Movie 2: MAN OF STEEL, directed by Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner.

The Premise (from IMDb, because it made me laugh):  A young itinerant worker is forced to confront his secret extrastellar origin when Earth is invaded by members of his own race.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

My ( Read more... )

Things I've tweeted about tonight:

1. Is it sad that as I was about to throw some cardboard boxes into recycling, I realized they'd be perfect for holding Christmas presents?  Responses on Facebook indicate that I am onto something here, thinking ahead like this.  Of course, if I were really thinking ahead, I'd already have the gifts to put IN the ( Read more... )

Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-Creator Joe Shuster by Craig Yoe,  isbn 9780810996342, 160 pages, Abrams Comicarts,  $24.95

"Oh My God, Joe Shuster!"
That's what the author is expecting me to say, so I said it.

The book features a short history of Joe Shuster's life, from his childhood to losing control of the Superman property, ( Read more... )

Last Sons (a DC Universe book) by Alan Grant,  isbn 9780446616560, 322 pages, Warner Books,  $6.99

Well, this wasn't as bad as I had heard it would be. According to the cover, this is a team-up between the three "Last Sons" of the DC Comics Universe: Superman (Last Son of Krypton), The Martian Manhunter (last surviving member of the Green Martian ( Read more... )

Superman III by William Kotzwinkle,  isbn 0446322334, 221 pages, Warner Books,  $2.95

Wow.
"Only William Kotzwinkle who wrote ET could write a novel as thrilling as Superman III."

At least, that's what the back cover copy says. But there's nothing thrilling about this book. Of course, there wasn't anything particularly thrilling about the movie on ( Read more... )

Strange Visitors (Smallville, book one) by Roger Stern,  isbn 9780446612135, 285 pages, Aspect,  $5.99

I met Roger Stern at a small comic book convention in Ithaca NY back in 1992 (possibly early 1993, can't remember the exact date) when I was reviewing comics for The Octagon, the Elmira College newspaper. He was a nice guy, very willing to answer ( Read more... )

Kingdom Come by Elliot S! Maggin (based on a story by Mark Waid and Alex Ross),  isbn 9780446522342, 341 pages, Warner Books,  $20.00

This was another reread thanks to my recent Superman obsession. Elliot S. Maggin's novelization of the "Kingdom Come" comic book four-issue mini-series (and collected 'graphic novel') by Mark Waid and Alex Ross has ( Read more... )

Superman: Miracle Monday by Elliot S! Maggin,  isbn 0446911968, 205 pages, Warner Books,  $2.50

Upon rereading this second "Superman" novel by classic Superman scribe Elliot S! Maggin, I discovered that it is still one of my all-time favorite Superman novels. At heart it is just a classic Superman adventure with a time-travel component.
Remember, ( Read more... )

Superman Brainiac by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank,  isbn 9781401220877, 128 pages, DC Comics,  $19.95

I've only recently gotten re-interested in the Superman comics enough to start reading them on a monthly basis again. Part of that re-kindling of interest was due to Geoff Johns "Last Son" collaboration with Richard Donner and Adam Kubert, and his " ( Read more... )

Superman: Last Son of Krypton by Elliot S! Maggin,  isbn 0446823198, 238 pages, Warner Books,  $2.25

I read both this and Maggin's sequel (Miracle Monday) back in the day, and wrote him a fan letter which he graciously answered, which started a few years worth of correspondence. These are still two of the best Superman (or, in fact, any superhero) ( Read more... )