$6.95
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition (Marvel Comics, 1985–1988)
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition is the definitive reference guide to Marvel Comics continuity, created to catalog the vast and ever-expanding Marvel Universe in meticulous detail. Rather than telling traditional stories, this series functions as an in-universe encyclopedia, offering authoritative profiles on heroes, villains, teams, locations, technology, and cosmic entities.
Each entry features detailed biographies, power explanations, first appearances, and statistical breakdowns, accompanied by clean, technical illustrations designed specifically for the handbook format. The Deluxe Edition expanded significantly on the original handbook concept, updating characters to mid-1980s continuity and introducing hundreds of new entries that reflected Marvel’s evolving universe.
Compiled by Mark Gruenwald and illustrated by an all-star roster of Marvel artists, the series became an essential resource for fans, collectors, and creators alike. Its influence is still felt today, as it helped standardize Marvel lore and establish a shared reference framework that later encyclopedias and databases would build upon.
Published by Marvel Comics
Format: Ongoing reference series
Issues: #1–15
Years: 1985–1988
