Description
Book SynopsisA fascinating written exploration of the superhero phenomenon, from its beginnings in the depths of Great Depression to the blockbuster movies of today.
For over 90 years, superheroes have been interrogated, deconstructed, and reinvented. In this wide-ranging study, Robb looks at the diverse characters, their creators, and the ways in which their creations have been reinvented for successive generations. Inevitably, the focus is on the United States, but the context is international, including an examination of characters developed in India and Japan in reaction to the traditional American hero.
Sections examine: the birth of the superhero, including Superman, in 1938; the DC family (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and The Justice Society/League of America), from the 1940s to the 1960s; the superheroes enlistment in the war effort in the 1940s and 50s; their neutering by the Comics Code; the challenge to DC from the Marvel family (The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, a
Trade Review
Praise for the author’s Brief Guide to Star Trek
You won’t find star dates or names of redshirts killed off in the fourth episode in the third season of the original series (trick question, they were unnamed). What you will find is an honest and excellent source of information about the work that went into the series that is still surviving after almost 50 years.
-- Aidan Fortune * SF Crowsnest *
Praise for the author’s Brief Guide to Star Wars
Well-written and easy to read . . . I recommend this book to any Star Wars fan.
-- Chad Cloman
