2013 marks the 75th anniversary of "The Man of Steel," "The Last Son of Krypton," "The Man of Tomorrow"; the quintessential figure that helped invent the entire comic book superhero genre--Superman!
Created in Cleveland, Ohio, by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1933, Superman debuted on the cover of Action Comics # 1 in June 1938 and the world has never been the same since. Supes is totally ingrained in American culture now, from comic books to television, movies, and all other mass media in between. Superman has reached iconic status with his red and blue costume and big, bright "S" logo, recognized all over the world as a symbol for truth and justice. He's been praised and debated by scholars and critics and basically defined the very definition of "hero." With the new film Man of Steel hitting theaters this weekend, Superman has soared back into the cultural spotlight.
Here's a "Friday Five" of books in the Superman canon to bring you up to (super) speed.
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The Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told by Jerry Siegel, Joel Shuster, Jim Steranko, John Byrne, Dick Giordano, Curt Swan, Mike Mignola, Lee Bermejo, Alex Ross, and others. As good a place as any to start for new and old fans alike, you get a cross-section of 50 odd years of Superman stories including Superman's origin. |
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Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? by Alan Moore, Curt Swan, and Dave Gibbons Quintessential Silver Age Superman stories written by comics legend Alan Moore. Tells of the final adventure of the Man of Steel featuring his last stand against Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and other villainous foes in his rogue's gallery. |
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All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly Possibly the best modern-day version of Superman created, All-Star Superman goes back to the very basics of the character, showcasing his god-like presence and powers and yet also illuminating his very human-like soul. Created by acclaimed writer Grant Morrison and accompained by the unique and extremely detailed artwork of Frank Quitely. Highly reccommended! |
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The Science of Superman by Mark Wolverton
We all know Superman is a fictional character with other wordly powers, but is there any way to explain those powers in a real world setting? Author Mark Wolverton attempts to do just that, applying theories and research of modern science to analyze Superman's invulnerability, ability to fly, super-strength, super-speed, super-hearing,
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Superman: The High-Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero by Larry Tye The first book to really go in-depth and not only tell the history of the Man of Steel himself but also relate the stories of all of the people behind the scenes who have helped to create this larger-than-life-mythology of Superman for over 75 years. Essential reading! |
Browse the search topic "Superman" in our online catalog for more than 300 super-powered books, DVDs, and CDs from our collections!
Leave us a comment below and let us know some of your favorite Superman or other superhero stories.
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