The Superhero Book

May 15, 2012

Along with her own articles, Misiroglu (The Supervillain Book) here presents pieces by Michael Eury, Andy Mangels, Michael A. Martin, Adam McGovern, Frank Plowright, David Roach, and Peter Sanderson, all of whom have well-established credentials as writers and editors in the comics business or the fan press. The book covers a surprising variety of superheroes, both popular and obscure, and is well illustrated with full-color reproductions of covers and panels. This is impressive given the reasonable page count and the extent of the entries, which recount each character's entire history to the present. Unfortunately, those virtues leave little room for the humor and liveliness suggested by the book's appearance and common in similar works; the title does not provide any analysis of, or opinions about, the subject matter. Fifteen years ago, comics fans would have found this resource useful whenever they needed to straighten out a character's convoluted backstory or learn about past superheroes from cancelled titles. Now a fan can use Wikipedia or a similar Internet site to get this kind of information but might read a book like this for fun. Other superhero fans might look to it for more insight into their favorite characters. This volume is suited to neither of these purposes. However, middle and high school students needing an authoritative source for an assignment, and who are often barred from the Internet at school, will find this helpful. VERDICT While not useful for the average fan wanting to know about a character, this is recommended for students in high school and below.--Robert Mixner, Bartholomew Cty. P.L., Columbus, IN

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2012
From Adam Strange to Zorro, the second edition of The Superhero Book delivers on its promise to be the Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes. Editor Misiroglu and her band of merry men (for, indeed, all the other contributing writers are male) have spent years writing about the topic, as researchers, critics, and comics creators. Entries have been updated and histories streamlined since the initial, 2004 publication, and the vast world of crusaders, caped and otherwise, is thoroughly covered. Herein lies a key piece of the book's appeal: it is not only a guide to settle origin-story disputes between comics fans but interesting even for casual readers. Entries avoid drawn-out retellings and focus on character origins, key historical episodes, powers, weaknesses, archfoes, and romantic distractions. Strengths include the breadth of entries; well-organized contents; an extensive index; and a wealth of photos, movie stills, and comic-book art. The book's introduction to superhero history includes political and comics-publishing frameworks and a concise definition of the term superhero itself; it is interesting, engaging, and often surprising. Also included are entries covering major players, stories, and history in specific categories, such as Alternative superheroes, Multiculturalism, Robot heroes, and Superheroines. Radio serials, television programs, and films are fully explored, effectively demonstrating the superhero's omnipresence in popular culture for the better part of the last century. A useful tool for students of popular culture, history, and serialized storytelling, plus just plain fun for the rest of us, this inexpensive volume delivers the goods with a biff!, bam!, and pow! Recommended for both reference and circulating collections in school and public libraries plus academic libraries serving general and arts education. Those holding the first edition would also be well served by updating, as the last decade has been an especially busy time for the superhero genre.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)