspersed with the biographies. Recommended for public libraries with active comic readership. Jack O'Gorman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"... it's hard to top this encyclopedia." -- Winston-Salem Journal

"Fabulous artwork and pictures of more than 1,000 famous comic book characters fill this classic that will thrill all collectors." --Detroit Free Press

A well-timed expansion of the 2004 edition, this singular, visually extraordinary hero-villain guide provides definitive order to the pandemonium of character names and histories … highly recommended for pop culture, graphic novel and even public library collections. --Library Journal

Customer Reviews

Nice Hardcover Collection
Many folks for years have been wanting DC to revisit their Who's Who series from the mid-80's, an A to Z covering of characters. This new hardcover fits that bill in a solid, colorful volume. The wrap around cover by Alex Ross is beautiful and eye-catching.

As for the book's interior, it is obvious a lot of effort was put into this. Four main writers handled the text portions, with art taken from hundreds of artists across the decades.

Naturally, there will be a few errors that creep into something such as this. I found characters in group shots mislabeled, and the occasional wrong fact in an entry. These things probably should have been caught in final proofing. I can forgive them though as they are few and far between.

The one thing that becomes painfully obvious to this long time comic reading fan is that the focus of this tome swings heavy to the post-Crisis universe (understandable as that is what the current continuity is - stuff reorganized and introduced since 1986). This tome makes it obvious that continuity is in fact constantly in flux, being rewritten and reworked. The book is uneven in that at times it takes both old and rewrites into account. Examples include the Legion of Super-Heroes stuff and the Doom Patrol relaunch from earlier this year.

Still, it is a nice coffee table tome and good for quicky research on characters and such.

A nice guide to the DC Characters
Some people may gripe over that their favorite character got only a small entry in the book but I was surprised at how complete this book was.

Lets face it, unless DC reprints Who's Who you are not going to get a complete guide to the DC characters, this book is made to represent as many of their characters as they could. I enjoyed the entries about the lesser known characters and being given updates on some of the heros and villians I had followed but lost touch with.

The DC Comics Encylopedia makes a nice gift for any comics fan.

Awesome information
I really didn't know what to expect when I bought this book. It was just something to help me figure out who some of the characters were in the DC universe. What I found was a history of EVERY character DC has ever created! There were some really obscure characters in there dating back to the 1940s that I had never even heard of.

If you're into DC comics, it's well worth the price. I know I've had hours of fun reading the different entries on not only the characters I knew but many I didn't.