BADARACCO, Claire:American Culture and the Marketplace. R.R. Donnelley's Four American Books Campaign, 1926-1930
- Paperback 2005, ISBN: 9780844407241
Hardcover
San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Very Good. 6.5 x 1.4 x 9.4 inches. Hardcover. 2005. 384 pages. <br>The world's most popular and enduring super hero a nd acclaimed novelist T… More...
San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Very Good. 6.5 x 1.4 x 9.4 inches. Hardcover. 2005. 384 pages. <br>The world's most popular and enduring super hero a nd acclaimed novelist Tom De Haven come together to create the ex traordinary It's Superman! a novel that reinvents the early years of the Man of Steel. Opening with the young Clark Kent on a date , the novel takes an entirely fresh approach to the emergence of his superpowers and the start of his newspaper career, following him from rural 1930s Kansas across america to Hollywood in its go lden age, and then to New York City. He meets a worldly Lois Lane and conniving political boss Lex Luthor, and begins his battles against criminal masterminds, mad scientists, and supervillains i nspired by fascists. Sure to appeal to fans of the TV show Smallv ille and the novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, a s well as devoted comic book readers, It's Superman is a fun and fast-paced novel of thrilling invention, heroic escapades, ill-fi tting costumes, and super-sized coming-of-age angst. Editorial R eviews From Publishers Weekly A focus on Clark Kent's high schoo l years only makes comparison to the popular WB show Smallville a ll the more inevitable--and intentional. De Haven, whose Derby Du gan trilogy beautifully reimagined 20th-century American history through a pleasant sheen of media-tized irony, presents the man o f steel as a sullen Depression-era teen, a bad WII-era reporter a nd as ambivalent about his super powers throughout, all with a ki nd of knowing that reflects a deep immersion in pulp. De Haven dr ives his coming-of-age tale toward Superman's first showdown with Lex Luthor and his robot Lexbots in the middle of (the real!) Ne w York City--prompted, of course, by the need to save Lois Lane. He gets knocked off his feet by the Lexbots and temporarily dazed . He doesn't want to continue, doesn't think he can win. Suddenly , in an echo of recent Batman and Spiderman film adaptations, a d isembodied voice rings out: Now get off that silly chair and go d o something. Doesn't matter what. Just do something, Clark. (It's his mother.) If that's not over-the-top enough, plenty of short chapters begin with lines like Despite Lex Luthor's savvy and sen sitive draft report on the Harlem race riot.... De Haven gives re aders X-ray vision for determining when his tongue is in his chee k here; using it is great fun.(Nov. 1) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved . From Bookmarks Magazine If you enjoyed De Haven's Derby Dugan trilogy or have fond memories of (or a continued obsession with) the Man of Steel, you'll like It's Superman!, a re-creation of Su perman's early life before 1938, when he first started to appear in comic strips and, later, books, radio and television shows, an d movies. De Haven, who teaches creative writing at Virginia Comm onwealth University, has added a sophisticated, well-rounded, and compelling addition to the Superman genre. In particular, he has an eye for authentic setting and character. Some parts could be Steinbeck meets Smallville, notes The Palm Beach Post. The verdic t: proof that Superman's appeal has withstood the test of time. Copyright 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc. From Booklist De Haven's Derby Dugan trilogy--Funny Papers, 1988; Derby Dugan's De pression Funnies 1996; Dugan under Ground, 2001--presaged Michael Chabon's Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (2000) and outd id it by encompassing the history of comics from early newspaper strips to the undergrounds of the sixties. De Haven now undertake s an authorized re-imagining of the early years of Superman. De H aven convincingly and touchingly depicts the young Clark Kent's a pprehensions and insecurities as he comes to terms with his extra ordinary abilities in 1930s rural Kansas. Concurrently, he tracks Lois Lane's beginnings in journalism and the plotting for power of New York City political boss Lex Luthor (no Metropolis masquer ade here). While hewing to the basic outline of the venerable Sup erman mythos--his intergalactic background, his straight-arrow up bringing in Smallville, and his blue-and-red costume--De Haven fi nds ways to make even its more outlandish elements work. If it do esn't quite transcend its origins, De Haven's novel shows that, n early 70 years after his creation, the Man of Steel still has ple nty to offer. Gordon Flagg Copyright American Library Associatio n. All rights reserved From Booklist De Haven's Derby Dugan tril ogy--Funny Papers, 1988; Derby Dugan's Depression Funnies 1996; D ugan under Ground, 2001--presaged Michael Chabon's Amazing Advent ures of Kavalier and Clay (2000) and outdid it by encompassing th e history of comics from early newspaper strips to the undergroun ds of the sixties. De Haven now undertakes an authorized re-imagi ning of the early years of Superman. De Haven convincingly and to uchingly depicts the young Clark Kent's apprehensions and insecur ities as he comes to terms with his extraordinary abilities in 19 30s rural Kansas. Concurrently, he tracks Lois Lane's beginnings in journalism and the plotting for power of New York City politic al boss Lex Luthor (no Metropolis masquerade here). While hewing to the basic outline of the venerable Superman mythos--his interg alactic background, his straight-arrow upbringing in Smallville, and his blue-and-red costume--De Haven finds ways to make even it s more outlandish elements work. If it doesn't quite transcend it s origins, De Haven's novel shows that, nearly 70 years after his creation, the Man of Steel still has plenty to offer. Gordon Fla gg Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved Review De Haven's Derby Dugan trilogy Funny Papers, 1988; Derby D ugan's Depression Funnies 1996; Dugan under Ground, 2001 presaged Michael Chabon's Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (2000) and outdid it by encompassing the history of comics from early ne wspaper strips to the undergrounds of the sixties. De Haven now u ndertakes an authorized re-imagining of the early years of Superm an. De Haven convincingly and touchingly depicts the young Clark Kent's apprehensions and insecurities as he comes to terms with h is extraordinary abilities in 1930s rural Kansas. Concurrently, h e tracks Lois Lane's beginnings in journalism and the plotting fo r power of New York City political boss Lex Luthor (no Metropolis masquerade here). While hewing to the basic outline of the vener able Superman mythos his intergalactic background, his straight-a rrow upbringing in Smallville, and his blue-and-red costume De Ha ven finds ways to make even its more outlandish elements work. If it doesn't quite transcend its origins, De Haven's novel shows t hat, nearly 70 years after his creation, the Man of Steel still h as plenty to offer. -Booklist A focus on Clark Kent's high schoo l years only makes comparison to the popular WB show Smallville a ll the more inevitable and intentional. De Haven, whose Derby Dug an trilogy beautifully re-imagined 20th-century American history through a pleasant sheen of media-tized irony, presents the Man o f Steel as a sullen Depression-era teen, a bad WWII-era reporter and as ambivalent about his super powers throughout, all with a k ind of knowing that reflects a deep immersion in pulp. De Haven d rives his coming-of-age tale toward Superman's first showdown wit h Lex Luthor and his robot Lexbots in the middle of (the real!) N ew York City prompted, of course, by the need to save Lois Lane. He gets knocked off his feet by the Lexbots and temporarily dazed . He doesn't want to continue, doesn't think he can win. Suddenly , in an echo of recent Batman and Spiderman film adaptations, a d isembodied voice rings out: Now get off that silly chair and go d o something. Doesn't matter what. Just do something, Clark. (It's his mother.) If that's not over-the-top enough, plenty of short chapters begin with lines like Despite Lex Luthor's savvy and sen sitive draft report on the Harlem race riot... De Haven gives rea ders X-ray vision for determining when his tongue is in his cheek here; using it is great fun. -Publishers Weekly The formative y ears of the Man of Steel, in a rib-tickling melodrama set in Depr ession-era America. De Haven's knowledgeable assimilation of U.S. pop culture (displayed in such memorable entertainments as Funny Papers 1985 and Dugan Under Ground 2001) is well-suited to the f amiliar comic-book tale of Kansas farm kid Clark Kent's loving re lationship with his adoptive parents, astonished discovery of the superpowers embedded in his puzzling, uncomfortable, intimidatin g body and gradual acceptance of his role saving the world from m alefactors while disguised as a mild-mannered, slightly geeky new spaper reporter. De Haven skillfully juggles parallel narratives, shifting among Clark's attention-getting early heroics (e.g., ca tching a speeding bullet in midair), Lois Lane's rapid climb up t he big-city journalism ladder (interrupted by romantic friendship s, one with Polish-American photographer Willi Berg, whose path a lso crosses Clark's) and criminal mastermind (A)lex(ander) Luthor 's ascent to prominence as NYC alderman and evil genius whose pla ns to control the world involve deploying a fleet of semi-indestr uctible robots. Shades of Fritz Lang's Metropolis, then, as well as the comics' world of cartoonish overkill. De Haven gradually b rings Clark out of Kansas, as he rides the rails across America, discovers his humanity (and vulnerability) along with his ability to fly, encounters perpetually endangered Lois (later his reluct ant colleague at the Daily Planet) and resists the criminal bland ishments of Lex Luthor (who, in a wicked biblical parody, attempt s to seduce our hero by promising, I'll give you the world). Ther e's a little too much of everything here stalwart public servants , sleazy underworld goons, greedy and murderous molls. But the na rrative excess is irresistible, and De Haven anchors it resonantl y in Clark's fears that he's not quite genuine, that he's a made- up character in a story. Comic noir with a super-keen edge, in De Haven's best book yet. -Kirkus About the Author Tom De Haven i s the author of eight novels, including the Derby Dugan trilogy, hailed a wild ride by the Boston Globe and brimming with life and characters by the New York Times Books Review . A frequent contr ibutor to Entertainment Weekly and the New About the Author Tom De Haven is the author of eight novels, including the Derby Dugan trilogy, hailed a wild ride by the Boston Globe and brimming wit h life and characters by the New York Times Books Review . A freq uent contributor to Entertainment Weekly and the New ., Chronicle Books, 2005, 3, New York: Modern Library, 1932. This stirring novel about World War I soldiers, first published in 1921, seems to be an early Modern Library printing from the 1930s when books were only given Modern Libary catalogue numbers on their dust jackets. (Although this doesn't have a dust jacket, the catalogue number is 205.) In addition, this blue cloth-bound "hard" cover actually has flexible boards. The book is in Very Good condition, with some darkening of the spine. It has the Rockwell Kent torchbearer insignia on the front panel and on the endpapers. The text pages are clean and bright throughout, with no stains, tears, former owner's signatures, etc. John Dos Passos has included an Introduction specifically for this new edition of his work. The book measures 4 1/2 by 6 3/4 inches and includes 471 pages.. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Dust Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall., Modern Library, 1932, 3, New York (Random House), 1930.. 111, (1)pp. Illus. 4to. Silk over boards (spine detached). Printed on specially made paper, this reprint contains all the illustrations by the artist for the Random House limited edition of 1928., New York (Random House), 1930., 0, Library of Congress, Washington, Library of Congress, Washington. 1992, 67pp. Illustrated. Paperback. In very good condition. Gives the history and significance of this series of books which included the magnificent edition of MOBY DICK with Rockwell Kent's amazing illustrations -some of which are included here. ISBN: 9780844407241, Library of Congress, Washington, Library of Congress, Washington, 0<
