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ksull95's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
gummyworm's review against another edition
Chapters, whilst lighthearted and fun, are pretty much stand alone and combining them in one volume doesn’t really entice the reader to continue reading to find out what’s next.
billyjepma's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I've been reading this off and on over the last few months, usually in bed, because trying to read Stan Lee's writing honestly helped my brain want to go to sleep, which sounds harsh and isn't entirely meant to be. Yes, Lee's dialogue is extremely wacky and feels frivolous and dense. It's definitely a sign of the times these comics originally came out, so there's plenty of charm in viewing it as a look into the past. But it isn't easy to enjoy as a narrative experience. As much as I liked the overall scale of the conflict Lee gradually develops, it's a chore to get to the good stuff amidst the stream-of-consciousness dialogue and repetitive action scenes.
On a strictly visual level, this is a terrific book of artistic and comic history. I've always known how talented Steve Ditko is, but this is my first genuine foray into his work, and I was even more impressed than I expected. He takes those repetitive action scenes (i.e., Lee uses the same structure for every fight the title character is in) and turns them into dynamic, vibrant sequences where beams of color blast across panels. They're a treat to look at, even (especially?) while skimming the dialogue. Ditko's visual pacing is so strong that you could arguably read the comic without any dialogue and still get the gist of what's happening. And then there are his illustrations of multiversal realms and otherworldly dimensions, which all look like remixes of Kandinsky's paintings. These comics wouldn't have any staying power without Ditko, I don't think, and he deserves to be held in even higher regard than he already is.
On a strictly visual level, this is a terrific book of artistic and comic history. I've always known how talented Steve Ditko is, but this is my first genuine foray into his work, and I was even more impressed than I expected. He takes those repetitive action scenes (i.e., Lee uses the same structure for every fight the title character is in) and turns them into dynamic, vibrant sequences where beams of color blast across panels. They're a treat to look at, even (especially?) while skimming the dialogue. Ditko's visual pacing is so strong that you could arguably read the comic without any dialogue and still get the gist of what's happening. And then there are his illustrations of multiversal realms and otherworldly dimensions, which all look like remixes of Kandinsky's paintings. These comics wouldn't have any staying power without Ditko, I don't think, and he deserves to be held in even higher regard than he already is.
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