Marvel MCP
The Marvel MCP server interacts with the Marvel Developer API to fetch and manipulate Marvel characters and comics data:
List Marvel Characters: Fetch characters with filters like
name,nameStartsWith, and pagination optionsGet Character by ID: Retrieve detailed information about a specific character
Fetch Comics for a Character: Get comics featuring a specific character
List Comics: Browse comics with filters for
format,dateRange,title, etc.Get Comic by ID: Retrieve detailed information about a specific comic
Fetch Characters for a Comic: Get characters appearing in a specific comic
Generate Comics HTML: Create an HTML page displaying Marvel comics with their images
Integration: Works with MCP hosts like Claude Desktop and GitHub Copilot
Configuration: Configure Marvel API keys and base URL using environment variables
Supports environment configuration through .env files to manage Marvel API credentials and base URL.
Allows GitHub Copilot to access Marvel characters and comics data through the Marvel Developer API, supporting various filters and search capabilities.
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@Marvel MCPshow me characters whose names start with Spider"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Marvel MCP Server
Features β’ Tools β’ Setup β’ Configuring an MCP Host
NOTE: Marvel recently retired their API so it is no longer available unfortunately. I'm leaving this repo up for historical purposes since the approach is still relevant for MCP servers. If you'd like to see a similar example, check out my DC Comics MCP server.
MCP Server for the Marvel Developer API, enabling interaction with characters and comics data. The main goal of the project is to show how an MCP server can be used to interact with APIs.
Note: All data used by this MCP server is fetched from the official Marvel API and owned by Marvel. This project is not affiliated with Marvel in any way.
π§ Features
List Marvel Characters: Supports filters like
nameStartsWith,limit,comics,series, etc.Fetch a Marvel Character by ID: Get detailed info on any character using their
characterId.Fetch Comics for a Character: Get a list of comics featuring a specific character, with various filters like
format,dateRange, etc.Rich Content Display: When you ask about characters or comics, the server will:
Display detailed information about characters and comics including images, names, descriptions, and more.
Create an HTML page (
marvel-content.html) with all the content in it.Attempt to open the newly created HTML page in your default browser for an enhanced viewing experience.
Tool-based MCP integration: Register this server with Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools (VS Code, Claude, etc.).
Environment Configuration: Use
.envfile to manage environment variables likeMARVEL_PUBLIC_KEY,MARVEL_PRIVATE_KEYandMARVEL_API_BASE.
Related MCP server: MyAnimeList MCP Server
π§° Tools
1. get_characters ππ¦ΈββοΈ
Description: Fetch Marvel characters with optional filters.
Inputs:
name(optional string): Full character name.nameStartsWith(optional string): Characters whose names start with the specified string.modifiedSince(optional string): ISO 8601 date string to filter characters modified since this date.comics,series,events,stories(optional string): Comma-separated list of IDs to filter by related entities.orderBy(optional string): Fields to order the results by, such asnameor-modified.limit(optional number): Maximum number of results to return (1β100).offset(optional number): Number of results to skip for pagination.
Returns: JSON response with matching characters. See
CharacterDataWrapperSchemainsrc/schemas.tsfor details.
2. get_character_by_id ππ§βπ€
Description: Fetch a Marvel character by their unique ID.
Input:
characterId(number): The unique ID of the character.
Returns: JSON response with the character's details. See
CharacterDataWrapperSchemainsrc/schemas.tsfor details.
3. get_comics_for_character ππ
Description: Fetch comics featuring a specific character, with optional filters.
Inputs:
characterId(number): The unique ID of the character.Optional filters:
format,formatType(string): Filter by comic format (e.g.,comic,hardcover).noVariants,hasDigitalIssue(boolean): Flags to exclude variants or include only digital issues.dateDescriptor(string): Predefined date ranges likethisWeek,nextWeek.dateRange(string): Custom date range in the formatYYYY-MM-DD,YYYY-MM-DD.title,titleStartsWith(string): Filter by title or title prefix.startYear,issueNumber,digitalId(number): Numeric filters.diamondCode,upc,isbn,ean,issn(string): Identifier filters.creators,series,events,stories,sharedAppearances,collaborators(string): Comma-separated list of related entity IDs.orderBy(string): Fields to order the results by, such astitleor-modified.limit,offset(number): Pagination options.
Returns: JSON response with comics featuring the specified character. See
ComicDataWrapperSchemainsrc/schemas.tsfor details.
4. get_comics ππ΅οΈββοΈ
Description: Fetch lists of Marvel comics with optional filters.
Inputs:
format(optional string): Filter by the issue format (e.g.,comic,digital comic,hardcover).formatType(optional string): Filter by the issue format type (comicorcollection).noVariants(optional boolean): Exclude variants (alternate covers, secondary printings, director's cuts, etc.) from the result set.dateDescriptor(optional string): Return comics within a predefined date range (lastWeek,thisWeek,nextWeek,thisMonth).dateRange(optional string): Return comics within a custom date range. Dates must be specified asYYYY-MM-DD,YYYY-MM-DD.title(optional string): Return only issues in series whose title matches the input.titleStartsWith(optional string): Return only issues in series whose title starts with the input.startYear(optional number): Return only issues in series whose start year matches the input.issueNumber(optional number): Return only issues in series whose issue number matches the input.diamondCode,digitalId,upc,isbn,ean,issn(optional string): Filter by various identifiers.hasDigitalIssue(optional boolean): Include only results which are available digitally.modifiedSince(optional string): Return only comics which have been modified since the specified date (ISO 8601 format).creators,characters,series,events,stories,sharedAppearances,collaborators(optional string): Comma-separated list of IDs to filter by related entities.orderBy(optional string): Order the result set by a field or fields. Add a "-" to the value to sort in descending order (e.g.,title,-modified).limit(optional number): Limit the result set to the specified number of resources (default: 20, max: 100).offset(optional number): Skip the specified number of resources in the result set.
Returns: JSON response with matching comics. See
ComicDataWrapperSchemainsrc/schemas.tsfor details.
5. get_comic_by_id ππ
Description: Fetch a single Marvel comic by its unique ID.
Input:
comicId(number): The unique ID of the comic.
Returns: JSON response with the comic details. See
ComicDataWrapperSchemainsrc/schemas.tsfor details.
6. get_characters_for_comic π¦ΈββοΈπ
Description: Fetch Marvel characters appearing in a specific comic.
Inputs:
comicId(number): The unique ID of the comic.Optional filters:
name(optional string): Filter characters by full name.nameStartsWith(optional string): Filter characters whose names start with the specified string.modifiedSince(optional string): ISO 8601 date string to filter characters modified since this date.series,events,stories(optional string): Comma-separated list of related entity IDs to filter by.orderBy(optional string): Fields to order the results by, such asnameor-modified.limit(optional number): Maximum number of results to return (1β100).offset(optional number): Number of results to skip for pagination.
Returns: JSON response with characters appearing in the specified comic. See
CharacterDataWrapperSchemainsrc/schemas.tsfor details.
π οΈ Setup
Sign up for a Marvel Developer API account and get your public and private API keys.
If you want to run it directly in an MCP host, jump to the Use with Claude Desktop or Use with GitHub Copilot sections.
Run the Server Locally with MCP Inspector
If you'd like to run MCP Inspector locally to test the server, follow these steps:
Clone this repository:
git clone https://github.com/DanWahlin/marvel-mcpRename
.env.templateto.env.Add your Marvel API public and private keys to the
.envfile.MARVEL_PUBLIC_KEY=YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY MARVEL_PRIVATE_KEY=YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY MARVEL_API_BASE=https://gateway.marvel.com/v1/publicInstall the required dependencies and build the project.
npm install npm run build(Optional) To try out the server using MCP Inspector run the following command:
# Start the MCP Inspector npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node dist/index.jsVisit the MCP Inspector URL shown in the console in your browser. Change
Argumentstodist/index.jsand selectConnect. SelectList Toolsto see the available tools.
Configuring an MCP Host
Use with Claude Desktop
Add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"marvel-mcp": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
// "command": "node",
"args": [
"-y",
"@codewithdan/marvel-mcp"
// "/PATH/TO/marvel-mcp/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"MARVEL_PUBLIC_KEY": "YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY",
"MARVEL_PRIVATE_KEY": "YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY",
"MARVEL_API_BASE": "https://gateway.marvel.com/v1/public"
}
}
}
}Installing via Smithery
To install Marvel MCP Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:
npx -y @smithery/cli install @DanWahlin/marvel-mcp --client claudeUse with GitHub Copilot
Note: If you already have the MCP server enabled with Claude Desktop, add
chat.mcp.discovery.enabled: truein your VS Code settings and it will discover existing MCP server lists.
Add the following to your user settings file or add it to the .vscode/mcp.json file if you only want it available in this repo (you can use MCP: Add Server from the command palette and select Global or Workspace):
"mcp": {
"inputs": [
{
"type": "promptString",
"id": "marvel-public-api-key",
"description": "Marvel public API Key",
"password": true
},
{
"type": "promptString",
"id": "marvel-private-api-key",
"description": "Marvel private API Key",
"password": true
}
],
"servers": {
"marvel-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
// "command": "node",
"args": [
"-y",
"@codewithdan/marvel-mcp"
// "/PATH/TO/marvel-mcp/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"MARVEL_PUBLIC_KEY": "${input:marvel-public-api-key}",
"MARVEL_PRIVATE_KEY": "${input:marvel-private-api-key}",
"MARVEL_API_BASE": "https://gateway.marvel.com/v1/public"
}
}
}
}Using Tools in GitHub Copilot
Now that the mcp server is discoverable, open GitHub Copilot and select the
Agentmode (notAskorEdits).Select the "refresh" button in the Copilot chat text field to refresh the server list.
Select the "π οΈ" button to see all the possible tools, including the ones from this repo.
Put a question in the chat that would naturally invoke one of the tools, for example:
List 10 marvel characters. What comics is Wolverine in? Give me details about villains in the Marvel universe. Which characters appear in the Avengers comics? What characters are in the Hedge Knight II: Sworn Sword (2007) comic? List 10 characters from Ant-Man comics.Note: If you see "Sorry, the response was filtered by the Responsible AI Service.", try running it again or rephrasing the prompt.
Bonus: When you ask about characters or comics, the server will automatically create a
marvel-content.htmlfile in your project root with a beautifully styled page containing all the character/comic information and images, then open it in your browser!
Available Tools
7 toolsgenerate_comics_htmlC
Create an HTML page displaying Marvel comics with their images
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| characters | No | ||
| collaborators | No | ||
| creators | No | ||
| dateDescriptor | No | ||
| dateRange | No | ||
| diamondCode | No | ||
| digitalId | No | ||
| ean | No | ||
| events | No | ||
| format | No | ||
| formatType | No | ||
| hasDigitalIssue | No | ||
| isbn | No | ||
| issn | No | ||
| issueNumber | No | ||
| limit | No | Limit results (max 100) | |
| modifiedSince | No | ||
| noVariants | No | ||
| offset | No | ||
| orderBy | No | ||
| series | No | ||
| sharedAppearances | No | ||
| startYear | No | ||
| stories | No | ||
| title | No | Custom title for the HTML page | |
| titleStartsWith | No | ||
| upc | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden for behavioral disclosure. While 'Create an HTML page' implies a write/generation operation, it doesn't specify whether this requires authentication, where the HTML is saved/displayed, whether it's a one-time generation or overwrites existing files, or what happens if parameters are invalid. For a tool with 27 parameters and no annotation coverage, this is insufficient.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, clear sentence that efficiently communicates the core purpose. There's no wasted language or unnecessary elaboration. It's appropriately sized for what it does convey.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a tool with 27 parameters, no annotations, no output schema, and minimal schema descriptions, the description is inadequate. It doesn't explain what the HTML output looks like, where it goes, how comics are selected/filtered, or provide any guidance on the numerous parameters. The description fails to address the complexity of the tool.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is only 7% (only 'limit' and 'title' have descriptions), leaving 25 parameters undocumented in the schema. The description mentions 'Marvel comics' which provides some context for the parameters, but doesn't explain what any specific parameters mean or how they filter the comics. It doesn't compensate for the poor schema coverage.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the tool's purpose: 'Create an HTML page displaying Marvel comics with their images.' It specifies the action (create), resource (HTML page), and content (Marvel comics with images). However, it doesn't distinguish this from sibling tools like 'get_comics' which likely retrieve raw data rather than generate HTML output.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It doesn't mention sibling tools like 'get_comics' or explain that this tool is for presentation/formatting purposes rather than data retrieval. There's no context about prerequisites or when this tool would be preferred.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
get_character_by_idC
Fetch a Marvel character by ID
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| characterId | Yes |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states the tool fetches data, implying a read-only operation, but doesn't specify whether it requires authentication, has rate limits, returns errors for invalid IDs, or provides pagination details. For a tool with zero annotation coverage, this is insufficient behavioral context.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, clear sentence with zero wasted words. It's appropriately sized for a simple lookup tool and front-loaded with the essential action and resource. Every word earns its place, making it highly concise and well-structured.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the tool's simplicity (1 parameter, no output schema, no annotations), the description is incomplete. It doesn't explain what data is returned (e.g., character details, comics list), error handling, or usage context relative to siblings. For a tool in a Marvel API context with multiple related tools, more guidance is needed to be fully helpful.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The input schema has 1 parameter with 0% description coverage, so the schema provides no semantic information. The description mentions 'by ID' but doesn't explain what a character ID is (e.g., numeric identifier, format, source). It adds minimal value beyond the schema, failing to compensate for the coverage gap.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the action ('fetch') and resource ('Marvel character by ID'), making the purpose understandable. It distinguishes from siblings like 'get_characters' (which likely fetches multiple characters) by specifying the single-ID lookup. However, it doesn't explicitly mention what data is returned about the character, which prevents a perfect score.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It doesn't mention when to choose this over 'get_characters' (e.g., for a specific character vs. listing), nor does it address prerequisites like needing a valid character ID. This leaves the agent without contextual usage instructions.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
get_charactersC
Fetch Marvel characters with optional filters
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| comics | No | ||
| events | No | ||
| limit | No | ||
| modifiedSince | No | ||
| name | No | ||
| nameStartsWith | No | ||
| offset | No | ||
| orderBy | No | ||
| series | No | ||
| stories | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries full burden. It states 'Fetch' which implies a read operation, but doesn't disclose behavioral traits such as rate limits, authentication needs, pagination behavior (implied by limit/offset but not explained), or what happens with invalid filters. For a tool with 10 parameters and no annotations, this is a significant gap.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, efficient sentence that front-loads the core purpose. Every word earns its place, with no redundancy or unnecessary elaboration. It's appropriately sized for a basic tool description.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the complexity (10 parameters, 0% schema coverage, no annotations, no output schema), the description is inadequate. It doesn't explain parameter meanings, return values, error handling, or usage context. For a filtering tool with many options, more detail is needed to be complete.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate. It only mentions 'optional filters' generically without explaining any of the 10 parameters (e.g., what 'comics', 'events', 'orderBy' mean). This adds minimal value beyond the schema, failing to address the coverage gap.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the action ('Fetch') and resource ('Marvel characters'), and mentions optional filtering. However, it doesn't explicitly differentiate from sibling tools like 'get_character_by_id' or 'get_characters_for_comic', which would require a 5. The purpose is clear but lacks sibling distinction.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'get_character_by_id' or 'get_characters_for_comic'. It mentions optional filters but doesn't specify scenarios or exclusions. This leaves the agent without clear usage context.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
get_characters_for_comicC
Fetch Marvel characters for a given comic
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| comicId | Yes | ||
| events | No | ||
| limit | No | ||
| modifiedSince | No | ||
| name | No | ||
| nameStartsWith | No | ||
| offset | No | ||
| orderBy | No | ||
| series | No | ||
| stories | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries full burden. It states 'Fetch' (implying a read operation) but doesn't disclose behavioral traits like pagination (offset/limit parameters), rate limits, authentication needs, error conditions, or response format. The description adds minimal context beyond the basic action.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Extremely concise single sentence with zero waste. It's front-loaded with the core purpose and efficiently communicates the essential action and target.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the complexity (10 parameters, 1 required), lack of annotations, and no output schema, the description is incomplete. It doesn't address parameter usage, behavioral expectations, or return values, making it inadequate for a tool with this many undocumented parameters and no structured guidance.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate but doesn't. It mentions 'for a given comic' which hints at the required 'comicId', but doesn't explain the purpose of the other 9 parameters (e.g., 'events', 'modifiedSince', 'orderBy'). This leaves most parameters undocumented in both schema and description.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the action ('Fetch') and target resource ('Marvel characters for a given comic'), distinguishing it from siblings like 'get_characters' (general character list) and 'get_comics_for_character' (reverse relationship). However, it doesn't specify the exact scope (e.g., all characters appearing in that comic vs. filtered subset).
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No explicit guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'get_characters' or 'get_character_by_id'. The description implies usage for comic-specific character queries but doesn't mention prerequisites, limitations, or comparative scenarios with sibling tools.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
get_comic_by_idC
Fetch a single Marvel comic by ID
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| comicId | Yes |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states the tool fetches data, implying a read-only operation, but doesn't address critical aspects like authentication needs, rate limits, error handling, or what happens with invalid IDs. This leaves significant gaps in understanding how the tool behaves beyond its basic function.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is extremely conciseβa single sentence with no wasted wordsβand front-loads the key information ('Fetch a single Marvel comic by ID'). Every word earns its place, making it easy to parse quickly.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the tool's simplicity (one parameter, no output schema) and lack of annotations, the description is incomplete. It doesn't cover behavioral traits (e.g., error cases), parameter details, or output expectations, leaving the agent with insufficient context to use the tool effectively beyond its basic purpose.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The schema description coverage is 0%, but the description adds minimal semantic context by specifying that the parameter 'comicId' is used to fetch a single comic. However, it doesn't clarify the format (e.g., numeric ID), valid ranges, or examples, which is insufficient to fully compensate for the lack of schema documentation. The baseline is adjusted upward due to only one parameter.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the action ('Fetch') and resource ('a single Marvel comic by ID'), making the purpose unambiguous. However, it doesn't explicitly differentiate from sibling tools like 'get_comics' (which likely fetches multiple comics), leaving room for minor ambiguity about when to choose this specific tool.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'get_comics' or 'get_comics_for_character'. It lacks context about prerequisites (e.g., needing a valid comic ID) or exclusions, leaving the agent to infer usage from the tool name alone.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
get_comicsC
Fetches lists of Marvel comics with optional filters
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| characters | No | ||
| collaborators | No | ||
| creators | No | ||
| dateDescriptor | No | ||
| dateRange | No | ||
| diamondCode | No | ||
| digitalId | No | ||
| ean | No | ||
| events | No | ||
| format | No | ||
| formatType | No | ||
| hasDigitalIssue | No | ||
| isbn | No | ||
| issn | No | ||
| issueNumber | No | ||
| limit | No | ||
| modifiedSince | No | ||
| noVariants | No | ||
| offset | No | ||
| orderBy | No | ||
| series | No | ||
| sharedAppearances | No | ||
| startYear | No | ||
| stories | No | ||
| title | No | ||
| titleStartsWith | No | ||
| upc | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden but only states it 'fetches' with 'optional filters.' It doesn't disclose whether this is a read-only operation, pagination behavior (despite limit/offset parameters), rate limits, authentication requirements, error conditions, or what the return format looks like (no output schema).
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, efficient sentence that front-loads the core purpose. There's no wasted language or redundancy, making it appropriately concise for a tool with many parameters.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a complex tool with 27 parameters, no annotations, and no output schema, the description is severely incomplete. It doesn't explain the tool's behavior, parameter usage, return format, or how it relates to sibling tools, leaving critical gaps for an agent to understand and invoke it correctly.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
With 27 parameters and 0% schema description coverage, the description provides no parameter semantics beyond 'optional filters.' It doesn't explain what any parameter does, their formats (e.g., dateRange format), relationships, or default values. The description fails to compensate for the massive schema coverage gap.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the action ('fetches lists') and resource ('Marvel comics') with the scope of optional filtering. It distinguishes from siblings like 'get_comic_by_id' (single comic) and 'get_comics_for_character' (character-specific), but doesn't explicitly differentiate from other list tools like 'get_characters'.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'get_comic_by_id' for single comics or 'get_comics_for_character' for character-specific comics. It mentions optional filters but doesn't explain when specific filters are appropriate or what the default behavior is.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
get_comics_for_characterC
Fetch Marvel comics filtered by character ID and optional filters
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| characterId | Yes | ||
| collaborators | No | ||
| creators | No | ||
| dateDescriptor | No | ||
| dateRange | No | ||
| diamondCode | No | ||
| digitalId | No | ||
| ean | No | ||
| events | No | ||
| format | No | ||
| formatType | No | ||
| hasDigitalIssue | No | ||
| isbn | No | ||
| issn | No | ||
| issueNumber | No | ||
| limit | No | ||
| modifiedSince | No | ||
| noVariants | No | ||
| offset | No | ||
| orderBy | No | ||
| series | No | ||
| sharedAppearances | No | ||
| startYear | No | ||
| stories | No | ||
| title | No | ||
| titleStartsWith | No | ||
| upc | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden but lacks behavioral details. It doesn't disclose whether this is a read-only operation, potential rate limits, authentication needs, pagination behavior (implied by 'limit' and 'offset' parameters but not explained), or what the response format looks like (no output schema). The description only states the basic filtering capability.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, efficient sentence that front-loads the core purpose. Every word earns its placeβno redundancy or fluff. It's appropriately sized for a tool with many parameters but could benefit from additional explanatory sentences.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the high complexity (27 parameters, 0% schema coverage, no output schema, no annotations), the description is severely incomplete. It doesn't explain parameter usage, response format, error conditions, or behavioral constraints. For a tool with extensive filtering options, this minimal description leaves the agent guessing about implementation details.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
With 27 parameters and 0% schema description coverage, the description fails to compensate for the massive documentation gap. It mentions 'optional filters' generically but doesn't explain any specific parameters (e.g., what 'dateDescriptor' or 'formatType' mean, how 'collaborators' should be formatted). The description adds minimal value beyond the schema's structure.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the action ('fetch'), resource ('Marvel comics'), and primary filter ('by character ID'). It distinguishes from siblings like 'get_comics' (which likely lacks character filtering) and 'get_comic_by_id' (which fetches a single comic). However, it doesn't explicitly differentiate from 'get_characters_for_comic' (which has an inverse relationship).
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description mentions 'optional filters' but provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It doesn't specify when to choose this over 'get_comics' (for broader searches) or 'get_comic_by_id' (for single comic details), nor does it mention prerequisites like needing a character ID from 'get_character_by_id' first.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
TDQS
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose targeting specific resources and actions: character vs. comic operations, with clear separation between fetching by ID, listing with filters, and cross-referencing relationships. No ambiguity exists between tools like get_characters and get_comics, or between get_character_by_id and get_characters.
All tools follow a consistent verb_noun pattern with snake_case, using 'get_' for fetch operations and 'generate_' for creation. The naming is predictable and readable, with clear patterns like get_character_by_id, get_characters, get_comics, and get_comics_for_character.
Seven tools is well-scoped for a Marvel API server, covering core operations for characters and comics without bloat. Each tool earns its place by providing distinct functionality, from basic fetches to cross-referencing and HTML generation, making it efficient for agent use.
The tool set covers essential read operations for characters and comics comprehensively, including filtering, cross-references, and HTML generation. A minor gap exists in lacking update/delete operations, but this is typical for an API wrapper focused on data retrieval, and agents can work around it for the domain.
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