Meet one hundred of the strangest superheroes ever to see print, complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. You know about Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, but have you heard of Doll Man, Doctor Hormone, or Spider Queen? So prepare yourself for such not-ready-for-prime-time heroes as Bee Man (Batman, but with bees), the Clown (circus-themed crimebuster), the Eye (a giant, floating eyeball; just accept it), and many other oddballs and oddities. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, The League of Regrettable Superheroes will appeal to die-hard comics fans, casual comics readers, and anyone who enjoys peering into the stranger corners of pop culture.
Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Avengers, the X-Men, Watchmen, and more: the companion volume to the PBS documentary series of the same name that tells the story of the superhero in American popular culture. Together again for the first time, here come the greatest comic book superheroes ever assembled between two covers: down from the heavens—Superman and the Mighty Thor—or swinging over rooftops—the Batman and Spider-Man; star-spangled, like Captain America and Wonder Woman, or clad in darkness, like the Shadow and Spawn; facing down super-villains on their own, like the Flash and the Punisher or gathered together in a team of champions, like the Avengers and the X-Men! Based on the three-part PBS documentary series Superheroes, this companion volume chronicles the never-ending battle of the comic book industry, its greatest creators, and its greatest creations. Covering the effect of superheroes on American culture—in print, on film and television, and in digital media—and the effect of American culture on its superheroes, Superheroes: Capes, Cowls, and the Creation of Comic Book Culture appeals to readers of all ages, from the casual observer of the phenomenon to the most exacting fan of the genre. Drawing from more than 50 new interviews conducted expressly for Superheroes!—creators from Stan Lee to Grant Morrison, commentators from Michael Chabon to Jules Feiffer, actors from Adam West to Lynda Carter, and filmmakers such as Zach Snyder—this is an up-to-the-minute narrative history of the superhero, from the comic strip adventurers of the Great Depression, up to the blockbuster CGI movie superstars of the 21st Century. Featuring more than 500 full-color comic book panels, covers, sketches, photographs of both essential and rare artwork, Superheroes is the definitive story of this powerful presence in pop culture.
The first history of modern costumed-hero comic books, from the start of the Silver Age in 1956 up to today. Focusing on DC and Marvel Comics, the story begins with the efforts of DC to revitalize such Golden Age heroes as the Flash, Superman, and Green Lantern in the wake of the anti-comic furor of the early 1950s. The authors cover the science fiction rage of the late 1950s, the birth of the experimental Marvel Comics Group in 1961, the emergence of such classic Marvel characters as the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, the "camp" craze set off by the "Batman" TV show in 1966, and the socially conscious and politically relevant comics of the early 1970s. Later chapters describe the slump of the mid-1970s, as the medium lost touch with its young readers, followed by the comics' resurgence of the 1980s, as many new companies help DC and Marvel to extend the boundaries of the field with innovation, daring, and a new sophistication. Factually thorough and written in a lively, narrative style, this history includes behind-the-scenes glimpses at the men who wrote, drew, and published the comics, the impact of their creations on the fans, and critical assessments of the works themselves. Illustrated throughout with examples of comic book art, The Comic Book Heroes will inform and entertain both the hardcore fan and the casual reader of this most popular of American mediums.
Marvel's green goliath is pulling no punches! After the cancellation of his debut series, the incredible Hulk returns in Tales to Astonish...and he means business! Dr. Robert Bruce Banner's alter ego battles General "Thunderbolt" Ross, the Leader and his Humanoids, the Executioner, and more communists than you can shake a tank at. And if that's not enough, round two pits the Hulk against Hercules, introduces classic villain the Abomination, dives into the intrigue of the Secret Empire, and goes cosmic with the Silver Surfer and the High Evolutionary! Featuring stories by Stan Lee and art by a who's who of Marvel greats - Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Gil Kane, Bill Everett and John Buscema - these are the tales that made the Incredible Hulk a global icon! COLLECTING: VOL. 2: TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) #60-96; MATERIAL FROM NOT BRAND ECHH (1967) #3.
In the age of digital media, superheroes are no longer confined to comic books and graphic novels. Their stories are now featured in films, video games, digital comics, television programs, and more. In a single year alone, films featuring Batman, Spider-Man, and the Avengers have appeared on the big screen. Popular media no longer exists in isolation, but converges into complex multidimensional entities. As a result, traditional ideas about the relationship between varying media have come under striking revision. Although this convergence is apparent in many genres, perhaps nowhere is it more persistent, more creative, or more varied than in the superhero genre. Superhero Synergies: Comic Book Characters Go Digital explores this developing relationship between superheroes and various forms of media, examining how the superhero genre, which was once limited primarily to a single medium, has been developed into so many more. Essays in this volume engage with several of the most iconic heroes—including Batman, Hulk, and Iron Man—through a variety of academic disciplines such as industry studies, gender studies, and aesthetic analysis to develop an expansive view of the genre’s potency. The contributors to this volume engage cinema, comics, video games, and even live stage shows to instill readers with new ways of looking at, thinking about, and experiencing some of contemporary media’s most popular texts. This unique approach to the examination of digital media and superhero studies provides new and valuable readings of well-known texts and practices. Intended for both academics and fans of the superhero genre, this anthology introduces the innovative and growing synergy between traditional comic books and digital media.
Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman swing into action! Featuring eight of your favorite super hero tales, this treasury is perfect for a day full of action-packed adventure. This collection includes: Gotham's Villains Unleashed! Superman and the Mayhem of Metallo Feline Felonies The Incredible Shrinking Super Hero! Batman and the Toxic Terror Starro and Stripes Forever Darkseid's Revenge Parasite City
Celebrate 75 years of DC Comics with an obsessive Fandex Deluxe: a supersized deck of 75 iconic heroes and villains whose power over the popular imagination has never been stronger (thinkThe Dark Knight, last summer's $1 billion blockbuster). The gang's all here: Batman, Robin, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Green Lantern, Captain Marvel, Justice League of America, the Flash. So are their nemeses—the Joker, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Lex Luthor, Cheetah, Brainiac, Poison Ivy, Deathstroke. Meticulously researched, with layers of information covering origins, biography, back-stories, affiliations, motivations, weaknesses, and fascinating trivia, the deck adds up to an insider's history of the DC Universe. And what better way to present it than in the format with super powers—Fandex and its die-cut cards perfectly capture the characters in one dynamic pose after another, with the art taken straight from the pages of the original comics. From the essential—learn about the Crisis on Infinite Earths—to the improbable—discover how Lex Luthor became President of the United States—to the offbeat—did you know that Clark Kent and Lois Lane lived in a building owned by Wayne (i.e., Batman) Enterprises: it's a handheld feast for new¬comers and passionate comics fans alike.
In the less than eight decades since Superman's debut in 1938, comic book superheroes have become an indispensable part of American society and the nation's dominant mythology. They represent America's hopes, dreams, fears, and needs. As a form of popular literature, superhero narratives have closely mirrored trends and events in the nation. This study views American history from 1938 to 2010 through the lens of superhero comics, revealing the spandex-clad guardians to be not only fictional characters but barometers of the place and time in which they reside. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.
