DK books invited The Marvel Report to review one of its Marvel publications, Marvel Studios 101: All your Questions Answered. It also invited us to interview Adam Bray, the author of Marvel Studios 101: All Your Questions Answered, and the forthcoming Marvel Studios: The Visual Dictionary. We’re here to tell you that these are books that are a must for any Marvel fan.
DK, or Dorling Kindersley publishing got it’s start in 1974. Beginning with travel guides, they’ve expanded to include illustrated reference books on everything from cooking to gardening, natural history to crafting, and parenting to science. With an imprint for both adults and kids, they’re a publishing company that’s helped adults learn for years as well as helped teach kids about the world around them.
The greatest thing about DK books is that in addition to helping people learn, they like to make learning fun. They have a massive library of Star Wars related books from multiple movies and they’ve begun branching out into the Marvel Universe with their first book Marvel Studios 101: All your questions answered.
What is Marvel Studios 101?
Author Adam Bray began his career writing travel guides which entails a lot of research – and condensing it into easy to understand forms for travelers new to the region. DK books excels at this and their Marvel book is no different. Marvel Studios 101: All Your Questions Answered is a good primer for people who may not be familiar with the way the movies are structured or who the main players in the franchise are.
The book breaks all that down and more including offering a bare bones basic guide to just who (and what) the Avengers are, their villains, their allies, and their antagonists. Breaking down the book’s sections into easy to digest forms, just like you would for travelers, requires condensing a lot of information. Beginning with a break down of who the avengers are and why they’re fighting, the book jumps all the way to Avengers: Infinity War.
Including suggested “viewing orders”, detailed character breakdowns, plot summaries, and more, it’s a great introduction to the first 10 years of the MCU – and a perfect prep for those who want to get caught up before watching Avengers: Endgame.
Adam Bray writes in a forward and concise style that makes it easy for both adults and kids to digest. From those simple explanations to the path to the MCU, he’s got all your bases covered in the book making it a good guide for fans, and essential for newcomers to the MCU.
What are some highlights of the book?
The Marvel Report: Tell us about the path to the MCU?
Adam Bray: While a number of people have created “how to watch the MCU” pathways, this is one that was curated and approved by DK books with the blessing of Marvel. Any fan can guide another fan through the first 10 years of the MCU, but this is an officially sanctioned path with the blessing of Marvel and DK – the publishers responsible for educating kids and adults for years.
Are there simple explanations for each character?
No, fans who aren’t familiar with the MCU haven’t been living under a rock. People do miss movies and this book is a good introduction to a number of popular characters. Simple explanations like the ones offered are also good for kids. If you’re ready to introduce preteens and children to the Marvel Cinematic Universe this is the book for you.
Are there any downsides?
Is the book too simple for fans to understand?
Marvel Studios 101: All your questions answered is a bare bones answer to the MCU. That might be a turn off to old hats at the MCU at large. Instead of looking at the glass half empty, consider that this might be the perfect way to introduce friends, family, and kids in your life to your massive MCU collection.
Does it have everything any fan, expert or beginner might need?
It’s incredibly detailed and carries fans all the way through Black Panther to Avengers: Infinity War. It doesn’t carry people past that however, or provide any information about Avengers: Infinity War itself.
Thankfully DK books has the Marvel Studios Visual Guide coming soon to readers everywhere. The book will be available September 25th, 2018. The Marvel Studios Visual Guide will bring Bray’s same concise explanations to everything about the Marvel Cinematic Universe including unique never before seen information.
The book will feature beautiful illustrations much like the ones featured in Marvel Studios 101: All your questions answered. Both Bray and DK books have promised surprises for die-hard Marvel fans. The two books could be purchased seperately, but they make sense as a set. Marvel Studios 101: All your questions answered is the beginning of a series. It’s DK’s first foray into the MCU at large and both books make up an excellent introduction to a beloved series of films.