DC Comics/Vertigo/Marvel Encyclopedias

We batched these three together because they’re clearly, quintissentially for the hardcore comics enthusiast. These are history books first — documenting the first appearance of a character, the initial emergence of a storyline, the series’ run, the writers and artists — and art books simultaneously, true to the form. These books are big, they’re gorgeous, and of course, they’re ‘encyclopedic’ in scope and presentation. The ecstatic recipient has a large, sturdy bookshelf, no doubt cluttered with comics actions figures, with which to house them.

The DC Comics Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded Edition

The Vertigo Encyclopedia

Marvel Chronicle