The Evolution of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Marvel Encyclopedia

Marvel Encyclopedia 2002-2004

I debated whether or not to include these. Ultimately the deciding factor was a number of elements now in the Handbooks appeared here.

Number of Issues: 6 (240 pages plus covers and dust jacket), of which only five were actually encyclopedias.  As such only v1-2, 4-6 covered below

Dust jacket: 2 colour images on colour backgrounds (1 front, 1 back); introductory text on flaps; only key characters depicted

Covers: Colour image with colour background spanning both sides; only key characters depicted

Formatting: Inside covers colour but blank. Credits and new art before chapters. Some Chapters introduction/history pieces, with reprinted art.  Start of main body variable. Some volumes have separate sections for separate subject categories.  For sections with entries, entries typically ranged from 1/3-page to 4 pages. Volumes 4-6 have an Appendix section.

Interior Art: Artwork is usually reprinted; I think some of the larger entries have a new main illo.  Text is always in a white background.  While this is not a hard and fast rule, generally, entries a page or more tend to have white backgrounds for the art while entries that are less than a page tend to have the colour backgrounds that the art was originally taken from.

Text Categories

In all instances where there’s a First Appearance category, a Roman numeral indicates which series it is (if unclear) and the date of the issue is given; the latter continues to present day Handbooks

Main Entries (Solo)

ENTRY NAME IN CAPS

Real Name

First Appearance

Height

Weight

Eye Color (if entry 1 page or more)

Hair Color (if entry 1 page or more)

Untitled history section

Powers/Weapons (bullet points)

Untitled power grid with:

·         Intelligence

·         Strength

·         Speed

·         Durability

·         Energy Projection

·         Fighting Skills

The Power Grid, introduced here, continues to the present day with the same categories, though here it’s a line with dots rather than its present format.

Main Entries (Groups/Teams)

ENTRY NAME IN CAPS

Membership (not all entries)

First Appearance

Untitled history section

Appendix entries

Note: No category names given in Appendix entries, just the actual data

In one row:

Entry name (bolded)

Real name if known (bolded)

First appearance (italicized)

Description/history (plain text)

Between the main entries and the Appendix, the Fantastic Four volume as two additional sections:

Alternate Earths

ENTRY NAME IN CAPS

Designation

First Appearance

Untitled history section

Alternate Earths Appendix

Note: No category names given in Appendix entries, just the actual data. Instead of being listed in order of entry name, this section is listed in order of First Appearance.

In one row:

First appearance (italicized)

Designation (bolded)

Description/history (plain text)

In the latter two sections, Designation refers to the Earth number. This was the first series to assign Earth numbers to the various realities. Of course the term is a bit of a misnomer because the Earth is only a small portion of the reality and in rare cases like the pre-Big Bang reality there isn’t even an Earth present.

The Evolution of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Master Edition

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe – Master Edition (fourth series) 1991-1993

Curiously this series claimed to be the third series again. It was actually the fourth.

Number of Issues: 36 (48 pages plus cover)

Covers: The front cover had a colour image of a key character plus headshots of the other characters, on a colour background, with contents. In #1-12 the contents were on the bottom, in #13-36 they were on the left, which non-solo entries noted in a blurb in the artwork.

There were no back covers.

Formatting: The inside front cover have either an editorial with credits (sometimes with additional entry info for those characters who needed more than two pages), an explanation of the special ability categories, or a glossary.

All entries are exactly two pages.  Loofleaf format. Unlike previous titles, where the alphabetizing spanned the entire run, each issue has its own alphabetizing.

Interior Art: For solo entries, the front side of each entry have three illos each with the character facing front, left, and back; these were all pencilled by Keith Pollard and inked by Josef Rubenstein. If there is room, some entries have reprinted illos on the back of the character in action.  For team entries, the front side have new art from other artists showing the team in action; there is rarely art in the back for those entries unless the team’s supporting cast is depicted (see below).  Some sheets show a hero in action on the front (new art). Usually but not always the back side show headshots of the character’s supporting cast (new art).

Text Categories (*=not all entries)

Roman numerals according to in universe chronology were common.

Main Entries

ENTRY NAME IN CAPS (both sides; sometimes the front side entry name different from the back side entry name)

Rest of the categories back side only, divided into sections in caps, with bars around the sections.  There were slight differences in the biographical section if the character was deceased at the time.

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

Real name

Other current aliases / Alias at time of death

Former aliases

Dual Identity

Current occupation / Occupation at time of death

Former occupation

Citizenship

Legal status

Place of birth

Place of death *(deceased characters only)

Marital status

Known relatives

Known confidents

Known allies

Major enemies

Usual base of operations / Base of operations at time of death

Former bases of operations

Current group membership / Group membership at time of death

Former group membership

Extent of education

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Height

Weight

Eyes

Hair

Other distinguishing features

POWERS AND ABILITIES

Intelligence

Strength

Flight speed*

Stamina

Durability

Agility

Reflexes

Fighting skills

Special skills and abilities

Superhuman physical powers

Superhuman mental powers

Special limitations

Source of superhuman powers

PARAPHERNALIA

Costume specifications

Personal weaponry

Special weaponry

Other accessories

Transportation

Design and manufacture of paraphernalia

BIBLIOGRAPHY

First appearance

Origin issue

Significant issues

So this series breaks things down further than most series do, separating out similar categories that are normally lumped together.  Citizenship refers to country while Legal status refers to criminal records. Education is the main new carry-over into future editions, though some of the Ability categories may have inspired the Power Grid and may in turn have been inspired by the Marvel Superheroes Role-Playing Game being published at the time.  Allies and Enemies, while interesting categories, have not proven to have longevity, probably because the History normally covers that.  This is the only volume to not have a History section as is normally perceived, though the Significant issues section covers key events with issues noted; unfortunately being the last section of the sheet and being limited to one sheet of text it tends to get cut off a lot.

Team Entries

ENTRY NAME IN CAPS (both sides; the front side usually refers to a specific line-up but that is not the case with the back sides).

Rest of the categories back side only, divided into sections in caps, with bars around the sections.  Most team entries spanned multiple issues.  The first time a team entry appears, it follows the following format:

ORGANIZATION

Purpose

Modus operandi

Extent of operations

Relationship to conventional authorities

Base of operationsFormer bases of operations

Major funding

Known enemies

Known allies

MEMBERSHIP

Number of active members

Number of reserve members

Organizational structure

Known officers

Known current members

Known former members

Known special agents

Membership requirements

Note*

HISTORY

Founders

Other leaders

Previous purpose or goals*

Major campaigns or accomplishments

Major setbacks

TECHNOLOGY AND PARAPHERNALIA

Level of technology

Transportation

Standard uniforms

Standard weaponry

Standard accessories

BIBLIOGRAPHY

First appearance

Origin issue

So far more extensive in terms of categories than any other volume’s team entries, though at the extent of a typical History entry.

Most teams have additional pages with MEMBERSHIP ROSTER data on the back. These followed the following patterns per member

CHARACTER NAME IN CAPS

Real name

Current status

Membership record

Note

For those team entries that have a supporting cast section, see In Action sheets below

IN ACTION Sheets

Some of these have equipment instead. The front side is labelled as per what was being depicted, then for the same character the back has text, usually SUPPORTING CAST for the same character.

SUPPORTING CAST entries used the following categories

CHARACTER NAME IN CAPS

Current occupation

Relationship

First appearance

The PUNISHER IN ACTION sheet has PUNISHER’S ARSENAL on the back. This is a unique occurrence but it’s likely had the series continued, these categories would have eventually reappeared.

ARSENAL NAME IN CAPS

Caliber

Action

Capacity

Weight

Note

Last Night's Sore Throat/Insomnia

Nothing earth-shaking, just something to talk about.  I've had a sore throat off and on since January 24.  Took penicillin and it seemed to be getting better, but then it got worse again. Last night there were periods were I felt paralyzed. I did get some sleep starting around 9 I think due to some alcohol I was using up but woke right up around 12.  Watched a DVD of the 1997 mini-series version of the The Shining (wow, that kid was a terrible actor!), alternating with periods of trying to sleep, and drinking water here and there.  I didn't want to have any more alcohol because it's supposed to be bad for your immune system, but I wasn't getting any sleep either. Finally, just before starting the last chapter of the mini-series I broke down and grabbed some warm water and a beer.  Shortly thereafter the main character in The Shining also succumbed to the drink. The irony was not lost on me. After a little longer I did manage to get a bit more sleep, though I woke up in a dazed state that stuck with me all day. I did get some penicillin so hopefully that will help.

The Evolution of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Update '89

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe – Update ‘89 (third series) 1989

Number of Issues: 8 (48 pages plus covers)

Covers: Front and back covers in a single image again; select characters only, facing forward; colour background.

Formatting: The inside front covers for all list the contents and credits, plus a humour cartoon. #1-14 have an editorial section called From the Doghouse in #1-3 and In the Doghouse in #4.

Non-cover pages are the main entries, all 1-4 pages. A single-entry Deceased section appears at the end of #8; the final non-cover page of #8 has the start of the Data Corrections section (this series; continues in inside back cover).

Inside back covers: Data Corrections: #1-6, Data Updates #6-7 (all for the Deluxe Edition), Data Corrections: #8 (this series); #2 also has Marvel Assistant Editor Awards for 1988 and Comics Buyer’s Guide Fan Awards for 1988 forms. #3 also has an amended Chameleon entry (instead of illos of the Chameleon, there’s a cartoon Peter Sanderson figure explaining what happened). #4 also has a discussion on the Atlanteans. #5 also has another cartoon. #8 also has a poster merging the covers of first series #1-12 with some modifications as per an actual poster sold at the time, being the art to the then-present day.

Interior Art:  Main illos: new art.  Considerable use of secondary illos including action shots, all also new art, making this the only series to be entirely composed of new art. If team members head an entry elsewhere they’re usual depicted with a headshot; if not, they are drawn full body in their ¼-page sub-entry.  Some entries had a full-page colour background, some had a colour square background, some had a white background.

Text Categories (*= not for all entries; categories only used once or twice not noted):

Once again, text in this series used cross-references, many to a non-existent but planned at the time Appendix; this was the final volume to make use of cross-references.  Roman numerals according to in universe chronology were common.

Main Entries

As per Deluxe Edition with two key exceptions: All entries now have a Known superhuman powers category (often the answer is “None”) and pre-Fantastic Four #1 characters now have both a First appearance category and a First modern appearance category, the modern covering their true first appearance and the latter covering their first post-Fantastic Four#1 appearance.  Starting here the “modern” appearances would fall more and more out of favour, probably due to a combination of more Golden Age stories being seen as in continuity and due to the 1960s becoming too far into the past to be considered modern.  Indeed, Fantastic Four#1 is now further in the past in the present than Motion Picture Funnies Weekly#1 was at the time of the first Handbook.

Main Entries (Teams/Groups)

Again, this follows a pattern similar to Deluxe. However, entries with no sub-entries are more likely to depict full body shots rather than headshots, with or without First appearance.  This is the final series to use ¼-page sub-entries.

The Three Times I Sprained My Ankle

I’ve never broken my ankle but I sprained it three times.  The first time was heading down the outside stairs (or which there are many) at what was then Malaspina College (now University of Vancouver Island) in Nanaimo.  If memory serves the food got wrapped up a fair bit but was mostly fine.

The second time was definitely the worse. At the University of Victoria I jumped down a 3-step staircase and my foot pivoted.  I had to wear a half-cast and used crutches that kept falling apart including once while crossing the street (a Good Samaritan wired the one crutch then). I sat in the area of the bus for the elderly and physically disabled but people kept bumping into my cast.

The third time was pretty minor. If memory serves I sprained it at yet another outdoor staircase across from View Towers in Victoria.  I was a little late for work (at the time I was a dishwasher for a restaurant).  Curiously one co-worker thought that a sprain wasn’t a big deal at all and though it was a given that people would do physical labour with a sprained ankle.

The Evolution of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Update '89

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe – Update ‘89 (third series) 1989

Number of Issues: 8 (48 pages plus covers)

Covers: Front and back covers in a single image again; select characters only, facing forward; colour background.

Formatting: The inside front covers for all list the contents and credits, plus a humour cartoon. #1-14 have an editorial section called From the Doghouse in #1-3 and In the Doghouse in #4.

Non-cover pages are the main entries, all 1-4 pages. A single-entry Deceased section appears at the end of #8; the final non-cover page of #8 has the start of the Data Corrections section (this series; continues in inside back cover).

Inside back covers: Data Corrections: #1-6, Data Updates #6-7 (all for the Deluxe Edition), Data Corrections: #8 (this series); #2 also has Marvel Assistant Editor Awards for 1988 and Comics Buyer’s Guide Fan Awards for 1988 forms. #3 also has an amended Chameleon entry (instead of illos of the Chameleon, there’s a cartoon Peter Sanderson figure explaining what happened). #4 also has a discussion on the Atlanteans. #5 also has another cartoon. #8 also has a poster merging the covers of first series #1-12 with some modifications as per an actual poster sold at the time, being the art to the then-present day.

Interior Art:  Main illos: new art.  Considerable use of secondary illos including action shots, all also new art, making this the only series to be entirely composed of new art. If team members head an entry elsewhere they’re usual depicted with a headshot; if not, they are drawn full body in their ¼-page sub-entry.  Some entries had a full-page colour background, some had a colour square background, some had a white background.

Text Categories (*= not for all entries; categories only used once or twice not noted):

Once again, text in this series used cross-references, many to a non-existent but planned at the time Appendix; this was the final volume to make use of cross-references.  Roman numerals according to in universe chronology were common.

Main Entries

As per Deluxe Edition with two key exceptions: All entries now have a Known superhuman powers category (often the answer is “None”) and pre-Fantastic Four #1 characters now have both a First appearance category and a First modern appearance category, the modern covering their true first appearance and the latter covering their first post-Fantastic Four#1 appearance.  Starting here the “modern” appearances would fall more and more out of favour, probably due to a combination of more Golden Age stories being seen as in continuity and due to the 1960s becoming too far into the past to be considered modern.  Indeed, Fantastic Four#1 is now further in the past in the present than Motion Picture Funnies Weekly#1 was at the time of the first Handbook.

Main Entries (Teams/Groups)

Again, this follows a pattern similar to Deluxe. However, entries with no sub-entries are more likely to depict full body shots rather than headshots, with or without First appearance.  This is the final series to use ¼-page sub-entries.

Video Rental Places in the Cowichan Valley, Ladysmith, and Saltspring Island That Are Still in Business

First off, sorry, no story today. Having a rough day including insomnia and don’t feel up to it.  Posting something I already wrote in advance instead.

A companion piece to the Victoria blog entry. For locations still pretty close to Victoria but outside the actual Greater Victoria area. Must be accessible by way of the Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System or the Salt Spring Island Transit System or be in Ladysmith.

As stores close down I’ll keep them listed for historical purposes but make a note so that you don’t go out of your way for nothing.  I don’t have sufficient information to list grocery stores that rent movies, but if I get enough information on the subject, I might add later. 

1.      Crazy Mike’s Video, 527 A 1^st Ave, Ladysmith (downtown? never visited; Google Maps street view image Aug/14 shows it gone)

2.      Crofton Movies & More, 1B 1587 Joan Ave, Crofton (downtown; near the ferry terminal; last verified in April 2013)

3.      Island Star Video Rental, 156 Fulford-Ganges Rd, Ganges, Salt Spring Island (downtown; moved briefly, then closed Mar/15)

4.      Pioneer’s Video & More, 109-2763 Beverly St, Duncan (north end; last verified June 2014)

5.      Pioneer’s Video & More, 9747 Willow St, Chemainus (downtown) (closed some time prior to April 2013)

6.      Prime Video Plus & Web Design, 155-2720 Mill Bay Rd, Mill Bay (Mill Bay Shopping Centre) [moved to Shawnigan Lake and for a time still offered children's/family and TV DVDs; now a house based business that no loner rents out movies]

7.      Valley Video, 15A-1400 Cowichan Bay Rd, Cobble Hill (Valley View Centre) (closed at this location prior to April 2013; an online search suggests it may have moved to 1490 Fisher Rd. Can anyone verify?)

Video Rental Places in Greater Victoria That Are Still in Business

With all the video stores closing down, I thought it might be helpful for Victoria residents or possible visitors to Victoria to know what’s still out there.  As stores close down I’ll keep them listed for historical purposes but make a note so that you don’t go out of your way for nothing.  I don’t have sufficient information to list grocery stores that rent movies, but if I get enough information on the subject, I might add later.  For this blog entry’s purposes, Greater Victoria is defined as any place accessible by the Greater Victoria Regional Transit System.

Standard Video Stores

1.      Crazy Mike’s Video, 108-3749 Shelbourne St, Saanich (Shelbourne Plaza) [reported closed Aug 2014]
2.   Gorge Video Station, 100-300 Gorge Rd W, Saanich (across from Gorge Centre) [last verified March 2013]

3.      Great Canadian Video Network, 1237 Esquimalt Rd, Esquimalt (west end) [closed down circa July 2012]

4.      Hollywood Video, 107-6661 Sooke Rd, Sooke (mall with Village Food Markets) [I've since learned that this closed Feb. 29 2012]

5.      Island Video, 3388 Douglas St. (across from Uptown Shopping Centre) [according to their website, last checked Aug 2014, they currently only rent out Indian movies]

6.      Oak Bay Video, 115-2187 Oak Bay Ave, Oak Bay (Athlone Court) [closed circa Nov 2014]

7.      Oswego Video, 300 Beckley Ave. Victoria (southeast of James Bay Square) [last verified Dec 25 2013]

8.      Pic a Flic Video, 328 Cook St, Victoria (Cook St Village) [last verified Aug 2014 - blog post on website]

9.      Prime Time Video, 3-230 Menzies St, Victoria (James Bay Square) [closed down circa July 2012]

10.   Rogers, 3-2631 Quadra St, Victoria (Quadra Village) [Rogers is no longer in the video rental business as of May 2012; even as a wireless store, this location shut down completely circa March 2013]

11.  Sooke Video to Go, 1140-6660 Sooke Rd, Sooke (Evergreen Plaza) [closed circa Nov 2014]

12.  2 Thumbs Up Video, 778 Goldstream Ave, Victoria (Goldstream Village) [last verified Nov/Dec 2014]

13.  Video Express 301-9810 Seventh St, Sidney (Mariner Village Mall) [reported closed June 15, 2013]

14.  Yo Video, 107-2000 Cadboro Bay Rd, Oak Bay (Oak Bay Gate) [reported closed at end of July 2014, confirmed Aug 2014]

Video/Music Stores

1.      Audio Video Replay, 620 Johnson St, Victoria (downtown) [last verified Jan 2015]

2.      Lyle’s Place, 770 Yates St, Victoria (downtown) [last verified cDec 2014]

Adult Video Stores (usually sell other items)

1.      Love Den Romantic Accessories, 121-735 Goldstream Ave, Langford (Goldstream Village) [never visited but had website up Feb 2015]

2.      Red Hot Video, 1819 Douglas St, Victoria (north of downtown; unverified but appears open from outside) [closed some time prior to September 2012].