The Marvel Vault, another way of celebrate Marvel Comics 70Th Anniversary.

Back in February I posted a Blog about Marvel Chronicle. It being a year by year history of Marvel Comics which this year they are celebrating their 70Th Anniversary.

But last year to get the celebration rolling Marvel put out The Marvel Vault: A Museum-In-A-Book with rare collectibles from the world of Marvel by Roy Thomas and Peter Sanderson.

Unlike Chronicle, Marvel Vault covers the history of Marvel Comics decade by decade with one important distinction. Marvel Vault carries with it rare replica collectibles from the 70 year history of the company.

This includes sketches of the Human Torch and Sub Mariner(1941-42), postcards, a farewell party poster, Fantastic Four #1 synopsis(1961) Christmas cards, Merry Marvel Marching Society Welcome Kit(fan club), Convention Programs, trading cards, stamps and more.

This is the perfect companion to the Marvel Chronicle. If your a fan of Marvel Comics or just comics in general then you will love this book.

It is filled with not only collectibles but full with tons of color photos of characters and the comics(some of which are very rare and hard to find) that made Marvel Famous. Also with in you will find photos of the artist and writers that created this universe full of characters that have survived to become not only embedded into pop culture but many of which have become culture icons.

Marvel has done every kind of story in their 70 year history, western, romance, funny ones, war, horror, science fiction, crime, superheroes and more. And Marvel Vault gives a great view of that history.

And you couldn't ask for any better guides than Roy Thomas and Peter Sanderson.

Roy Thomas has been writer and editor on such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, The Avengers, X-Men, Conan The Barbarian and so much more. Roy also would be the first person to replace Stan Lee as Editor-in-Chief from 1972-74. He also known for his work at DC Comics working on such titles as Justice Society of America, All Star Squadron and more. He has such a rich knowledge of Marvel history not only because he was such a huge part of it but because of his love if the characters, the comics and those who created them.

As for Peter Sanderson he is a well known comic book critic and historian. He has for both Marvel and DC helped to catalog various characters, places and events that compromise their respective continuities. Peter also is an instructor and lecturer on comics and graphic novels in the New York area.

Between the first and last page this book is full of treasures(I love the Howard the Duck campaign button) for any fan of Marvel Comics. It gives a wonderful behind the scene look at the characters and their creators that gives all new insight to how these characters were created and to why even after 70 years most of them are still being read today. Though Marvel Chronicle year by year history does go into more detail than Marvel Vault, Vault is still a fascinating read and though they both cover roughly the same ground, Vault gives a different view than Chronicle's. But both are a worthy addition to any comic fans bookshelf.

The 250 year history of Guinness is as good as a pint of the dark brew itself.

The ostrich, travellers recall,
enjoys his Guinness, glass and all.
How sad the Guinness takes so long
to get where it makes him strong!
Guinness Ad- 1952


I'm not a big drinker. I can easily say the only two types of alcohol I like to drink is beer and whiskey. With beers I prefer lagers or ales. Something with a more malty and of hops flavor. More in line with your brown ales, porters and stouts. With Guinness being at the top of my favorites. As for Whiskey well what can I say, I good Irish whiskey will do me fine.

Now I don't if this is because of the Irish in me or that I just happen to have excellent taste. If I was to really think about it I would have to say it's a little of both.

It is with being a lover of Guinness That I read Bill Yenne's Guinness: The 250-Year Quest for the Perfect Pint.

It was 250 years ago this year that Author Guinness on December 31 1759 with a £100 down(was willed to him by the Archbishop Price) and for £45 a year signed the lease for the site of a unused brewery. But what really stands out about this lease is not the £100 down or the £45 a year lease. It was the fact the terms of the lease was for an amazing nine thousand years. Yes that rights, nine thousands years. Now if that isn't forward thinking I don't know what is.

Beginning with Author Guinness, Yenne takes us through 7 generations of the Guinness family(Sir Author Francis Benjamin Guinness was the last family member to have leadership in the family business, 1937-1992) to present day.

We learn how the business survived competition, economic hard times, legal battles(in 1775 a Dublin Corporation committee & sheriff are sent to cut off and fill in the channel from which the Brewery draws its water. Arthur Guinness is forced to brandish a pick axe to protect his supply. The dispute is finally settled in 1784 when water rights are granted for 8,975 years), wars and an ever changing world.

For a business to survive, especially 250 years, it must be adaptable to the changing economics(local and global) and politics(again local and global) and technology of brewing, storage and transportation. And Guinness did adapt to become one of the world's largest brewers.

That is what makes this story so fascinating. This isn't just a story of a beer(of course saying Guinness is just a beer is like saying that Shakespeare was just another writer) and it's brewery. It is a story of one man's dream to craft a beer that in time has become a tradition among it's consumers. For Author Guinness was a craftsman and a consummate business man. He knew it wasn't enough to love brewing beer but that you had to promote and most importantly believe in the product that you were making. And it is this legacy that has been passed down through generations of the Guinness's and beyond that even today it's brewers feel.

As the story unfolds we learn how each generation of Guinness's has added to that legacy of the beer and company through technology, promoting and expanding brewery's through out the world. And through it all never compromising on quality and the care of it's employees.

It is believed that 4 million pints of Guinness are poured every day. For connoisseurs of beer there is no finer crafted beer than Guinness(for some it is the only beer they will drink). Everything from the pouring(there is something magical about watching the head rise as it's being poured and again maybe it's the Irish in me) of to how one drinks it's a something that is savored from beginning to end.

And after reading this book I have appreciate it flavor even more knowing the craftsmanship that goes into each keg, bottle or can. Between the first and last page Yenne has given us not only the history of a business but the history of the men and woman who through love and determination carried that business through the past 250 years and hopefully for another 250 years.