The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #2

The second volume of this beloved Deluxe Edition reference series covers entries from Beast to Clea, and the cover by penciler John Byrne and inker Joe Rubinstein packs it with a sweeping parade of Marvel characters — Captain America charges front and center, flanked by a silver-suited figure diving dramatically overhead, while the crowd behind him includes a white-haired woman in purple, the blue-furred Beast crouching low, a silver-haired figure in black, and nearly a dozen more heroes stretching across the composition. Writer Mark Gruenwald's encyclopedic passion for the Marvel Universe shines through this ambitious handbook format, making it an endlessly rewarding browse for anyone who wants the full story on Marvel's remarkable roster of characters.