Phil Sheldon is a newspaper photographer who spends his career watching the heroes of the Marvel universe from the ground: the first appearance of the Human Torch, the arrival of Galactus, the death of Gwen Stacy. He is amazed by them, frightened of them and unsure what they mean for ordinary people like him.
Alex Ross's painted art, as realistic as a photograph, makes the familiar heroes look like figures from history, and Busiek's script is a warm, clever tribute to the first thirty-five years of Marvel comics. You do not need to know the history to enjoy it, though readers who do will spot a great many in-jokes.
