“The Man From Krypton” Book Review
Posted by Cris Murphy on 03.28.2006
It’s Nietzche vs. Superman in a steel cage, and that’s just the undercard.
The Man From Krypton Edited by Glenn Yeffeth
Published by BenBella Books
One of the great things about the study of pop culture is it gives us a lens to focus our world. BenBella Books is a publisher that specializes in books that dissect our world through a collection of essays about a particular pop culture icon. They've published essay collections on topics such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Serenity (yes, Joss Whedon is very popular), NYPD Blue and H.G. Wells' "World of the Worlds."
So, it was only a matter of time when BenBella tackles the subject of one of the most famous American pop culture icons we have: The Man of Steel. No matter who you are. No matter what your level of knowledge on comic books are. No matter how old you are. You know about Superman.
Editor Glenn Yeffeth has collected a series of essays that focus on our lives, our world and how we see ourselves…all though the lens of Clark Kent and his alter ego. This collection of well-written essays covers everything from Superman's place in history, and how "truth, justice and the American way" has shaped our morals, to our love of Superman in the movies and TV.
Without breaking down every essay in the book (there's 20 of them, you know), I'd like to cover a few of the more interesting essays. First of all, every essay in this collection will stimulate thought and make you see your world in a different way. Some are romantic tributes to The Man of Steel and those who have played them. Others are critiques of the legacy of Superman and its effect on the world. It doesn't matter what the subject matter, each essay is a unique take on Kal-El and his place in the real world.
In "You Will Believe a Man Can Walk", Sarah Zettel pens her love letter to Christopher Reeve and how he has shaped the Superman legacy. She compares his performance in the Superman movies and how they affected her as a little girl. Then she explores how overcoming his paralysis has made him more of a Superman. It's a touching tribute to my favorite Superman.
"A Tale of Two Orphans" compares the worlds of Superman and his World's Finest Partner, Batman. Lou Anders talks about how each orphan and the tragedies they've faced shaped their outlook on the world, and why these two heroes were meant to drift apart. I especially love Anders' comparison of Batman as Captain Ahab. It's a fresh look at the Dark Detective.
In his essay "Six Things That Plain Don't Make Any Sense About Superman", Adam-Troy Castro examines six distinct items in Superman lore that boggles his mind. His humorous takes on everything from Jimmy Olsen to the shrunken city of Kandor had the comic fanboy in me laughing out loud the entire time I was reading it.
But not every essay in "The Man From Krypton" focuses on the impact of the Big Blue Boy Scout. Bob Batchelor provides a historical perspective on the evolution of Lex Luthor in his essay, "Brains vs. Brawn: The Many Lives (and Minds) of Lex Luthor, the World's Greatest Villain." And in "Speeding Bullets and Changing Lanes", Joseph McCabe examines how those who've played the role of Lois Lane in the various Superman movies and TV shows paved the way for changing the role of women in society.
All essays are well researched and attribute to the many different versions of Superman throughout the DC cannon. They cover topics as far back as Superman's comic book origins in the 1930's up to his effect on rescue workers dealing with the Katrina tragedy. However, there are a few essays the go a little too far or stretch a little too much for my taste. In "God, Communism and the WB", Gustav Peebles examines how Smallville represents an anachronistic balance of Christianity and Communism that was shared by many new settlements in the mid-1800's. As someone who has lived in Kansas all his life and knows exactly where Jonathan and Martha Kent come from, I can tell you that most of Peebles' observations come from someone who has never set a foot outside of Metropolis. If he had only spent a week at a Bed and Breakfast in Kansas and talked to some of us, he'd understand how far off a lot of his connections are.
Adam Roberts makes some interesting observations in his essay "Is Superman a superman?", in which he compares Kal-El to Frederick Nietzsche's idea of the superman. However, his affection for Nietzsche is quite apparent, and clouds some minor points and makes you wonder why we're making the comparison in the first place. It's still a good look at Superman, but it's few flaws color the rest of the piece.
The 411: No matter how you feel about comic books, “The Man From Krypton” will give you a new take on life and how you see The Man of Steel. You don’t need a lot of knowledge of the history of Superman, because a lot of that is fed to you throughout the book. But you will gain a fresh outlook on the characters of Clark, Lois, Lex and the actors who played them; while you gain a new perspective on “truth, justice and the American way.”
