A Marvel Wiki in Your Pocket

Marvel Comic Almanac

[Windows 8, 8.1, and Windows phone from Microsoft]

Did you ever wonder how much the Hulk weighs, or how Wade Wilson got the nickname “Deadpool?” Or maybe you’ve found yourself listening to a SciFi4Me Level Eleventy-Seven podcast where the team digresses into the various character histories and you just want to keep up. Whatever your reason for wanting to learn more, the Marvel Comic Almanac might be just the resource you need.

Over 120 comic book character profiles with illustrations, video clips, images, sound bites and articles about the latest news in the Marvel Universe can be found in this free Windows app. With over 80 full episodes from the animated series (featuring the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and X-Men), you’ll be able to binge-watch to your heart’s content. You can also connect a Twitter feed and access parodies of superheroes from the Fun Stuff area.

Each character profile includes an overview, a rank of powers, and a physical description, with links to favorite sound bites and video clips for the movie fans. There’s also a link to the Marvel Wiki for a full-blown bio if you need more in-depth research. Pin your favorites to your start screen for easy access.

While this app supplies a lot of information about the Marvel characters, my biggest complaint is that there is no search feature. If you are looking for information on a specific character, you’ll have to navigate through categories such as recently updated, most popular, and seldom seen; or drill-down by franchises like Avengers, X-Men, etc.  In other words, you need to know a little about the character you are looking for before you begin.

As for some of the Fun Stuff videos, I’m not sure they are vetting those too closely. I selected one called “Top 15 Most Powerful Marvel Characters,” and was taken to YouTube, where I viewed a fan’s compilation of his picks to music. It definitely wasn’t a Marvel production. And of course, once you get to YouTube, it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole and you may never find your way out again.

Minor inconveniences aside, the app features a lot of information about these characters once you find them. If you are already a fan, you’ll find what you are looking for without too much trouble. Free to download from Microsoft, but you’ll have put up with ads unless you show them $1.49 worth of love.