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It's Superman!: A Novel

by

It's Superman!: A Novel Cover

ISBN13: 9780345493927
ISBN10: 0345493923
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

Only 1 left in stock at $9.50!

 

Review-A-Day

"It's Superman! has wonderfully crisp period detail, making you believe you're right there in either depression-era Kansas, the teeming metropolis of 1930s New York City, or out in sunny California where Clark works as a stunt man getting to take home a certain blue and red costume we've all become acquainted with. Spot on style, language, and dialogue right down to the fashion of the time, make this a good read not just for superhero fans, but just about anyone who enjoys a nostalgic thrill or two." David Hannon, Powells.com (read the entire Powells.com review)

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Coming of age in rural 1930s America with X-ray vision, the power to stop bullets, and the ability to fly isn't exactly every boy's story. So just how did Clark Kent, a shy farmer's son, grow up to be the Man of Steel? Follow young Clark's whirlwind journey from Kansas to New York City's Daily Planet — by way Hollywood. This ace reporter is not the only person leading a double life in a teeming metropolis, just the only one able to leap tall buildings in a single bound — a skill that comes in handy when battling powerful criminal masterminds like scheming Lex Luthor and fascist robots. But can Clark's Midwestern charm save the day and win the heart of stunning, seen-it-all newspaperwoman Lois Lane? Or is it a job for Superman?

Look deep into the soul of a pop-culture legend brilliantly re-imagined in this novel, which is as inventive and thrilling as it is touching and wise.

Review:

"Great fun...[De Haven] presents the man of steel as a sullen Depression-era teen, a bad WII-era reporter and as ambivalent about his super powers throughout, all with a kind of knowing that reflects a deep immersion in pulp." Publishers Weekly

Review:

"Delightful....It's Superman! fills in the early years of its hero with energy and imagination....De Haven's cartoon world will entertain readers for a long time to come." The New York Times Book Review

Review:

"With cheeky aplomb, luscious period details, and a generous affection for his characters, De Haven accomplishes his own kind of superhuman feat — he leaps above cliches in a single bound and fashions a stylish, rollicking good yarn from the legend of the Man of Steel." The Boston Globe

Review:

"It's Superman! is textured with authentic faces, places, and attitudes." Entertainment Weekly

Review:

"Funny, poignant and exciting...my favorite book of the year." Rocky Mountain News

Review:

"A smashing read that offers a comic book's stripped-down, telegraphic storytelling quality as well as a novel's more sustained narrative momentum...an impressive achievement, indeed." Richmond Times-Dispatch

Review:

"A must for all superman fans." The Philadelphia Weekly News

Review:

"De Haven's novel shows that, nearly 70 years after his creation, the Man of Steel still has plenty to offer." Booklist

Synopsis:

The world's most popular and enduring super hero makes a smashing literary debut. This novel takes an entirely fresh approach to the emergence of his super-powers and his newspaper career, following him from Kansas to New York City.
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About the Author

Tom De Haven is the author of several novels, including Derby Dugan's Depression Funnies (winner of the 1997 American Book Award) and Funny Papers. A frequent contributor to Entertainment Weekly and The New York Times, he also teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University. He lives in Midlothian, Virginia.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Brett, December 24, 2006 (view all comments by Brett)
What a lot of fun this book is. In comics these days, it is a common practice rather than to think of anything new the writer retells the character's origin story, usually with some "edgy" twist or embellished with modern sensibilities. It has been done to death, often without the writers really adding anything of value to the character. This is not that type of story. Fun, well paced, with good guys and bad guys and lots of period detail. My only complaint is that he wasn't in the costume long enough to suit me. It reminded me a lot of the pulp "avenger" type stories from the era it is placed in.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780345493927
Subtitle:
A Novel
Author:
De Haven, Tom
Author:
Tom De Haven
Author:
Tom De Haven
Publisher:
Ballantine Books
Subject:
General
Subject:
Fantasy - General
Subject:
Superman (fictitious character)
Subject:
Adventure fiction
Subject:
Fantasy fiction
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Adventure
Copyright:
2006
Edition Description:
Trade paper
Publication Date:
20060829
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
432
Dimensions:
8.00x5.18x.95 in. .68 lbs.
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Related Subjects

Fiction and Poetry » Science Fiction and Fantasy » A to Z

It's Superman!: A Novel Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$9.50 In Stock
Product details 432 pages Ballantine Books - English 9780345493927 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "Great fun...[De Haven] presents the man of steel as a sullen Depression-era teen, a bad WII-era reporter and as ambivalent about his super powers throughout, all with a kind of knowing that reflects a deep immersion in pulp." Publishers Weekly
"Review A Day" by , "It's Superman! has wonderfully crisp period detail, making you believe you're right there in either depression-era Kansas, the teeming metropolis of 1930s New York City, or out in sunny California where Clark works as a stunt man getting to take home a certain blue and red costume we've all become acquainted with. Spot on style, language, and dialogue right down to the fashion of the time, make this a good read not just for superhero fans, but just about anyone who enjoys a nostalgic thrill or two." (read the entire Powells.com review)
"Review" by , "Delightful....It's Superman! fills in the early years of its hero with energy and imagination....De Haven's cartoon world will entertain readers for a long time to come."
"Review" by , "With cheeky aplomb, luscious period details, and a generous affection for his characters, De Haven accomplishes his own kind of superhuman feat — he leaps above cliches in a single bound and fashions a stylish, rollicking good yarn from the legend of the Man of Steel."
"Review" by , "It's Superman! is textured with authentic faces, places, and attitudes."
"Review" by , "Funny, poignant and exciting...my favorite book of the year."
"Review" by , "A smashing read that offers a comic book's stripped-down, telegraphic storytelling quality as well as a novel's more sustained narrative momentum...an impressive achievement, indeed."
"Review" by , "A must for all superman fans."
"Review" by , "De Haven's novel shows that, nearly 70 years after his creation, the Man of Steel still has plenty to offer."
"Synopsis" by , The world's most popular and enduring super hero makes a smashing literary debut. This novel takes an entirely fresh approach to the emergence of his super-powers and his newspaper career, following him from Kansas to New York City.
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