Superheroes!: Capes, Cowls, and the Creation of Comic Book Culture

by Laurence Maslon, Michael Kantor Narrated by Laurence Maslon

Overview

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.
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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!
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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.
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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.*Superheroes! is the definitive story of this powerful presence in pop culture.

BONUS FEATURE:* Exclusive first-hand commentary from some of the greatest creators in comic book history, from Golden Age artists and writers (Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, Stan Lee) to the superstars of the Silver Age (Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, Denny O'Neil)--all the way up to the movers and shakers of the 21st Century (Todd McFarlane, Joe Quesada); plus luminaries such as Adam West, Jules Feiffer and Michael Chabon.


Selected interviews from Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle courtesy of Ghost Light Films,*© 2013 Ghost Light Films.

Editorial Reviews

JANUARY 2014 - AudioFile

Laurence Maslon produced “Superheroes,” an eighty-year history of comics for PBS, which spun off into a great coffee table book and this audiobook. Of the three, the audiobook suffers for its lack of art. What's a book about comics without pictures? Still, it's a good overview of the comic book industry for the non-comic reader and a refresher for the comic enthusiast, though this is well-trod soil. Maslon performs his own work, which slightly diminishes its impact. He's an efficient narrator but lacks the skill to achieve a memorable performance. He charts the creation of the first comic superhero, Superman, who fathered generations of spandex-clad adventurers, and touches upon dozens of others, including Captain America, Batman, and Spider-Man, and, from more recent times, Spawn and the Walking Dead. M.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

The New York Times Book Review - Glen Weldon

The book is colorfully and copiously illustrated, and its prose lopes along like a jubilant puppy…If the television series represents an express ride through 75 years of comics history, its more comprehensive coffee-table iteration is ideally suited to those of us nerds who'd prefer to take the local.

From the Publisher

From its roots in the pulp novels of the early 1900s to its contemporary ubiquity, Superheroes! provides intriguing fodder for those of us who wonder how this age of adolescence dawned, and why it’s stuck around so long. . . . colorfully and copiously illustrated . . . the companion volume to the three-part PBS documentary series Superheroes:  A Never-Ending Battle. If the television series represents an express ride through 75 years of comics history, its more comprehensive coffee-table iteration is ideally suited to those of us nerds who’d prefer to take the local."—The New York Times Book Review

“A deeply knowledgeable, engaging, and respectful history . . . will enlighten the casual fan and challenge lifelong fans.”—Mark Squirek, New York Journal of Books

“Exceptionally comprehensive”—ComicsGrinder.com

"A breezy, imaged-filled narrative perfect for someone who wants a single volume history of comic superheroes. . . . I enjoyed it. If you have someone who still can’t believe you read superhero comics, this is a nice volume to explain the power and history of the genre."—dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com 

JANUARY 2014 - AudioFile

Laurence Maslon produced “Superheroes,” an eighty-year history of comics for PBS, which spun off into a great coffee table book and this audiobook. Of the three, the audiobook suffers for its lack of art. What's a book about comics without pictures? Still, it's a good overview of the comic book industry for the non-comic reader and a refresher for the comic enthusiast, though this is well-trod soil. Maslon performs his own work, which slightly diminishes its impact. He's an efficient narrator but lacks the skill to achieve a memorable performance. He charts the creation of the first comic superhero, Superman, who fathered generations of spandex-clad adventurers, and touches upon dozens of others, including Captain America, Batman, and Spider-Man, and, from more recent times, Spawn and the Walking Dead. M.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2013-10-03
A soup-to-nuts history of mostly male, mostly American superheroes of the 20th century. This slab of superhero history is a colorful companion to Maslon (Arts/NYU Graduate Acting Program; Broadway: The American Musical, 2010, etc.) and Kantor's (Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America, 2009, etc.) upcoming PBS documentary. It's one of those strange amalgamations that arise from things like Ken Burns' documentaries: the comprehensive history that only skims the surface. But as an introduction to comics culture for novices, it does the trick. Starting in 1938, the authors chart the origins of the DC icons and delve into the awful history of Fredric Wertham's war on fun and the development of the Comics Code Authority. The most iconic characters get their own breakout sections, rendered in dazzling color illustrations. Better segments bring context, with the benefit of hindsight, to groundbreaking moments like Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore's Watchmen. However, the authors sometimes diverge from the source texts to focus on TV and hundreds of movies ranging from Christopher Reeve's iconic performance to the wealth of modern adaptations. This is probably based on the documentary source, which needs that imagery to thrive. One hopes the film more deeply explores some of the more shameful events in the industry's history, like the bad blood between DC and Superman creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Another aspect that makes the book feel generic is the clear focus on the big two: DC and Marvel, with only a slight deviation into the Image Comics rebellion. That shuts out a ton of indie publishers, effectively pushing eclectic characters ranging from The Rocketeer to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into the shadow of more recognizable caped crusaders. An academic recounting of a truly rich creative history, but it's territory covered with more fun and attitude by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's The Comic Book History of Comics (2012).

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171786991
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	10/08/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged

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