Tom De Haven

"Since his first appearance in Action Comics Number One, published in late spring of 1938, Superman has represented the essence of American heroism. 'Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, ' the Man of Steel has thrilled audiences across the globe, yet as life-long 'Superman Guy' Tom De Haven argues in this highly entertaining book, his story is uniquely American. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the midst of the Great Depression, Superman is both a transcendent figure and, when posing as his alter-ego, reporter Clark Kent, a humble working-class citizen. An orphan and an immigrant, he shares a personal history with the many Americans who came to this country in search of a better life, and his amazing feats represent the wildest realization of the American dream. As De Haven reveals through behind-the-scenes vignettes, personal anecdotes, and lively interpretations of more than 70 years of comic books, radio programs, TV shows, and Hollywood films, Superman's legacy seems, like the Man of Steel himself, to be utterly invincible."--Jacket.

"It's 1967, the Summer of Love. Roy Looby, a gifted young cartoonist, throws off the stifling embrace of his mentor, the legendary strip man Ed Biggs, and heads west to join the dropouts and musicians in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury. In the reckless spirit of the times, Looby creates the Imp Eugene, an angry, libidinous comic-book character who is a far cry from Biggs's signature figure, Derby Dugan - the cheerful icon of a more innocent and optimistic generation. Just like his real-life counterpart, the hippie cartoonist R. Crumb, Looby is soon celebrated and vilified for his creation. And then he disappears, rumored to have lost his mind during the drug-fueled creation of a comic-strip masterpiece."--BOOK JACKET.

Surveys the history of comic strips, examines different kinds and examples, and discusses how they are created and marketed.

Joe's life takes a humorous turn when he encounters a scientist with a machine that can make supermen out of ordinary "joes."