Enter the Superheroes: American Values, Culture, and the Canon of Superhero Literature
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 …
The 9/11 Report for Every AmericanOn December 5, 2005, the 9/11 Commission issued its final report card on the government’s fulfillment of the recommendations issued in July 2004: one A, twelve Bs, nine Cs, twelve Ds, three Fs, and four incompletes. Here is stunning evidence that Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón, with more than sixty years of experience …
Aim for the brain!The characters of The Walking Dead live in a desolate post-apocalyptic world, filled with relentless violence and death. In reality, how would such never-ending trauma affect the psyche? By understanding the psychological forces that drive the series’ action, fans can better grasp this compelling fictional universe. Which characters suffer PTSD and is there hope for them? Is …
A complete update to the hit book on the real physics at work in comic books, featuring more heroes, more villains, and more science Since 2001, James Kakalios has taught “Everything I Needed to Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books,” a hugely popular university course that generated coast-to-coast media attention for its unique method of explaining …
A journey behind the mask and into the mind of Gotham City’s Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight who inspires fear in evildoers everywhere Batman is one of the most compelling and enduring characters to come from the Golden Age of Comics, and interest in his story has only increased through countless incarnations since his first appearance in Detective …
Monster Mash: The Creepy, Kooky Monster Craze In America 1957-1972
Time-trip back to the frightening era of 1957-1972, when monsters stomped into the American mainstream! Once Frankenstein and fiends infiltrated TV in 1957, an avalanche of monster magazines, toys, games, trading cards, and comic books crashed upon an unsuspecting public. This profusely illustrated, full-color hardcover covers that creepy, kooky Monster Craze through features on Famous Monsters of Filmland …
NATIONAL BESTSELLER What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, and the X-Men—the list of names as familiar as our own. They are on our movie and television screens, in our videogames and in our dreams. But what are they trying …
Graphic novels are big business nowadays, and creating a well-executed graphic novel can be a big step to a rewarding career. This brand-new book gives detailed instruction in all aspects of graphic novel composition–creating characters and plots, and transforming them into dynamic illustrations that tell an interesting story. The introduction describes uses of tools of the trade, from …
Discovered in the Batcave, The Batman Files is Bruce Wayne’s secret journal, containing all the intricate information needed to carry on his mission, just in case …Batman is a cultural, super-hero icon. First introduced in 1939, the alter ego of Bruce Wayne has been known through countless DC comics, a TV series, and mega hit movies.Unearthed from the …
Despite their commercial appeal and cross-media reach, superheroes are only recently starting to attract sustained scholarly attention. This groundbreaking collection brings together essays and book excerpts by major writers on comics and popular culture.While superhero comics are a distinct and sometimes disdained branch of comics creation, they are integral to the development of the North American comic book …