I juggled between three and four stars with this one. A bonus is the hardcover has large images and is generous with them, which is the main point of the book. No glossy pages, but that doesn't remove enjoyment. There are short, brief intros to some of the characters, not about the art or process or anything like that. Details of the artists or their goals, or any of their words, pretty much any text nitty-gritty is left out. The artwork is what's stunning - I couldn't imagine being so talented a painter. I leaned more toward Boris, as Julie's stuff was too soft for my tastes. The villains in Spiderman and such were especially creepy, they had a knack for making them look evil in a plausible, serious way that other comics and cartoons of them never did. ( )

I'm a huge superhero buff. So, when I saw this book I immediately wanted it. A chance to see my favorites rendered like real people (not animated/comics). Julie Bell and Boris Vallejo are excellent artists, especially for female figures. The characters are raw, sensual and well worth the price of the book. ( )