The Superhero Handbook
by Michael Powell
List Price:
Our Price: $6.00
You Save: $3.95 (40%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.66 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Michael PowellEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-06-18
ISBN: 140272991X
Number of pages: 144
Publisher: Sterling
Book Reviews of The Superhero Handbook
Book Review: Whimsical, funny, and maybe even a bit informative
Summary: 4 Stars
Any book that features a paragraph disclaimer, before the first page, advising readers to ignore all of the advice found within requires a second look. When that book is called The Superhero Handbook it also requires a thorough reading.
I don't read comic books, but I do know my fair share of superhero facts. I also enjoy a masked crusader as much as the next person and, let's face it. that's probably a lot. Doesn't everyone want to be a superhero at least a little bit?
Even if you don't, Michael Powell's how-to guide to being a hero (and saving the world!) is really funny. Earlier this month I managed to read a total of three melancholy/sad books in a row. The Superhero Handbook not only offered excellent advice should I decide to consider a crime fighting career in the future, it also got me laughing and decidedly out of my sad book funk.
The book is broken into small chapters with titles like "Denting the Sidewalk" and subdivided into smaller sections like "Dealing with Your Superiority Complex and Starting to Become Really Cool." The text also features a lot of lists and a couple of interactive sections (how else can you pick your Strapline and Catchphrase?). For that reason, this book could be great for a reluctant (older since it is a YA title) reader. I imagine most comic fans might also enjoy it.
The book starts with helpful advice on how to break news of your superheroism to family as well as ways to recognize your fledgling powers. My personal favorites:
[8] You are walking in the mall with your pet tiger, when you are both transformed into super strong versions of yourselves
Superpower: Looks like you've finally found a use for that Sword of Power.
Perfectly innocent explanation: There isn't one, dude. You are He-Man.
[9] You are two years old. A truck falls on your father, and you lift it off him with ease and save his life.
Superpower: You have superhuman strength.
Perfectly innocent explanation: It is a toy truck.
As that excerpt suggests, the tone of this book is humorous and conversational. While clearly a homage to the entire superhero genre, the handbook is also not afraid to poke fun. The obvious reason the avoid using your powers for evil is because the good guys always wind (duh). If a super is ever tied up with rope, they will inevitably be located near a sharp nail or other edge with which they can break free (again, obviously). Particularly useful advice can be found on picking the right sidekick and designing a costume.
The book spans advice for the entire arc of a superhero's career from their early beginnings, finding a mentor, creating a persona, dealing with a fatal flaw and even how to decide if it's time to hang up that cape. Each section is accompanied with a number of attractive illustrations reminiscent of traditional comic book art.
Yes, this book is silly. There aren't really superheros, and they certainly wouldn't use how-to manuals, but wouldn't it be neat if they did?
Comics & Graphic Novels Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in I Want to Be a Superhero Too!
Who Wants to Be A Superhero? (2 DVD Set)Release date: 2006-09-21; DVD
Best price: $24.95
The Spider-Man Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual Quirk Booksby Seth Grahame-Smith
Quirk Books; Published: 2006-10-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.35
Price in other shops:
The Superman Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Dayby Scott Beatty
Quirk Books; Published: 2006-05-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.98
Price in other shops:
The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manualby Scott Beatty
Quirk Books; Published: 2005-03-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.62
Price in other shops:
The Superhero Handbookby Michael Powell
Sterling; Published: 2005-06-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.93
Price in other shops:
The Government Manual for New Superheroesby Matthew David Brozik, Jacob Sager Weinstein
Andrews McMeel Publishing; Published: 2005-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.87
Price in other shops:
How to Be a Superhero: Your Complete Guide to Finding a Secret Headquarters, Hiring a Sidekick, Thwarting the Forces of Evil, and Much More!!by Barry Neville
Plume; Published: 2004-11-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.50
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Science of Superheroesby Lois H. Gresh, Robert Weinberg
Wiley; Published: 2003-09-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.49
Price in other shops:
How to Rule the World: A Handbook for the Aspiring Dictatorby Andre de Guillaume
Chicago Review Press; Published: 2005-10-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.49
Price in other shops:
The Superman Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Dayby Scott Beatty
Quirk Books; Published: 2006-05-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.19
Price in other shops:
The Physics of Superheroesby James Kakalios
Gotham; Published: 2006-09-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.89
Price in other shops:
The Spider-Man Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual Quirk Booksby Seth Grahame-Smith
Quirk Books; Published: 2006-10-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.12
Price in other shops:
How to Be a Villain: Evil Laughs, Secret Lairs, Master Plans, and More!!!by Neil Zawacki
Chronicle Books; Published: 2003-02-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.90
Price in other shops:
The Science of Supervillainsby Lois H. Gresh, Robert Weinberg
Wiley; Published: 2004-10-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.11
Price in other shops:
The Government Manual for New Superheroesby Matthew David Brozik, Jacob Sager Weinstein
Andrews McMeel Publishing; Published: 2005-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.82
Price in other shops:
The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manualby Scott Beatty
Quirk Books; Published: 2005-03-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.93
Price in other shops:
How to Be a Superhero: Your Complete Guide to Finding a Secret Headquarters, Hiring a Sidekick, Thwarting the Forces of Evil, and Much More!!by Barry Neville
Published: 2004-11-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.67