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Was Superman a Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed
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Was Superman a Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed Paperback - 2009

by Brian Cronin

Cronin presents the fascinating and often bizarre true stories behind more than 200 urban legends about comic book culture. b&w photos throughout.


Summary

Fascinating and often bizarre true stories behind more than 130 urban legends about comic book culture

Was Superman a Spy? demystifies all of the interesting stories, unbelievable anecdotes, wacky rumors, and persistent myths that have piled up like priceless back issues in the seventy-plus years of the comic book industry, including:

* Elvis Presley's trademark hairstyle was based on a comic book character (True)
* Stan Lee featured a gay character in one of Marvel's 1960s war comics (False)
* Wolverine of the X-Men was originally meant to be an actual wolverine! (True)
* What would have been DC's first black superhero was changed at the last moment to a white hero (True)
* A Dutch inventor was blocked from getting a patent on a process because it had been used previously in a Donald Duck comic book (True)

With many more legends resolved, Was Superman a Spy? is a must-have for the legions of comic book fans and all seekers of "truth, justice, and the American way."

From the publisher

Fascinating and often bizarre true stories behind more than 130 urban legends about comic book culture. Was Superman a Spy? demystifies all of the interesting stories, unbelievable anecdotes, wacky rumors, and persistent myths that have piled up like priceless back issues in the seventy-plus years of the comic book industry, including: - Elvis Presley's trademark hairstyle was based on a comic book character (True)
- Stan Lee featured a gay character in one of Marvel's 1960s war comics (False)
- Wolverine of the X-Men was originally meant to be an actual wolverine! (True)
- What would have been DC's first black superhero was changed at the last moment to a white hero (True)
- A Dutch inventor was blocked from getting a patent on a process because it had been used previously in a Donald Duck comic book (True) With many more legends resolved, Was Superman a Spy? is a must-have for the legions of comic book fans and all seekers of "truth, justice, and the American way."

Details

  • Title Was Superman a Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed
  • Author Brian Cronin
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition First Edition
  • Pages 256
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Plume Books, New York
  • Date 2009-04-28
  • ISBN 9780452295322 / 0452295327
  • Weight 0.47 lbs (0.21 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.92 x 5.5 x 0.53 in (20.12 x 13.97 x 1.35 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Library of Congress subjects Comic books, strips, etc - United States, Comic strip characters - United States
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2008030601
  • Dewey Decimal Code 741.597

About the author

Brian Cronin is the writer and producer of the Comics Should Be Good blog at Comic Book Resources (www.cbr.cc). He has been writing the online column "Comic Book Legends Revealed" since June 2005. He has a JD from Fordham Law School and is a member of the New York State Bar.
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