Was Superman A Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
If you are looking for stories about comic book characters themselves, this isn't the book for you. But if, instead, you are looking for a book that takes a look at the creators behind them, and the urban legends that sometimes spring up around those creators and their creations, then this is definitely the book for you. I was impressed that, even as a collector of comics for the last 26 years, there were still dozens of stories and anecdotes here that I'd never heard. And, I appreciate the research that must have gone into tracking down the stories behind the stories in many cases. If I have one complaint about the book, it's the organization and presentation of the stories. As a book that trumpets itself as exploring the "fascinating and often bizarre true stories behind more than 130 urban legends about comic book culture" it is devilishly hard to track down individual stories. Want to find out the story behind, for example, the fact that Wolverine was actually supposed to be a mutated wolverine? Well, you'll be stuck going to the X-Men section and browsing aimlessly until you stumble across it. Either an index or at least titles for each section would have gone a long way to making this book more browse-able.It's also worth noting that 90% of the stories here are about superhero comics and creators. There's a few anecdotes about Disney or Archie stuff, and one or two on war, crime and horror comics, but modern indie comics, like those produced by Fantagraphics or IDW, remain largely untouched. So, if superheroes aren't you thing, look elsewhere. I picked this up cheap at a used bookstore, but maybe not cheap enough.This was the kind of book I loved as a kid. Short essays about a bunch of different things bound by a theme, and the fact that the theme was comics would have made it all the sweeter. Cronin investigates various stories and legends about the comics industry. I guess it all based on a blog he kept, but I never heard of the blog, so I have no point of comparison. But ultimately they are little tidbits, some proven false, others confirmed, others remain mysterious, but Cronin gives us his educated perspective, talking to the people involved when he can and chasing down firsthand accounts when he can't.Overall, the book was just not that compelling for me. I knew a lot of what he had to share and the stuff I didn't know wasn't all that mind-blowing. I guess some of it might pop up again to me as useful trivia in party conversation when I am letting my geek flag fly. Someone who is less invested in comics may feel differently, but I can't say I am convinced that Cronin's voice is engaging enough to do it for anyone.
What do You think about Was Superman A Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed (2009)?
Surface appears like a coffee table book, inside reads like a history behind creation of comic books
—irene
More of a history book than anything else, but does contain a few interesting pieces of trivia.
—blair
The book is interesting and full of facts about the history of comics from DC to marvel.
—kito
