The Man from Krypton: A Closer Look at Superman (Smart Pop series)

What a great read! Most of the essays I agreed with and some I did not, but I enjoyed reading everyone of them. What a fun and intellectual way to look at, who I believe is the greatest character in the history of popular culture.

'The Man from Krypton: A Closer Look at Superman' edited by Glenn Yeffeth is a series of essays about Superman. Most of them are pretty good, but the collection is about 10 years old, so there are probably things that could be updated.Essays include everything from examinations of all the actors who have portrayed Superman as actors and voice actors. There is an examination of closed communities and how those might relate in to Smallville and the show Smallville. There is an essay by Larry Niven about the impossibility of Superman and Lois Lane ever being very intimate. There is an essay wondering why Superman never just stopped Hitler, and giving an excellent explanation of why.The book was written while Smallville was still on the air. Lois and Clark wasn't too distant. Brandon Routh was about to play him on the big screen (and we all know how that turned out).It's interesting viewing a long-lived character like this over the lens of time. Superman has changed because he's had to to stay relevant. In the current incarnation of the Man of Steel, he is a dark, brooding character. Some of the essays feel a bit dated and I'd love to see a revised version that includes something about the Henry Cavill version of Superman.I received a review copy of this ebook from BenBella Books, Smart Pop, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

It is very clear that to each of us Superman is a different person and the same goes for his alter ego Clark Kent and the rest of the characters in the DC Universe. As a Superman reader and collector for 65 years and as one who used Superman in the classroom for 40 years, I start reading any book like this with a prejudiced viewpoint. I know Superman, I was born in his birth city or rather the city his creators lived in.I wish I could give this book five stars, some of the selections are sensational. Others kind of go against everything I personally believe about The Man of Steel. In some cases I can't believe the authors really read the comics or saw the films and TV shows. This is just my perception. I won't cite examples one way or another as this is a matter of personal opinion.Over all I love the book and especially enjoyed reading plotlines and quotes from various comic books that took me back to when I first read them. You are bound to forget a great deal in 65 years and in that context this was a trip down memory lane. However, you can over analyse and I am reminded of college English teachers who destroyed more than one person's interest in reading by being picky over every little line in a story.Most of the writers were careful in their analysis, using logic and good sense while showing a love for the Superman legend. Others over killed by trying to intellectualize everything said or done by Superman, Clark Kent, Lois and others no matter how trite. My favorite current reading about Superman is Steve Skelton's, "The Gospel According To The World's Greatest Super Hero". That I have read twice since receiving it a month ago.I am glad that after the documentation section at the end of each article there is mention of other works by the authors that the reader may want to check out. Some I will.