Heores are superheroes in the modern society
351901
"The Incredibles" is another digitally animated hit from Pixar Studios. It's a spoof of the superhero genre, as well as a spoof on the audience that found it so amusing. It's one of the more clever movies of 2004.

Suppose there was a superhero and his female counterpoint. They race around and do good. What would happen in America, the movie asks? They'd be sued as a consequence of their lawbreaking. They'd be retired.

Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, who have married, are retired by law and sent into a relocation program. There they take mundane jobs and sire three kids. But you can't keep superheroes down. When a dastardly plot develops, the Incredible family is called upon.
3123517
Watchmen is more than a comic book and it's beyond most modern graphic novels.
The book includes a written story, giving us more than the panels and dialog found there.

This isn't a story of joy, fun, and good old beating on the bad guys.
These heroes are normal folks who took up lives as crime fighters and patriots. They're human at heart though, or mostly anyway.

Foibles, faults, and histories make these heroes less than the comic book heroes like Superman, Batman, and Captain America.

Contains adult themes, violence, and the good guys aren't always that good.

The quality of the art is wonderful and this rendition carries that well.

I highly recommend this as required reading for those into heroic fiction.
2619343
It takes special words that make us want to be a better and more accepting person. This book does just that! We all need to recognize the superhero in others!
779715
The heroine is, again, a super hero capable of impossible tasks and undoable deeds. If you are a dedicated fan of The Fantastic Four, Captain America and Superman you will love this fantasy. If you prefer reality, you will get tired really quickly!
3098285
My first introduction to a super hero was through the television program Superman and he was portrayed by actor George Reeves. I also was a fan of Batman, The Green  Hornet and Wonder Woman but these were live action TV programs also. Being female, my comic book preferences were geared toward Archie, Betty, Jughead and Verinica but my brother and his friends were huge fans of the comic books featuring different super heroes. They thought they were reading them for fun and enjoyment but this newly published book states that they were being shown "spiritual truths in comicbooks and superhero movies".

In 'The Super-Heroes Devotional' author Ed Strauss gives his opinion of how these super heroes displayed true Christian beliefs. Each of the sixty devotions offers a brief history and background of the superhero being featured and scripture is also used to help explain the biblical concept. Some of the superheroes are well-known and others aren't as familiar but they all possess some of the qualities found in Bible heroes. Some were admirable qualities such as faith, hope, and  courage. Others, such as pride and the abuse of power, weren't as positive but God was still able to use them for the good of His people.

I recommend this book highly because
It is apparent that Mr. Strauss's passion for  comicbooks and superheroes is matched only by his love for God. I appreciate that in the last entry he offers readers an invitation to ask Christ into their lives and I believe that this is an excellent devotional for both young and old!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
3796177
Dull Boy gave me what I'd forgotten I wanted from superhero movies and books: nice guy hero Avery, who is losing all his friends because they don't understand why he's suddenly so lame and who is genuinely funny and geeky, and whose super strength means that he has to let himself get beaten up by a school bully. A cast of most excellent and hilarious characters, including Darla who has a RIP Marie Curie T-shirt and whose power is being in charge, and artistic manga-loving Sophie who is planning costumes for everyone. And the heroine (or the girl who I may have just DECIDED is the heroine due to how awesome she is) Catherine, the furious barista who both scorns and terrifies Avery, and yet also goes for the school bully after him with claws of homicidal fury.

A great team, who have fun together. Can't ask for more!
3143492
...Or as far as adventures featuring quys who can turn invisible and fly without a vehicle of some kind.  Marvel has outdone itself in this new comic from Marvel Max, doing a "double-take" so one can take a glance into the worlds they have created.  You've got to ask yourself, when you read Spider-Man or the Hulk, how often do you see how the general class of regular people are taking to beings that have far greater power than their own running amok?  Sure you might see a few people running and screaming, or a few damsels getting rescued from one crisis or the next, but you rarely get to look into their minds.
  This comic is down-and-dirty showing you some of the roughest and harshest areas of New York(Where most of the heroes carry out their duties in Marvel comics).  Before the book gets too far into the "super-powers" aspect, conversations are being spurred about what some super-villian did, or how some super-hero came in and saved the day.  Conversations are definitely not jumpy, as every character acts as they would be likely to in real life such as; the mockery of super-hero cliches(like secret lairs, identies, and goofy costumes).  You learn quickly that everything their universe is not so black and white as rooting for the good guys, and just knowing that they'll always protect you.  The star of the comic sees super-villians to be better role-models than the latter, as the life he leads identifies with them so closely.
  Nothing more than a street thug, Parker Robbins, is as far from a hero as you can get.  Following the typical marvel trend of showing that their stars don't live glamorous lives just because of their powers, Parker's life is rough.  His girlfriend is pregnant, his only jobs come from mugging and theft, and none of the joys he seems to obtain last long enough for this high-school dropout.
  Acquiring a blood-red cloak, and a pair of boots with strange gears embedded in them; consequently, Parker finds that they endow him with the ability to become invisible when he holds his breath, and walk on the air.  Contrary to the "with great power comes great responsiblity" as is Spider-Man's now famous quote, the book quite accurately coins "With great power... comes great opportunity".  Instead "vowing to use these newfound abilities for the greater good", Parker decides to turn to the life he's always looked up to -costumed crime.
  From there (actually, the very beginning and then-) on, the book takes to the interesting side of comic entertainmet.  Parker goes from a just another thug to a wanted man known as "The Hood" by authorities, aggresses a tyranical crimelord trying to gain control of people with super-natural powers, and lands his friend in jail.  This comic is truly a thrill ride of start to finish, laying the cheery side of super-heroes aside, and showing the origin story of one of the most intriguing super-villians in the marvel universe.  I cannot reccomend this book enough.
546429
This is a novel written for those of us who grew up on superhero comic books, and who still have a nostalgic connection to their unabashed pulp sensibilities. Unlike so many authors who have tried (and failed) to make these kinds of stories serious and respectable, Phipps remains true to the spirit of the comics. This really does read like an 80s/90s indie comic (The Tick), crossed with a cartoon homage (Darkwing Duck), with a nod to TV both classic (Batman) and retro (Greatest American Hero), and updated for contemporary R-rated cinematic sensibilities (Deadpool).

The Rules of Supervillainy is as funny as it is violent, and as clever as it is imaginative. All the superhero tropes are here, and the characters are only too aware of them. What makes it work, of course, is how Phipps twists some of those tropes and throws other ones entirely out the window. Gary is an ordinary man who has always dreamed of being a supervillain. He's not necessarily a bad guy. In fact, he's a doting husband, a good friend, and a reasonable villain as Merciless - the Supervillain Without Mercy! All he wants to do is get rich, rule the world, and punish those who get in his way. Really, is that too much to ask? Sure, his methods might be a bit suspect, and he really needs to learn not to have awkward conversations with his sentient cloak, but in his defense he's only had his powers for a few days . . . and even then, only by accident.

The supporting cast of characters are fantastic here as well, heroes and villains both. I loved the relationships with his wife (who was previously involved in a kinky lesbian relationship with The Black Witch), and his two ex-girlfriends (one of whom is his sexy new hench-wench), and his Nightwalker cloak is one of the funniest consciences I've ever come across. Even better, however, is Phipps' willingness to go where comic books have never gone, and to take superpowers to the extreme. Free of the restraints of the Comics Code Authority (or concerned parents), he can kill people (permanently, I might add) with impunity, through some rather ingenious methods. I don't want to spoil it, but there's a scene involving Gary's car keys that's sure to both amuse and disgust.

If you're a fan of comic books and are up for something a bit more mature, then give The Rules of Supervillainy a read. There actually is a solid story behind it all, one that ultimately brings Gary to the superprison on the moon, and some decent character development. It has it's serious moments as well, and some legitimate conversations about ethics and morality interspersed among the jokes about rules. Overall, it's execution just about perfect, and has me excited to dive into The Games of Supervillainy next.
1200563
This is an excellent book for a teen-ager who likes superheroes, including those like me who are in their second set of teenage years (if life begins at forty, then the mid fifties is the second round of being a teenager, right?) And yet it is anything but two-dimensional, either plot or character wise.

While dealing with superheroes, it goes against the grain of what you'd expect. Failstate is not a typical hero's name, and he himself admits he dresses more like the criminal than the hero. I would consider this a challenge to make into a movie, because the main character's facial expressions are hidden when seeing them would help. Add to the above that there are strong Christian themes in this story.

As you'd expect from a story dealing with superheroes, you need a very healthy dose of suspension of disbelief. There are a couple of things that raise unanswered questions (and I'm not referring to questions intentionally unanswered to justfiy a sequel). In spite of that, the characters ring true. Unlike the Powerhouse series (another set of Christian superhero stories), this one takes itself somewhat seriously (Powerhouse is more like the Batman TV series of the '60's).

I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
3503183
I love the concept of the book, Superheroes are always fun but this world where so many have super powers is interesting indeed. Astra's story is good in that she becomes so "big" so quickly in this world. There are more books in the series and I plan to give them a shot.
1943984
- Amelia: "No matter what, I have this moment. I'm in space in a suit I built. No one can ever take that away from me."

Yes! **pumps fist** I'd been waiting for this to drop. Unstoppable: Arsenal sequels up Jeffery H. Haskell's fantastic superhero novel&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Arsenal-Full-Metal-Superhero-Book-1/dp/B072JDLPKW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Arsenal (Full Metal Superhero Book 1)</a>, and it's a good enough read that I may have sprained my index digit, I was swiping over to the next Kindle page so fast. Unstoppable picks up some three months after the monster attack from the last book. 20-year-old Amelia Lockheart, latest wrinkle in the Arizona state militia super-team, the Diamondbacks, has settled in nicely to her situation. Except Amelia hasn't at all forgotten her 14-year-old mission to find her parents who were abducted by Category-7, the organization responsible for founding the state militia super-teams, except Cat-7 also happens to be an insidious criminal cabal. Of course, Haskell's plotting doles out more than just Amelia's search for her parents.

In a nod towards great minds thinking alike, Haskell bases the roots of superpowers in Amelia's universe on Nikola Tesla's mad experiments, same as with Andrew Seiple's DIRE books. In fact, Seiple has dubbed his superhero universe "Teslaverse." In Amelia's world, Tesla inadvertently triggered the advent of superpowers by activating his Wardenclyffe Tower experiment in 1903, causing three square miles of New York to vanish in an explosion that shattered windows in Manhattan. In essence, "Tesla had opened holes into other dimensions. Superpowers were nothing more than the physics or reality of another dimension inhabiting one person." It's an interesting take. Haskell further expands his world-building as Amelia runs into new characters, learns the startling truth behind the world's mightiest superhero, the Protector, and unearths an extinction-level threat lying in wait.

Superhero stories don't resonate squat unless the writer invests solid character work into the page. Haskell's character work is what sprained my finger. I wanted to see how Amelia - a paraplegic who is so self-sufficient, most times she doesn't allow you to dwell on her disability - keeps on beating the odds. As Arsenal, she's probably the most potent crimefighter in Arizona, let alone Phoenix. And she's always upgrading her tech armor. I love that while, on the surface, Major Force is the field leader, it's Amelia who actually runs tactics and strategies. And I love Kate Petrenelli almost as much as I love Amelia. Kate, codenamed Domino, is the Diamondbacks' empathetic teleporter and PR manager. More importantly, she's Amelia's best friend. There were times in the book when I was seriously worried about her.

What else? There's a troubled new teenaged girl member on the Diamondbacks whom I hope Amelia will take under her wing. There's development with Amelia's powerless childhood buddy, Carlos. Even Amelia's AI, Epic, seems more fleshed out with personality. So, there you have it. Characters that draw you in. Insane metahuman combat. Personal stakes and world-ending stakes. Amelia versus a global conspiracy. Not really a resolution with her parents. Some blah efforts at Amelia being romanced. And Amelia doing her very best Tony Stark/Cal Stringel imitation. Except, of course, Amelia Lockheart, a month away from turning 21, is very much her own fierce and distinct kickass person.
1113214
The new series by William Bernhardt offers a rip roaring ride into the superhero genre that is sure to please any fan of those types of books. Bernhardt offers a story that you normally can only find in the comic books and the careful construction of his characters and narrative allow you to go so much deeper into the story than just any old comic book would.

The interesting thing about this book in the series is that we're offered a look into what this installment means for the characters in the world Bernhardt created. Questions are answered, enemies made, friendships strengthened and obstacles overcome.

This is a wonderful series that can only get better over time. I give it five out of five stars!
3215273
Long before NBC's Heroes hit the air, Alan Moore gifted the world with Watchmen--a convincing portrait of what America might have looked like had people actually donned masks to become crimefighthing "superheroes"--and the personal stories of those people behind the masks.

And, long before Disney's The Incredibles, we watch as the plot unfolds, being about a group of heroes who are getting along years after national legislation has essentially outlawed superheroes, and how the old heroes are now seemingly being preyed upon by a "mask killer." But who is it that wants revenge against the retired vigilantes? An old villain-nemesis? A jilted lover? Or is there some other, fresh plot afoot?

Yes, Moore's Watchmen not only revolutionized the American comics industry, and opened the door for more sophisticated, "adult" comics (and "graphic novels"), but also created an archetypal story which continues to spawn imitators to this day. Watchmen created its own genre.

Watchmen is not only the seminal narrative in this "realistic superhero" genre, however, it also remains the greatest. Watchmen is a grand, sweeping story covering two generations of superheros, and playing out several different tales over decades, through flashbacks and incorporating other, non-comics materials (excerpts from books, etc). It is smart, in the literary sense. The plot is masterful (with a finish that kicks you in the gut), and the characters are deep and sympathetic. Rorschach, in particular, is one of those characters that will stay with you for a long while.

In short, Watchmen is a great, great comic that has had a profound influence over the years. If you've been at all impressed by the more adult comics in recent times, you not only have this volume to thank, in part, but you also owe it to yourself to give this book a read. You'll be happy that you did.
3805524
Superhero story where the heroine is Mango girl the superhero. It is great to have a female superhero and her not so superhero boyfriend who is able to totally deal with a strong woman.  Rons humorous interjection of  the mundane into a typical superhero day is charming, funny and artfully done. The sexual tension of their attraction to each other is another way to fall in love with the characters and rekindle your memories of new young love.
Also political overtones in its attack on Capitalism via greedy Americamart one wonders where Mango Girl and Ron would shop for paper towels and microwaves if their apparent resentment of it were ever fulfilled by its demise. I guess they have never been to Cuba.
With utterly charming characters this is a great fun read with Rons unique voice and very visual imagery it sketches for the reader. The characters are believable and well developed. I highly recommend this book.
3861672
These lively and probing interviews with television and movie actors and actresses who have appeared in superhero adventures are a must-read for anyone whos interested in acting, pop culture or the superhero universe. Due to his detailed knowledge of their work, his empathy, originality and humor, Mark Edlitz gets the actors to drop their guard, and they open up to him with rare candor and thoughtfulness about what they experienced and its invariably powerful impact on their lives. His alert follow-up questions often induce revelatory insights that surprise even the actors. This endlessly illuminating book is also enriched by the writers perceptive essays about our need for superheroes, their timeless appeal, and their evolution in both comics and on the screen. Judging by his information-rich introductions to the interviews and the questions he asks, Edlitzs knowledge of the superhero cosmos seems close to encyclopedic.  How To Be A Superhero is a supersmart, superfun book.
3196862
The headline says it all. A superhero type of book. Not the superman or wonder woman kind. Excellent victim/hero book.
2886264
A well-written traditional superhero novel with a splash of Miami charm. I really enjoy reading it, especially the early part when Jerry found out and tried to adjust to his superpower. Great for teenagers and also nerdy adults!!