Liam Hoofe reviews Marvel Studios: The First 10 Years…
In the last 10 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has established itself as the biggest Hollywood franchise of the 21st century. The release of MCU movies has become a massive event in and of itself, and the characters have established themselves as lynchpins of 21st-century popular culture. Marvel has changed the cinematic landscape, and has done so, for the large part, without the slightest hint of any real competition.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the birth of the MCU, Titan books has released Marvel Studios: The First 10 Years, which is a comprehensive look at Marvel’s decade long journey up until today.
The book features comprehensive coverage of every MCU film from their most recent outing, Ant-Man and The Wasp, all the way back to Iron Man in 2008, only omitting Spider-Man: Homecoming, presumably due to the slightly muddled agreement with Sony.
Each chapter of the book documents a movie and features a full synopsis of the film, an interview with a prominent member of the cast or crew, and a selection of Easter Eggs from the movie, some of which confirm some popular fan theories.
A large part of Marvel’s success has been the collaboration and the passion that emanates from everyone working on the projects. Throughout the book, cast and crew members speak at great length about their desires to do characters justice on screen and all of them recognise the historical significance of the MCU and the impact that it has gone on to have.
While some cynics may argue that the book is not exactly a warts and all take on the Marvel story, in fairness to Marvel, outside of a few directorial changes, their journey over the last ten years has been incredibly smooth, especially when it’s put in comparison with other studios’ attempts at shared universes, and that is largely reflected through the interviews that appear in the book. The cast members and directors talk fondly of their time working with the studio and speak incredibly highly of one another as well.
The book features a fairly wide range of photos, which are largely made up of stills and the occasional behind the scenes shot. One thing that is perhaps slightly missing from the book is some insight into how and where the films were made. A little box at the side of the page would have sufficed, and a picture of some original artwork as well may have helped make the book even more informative. These are only minor niggles though, and on the whole, the book does an excellent job at covering exactly the kinds of things most fans will be looking for.
One thing that is perhaps missing from the book is a look at the fanbase and the wide-ranging influence the MCU has had. One of the biggest reasons for the success of the MCU has been its incredibly passionate and dedicated fanbase, and a quick look at that would have really rounded this book off perfectly.
While it may not necessarily provide any new insight into the MCU, Marvel Studios: The First 10 Years is an excellent resource for Marvel fans and a great way to mark the studio’s 10th anniversary. It’s a fitting celebration of all the joy and wonder the MCU has brought to us over the last decade and is a fine testament to all of the hard work that has gone into making Marvel the mega force it is today.
Rating: 9/10
Liam Hoofe
