Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2)

    (Marvel, 1985-1988)
Marvel

Following up the huge first edition of Marvel Universe was an incredible undertaking. Nevertheless, this second “deluxe” edition somehow manages the task. In doing so, it gives readers a much-needed update on the ever-changing world of Marvel.

The twenty giant-sized issues of this series form perhaps the most detailed encyclopedia of Marvel characters. Fifteen of the issues are dedicated to covering characters from the Abomination to Zzzax. Five others cover dead and inactive characters. For each, the handbook lists their true identity, first appearance, origin, strength level, history, and more. A hefty addenda also includes corrections from the first edition.
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  NotesWriterArtist
#1

December, 1985
Cover Price: $1.50
15 copies available from $0.49
Mark Gruenwald, Peter SandersonJohn Byrne, Ron Wilson, Dave Cockrum, Don Drake, Mark Gruenwald, John Buscema, Steve Leialoha, Kerry Gammill, Jerry Ordway, Mike Harris, Bob Budiansky, Paul Smith, Steve Ditko, Walt Simonson, Rich Buckler, Carl Potts, Eliot Brown, Mike Zeck, Paul Neary
#2

January, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
10 copies available from $0.45
Mark Gruenwald, Peter SandersonKerry Gammill, John Byrne, Ron Frenz, Walt Simonson, Dave Cockrum, Howard Bender, Bret Blevins, Bob Layton, Mike Gustovich, Al Milgrom, Keith Pollard, Mark Beachum, Russ Steffens, Frank Miller, Bob Budiansky, Steve Leialoha, Mike Mignola, William-Messner Loebs, Carl Potts, Mary Wilshire, Paul Smith, Bill Sienkiewicz, Mike Zeck, Eliot Brown, Paul Neary, John Romita Jr., Richard Howell, Steve Ditko, Mark D. Bright
#3 (Wraparound cover by John Byrne)

February, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
13 copies available from $2.50
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldRick Leonardi, Craig Hamilton, Ron Frenz, Rudy Nebres, Dave Cockrum, Tom Lyle, Alan Weiss, Al Milgrom, Dave Gibbons, James W. Fry III, Rich Buckler, Bob Layton, Kerry Gammill, Bob Hall, John Byrne, Sal Buscema, Jackson “Butch” Guice, Mary Wilshire, John Romita Sr., David Mazzucchelli, Cynthia Martin, Mike Zeck, Paul Neary, Mark Gruenwald, Dave Simons, Paul Smith, Tom Christopher, Eliot Brown, Nestor Redondo, John Romita Jr.
#4

March, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
10 copies available from $0.45
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldAl Milgrom, Art Nichols, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bob Budiansky, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave Cockrum, Dave Gibbons, Eliot Brown, Frank Miller, Howard Chaykin, Jerry Ordway, Jim Steranko, John Byrne, John Romita Jr., June Brigman, Kerry Gammill, Larry Lieber, Mark D. Bright, Mary Wilshire, Mike Mignola, Mike Zeck, Paul Neary, Paul Smith, Rick Leonardi, Ron Frenz, Russ Stefans, Sal Buscema, Steve Ditko, Steve Leialoha, Trevor Von Eeden, Trina Robbins, Val Mayerik, Walt Simonson
#5

April, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
12 copies available from $0.75
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldAl Milgrom, Bob Hall, Bob Layton, Brent Anderson, Carl Potts, Curt Swan, Dave Gibbons, Dwayne Turner, Eliot Brown, Howard Bender, Jack Abel, Jackson “Butch” Guice, Jim Fern, John Buscema, John Byrne, June Brigman, Ken Steacy, Kerry Gammill, Kyle Baker, Larry Lieber, Mark Badger, Mark Gruenwald, Mary Wilshire, Paul Smith, Rich Buckler, Richard Howell, Ron Frenz, Rudy Nebres, Sandy Plunkett, Tom Palmer, Trevor Von Eeden, Trina Robbins, Walt Simonson
#6 (Wraparound cover by John Byrne)

May, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
10 copies available from $0.80
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldBob Budiansky, Brett Breeding, Dave Cockrum, Don Perlin, Eliot Brown, Jackson “Butch” Guice, James W. Fry III, Jim Starlin, John Byrne, John Romita Sr., John Romita Jr., June Brigman, Keith Pollard, Kerry Gammill, Kevin Maguire, Mark D. Bright, Mike Zeck, Richard Howell, Ron Wilson, Sandy Plunkett, Steve Ditko, Steve Leialoha, Val Mayerik, Walt Simonson
#7

June, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
10 copies available from $0.60
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldArmando Gil, Arthur Adams, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bob Budiansky, Cynthia Martin, Dave Cockrum, David Mazzucchelli, Eliot Brown, Howard Bender, Joe Kubert, John Byrne, John Romita Sr., John Romita Jr., Jon Bogdanove, June Brigman, Ken Steacy, Kerry Gammill, Kevin Maguire, Marie Severin, Mark Beachum, Mark Gruenwald, Mark Richards, Mary Wilshire, Mike Zeck, Paul Becton, Paul Neary, Paul Ryan, Paul Smith, Ron Frenz, Rudy Nebres, Sal Buscema, Sandy Plunkett, Steve Ditko, Vince Argondezzi, Walt Simonson
#8

July, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
9 copies available from $1.25
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldAl Milgrom, Arthur Adams, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bob Layton, Brent Anderson, Bret Blevins, Brian Bolland, Carmine Infantino, Cynthia Martin, David A. Lofvers, Eliot Brown, Jackson “Butch” Guice, Jerry Ordway, Jim Starlin, John Beatty, John Buscema, John Byrne, John Romita Jr., June Brigman, Keith Pollard, Kevin Maguire, Mike Chen, Mike Harris, Paul Smith, Rudy Nebres, Stan Woch, Tom Palmer, Walt Simonson
#9

August, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
9 copies available from $1.25
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldAl Milgrom, Alan Weiss, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bob McLeod, Bret Blevins, Carl Potts, Dave Cockrum, Jackson “Butch” Guice, Jim Starlin, John Buscema, John Byrne, John Romita Sr., John Romita Jr., Mike Harris, Mike Mignola, Mike Zeck, Nestor Redondo, Paul Neary, Paul Smith, Peter B. Gillis, Rudy Nebres, Russ Stefans, Sandy Plunkett, Tom Morgan, Walt Simonson, William Messner-Loebs
#10

September, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
11 copies available from $0.58
Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson, Steve SaffelBrian Bolland, Sal Buscema, John Romita Jr., Stan Woch, Walt Simonson, Marc Silvestri, Mike Gustovich, Mark D. Bright, Jon Bogdanove, Alex Saviuk, Bret Blevins, Bob Wiacek, Tom Morgan, Eliot Brown, John Byrne, Dave Ross, Ron Frenz, Mike Zeck, Vince Argondezzi, Paul Smith, Mark Gruenwald, Al Milgrom, Rich Buckler, Josef Rubinstein, Mike Chen, John Buscema, Tony Salmons
#11

October, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
11 copies available from $1.53
Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson, Steve SaffelCarmine Infantino, Dennis Janke, John Romita Sr., Mike Mignola, Cynthia Martin, Steve Ditko, John Byrne, Ron Frenz, James W. Fry III, Mark Richards, Mark D. Bright, Mike Zeck, Craig Hamilton, Mark Beachum, Dwayne Turner, James Sanders III, Paul Neary, Eliot Brown, Arthur Adams, Paul Gulacy, Joe Kubert, Kerry Gammill, Paul Smith, Russ Stefans, Jackson “Butch” Guice, Bill Sienkiewicz, Walt Simonson
#12

November, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
11 copies available from $1.00
Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson, Steve SaffelWalt Simonson, Kerry Gammill, Ron Frenz, Michael Golden, John Byrne, Rod Whigham, Steve Leialoha, Keith Williams, Jon Bogdanove, George Pérez, Art Nichols, Sal Buscema, Frank Miller, Mike Zeck, Arthur Adams, June Brigman, Henri Bismuth, Paul Ryan, Eliot Brown, Jim Starlin, Dave Cockrum, Al Milgrom, Bob Wiacek, Paul Smith, Arvell Jones, Sandy Plunkett, Bob McLeod
#13

December, 1986
Cover Price: $1.50
7 copies available from $1.49
Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson, Steve SaffelMike Zeck, John Byrne, Ron Wilson, Walt Simonson, Mike Mignola, Josef Rubinstein, Bob Hall, June Brigman, Keith Pollard, Brian Bolland, Cynthia Martin, John Buscema, Stan Drake, Peter Poplaski, Eliot Brown, Al Milgrom, Steve Ditko, Sal Buscema, Bob Layton, Javier Saltares, Joe Sinnott, Larry Hama, Kerry Gammill
#14

January, 1987
Cover Price: $1.50
8 copies available from $1.20
Mark Gruenwald, Peter SandersonArthur Adams, Sam De La Rosa, Mike Witherby, Joe Barney, Jim Reddington, Bob McLeod, Dave Cockrum, Dwayne Turner, Eliot Brown, Javier Saltares, Carl Potts, Mike Zeck, Jerry Ordway, Ron Frenz, Bill Sienkiewicz, Sal Buscema, John Buscema, John Byrne, Steve Geiger, Paul Ryan, Kerry Gammill, Mark Beachum, Sandy Plunkett, Bob Layton, Jackson “Butch” Guice, Paul Smith
#15

March, 1987
Cover Price: $1.50
8 copies available from $2.25
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldJosé Luis García-López, Armando Gil, Keith Pollard, Cynthia Martin, Walt Simonson, Alan Davis, Eliot Brown, Kerry Gammill, Josef Rubinstein, Brent Anderson, Tony Salmons, Mark D. Bright, Steve Geiger, Kyle Baker
#16

May, 1987
Cover Price: $1.50
5 copies available from $1.10
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldJerry Ordway, Carl Potts, Luke McDonnell, Alan Davis, Mike Zeck, Wayne Boring, Sandy Plunkett, Colleen Doran, Tom Morgan, John Bolton, Murphy Anderson, Al Milgrom, Chuck Patton, Tony Salmons, Todd McFarlane, Ron Frenz, Jim Starlin, Bob Budiansky, Sal Buscema, Dwayne Turner, Mike Harris, Bill Reinhold, Paul Ryan, Whilce Portacio, Brent Anderson, Jim Mooney, Mike Witherby, Kevin Nowlan
#17

August, 1987
Cover Price: $1.50
7 copies available from $0.86
Peter SandersonJavier Saltares, Mark Texeira, Hector Collazo, Marc McLaurin, John Buscema, Bill Sienkiewicz, John Byrne, Jim Lee, Al Milgrom, Rudy Nebres, Keith Pollard, Walt Simonson, Marc Siry, Steve Rude, Kevin Nowlan, Keith Giffen, Josef Rubinstein, Rodney Ramos, Brent Anderson, Fred Kida, Tom Morgan, Ian Akin, Kevin Maguire, Tom Palmer, Lee Weeks, Ron Frenz
#18

October, 1987
Cover Price: $1.50
7 copies available from $1.78
Peter SandersonRon Wilson, Ron Frenz, Al Milgrom, Mark Pacella, Sandy Plunkett, Kerry Gammill, Mike Machlan, Bob Wiacek, Larry Lieber, Dennis Jensen, Brian Garvey, Nestor Redondo, Mike Harris, Sal Buscema, Walt Simonson, Rick Leonardi, Dave Cockrum, Bob Layton, José Marzan Jr., Mary Wilshire, Mike Zeck, Paul Ryan, Brett Breeding
#19

December, 1987
Cover Price: $1.50
8 copies available from $0.99
Peter SandersonBob Hall, Wayne Boring, Paul Ryan, Herb Trimpe, Paul Becton, Kyle Baker, Mike Zeck, Kerry Gammill, Brian Bolland, Dick Ayers, Kieron Dwyer, Murphy Anderson, Dumuria Rumph, June Brigman, Nestor Redondo, Ron Lim, Ron Frenz, Tom Morgan, Marc Siry, John Byrne, Christopher Jones, Paul Neary, Sal Buscema, Mark D. Bright, John Romita Sr.
#20

February, 1988
Cover Price: $1.50
4 copies available from $3.25
Peter Sanderson, Mark GruenwaldBill Sienkiewicz, Tom Morgan, Mike Zeck, Al Milgrom, Kieron Dwyer, John Byrne, Jim Starlin, Paul Ryan, Dave Cockrum, Kerry Gammill, Jerry Ordway, Sal Buscema, Bill Reinhold, John Severin, Joe Jusko, Kevin Nowlan, Stan Drake, Mike Machlan, Mark Chiarello, Carl Potts, Dennis Jensen, Ron Lim, Rob Liefeld, Bob Hall
Book #1


Cover Price: $6.95
1 copy available for $3.27
Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson 
Book #2


Cover Price: $6.95
1 copy available for $5.50
Peter Sanderson