What DC related books or novels do you have or are on your list to get? I’m thinking of anything other than graphic novels so more along the lines of biographies or histories of characters. I’ve seen lots of novelizations of comic book stories, are they worth it?
I just picked up these:
The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore, about Wonder Woman’s interesting creator William Moulton Marston and his fascinating family.
The Artist Behind Superman: The Joe Shuster Story by Julian Voloj and illustrated by Tomas Campi. Its a biography on Joe Shuster told in the only format for him, a comic! Anyone know of a good one for Jerry Siegel?
This might be a stretch from what you’re looking for as it’s more of a love letter to comics than a direct DC tie-in, but I can’t recommend the novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay enough to those who hang out in the intersection of literature of comics.
“The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is a triumph of originality, imagination, and storytelling, an exuberant, irresistible novel that begins in New York City in 1939. A young escape artist and budding magician named Joe Kavalier arrives on the doorstep of his cousin, Sammy Clay. While the long shadow of Hitler falls across Europe, America is happily in thrall to the Golden Age of comic books, and in a distant corner of Brooklyn, Sammy is looking for a way to cash in on the craze. He finds the ideal partner in the aloof, artistically gifted Joe, and together they embark on an adventure that takes them deep into the heart of Manhattan, and the heart of old-fashioned American ambition. From the shared fears, dreams, and desires of two teenage boys, they spin comic book tales of the heroic, fascist-fighting Escapist and the beautiful, mysterious Luna Moth, otherworldly mistress of the night. Climbing from the streets of Brooklyn to the top of the Empire State Building, Joe and Sammy carve out lives, and careers, as vivid as cyan and magenta ink. Spanning continents and eras, this superb book by one of America’s finest writers remains one of the defining novels of our modern American age.”
Let us know what you end up going with, and if you find anything else along the way!
The Encyclopedia is a few years old but is still worth reading. Spirit of Truth is more of a graphic novel but I think the paintings should be viewed in full size. Love the Lepore book and the Ultimate guide. Probably my favorite is Les Daniels Wonder Woman The Complete History even though it is from 2004 (book on the left). Lots of interesting material and photos in there.
RAGNAROK by paul kupperburg. Its a rockin quick-paced JSA vs the Injustice society that spans from the 40s to the present with ties to Rascally Roy’s LAST DAYS OF THE JSA. Thumbs up!
I think one of the best is The Death and Life of Superman by Roger Stern. Excellent book!!! Probably my favorite prose novel of DC. I just picked up from the DC Icons series Superman - Dawnbreaker by Matt De La Pena. Found it at a really good price and look forward to reading it.
I saw The Death and Life of Superman so I’m glad you recommend! I’m continually blown away that these novels exist and they are actually of quality! It’s like discovering an entire world!
Now,yes, its way Marvel heavy…around the turn of the year, I went into a HalfPrice bookstore and for no real reason started strollin thru the scifi prose section and started scoopin up books. The DC selection was very sparse, and mostly movie adaptations but I’ve been hooked on prose ever since. They have this awesome cinematic style to them, but KEEP all the super-geeky funnybook bits the movies tend to ignore in their efforts to make the movie more “realistic”. Cannot sing loud enuff my praises for prose comic novels.
I do advise EVERYONE to “enter at your own risk” when it comes to that new Stan Lee bio. It was so depressing, it made Heroes in Crisis read like Green eggs and ham…
I’m taking notes! My local bookstore is going to love me lmao
