The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes by Gina Misiroglu, David A. Roach (Editor)

Product Details

Synopsis

An editor and author of books on popular culture, Misiroglu compiles and arranges some 300 descriptions of superheroes, villains, and comics genres, from the 1930s to the present. Of interest to comics fans of all ages, this volume is an effort "to pay homage to the heroes who have, in whatever minor or major way, influenced our lives." While grounded in comic books of the Golden Age, this encyclopedia embraces superheroes of every medium: graphic novels, TV cartoons, films (both live-action and animated), and video games. Each detailed entry is signed, though not cross-referenced; many entries are accompanied by comic book covers and film stills, in both b&w and color. Distributed by Omnigraphics. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-This colossal encyclopedia of all things superhero could not have come at a better time. With a slew of comic-book movies each year, kids are more interested than ever in anything to do with these heroes. The collection includes hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries detailing how the character was first envisioned, highlights of important superheroes, and, when relevant, how they've been portrayed by Hollywood. The volume devotes as much attention to popular superheroes as it does to lesser-known figures such as Ant-Man, Nick Fury, and The Wasp. Only a limited number of commercial Hollywood icons are included, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Powerpuff Girls; none of the shows of the past are mentioned. While a strict definition of what the editors believe makes up a superhero is lacking, this is nonetheless a fairly thorough collection. While one might wish for a lot more illustrations, it is a must-buy for comic readers interested in knowing the early roots and conceptions of comic-book heroes.-Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Biography

Gina Misiroglu is a fourteen-year veteran of the West Coast publishing industry, specializing in the development and editing of popular culture, reference, and women's studies. Misiroglu has edited and developed hundreds of books in her publishing career for a number of presses, including Price Stern Sloan/HP Books, New World Library, Lowell House, Visible Ink Press, Macmillan Reference USA, and Adams Media Corporation. Misiroglu is the author of Girls Like Us: 40 Extraordinary Women Celebrate Girlhoods in Story, Poetry, and Song (New World Library, 1999), winner of the New York Public Library's "Best Book for Teens" Award, and Imagine: The Spirit of Twentieth-Century American Heroes (New World Library, 1999). She lives in Los Angeles, California.