The 1940s saw the birth of many enduring superheroes like Superman, Batman, Captain America and Captain Marvel. Outside of the superhero genre, the golden age of comics also featured a host of lesser-known, evil-fighting action figures, and this book contains a wealth of information about these heroes without capes. Covered here are jungle heroines like Sheena, Rulah and Princess Pantha; science fiction stalwarts including Spacehawk, Hunt Bowman and Futura; adventurers such as Kayo Kirby, Werewolf Hunter and Senorita Rio; and Western heroes ranging from Tom Mix to the Ghost Rider.
When Superman debuted in 1938, he ushered in a string of imitators--Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Captain America. But what about the many less well-known heroes who lined up to fight crooks, super villains or Hitler--like the Shield, the Black Terror, Crimebuster, Cat-Man, Dynamic Man, the Blue Beetle, the Black Cat and even Frankenstein? These and other four-color fighters crowded the newsstands from the late 1930s through the early 1950s. Most have since been overlooked, and not necessarily because they were victims of poor publication. This book gives the other superheroes of the Golden Age of comics their due.
The ultimate history of the greatest period in comic book superheroes, from the birth of the genre in the early thirties to the postwar lull in the late forties.
This unique, one-volume encyclopedia contains entries on the more than 2000 superheroes, private eyes, cowboys, pilots, and adventure heroes who appeared in comics during the Golden Age (1935-1949) of superhero comics. Every heroic character from the Golden Age has been included; no one has been left out. Each entry contains a description of the hero, their significant villains, their creator credits, their first appearance, and their number of appearances in comics of the Golden Age. This collection is a one-of-a-kind compendium of superheroes that no fan of comics or superhero gaming should be without.
Get the ultimate insights on the heyday of DC Comics. Spanning from 1935 to 1956, more than 600 pages of covers and interiors, original illustrations, photographs, film stills, and ephemera chart the creators, the stories, and the game-changing super heroes Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
Conventional wisdom holds that comic books of the post-World War II era are poorly drawn and poorly written publications, notable only for the furor they raised. Contributors to this thoughtful collection, however, demonstrate that these comics constitute complex cultural documents that create a dialogue between mainstream values and alternative beliefs that question or complicate the grand narratives of the era. Close analysis of individual titles, including EC comics, Superman, romance comics, and other, more obscure works, reveals the ways Cold War culture--from atomic anxieties and the nuclear family to communist hysteria and social inequalities--manifests itself in the comic books of the era. By illuminating the complexities of mid-century graphic novels, this study demonstrates that postwar popular culture was far from monolithic in its representation of American values and beliefs.
The Public Domain Encyclopedia (or PDE) is a book series dedicated to the lost treasures of the Golden Age comics industry that are freely available to all. No cost, no charge. The 1st volume is dedicated to the Superheroes of the Better/Nedor/Standard/Pines Publications, a now dead publisher that issued comic books during the Golden Age (1938-1956). Recently, these characters raised the attention of many established modern comic book experts, readers and publishers, contributing to re-invent the way old comics are read, interpreted and understood in light of the historical events of the 20th Century. The Better/Nedor/Standard characters are supposed to be in the public domain and are used as such, however it is not totally clear if they are publicly available or not. This volume of the PDE aims at shading more light on the riddle entangling the Black Terror, Fighting Yank, Miss Masque and other less famous Mystery Men that fought the good fight in simpler times. This volume is divided in 4 macro-sections: an introduction describing the history of the Better/Nedor/Standards imprints and a timeline of their brilliant founder, the late Ned Pines; section 2 focuses on 28 characters, proving insights on their creation and conceptualization, their publishing life and their actual copyright and trademark status. A comprehensive analysis of the characters follows, including a description of their market trends, success factors and archetypal references. The last part is an updated summary of the copyright status of the Better/Nedor/Standard Golden Age titles, providing registration and renewal numbers dates and owners. A trademark table completes this section summarizing the registered trademark of each of the characters. All sections are fully illustrated with black & white fully original illustrations, pin-ups and splash-pages, granting a reading that goes far beyond the simple understanding of historical data, proving that the Funny Pages of the past are still enjoyable for all.
In the summer of 2000 X-Men surpassed all box office expectations and ushered in an era of unprecedented production of comic book film adaptations. This trend, now in its second decade, has blossomed into Hollywood's leading genre. From superheroes to Spartan warriors, The Comic Book Film Adaptation offers the first dedicated study to examine how comic books moved from the fringes of popular culture to the center of mainstream film production. Through in-depth analysis, industry interviews, and audience research, this book charts the cause-and-effect of this influential trend. It considers the cultural traumas, business demands, and digital possibilities that Hollywood faced at the dawn of the twenty-first century. The industry managed to meet these challenges by exploiting comics and their existing audiences. However, studios were caught off-guard when these comic book fans, empowered by digital media, began to influence the success of these adaptations. Nonetheless, filmmakers soon developed strategies to take advantage of this intense fanbase, while codifying the trend into a more lucrative genre, the comic book movie, which appealed to an even wider audience. Central to this vibrant trend is a comic aesthetic in which filmmakers utilize digital filmmaking technologies to engage with the language and conventions of comics like never before. The Comic Book Film Adaptation explores this unique moment in which cinema is stimulated, challenged, and enriched by the once-dismissed medium of comics.
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.
