Bring back the Handbook

[CaptCleghorn]

Good point. However, wikias are fan edited.

Based on the frequency of changes and number of characters, I can't see a printed "official" version being all that much more useful. I've recommended this for DC and a heroic timeline, but that is a much smaller task. This for either company now is currently too big to do well enough for most of us. And there are a few of us who could and would find a problem with anything.

[Coin Biter]

Updated Handbooks for me too!

But I want more like the originals where they describe in detail about powers, how high, how fast, etc.

The newer power grids were ok, but everyone seems to mostly be at the same level. The original handbooks gave more exact numbers so you could tell who was stronger than whom, etc.

Those with mental powers also need better and clearer entries with more details as to what they can do. This is another group that can seem like one character is identical to another.

Speaking as an old RPG-playing geezer from the 80s, the Advanced Marvel Super Hero FASERIP system was pretty good for detailed breakdowns and comparisons. They even provided Gamer's Handbooks.

[Phoenixx9]

Speaking as an old RPG-playing geezer from the 80s, the Advanced Marvel Super Hero FASERIP system was pretty good for detailed breakdowns and comparisons. They even provided Gamer's Handbooks.

Oh yeah! This is an old Favorite!!

But today, 30+ years later, those scores are so outdated. Stats, powers, abilities, costumes all need updates. And so many new characters need to be added. Some of the previously listed characters had "wrong" stats (Yes, by my standing ), which seemed to get carried over from one publication to the next.

But, I totally agree with how great those books were and the Marvelous comparisons that could be made between characters.

[kilderkin]

I would be happy if there was a solid official online bio with good power ratings not the very broad power grid

Good details of races, areas, artifacts, dimensions and so on

The current wiki are ok but better power levelling would be nice

And a detaild time line of events, epochs, appearances etc

[Sutekh]

Love the handbooks!

Honestly, I'd be thrilled to know something like that existed *in-house* for the writers to consult, if nothing else, to reduce the amount of foolish inconsistencies. (Not just deliberate retcons, but just brain-farts, like Remender having no idea that Captain America's shield absorbed impact, or various writers having no idea what Wanda's powers were, post Children's Crusade.) Marvel could greatly benefit from some sort of 'story bible' or 'character bibles' for new writers to consult (and an editorial department that made sure that such consultation actually happened, and lazy writers didn't just decide to wing it and end up depicting random crap, like Alpha Flight's Shaman being able to fly in a Rom: Spaceknight crossover...)

But yeah, I loved those old Handbooks. I even collected the DC Who's Who handbooks, although they were far less detailed.

Even if a big master handbook series for the whole universe wasn't collected, I wouldn't mind smaller, perhaps even single issue, handbooks for particular series. Starting a new Heroes for Hire series? Sell along with the 1st issue a one-book handbook of the relevant characters and their backstories.

New Avengers series starring some people who haven't been seen for awhile (like Living Lightning) or who have been through a bunch of changes in recent years (like Sunspot)? One issue of a handbook for that new launch might help deal with backstory that won't have time to be mentioned organically in the story (like why 'Lightning' dropped the 'Living' from his name, or why Sunspot is wearing a regulator headband) and that less-than-fanatical readers might not know.

That might be a neat way to split the difference, although I'd be just as much a fan of a larger line-wide handbook series, since the original handbook was a great way to be introduced to characters that I might otherwise not have known about.

[kilderkin]

Love the handbooks!

Honestly, I'd be thrilled to know something like that existed *in-house* for the writers to consult, if nothing else, to reduce the amount of foolish inconsistencies. (Not just deliberate retcons, but just brain-farts, like Remender having no idea that Captain America's shield absorbed impact, or various writers having no idea what Wanda's powers were, post Children's Crusade.) Marvel could greatly benefit from some sort of 'story bible' or 'character bibles' for new writers to consult (and an editorial department that made sure that such consultation actually happened, and lazy writers didn't just decide to wing it and end up depicting random crap, like Alpha Flight's Shaman being able to fly in a Rom: Spaceknight crossover...)

But yeah, I loved those old Handbooks. I even collected the DC Who's Who handbooks, although they were far less detailed.

Even if a big master handbook series for the whole universe wasn't collected, I wouldn't mind smaller, perhaps even single issue, handbooks for particular series. Starting a new Heroes for Hire series? Sell along with the 1st issue a one-book handbook of the relevant characters and their backstories.

New Avengers series starring some people who haven't been seen for awhile (like Living Lightning) or who have been through a bunch of changes in recent years (like Sunspot)? One issue of a handbook for that new launch might help deal with backstory that won't have time to be mentioned organically in the story (like why 'Lightning' dropped the 'Living' from his name, or why Sunspot is wearing a regulator headband) and that less-than-fanatical readers might not know.

That might be a neat way to split the difference, although I'd be just as much a fan of a larger line-wide handbook series, since the original handbook was a great way to be introduced to characters that I might otherwise not have known about.

Imo the writers or editors don't seem too clear on some key points at times

Or maybe don't care or just miss them

But that's just my perspective

[CaptCleghorn]

Imo the writers or editors don't seem too clear on some key points at times

Or maybe don't care or just miss them

But that's just my perspective

In Marvel's defense, the sandbox they now play in much, much bigger than it was back in the eighties. That original handbook had characters missing and the followups even more so.

[Lee Stone]

I remember when reading Annihilation, the Nova Corps Files came in very handy with refreshing my memory of characters, the less prominent parts of the storyline, itself, and the history of Marvel's cosmic corner.

Yes, it would be outdated in a few years, but hey, so are many stories and 'events' that don't even matter anymore.

How many times have DC and Marvel had an 'event' that would be so important that everyone's waiting with held breath, only to have the 'event' later being moot.
Did that make the comics any less enjoyable when they were released?

The Handbooks aren't meant to be carved in stone, with the characters never changing.
They're time capsules. A snapshot of the universe at this specific moment in time. A celebration of the rich tapestry of the shared continuity.
They help to clarify what has happened, and help both writers and readers understand a character's past.
They reduce the chances of inconsistencies, especially with origins, family and details that don't normally change.

And they give fans of that specific period something to hold onto, like a high school yearbook.

I've seen online versions that were just terrible.
Official ones incomplete and years out of date, unofficial ones biased towards a character or creator or poorly admin'd.

[MichaelC]

The Handbooks are just obsolete in the era of wikipedia.

[Thor-Ul]

The Handbooks are just obsolete in the era of wikipedia.

That was my first thought to. But still, it is nice to have that book, sometimes.

[WebLurker]

I remember when reading Annihilation, the Nova Corps Files came in very handy with refreshing my memory of characters, the less prominent parts of the storyline, itself, and the history of Marvel's cosmic corner.

Yes, it would be outdated in a few years, but hey, so are many stories and 'events' that don't even matter anymore.

How many times have DC and Marvel had an 'event' that would be so important that everyone's waiting with held breath, only to have the 'event' later being moot.
Did that make the comics any less enjoyable when they were released?

The Handbooks aren't meant to be carved in stone, with the characters never changing.
They're time capsules. A snapshot of the universe at this specific moment in time. A celebration of the rich tapestry of the shared continuity.
They help to clarify what has happened, and help both writers and readers understand a character's past.
They reduce the chances of inconsistencies, especially with origins, family and details that don't normally change.

And they give fans of that specific period something to hold onto, like a high school yearbook.

I've seen online versions that were just terrible.
Official ones incomplete and years out of date, unofficial ones biased towards a character or creator or poorly admin'd.

I don't know about stories going out of date; you can still pick it up today and get something out of it.

[Tony Stark]

I use to love it when they made the Iron Manuals. The detailing was amazing. They broke everything down.

[fin5]

Make them Similar to the 80 handbook and not the new ones from the 00

[leokearon]

Given the access to the Internet, Handbooks are pretty much a dying artform. On the other hand DK keep releasing Character Encyclopedias so there is still a market

[XPac]

I personally miss them.

After all this time I'm still not 100% sure how strong Jessica Jones is. Class 20 strength? Class 40? Hard to tell sometimes.

I'm a sucker for wanting to know stuff like that. 80's handbooks in particular were great.