The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe

Publication

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Grover Center: Museum & Historical Society

Name/Title

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe

Secondary Title

Book of the Dead Deluxe Edition

Description

A paperback comic book style booklet. The front cover is multicolored and features an illustration of various Marvel Comics superheroes and villains, including James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes. The illustrated figures appear to be rising from the grassy green earth of a cemetery. Several white stone tombstones and several black cross-shaped tombstones are visible. A long, thin, winding tree branch stretches across the foreground of the illustration, crossing in front of several characters. A tall white fence lines the horizon in the background of the image, separating the green grass from the blue sky. In large yellow type, the cover reads: THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE / MARVEL / UNIVERSE / BOOK OF THE DEAD DELUXE EDITION. The type for MARVEL / UNIVERSE is bordered in yellow and filled with a galactic-looking pattern of black speckled by small white stars. The cover wraps around and continues on the back, with more illustrated characters rising from the earth. A tombstone in the foreground of the back cover reads in black type: AIR-WALKER TO / DEATH-STALKER.

Context

This encyclopedic guidebook confirms James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes's hometown as Shelbyville, IN. Until the 2018 release of the comic book series "The Winter Soldier," this handbook was the only official source of Bucky's birthplace. The original edition of this handbook was printed in 1985. This copy, the deluxe edition, was published in 1987.

Collection

Alyssa Flory

Acquisition

Accession

2025.008

Source or Donor

Alyssa Flory

Acquisition Method

Collected by Staff

Publication Details

Publication Type

Booklet

Editor

Mark Eugene Gruenwald

Illustrator

Keith Pollard, Josef Rubinstein

Volume/Number/Issue

Vol. 2, No. 16

Publisher

Marvel Comics

Place Published

City

New York City

State/Province

New York

Region

Northeast

Continent

North America

Country

United States of America

Date Published

Jun 16, 1987

Time Period

20th Century

Date Printed

Jun 1987

Publication Language

English

Publication Subjects

Marvel Comics Superheroes

Notes

Cover artists listed only.

Create Date

March 6, 2025

Update Date

March 6, 2025