Anyone who's ever owned a used car knows the peculiar joy of cracking open a Haynes Guides, that familiar book of design schematics and technical information that was available for just about every auto model you can think of. Insight Editions must know that joy as well, because they've just published what might be the greatest Haynes Guide of all time: Alex Irvine's Marvel Vehicles Owner's Workshop Manual.
The book trades specificity for survey; it may not tell you the exact tire-pressure specs on the Punisher's Battle Van, but it does tell you exactly what type of engine it uses—along with a deep dive on 47 more of the comics publisher's best-known conveyances. (And just to clear up confusion: Frank Castle's van boasts a 3.7-liter turbocharged inline 5, with 312 max horsepower.) There are one-person rides like Captain America's motorcycle or the Goblin Glider along with behemoths like the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, even interstellar vessels like Thanos' Sanctuary Class Ship. And if you're the kind of person who borked their first used car, a 1993 Volvo 240, because you tried to flush the coolant yourself, breathe easy: judging from the foreword by Nick Fury, this Haynes Guide is for entertainment value only. At least unless you happen to be employed by Oscorp, but if that's the case, then you likely have bigger things to worry about.
At any rate, we're giving you an exclusive look at seven of our favorite designs from the book. Feel free to crib some ideas for that invisible spacecycle you've been tinkering with in the garage.
