EDICOLA NEWS: THE REVIEWS nr. 132
stickers: 192 (1-192) + 50 cards (C1-C50)
starter pack: € 4.90 album + 3 packets
packets: € 1.00 (4 stickers + 1 card)
It’s always time for Heroes! After the unsuccessful Marvel Superheroes a few years ago, Panini tries again and this time hits the target. The new album on the Marvel universe is well done, traces the publishing history since the 40s and decade after decade reaches the present day.
Captions certainly made by Marvel Italia staff, tell us about the evolution of the characters and the birth of new heroes. Authors are also given due credit and are remembered too. It is also very interesting to give space to comics that have not passed the test of time with others who have drawn their strength from time. Each decade has its own characteristics, the 40s and 50s feature western, war and love comics that have gradually disappeared. The splendid stories of the Invaders (Captain America, Human Torch, Namor, etc.) set during the Second World War and the horror stories that in Italy were within the Eureka Pocket series of the legendary Editoriale Corno.
The first 39 stickers of 192 total are dedicated to this period, good Panini not to forget them to go directly to the birth of the Marvel Universe with Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and all the others. The years in which Marvel made the leap in quality by telling comics in a new way, the concept of “great heroes with big problems” became a global success.
Marvel’s merit is not to sit on our laurels but to continue to churn out great characters, in the 70s the mutant era arrives with the X-Men and Wolverine but also Ghost Rider and Dracula; alongside shocking stories that made it clear where Stan Lee and associates wanted to go, the death of Gwen Stacy still shakes today! The 80s are an expression of the most urban comics, it is the golden period of Daredevil but also the arrival of icons such as Punisher and Venom. The following decade is that of the great sagas, in these years the character Deadpool is born. The new millennium sees Marvel take on new paths by creating alternative universes such as Ultimate and 2099, up to the present day with the explosion of the Marvel Cinema Universe.
Beautiful page that bears the name “The world outside the window”, the Marvel Universe to remember some moments of history (11 September, Holocaust, etc.) and raise awareness on uncommon issues in comics such as AIDS, drugs, homosexuality, etc. .
The album closes with a short unpublished story in stickers with Captain America. In general the stickers are of good quality even if they are rather light, the specials are beautiful as always. Special mention for the 50 cards, a successful extra with the 50 most important Marvel comics, really beautiful close-ups!
The copy of the album in our possession has poor quality paper that creates undulations on all pages, we hope it is just a defective copy. It would be really sensational if, in the face of an excellent album, an economic way had been chosen for printing ..
Speaking of editorial choices, there is NO hardcover version or better, it does not exist in Italy, because in other countries it is found, especially in Brazil where for years the production has been more refined and of quality than the Italian one.
Why was the limited edition not made? The answer is simple, go to the Panini site and you will still find the limited Batman and Donald Duck, released almost a year ago. Poor sales. After having canceled the low cost hardcover, now goodbye to the luxury version too.
Wouldn’t it have been better since last year to give up the luxury and just make a simpler version and print it in a few thousand copies? Maybe on demand, as is already done with the Calciatori hardcover.
It is a serious detail, it indicates a scarce consideration to that part of collectors who, although they are perhaps few compared to the total, for decades, with their passion and their presence, have contributed to bringing the success of sticker albums to newsstands, streets, in schools and on meeting and work places.
Sorry Panini, but really the disappointment is great
(EN)