Superhero Confidential Volume I

The superhero genre has exploded, with comic book heroes conquering the big screen and making massive inroads on the small. Whether well known brand names like Batman and Spider-Man, or lesser recognized characters such as Daredevil and Hellboy, the superheroes are here to stay. Superhero Confidential is the first in a series of books to go behind the scenes on the making of these filmed adventures. Volume I includes "Spider-Man: From Cannon to Cameron," which explores the numerous aborted attempts at bringing Spidey to movie screens in the '80s and '90s; the making of the two Hellboy films with director Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman; a comprehensive exploration of Ben Affleck's Daredevil; director Christopher Nolan and writer David S. Goyer chronicling the challenges of Batman Begins and much more. From comic books to feature films, Superhero Confidential is your ultimate guide. About the Author: Edward Gross is a veteran entertainment journalist who has been on the editorial staff of a wide variety of magazines, among them Geek, Cinescape, SFX, Starlog, CFQ, Movie Magic and Sci-Fi Now. He is the author of such non-fiction books as Above & Below: A 25th Anniversary Beauty and the Beast Companion, Captains' Logs: The Complete Trek Voyages and Planet of the Apes Revisited.

This volume provides a thorough history of the origins and evolution of the superhero in literature and film, showing how it developed out of heroic myths and science fiction and into the birth of the comic book superhero as a unique and distinctive genre.

A superhero is a hero who has extraordinary or superhuman powers and who is exceptionally skillful or successful to perform a specific assignment from God! God has created all of us to be superheroes, and we all have an assignment that we are exceptionally skillful in or are successful to perform. God has given us promises and gifts to do certain things well for the glory and honor of His name. We only need to embrace our assignment and walk forward in confidence in the Assignment Giver, who has given to us in proportion to the abilities He created within us! This assignment is not guaranteed to be easy, but it is guaranteed to be a complete success. Our assignment, if we so choose to accept it, is to be the bearers of a lifesaving, life-changing, totally life-renovating, and very exciting new life message! We are Gods superheroes, gifted with special talents to overcome the power of darkness. We cannot fail.

Appealing to the casual comic book reader as well as the hardcore graphic novel fan, this ultimate AtoZ compendium describes everyone’s favorite participants in the eternal battle between good and evil. With nearly 200 entries examining more than 1,000 heroes, icons and their place in popular culture, it is the first comprehensive profile of superheroes across all media, following their path from comic book stardom to radio, television, movies, and novels. The best-loved and most historically significant superheroes—mainstream and counterculture, famous and forgotten, best and worst—are presented with numerous full-color illustrations, including dozens of classic comic covers. Each significant era of the superhero is explored—from the Golden Age of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s through the Modern Age—providing a unique perspective of the role of the hero over the course of the 20th century and beyond. This latest edition has been revised to reflect updates on existing characters, coverage of new characters, and recent films and media trends in the last several years.

Ever wondered what a superhero eats for breakfast? Do they need a special diet to feed their superpowers? The odd metabolisms of superheroes must mean they have strange dietary needs, from the high calorie diets to fuel flaming bodies and super speeds, to not so obvious requirements for vitamins and minerals. The Secret Science of Superheroes looks at the underpinning chemistry, physics and biology needed for their superpowers. Individual chapters look at synthesising elements on demand, genetic evolution and what superhero suits could be made of. By exploring these topics, the book introduces a wide range of scientific concepts, from protein chemistry to particle physics for a general scientifically interested audience. With contributions from leading science communicators the book hopes to answer some of these important questions rather than debunk or pick holes in the science of superheroes.

Over the last several decades, comic book superheroes have multiplied and, in the process, become more complicated. In this cutting edge anthology an international roster of contributors offer original research and writing on the contemporary comic book superhero, with occasional journeys into the film and television variation. As superheroes and their stories have grown with the audiences that consume them, their formulas, conventions, and narrative worlds have altered to follow suit, injecting new, unpredictable and more challenging characterizations that engage ravenous readers who increasingly demand more.

This entertaining guide to being a superhero covers everything from costumes and superpowers to knowing right vs wrong—with illustrations, games, and more! Bart King—author of The Big Book of Girl Stuff, The Big Book of Gross Stuff, and Dad Jokes—reveals himself as one of the world’s most in-demand superhero experts. So if you’re wondering if you have what it takes to be a superhero—of course you do! All you need is a burning desire to fight evildoers. Oh, and also a secret identity, the perfect name, a cool costume, some terrific superpowers, and an archenemy. Actually, you know what? You better get this book! Full of illustrations, activities, and pop up quizzes, The Big Book of Superheroes covers topics ranging from The Top 10 Lamest Superpowers to The Top 6 Tips for Parents of a Superhero. “Filled with enough superhero information to keep a middle grader's nose between the pages for hours...it's entertaining on every page."—Kid Lit Reviews