Thank you to Abrams Books for sending a copy of The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book in exchange for an honest review.
As advertised by the title, The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book from Abrams Books features 37 portraits of Marvel Comics super villains by Alex Ross. However, the book becomes something more thanks to Ross’s addition of a few paragraphs of insightful commentary on the back of each poster. Ultimately, The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book is a package for a mobile museum exhibit on the living legend comic book artist.
Alex Ross
Even if you don’t immediately recognize the name “Alex Ross,” you have probably seen some of his artwork. He has depicted super heroes (and super villains) for both Marvel and DC. And he’s also painted portraits of many other iconic pop culture characters. If you visit San Diego Comic-Con, it’s impossible to miss his rather large booth. It resembles a chic art gallery dropped into the center of the convention floor.
But it’s no wonder his reputation continues to grow. His incredibly detailed and realistic style renders even the most familiar funny book characters immediately arresting.
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The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book is a sequel to The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Poster Book. In both cases, the basic genesis of the project was the same. For the first, Ross set out to make a mural of Marvel Comics heroes. And for this book, Ross set out to make a mural of Marvel Comics super villains.
The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book
The first thing you are likely to notice about The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book is its size. At just a little larger than 11″ x 16″, this is a big book. Obviously, this is necessary in order to contain the posters within. Opening it, you’ll see a sturdier exterior cover firmly affixed to a softer interior cover. This binding that allows for a reduction of the risk of tears should once opt for the removal of the posters.
Each page of the book features a portrait of one of the thirty-seven super villains. On the back of each of these portraits are written reflections by Ross. And, included in the back of the book is a fold-out four-page gatefold poster featuring all the villains in the assembled mural.
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First, the large size of the book allows each of these portraits to be presented in a size suitable for framing. However, it also allows for the incredible detail of Ross’s art to be thoroughly showcased. And when you’re used to seeing his art on a comic cover a quarter of the size, this makes a significant difference.
There are thirty-seven super villains depicted in the book. These are arranged in the order that they were placed in Ross’ mural. Some of them are too big to fully appear on the page. These include Galactus. According to the introduction, Ross scaled Galactus according to his normal figure size of “twenty-seven- to twenty-nine inches tall.” This means that the full-size Galactus head was over five feet in height.
Cruel to be Kind
Insightful details are included throughout the book thanks to the commentary by Ross. He also shares his thoughts on his personal relationship with the individual villains. Furthermore, he has reflections on their creative origins, designs and development. In some cases, this involves referencing individual artists. Maybe my favorite revelation comes from his anecdote about meeting John Romita Sr. Ross swiftly realized that Kingpin of Crime Wilson Fisk possessed facial features that closely reflected those of his original creator. This realization in turn informed Ross’ portrait of Kingpin.
Perhaps one of the best parts of The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book is the fact that it is poised to serve as a catalyst for conversation. To offer a selection of thirty-seven out of the hundreds (or maybe thousands) of possible Marvel Comics super villains is to invite adjudication. In his introduction, Ross admits this fact. “All of my choices can be debated,” he writes. “And in this kind of situation, I’m guaranteed to let somebody down.”
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Ross even gets the discussion started by revealing a villain he regrets omitting: Kraven the Hunter. Personally, I enjoy the characters whose appearances stretch credulity. That’s because they make for compelling studies in Ross’s realistic aesthetic. Among those included in this book, M.O.D.O.K. is a great example. Most of the super villains in the book stand amid a blank background. However, M.O.D.O.K.’s enormous visage fills and overflows the 11″ x 16″ field. For this reason, I would have also relished seeing Kraven appear in this collection. Just how on Earth does his lion vest work, anyway?
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It is clear from his commentary that Ross knows the Marvel Comics multiverse inside and out. Furthermore, he has spent a very long time thinking about the characters who live there. This book reveals that the detail of his art emerges from this deep familiarity.
Are you looking for Marvelous decorations for a dorm room or a personal workspace? Then The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book is an ideal choice for those who prefer antagonists over heroes. However, this book is also just an interesting exhibition of Ross’ art and his thoughts on Marvel’s bad guys.
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Further, this book leaves my curiosity piqued regarding the original Marvel Comics poster book. Further still, I’m hoping that Ross will release a third volume featuring posters and thoughts on Marvel’s most morally ambiguous characters. But I’m already dreaming of Agatha Harkness, Gwenpool and Jeff the Land Shark in his distinctive realistic style.
The Alex Ross Marvel Comics Super Villains Poster Book is available at a local bookstore now.
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