Rise of the superheroes blew me away. First, I was not expecting a hard cover book. This book is absolutely stunning. The artwork is colorful and crisp and the binding is beautifully done. When I think of comics and graphic novels I do not often associate them with library binding, but this book could last for many years when placed on the shelf. It seems sturdy and well made. Comics and superheroes are not my usual choice for leisure reading. I will admit that I normally pass them by. However, this book deals with the history and evolution of characters that are relevant to the American pop culture and it did catch my attention. My 9 year old daughter also very much enjoyed paging through the book.