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A review by kathrynkao
Superman: The Unauthorized Biography by Glen Weldon
5.0
I'm a Pop Culture Happy Hour fan who has a tall bookcase filled entirely with comic books, but I also am not a big Superman reader, so I'm pretty close to an ideal reader for this book. I already thought Glen Weldon was hilarious and insightful, and I love comics enough to find specifics fascinating but still was able to learn a lot about Superman and his history. I also got into comics about 8 years ago, so there's a lot I haven't read.
I'm more of a Batfamily girl (very excited to read [b:The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture|27276413|The Caped Crusade Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture|Glen Weldon|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1458692562s/27276413.jpg|47328268]), but I've read some Superman books, though mostly I know the character from the '90s Justice League and Superman animated series. The most interesting thing about him to me has always been the relationship between the Clark Kent and Superman identities. Is Superman the mask? Or is Clark Kent? Or is it not that simple? Weldon, in his comprehensive survey and analysis of how Superman has changed over time, shows how different writers, artists, editors, and directors have answered that question. Learning about the different interpretations of the character--as well as what fundamentally makes Superman Superman--has given me a greater appreciation for Superman, both as a character and as a cultural icon. I'm now adding to my to-read list a bunch of the books that were mentioned, and I kind of want to check out Smallville and Lois and Clark. Just for, you know, comic book nerdery.
The title of the book includes the word "biography," and that's what this is. It's not an academic look at the impact Superman has on society, although the book does touch on how Superman has affected pop culture throughout his existence. Instead, this is a very full, very detailed biography of Superman--his creation, his major storylines, his various incarnations in radio, TV, and film. The book is written more as a narrative than as a textbook, which makes it extremely readable, and which also lets Weldon's obvious love of the subject, as well as his personality, shine through. I absolutely got the impression that if someone were to walk up to Glen Weldon and ask him about the history of Superman, this is what you'd get; it feels like he's talking to you. As a result, the book was really a joy to read, especially for me, since I don't have comic book friends to geek out to. And I finished the book really, really wanting to buy a stack of Superman comics.
I'm more of a Batfamily girl (very excited to read [b:The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture|27276413|The Caped Crusade Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture|Glen Weldon|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1458692562s/27276413.jpg|47328268]), but I've read some Superman books, though mostly I know the character from the '90s Justice League and Superman animated series. The most interesting thing about him to me has always been the relationship between the Clark Kent and Superman identities. Is Superman the mask? Or is Clark Kent? Or is it not that simple? Weldon, in his comprehensive survey and analysis of how Superman has changed over time, shows how different writers, artists, editors, and directors have answered that question. Learning about the different interpretations of the character--as well as what fundamentally makes Superman Superman--has given me a greater appreciation for Superman, both as a character and as a cultural icon. I'm now adding to my to-read list a bunch of the books that were mentioned, and I kind of want to check out Smallville and Lois and Clark. Just for, you know, comic book nerdery.
The title of the book includes the word "biography," and that's what this is. It's not an academic look at the impact Superman has on society, although the book does touch on how Superman has affected pop culture throughout his existence. Instead, this is a very full, very detailed biography of Superman--his creation, his major storylines, his various incarnations in radio, TV, and film. The book is written more as a narrative than as a textbook, which makes it extremely readable, and which also lets Weldon's obvious love of the subject, as well as his personality, shine through. I absolutely got the impression that if someone were to walk up to Glen Weldon and ask him about the history of Superman, this is what you'd get; it feels like he's talking to you. As a result, the book was really a joy to read, especially for me, since I don't have comic book friends to geek out to. And I finished the book really, really wanting to buy a stack of Superman comics.