Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics

Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics
Author: Lou Mougin
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 447
Release: 2020-01-13
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1476675139

 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.

Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics

Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics
Author: Lou Mougin
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 447
Release: 2020-01-10
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1476638608

 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.

Superhero Comics of the Golden Age

Superhero Comics of the Golden Age
Author: Mike Benton
Publisher: Taylor Publishing Company (TX)
Total Pages: 216
Release: 1992
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN:

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.

The League of Regrettable Superheroes

The League of Regrettable Superheroes
Author: Jon Morris
Publisher: Quirk Books
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2015-06-02
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1594747830

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.

Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes

Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes
Author: Jess Nevins
Publisher: High Rock Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2017-10
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 9781613180235

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.

The Meaning of Superhero Comic Books

The Meaning of Superhero Comic Books
Author: Terrence R. Wandtke
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 271
Release: 2014-01-10
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0786490152

For decades, scholars have been making the connection between the design of the superhero story and the mythology of the ancient folktale. Moving beyond simple comparisons and common explanations, this volume details how the workings of the superhero comics industry and the conventions of the medium have developed a culture like that of traditional epic storytelling. It chronicles the continuation of the oral/traditional culture of the early 20th century superhero industry in the endless variations on Superman and shows how Frederic Wertham's anti-comic crusade in the mid-1950s helped make comics the most countercultural new medium of the 20th century. By revealing how contemporary superhero comics, like Geoff Johns' Green Lantern and Warren Ellis's The Authority, connect traditional aesthetics and postmodern theories, this work explains why the superhero comic book flourishes in the "new traditional" shape of our acutely self-conscious digital age.

The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television, 2d ed.

The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television, 2d ed.
Author: John Kenneth Muir
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 705
Release: 2008-08-21
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0786437553

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a complete guide to over 50 years of superheroes on screen! This expanded and updated edition of the 2004 award-winning encyclopedia covers important developments in the popular genre; adds new shows such as Heroes and Zoom; includes the latest films featuring icons like Superman, Spiderman and Batman; and covers even more types of superheroes. Each entry includes a detailed history, cast and credits, episode and film descriptions, critical commentaries, and data on arch-villains, gadgets, comic-book origins and super powers, while placing each production into its historical context. Appendices list common superhero conventions and cliches; incarnations; memorable ad lines; and the best, worst, and most influential productions from 1951 to 2008.

The Golden Age of DC Comics

The Golden Age of DC Comics
Author: Paul Levitz
Publisher: Taschen
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019
Genre: Art
ISBN: 9783836556569

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.

Divas, Dames & Daredevils

Divas, Dames & Daredevils
Author: Mike Madrid
Publisher: Exterminating Angel Press
Total Pages: 394
Release: 2013-09-30
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1935259245

ComicsAlliance and ComicsBlend Best Comic Book of the Year BUST Magazine “Lit Pick” Recommendation Certified Cool™ in PREVIEWS: The Comic Shop’s Catalog “Mike Madrid gives these forgotten superheroines their due. These ‘lost’ heroines are now found—to the delight of comic book lovers everywhere.” —STAN LEE Wonder Woman, Mary Marvel, and Sheena, Queen of the Jungle ruled the pages of comic books in the 1940s, but many other heroines of the WWII era have been forgotten. Through twenty-eight full reproductions of vintage Golden Age comics, Divas, Dames & Daredevils reintroduces their ingenious abilities to mete out justice to Nazis, aliens, and evildoers of all kinds. Each spine-tingling chapter opens with Mike Madrid’s insightful commentary about heroines at the dawn of the comic book industry and reveals a universe populated by extraordinary women—superheroes, reporters, galactic warriors, daring detectives, and ace fighter pilots—who protected America and the world with wit and guile. In these pages, fans will also meet heroines with striking similarities to more modern superheroes, including The Spider Queen, who deployed web shooters twenty years before Spider Man, and Marga the Panther Woman, whose feral instincts and sharp claws tore up the bad guys long before Wolverine. These women may have been overlooked in the annals of history, but their influence on popular culture, and the heroes we’re passionate about today, is unmistakable. Mike Madrid is the author of Divas, Dames & Daredevils: Lost Heroines of Golden Age Comics and The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines, an NPR “Best Book To Share With Your Friends” and American Library Association Amelia Bloomer Project Notable Book. Madrid, a San Francisco native and lifelong fan of comic books and popular culture, also appears in the documentary Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines.

Superheroines and the Epic Journey

Superheroines and the Epic Journey
Author: Valerie Estelle Frankel
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2017-03-31
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1476668787

The heroine's journey echoes throughout ancient legend. Each young woman combats her dark side and emerges stronger. This quest is also a staple of American comic books. Wonder Woman with semi-divine powers gives us a new female-centered creation story. Batgirl, Batwoman and Black Widow discover their enemy is the dark mother or shadow twin, with the savagery they've rejected in themselves. Supergirl similarly struggles but keeps harmony with her sister. From Jessica Jones and Catwoman to the new superwomen of cutting-edge webcomics, each heroine must go into the dark, to become not a warrior but a savior. Women like Captain Marvel and Storm sacrifice all to join the ranks of superheroes, while their feminine powers and dazzling costumes reflect the most ancient tales.