Super Graphic has just released MARVEL SUPER GRAPHIC: A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE MARVEL COMICS UNIVERSE. The latest in a line of visual compilations of infographics, this latest book by brilliant editorial director and writer Tim Leong, comes hot off the heels following both a Star Wars and a Comic Book-themed version.
This 175-page Marvel Super Graphic is perfect as a coffee-table book, filled with interesting stats and graphics. It features events, charts, and random bits of Marvel’s history as a guide for newbies – presenting easily accessible data in a visual realm.
The original Super Graphic visual guide to comics had fun tidbits such as guides to comics’ various multiverses or ranked and listed the fortunes of the wealthiest comic book characters. This Marvel iteration of the book is a bit more focused serving as a beginner’s guide for anyone interested in learning about Marvel’s comic book history and is perfect for any MCU fan seeking to get into the comics.
In Marvel Super Graphic: A Visual Guide, you’ll learn random infographic factoids such as Drax’s uncanny ability to play the saxophone and see a visual guide to Marvel’s books of magic. Personal favorites include Marvel’s map of Manhattan, a comparison of the Infinity Stones to the Mandarin’s rings in terms of ability and color, and a breakdown of Krakoa’s Quiet Council. There were even nifty bits even I didn’t know, such as a list of every time the indestructible M’jolnir was, in fact, actually destroyed.
If you want to learn more, check out this interview with Tim Leong.
CHRISTIAN ANGELES: You’ve been doing the Super Graphic books for over a decade. Your first won many awards and your eye for presentation is kind of great. What do you think the appeal is to the everyday reader for these books?
TIM LEONG: At its core, Marvel Super Graphic is there to help you. The Marvel Universe is so big—decades of great stories and characters. This book is a guide to give you conversation-worthy bits of info you didn’t know before, and also open you up to characters and stories you might not know about.
ANGELES: You’ve got an impressive resume to boot between your origins at Comic Foundry and your role at Entertainment Weekly. Can you guide us through your journey how you started and where you ended up today?
LEONG: Sure. I have a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri, focusing on magazine design. After college, I went straight to New York and working in the Art Department at Men’s Health Magazine. Around that time I had the idea for Comic Foundry, which was originally a resource site for aspiring comic book artists and writers—this was when Friendster was still the No. 1 social networking site. As a way to get people to the site, we did a lot of creator interviews that were really process and education-focused.
That content took off and we eventually just focused on articles and interviews, and eventually turned it into a print magazine. That magazine ran its course, and I focused my attention back on other magazines, and worked at Complex, Wired, Fortune, and then as the Creative Director of Entertainment and Deputy Editor at Entertainment Weekly. But even though I wasn’t covering comics directly, I always tried to integrate comics books in every magazine I worked at. I often hired comic artists to illustrate articles in the magazines, and constantly pitched stories and coverage about important comics and creators.
ANGELES: Can you go into your graphic design background regarding the making of these books? Do you do it yourself? Have a team? Who picks the topics?
LEONG: Of course. The first book and the most recent book was 100 percent my creation. I did all the research, writing, and design.
How did I choose the topics? It’s just what interested me. Doing a book is such a massive undertaking that you have to be 100 percent interested in it. And if it’s interesting to me, I’m willing to bet it’s going to be interesting to some other people.
For Star Wars Super Graphic, the timeline was shorter, and so I had a little help in creating some background design templates with the Empire corridor patterns, as well as help creating some character icons.
ANGELES: Why’d you choose Marvel as compared to DC or Image’s history?
LEONG: I do love DC, but Marvel was my first love. It was my first introduction to comics—Spider-Man, and then X-Men—so Marvel has always had a special place in my heart.
ANGELES: What are some things that differentiate the MARVEL SUPER GRAPHIC: A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE MARVEL COMICS UNIVERSE from the original?
LEONG: I absolutely try to shake things up a bit with the design of each book. This most recent book leans into gradients and textures more to give the look a slightly different feel. Marvel Super Graphic also has a new recurring feature called “Story Spotlights.” They’re charts about some important books and storylines that I think people should read. Classics like Days of Future Past and Daredevil: Born Again.
ANGELES: I loved a lot of the funny bits of info and icons in your books, though if you had to pick some of your favorite bits from this Marvel one, what would you choose? It can be for any reason whatsoever.
LEONG: I try to make every page entertaining—a mixture of insight, pretty design, and funny text. I want it to be candy. So I’m always trying to work in jokes–both visually and in text. My favorite blurb is on a chart about character eye colors, which also happens to be one of my favorite designs. It reads: “Some people think comic characters are too dark. In reality they are plenty colorful—just peep their eyes. See? Iris my case.” That’s a high Pun Per Page Rate even for me.
ANGELES: Given your knowledge of comics, what are some of your thoughts on comics today? Especially, given how vast it’s become and how difficult it is for a call to attention.
LEONG: There are so many great books out now. FML by Kelly Sue DeConnick and David Lopez, the new Uncanny X-Men line with Gail Simone and David Marquez, Ice Cream Man from W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo. I just picked up the trade for Rare Flavors from Ram V and Felipe Andrade and can’t wait to read it.
That said, I think you’re one hundred percent right—as great as so many books are, it’s harder and harder to get the right attention for them. The comics journalism space is more decentralized than ever. Whoever can crack the problem of discoverability will win the day.
ANGELES: Finally, I ask everyone this question, what are some words of advice for someone who wants to break into comics journalism today?
LEONG: My advice would be to be specific in what you want to do. Especially if you’re launching something new. There are so many sites and channels and it’s never been easier to voice your opinion. So whatever you can do to make your take specific can only be helpful—not only in terms of standing out, but also to help you create your own voice and perspective in what you want to cover.
