by Sean Howe

This is a must for anyone interested in the history of Marvel Comics or just comics in general. As the title would imply (and by “imply” I mean directly states) this is an unofficial history so I guess some of what is written here should be taken with grains of salt…but it is a damn good read. It begins with the rise of comics in 1933 through the tumultuous 50s, the rise of the “Age of Marvel” in the 60s, the weirdness and upheaval in the 70s (this is the bit I draw on quite a lot), on the 80s and 90s. It is filled with tons of behind-the-scenes stories and drama and interviews and comments from the creators themselves. This is a fascinating trip across an ever-changing landscape of comic history. Very enjoyable, and highly recommended.