Marvel Super Hero Squad: 3D Action Book

Background

Following on the heels of the Marvel Super Hero Squad 3D Picture Book released a few months prior, this book is a near-identical format, with a couple of exceptions. It features the same 8.25" x 11.75" profile, with staple-bound cardboard cover.

It also includes two pairs of red/blue 3D glasses as did its predecessor. However the page count has been bumped from 36 to 48 pages, along with a price jump from £3.99 to £4.99.

Story Details

Inside, the content is all brand-new, but basically the same.

Most of the pages are given over to pictures of Marvel Super Hero Squad heroes and villains, with profiles. In a sense, that's just the same as the previous book, however in this book some of the profiles have been rearranged to spread over two pages instead of one. Also, the "biography" text has been reworded, though in essence, the meaning is unchanged.

That's the problem with these MSHS characters. They are so superficial that you can say everything there is to know about them in two or three paragraphs. That means that once you've done one book with profiles, any sequel can never by anything more than a rewrite of the first one.

The poster artwork is also "new" for this book. But much of the time, you wouldn't notice it. All of these MSHS characters have two different stock poses that they alternate between. Basically, they're all in 3/4 profile, running or flying towards the viewer. One arm is forward, the other is back. The "variety" tends to consist of which hand is clenched in a fist, the front or the back.

Like its predecessor, this book features a magnificent double gate-fold centre-fold 3D poster. As before, it is double-sided, the villains on one side, the heroes in the back. For some reason, Spider-Man didn't make it onto the "heroes" poster for this book, despite getting a profile (which apart from some word shuffling is basically identical to all the other Spidey profiles in all the other Marvel Super Hero Squad books).

General Comments

Admittedly, there is some genuinely new content in this book. There are six pages of word puzzles. Of course, they're not in 3D, so they feel somewhat out of kilter with the rest of the material.

Overall Rating

The "Marvel Super Hero Squad philosophy" seems to be "find a formula, and thrash it to death while there's still some money in it". This book is no exception.

It is still 3D, and it's still 48 magnificent coloured pages for a mere £4.99. But the formula is starting to wear thin. I can probably stretch to three webs for this one, but I ain't going any higher. Not even for 3D!