Marvels follows Phil Sheldon, a young man in the beginning his life and career as a photographer. He is faced with the choice of leaving to cover WWII. Unexpectedly, he decides to stay in NYC, following a hunch that greater things are to be seen in his home town. Soon he finds himself witnessing the Torch escaping the cement prison he is entombed in. Later on, a battle engulfs the city between the Torch and Namor, the Sub-Mariner. Phil begins to see how quickly the public can turn its opinion so quickly. The books goes on as Phil is there to witness first hand the rise of the mutant menace, the attack of Galactus, and the new era of heroes.Likes - First off, the art is done by Alex Ross. If you aren't excited, read more comics!
The story was really fascinating. For once, we see the world of Marvel through the eyes of a man, an everyday man, Phil Sheldon. We see him as we see everyone else at the beginning. During the unveiling of the Torch, he falls into wonder, awe, and fear. Later on, the Torch proves himself to be a champion of justice and a creature of virtue. Soon, mutants begin coming to light. This was the best part of the story. Phil plays into the fear of mutants, the normal reaction at the time. In the same day, events both professional and personal persuade Phil to see things in a different light. Phil is us, showing us how easy it is to follow the mob and showing us the logic that we all need to follow. Following Phil is as exciting as seeing Spider-Man foil any caper. Phil grows so much, you can't help root for him.
Dislikes - I can't really point anything out that I didn't dislike. This was a solid piece of work. Overall - This was an amazing introspection into the Marvel Universe. A great read, especially for long time Marvel fans. You see first hand what life would be like living in a world of "Marvels". More so, we see Phil grow as a person. From overcoming his fear of the Marvels, to understanding the reality of mutants, to recognizing that failure even comes to a super hero. Marvels not only provides a slice of life in an amazing era, it also shows us a man becoming the person he needs to be. That is the biggest thing you can take away from reading this graphic novel.
