Product Description

Hot on the heels of our incredibly successful "The Marvel Vault" comes this companion volume detailing the history of DC Comics - Marvel's biggest rival, and home to Superman and Batman. "The DC Vault" is exactly like our bestselling "Marvel Vault", this time focusing on the history of Marvel's biggest rival DC Comics, the home of some of the world's best-known comic book characters, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Sandman. This treasure trove of comic book history tells the story of DC over the decades. It contains hundreds of images, from the very first comic to current sketches to copies of writers' and artists' works-in-progress.Doodles, photos, and pencil drawings are all here, allowing the reader to experience the genesis of some of the greatest super heroes ever. But far more than simply a history book, this is an interactive scrapbook with over 30 removable archival reproductions and collectible memorabilia that readers can pull out of plastic sleeves. New Batman movie, "The Dark Knight", starring Heath Ledger and Christian Bale is due for release on 24th July 2008.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36212 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Review
'Remember last year's glorious Marvel Vault? Here's the equally nostalgic counterpart for the house of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman - 192 pages of rarities, oddities and archive treasures, including your very own reproduction Junior Justice Society of America codebreaker wheel from 1942.'
--SFX, December

Customer Reviews

I love these Vault Books
As a kid I used to collect DC Comics and I have many a fond memory of rushing to the newsagents to get the new editions as and when they were available. Superman, Superboy and Adventure with the Legion of Superheroes were firm favourites. I would read and swap the comics and in reading the comics I would be in my own world for the time it took me to read the comics. Real bliss.

Reading the Vault bought all those happy memories back to me. The UK didn't get American comics imported on a regular basis until the early 1960s and they were hard to find for years. The Vault covers the period from inception of More Fun Comics and Action and I on reading the Vault I came across so many things I didn't know or saw replica items which were never available in the UK.

The Vault really is a treasure trove and you won't or any reader of DC comics won't be disappointed in the origins, drawings, replica freebies etc. Buy it you will like it.

Packed full of memories.
From the 60's to the 80's I had collected many thousands of American comics, mainly Marvel but I had a pretty decent collection of DC comics, several of which are featured in this superb collection.
It features the history of DC comics from the 1930's up to the 1990's with heavier emphasis on the earlier formative years. Unlike Marvel which was largely set in familiar surroundings DC based many of its favourite characters in imaginary settings, Batman worked well in Gotham City, Superman in Metropolis and Flash in Central City did not work as well. They also suffered from their being set in different worlds with 2 of their main groups the JLA and JSA set in different universes; a fact that DC recognised and which led to the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline.
Several of my favourites are here including oddballs like The Inferior Five, Doctor Fate, Metal Men and Solomon Grundy.
That said this collection, like the Marvel vault, is full of great freebies posters, cards, reproductions of original art and a Wonder Woman bookmark, all of which should stay in their respective pouches. Being housed in a spiral folder it is best stored flat to minimise any risk of damage.
This is collection that will be appreciated by most comic fans and features work by such greats as Bob Kane, Shuster and Siegel, Jack Kirby, Carmine Infantino, George Perez and many others.
Although my interest was mainly Marvel comics I can not help but admire the work Martin Pasko has put into this splendid volume. If it had been me I'd still be "researching" catching up on old Batman, Hawkman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow tales.

Fun and informative
It was great to look back and trace the development of my comic book heroes. It was particularly interesting to see what went on behind the scenes and the characters involved.