Marvels

Marvels is a limited comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics in 1994–1995. It was written by Kurt Busiek and painted by Alex Ross, with colors by collaborators. The story is told through the perspective of Phil Sheldon, a photojournalist for the Daily Bugle, who chronicles the history of the Marvel Universe as superheroes rise from the shadows into the public eye. Spanning from the Golden Age to the contemporary era depicted at the time of publication, Marvels presents a panoramic, human-scale view of events such as the emergence of costumed heroes, the public reaction to extraordinary powers, and the long-term impact of these events on everyday life.

The book is noted for its lush, painterly artwork and its use of the photographer’s point of view to ground fantastical events in a recognizable world. It blends documentary-style panels, captions, and a sense of awe that invites readers to reflect on the nature of heroism and spectacle. The storytelling emphasizes how ordinary people experience and interpret superhuman events, rather than focusing solely on the heroes themselves.

Marvels has been widely acclaimed by critics and fans as a landmark in superhero storytelling. It helped redefine how the Marvel Universe could be depicted, balancing action with historical and social context and influencing subsequent works that seek a more grounded, contextual approach to superheroics.

In print, Marvels has been collected into trade paperback and hardcover editions and has remained in circulation through various reissues and compilations. It is frequently cited as a defining work that helped shape contemporary Marvel continuity and its relationship to the broader world.