Super-History

Super-History
Author: Jeffrey K. Johnson
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 231
Release: 2014-01-10
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0786490357

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.

Superman: The Golden Age Vol. 4

Superman: The Golden Age Vol. 4
Author: Jerry Siegel
Publisher: DC Comics
Total Pages: 364
Release: 2018-05-29
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1401290388

In the early 1940s Superman was a much-needed hero for a nation on the brink of war. The Man of Steel was in his Golden Age, and with each new story, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were continuing to expand and enrich the world of their still-relatively-new creation. In these early adventures, Superman must protect the citizens of Metropolis from a variety of threats ranging from insurance scams and gangsters to spies and saboteurs. Plus, Lex Luthor returns to cement his place as Superman’s archnemesis, with more schemes and gadgets than any other villain facing the Man of Steel! Superman: The Golden Age Volume Four collects adventures from World’s Finest Comics #3-5, Superman #12-15 and Action Comics #41-47.In the early 1940s Superman was a much-needed hero for a nation on the brink of war. The Man of Steel was in his Golden Age, and with each new story, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were continuing to expand and enrich the world of their still-relatively-new creation. In these early adventures, Superman must protect the citizens of Metropolis from a variety of threats ranging from insurance scams and gangsters to spies and saboteurs. Plus, Lex Luthor returns to cement his place as Superman’s archnemesis, with more schemes and gadgets than any other villain facing the Man of Steel! Superman: The Golden Age Volume Four collects adventures from World’s Finest Comics #3-5, Superman #12-15 and Action Comics #41-47.

Superman: Panic in the Sky (New Edition)

Superman: Panic in the Sky (New Edition)
Author: Roger Stern
Publisher: DC Comics
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2016-06-28
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1401270247

Brainiac returns to invade Earth with his ultimate weapon, Warworld, a planet-sized satellite built for destruction. With the help of super-powered friends like Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern and many more, Superman must lead the attack on Brainiac and protect Earth!Collects ACTION COMICS #474-475, SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #9-10, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #488-489, SUPERMAN #66.

Superheroes and Economics

Superheroes and Economics
Author: Brian O'Roark
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 291
Release: 2018-07-11
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1351258141

At first sight, superheroes and economics seem to occupy completely different dimensions – but a clash of dimensions is a classic comic book storyline! In this first-of-its kind book, an economist and a business writer assemble an A-team of academic talent to explore the intersection of superhero mythology and economic theory in ten accessible chapters. Superheroes and Economics uncovers basic economic truths that are integral to the comic stories from some of the genres most famous names. The authors of the chapters look at ways that economic principles can add authenticity to imagined universes, and how familiar superhero stories can demonstrate concepts used by economists to forecast the behavior of markets and individuals. If Spider-Man is so smart, why isn’t he rich? What are the economic implications of a tech entrepreneur like Tony Stark actually inventing Iron Man armor? What does the 80-year career of Wonder Woman tell us about the evolving role of women in the workplace? This unique book extends the scope of comics studies to encompass social sciences. It offers a great way to introduce both fans and students to topics like opportunity cost, growth, inflation, and cost benefit analysis, as well as more advanced concepts like moral hazard, utility functions and economic growth. This text can be used to supplement economics courses using colorful examples that any pop culture fan can relate to.

Superman: The Golden Age Vol. 1

Superman: The Golden Age Vol. 1
Author: Jerry Siegel
Publisher: DC Comics
Total Pages: 396
Release: 2016-03-22
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1401267521

Faster than a speeding bullet, Superman burst onto the comic book scene in 1938, just as America was on the terrifying precipice of a world war. In a desperate time, legendary creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster brought to life the world’s first modern superhero. The Man of Steel emerged as a champion of the oppressed, taking down any enemy with his super-strength and speed, both foreign and near to home. In his distinctive royal blue, red and yellow costume, complete with cape, the stalwart Kryptonian emanated strength and fearlessness. He swiftly became a symbol of hope for a downtrodden America.Collecting all of the Metropolis Wonder’s first-ever adventures from ACTION COMICS #1-19, SUPERMAN #1-3 and NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR COMICS #1!

Working-Class Comic Book Heroes

Working-Class Comic Book Heroes
Author: Marc DiPaolo
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2018-04-19
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1496816676

Contributions by Phil Bevin, Blair Davis, Marc DiPaolo, Michele Fazio, James Gifford, Kelly Kanayama, Orion Ussner Kidder, Christina M. Knopf, Kevin Michael Scott, Andrew Alan Smith, and Terrence R. Wandtke In comic books, superhero stories often depict working-class characters who struggle to make ends meet, lead fulfilling lives, and remain faithful to themselves and their own personal code of ethics. Working-Class Comic Book Heroes: Class Conflict and Populist Politics in Comics examines working-class superheroes and other protagonists who populate heroic narratives in serialized comic books. Essayists analyze and deconstruct these figures, viewing their roles as fictional stand-ins for real-world blue-collar characters. Informed by new working-class studies, the book also discusses how often working-class writers and artists created these characters. Notably Jack Kirby, a working-class Jewish artist, created several of the most recognizable working-class superheroes, including Captain America and the Thing. Contributors weigh industry histories and marketing concerns as well as the fan community's changing attitudes towards class signifiers in superhero adventures. The often financially strapped Spider-Man proves to be a touchstone figure in many of these essays. Grant Morrison's Superman, Marvel's Shamrock, Alan Moore and David Lloyd's V for Vendetta, and The Walking Dead receive thoughtful treatment. While there have been many scholarly works concerned with issues of race and gender in comics, this book stands as the first to deal explicitly with issues of class, cultural capital, and economics as its main themes.

DC Comics Year By Year, New Edition

DC Comics Year By Year, New Edition
Author: Alan Cowsill
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2019-10-01
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1465496084

The most comprehensive guide to the history of DC Comics ever published In 1938, Superman led the charge. The world's first Super Hero was soon followed by his Justice League teammates Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, Shazam! and Green Lantern. These heroes, and their Super-Villainous foes such as Lex Luthor and The Joker, became the foundation of DC Comics. You can trace these characters' evolution, and learn about the company and creators who made them the enduring pop culture icons they are today in DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle - the most comprehensive, chronological history of DC Comics ever published. Fully updated, this best-selling, visually stunning book details the debuts and careers of every major hero and villain in the DC Universe. It also chronicles the company's fascinating 85-year history, highlighting its publishing milestones and expansion into movies and television, alongside the real-world events that shaped the times. Created in full collaboration with DC Comics and written by leading comics historians Matthew K. Manning, Daniel Wallace, Mike McAvennie, Alex Irvine, Alan Cowsill and Melanie Scott, the new edition brings the DC Comics story right up to date, covering recent landmark events such as Rebirth, Dark Nights: Metal, Doomsday Clock and Heroes in Crisis. DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle is guaranteed to keep fans enthralled for hours on end. (TM) & © DC Comics. (s19)

The Evolution of the Costumed Avenger

The Evolution of the Costumed Avenger
Author: Jess Nevins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 275
Release: 2017-01-30
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN:

Using a broad array of historical and literary sources, this book presents an unprecedented detailed history of the superhero and its development across the course of human history. How has the concept of the superhero developed over time? How has humanity's idealization of heroes with superhuman powers changed across millennia—and what superhero themes remain constant? Why does the idea of a superhero remain so powerful and relevant in the modern context, when our real-life technological capabilities arguably surpass the imagined superpowers of superheroes of the past? The Evolution of the Costumed Avenger: The 4,000-Year History of the Superhero is the first complete history of superheroes that thoroughly traces the development of superheroes, from their beginning in 2100 B.C.E. with the Epic of Gilgamesh to their fully entrenched status in modern pop culture and the comic book and graphic novel worlds. The book documents how the two modern superhero archetypes—the Costumed Avengers and the superhuman Supermen—can be traced back more than two centuries; turns a critical, evaluative eye upon the post-Superman history of the superhero; and shows how modern superheroes were created and influenced by sources as various as Egyptian poems, biblical heroes, medieval epics, Elizabethan urban legends, Jacobean masques, Gothic novels, dime novels, the Molly Maguires, the Ku Klux Klan, and pulp magazines. This work serves undergraduate or graduate students writing papers, professors or independent scholars, and anyone interested in learning about superheroes.

Enter the Superheroes

Enter the Superheroes
Author: Alex S. Romagnoli
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Total Pages: 247
Release: 2013-06-20
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0810891727

Ever since the first appearances of Superman and Batman in comic books of the late 1930s, superheroes have been a staple of the popular culture landscape. Though initially created for younger audiences, superhero characters have evolved over the years, becoming complex figures that appeal to more sophisticated readers. While superhero stories have grown ever more popular within broader society, however, comics and graphic novels have been largely ignored by the world of academia. In Enter the Superheroes:American Values, Culture, and the Canon of Superhero Literature, Alex S. Romagnoli and Gian S. Pagnucci arguethat superheroes merit serious study, both within the academy and beyond. By examining the kinds of graphic novels that are embraced by the academy, this book explains how superhero stories are just as significant. Structured around key themes within superhero literature, the book delves into the features that make superhero stories a unique genre. The book also draws upon examples in comics and other media to illustrate the sociohistorical importance of superheroes—from the interplay of fans and creators to unique narrative elements that are brought to their richest fulfillment within the world of superheroes. A list of noteworthy superhero texts that readers can look to for future study is also provided. In addition to exploring the important roles that superheroes play in children’s learning, the book also offers an excellent starting point for discussions of how literature is evolving and why it is necessary to expand the traditional realms of literary study. Enter the Superheroes will be of particular interest to English and composition teachers but also to scholars of popular culture and fans of superhero and comic book literature.

Adapting Superman

Adapting Superman
Author: John Darowski
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2021-05-29
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1476642397

Almost immediately after his first appearance in comic books in June 1938, Superman began to be adapted to other media. The subsequent decades have brought even more adaptations of the Man of Steel, his friends, family, and enemies in film, television, comic strip, radio, novels, video games, and even a musical. The rapid adaptation of the Man of Steel occurred before the character and storyworld were fully developed on the comic book page, allowing the adaptations an unprecedented level of freedom and adaptability. The essays in this collection provide specific insight into the practice of adapting Superman from comic books to other media and cultural contexts through a variety of methods, including social, economic, and political contexts. Authors touch on subjects such as the different international receptions to the characters, the evolution of both Clark Kent's character and Superman's powers, the importance of the radio, how the adaptations interact with issues such as racism and Cold War paranoia, and the role of fan fiction in the franchise. By applying a wide range of critical approaches to adaption and Superman, this collection offers new insights into our popular entertainment and our cultural history.