Fascinating and often bizarre true stories behind more than 130 urban legends about comic book culture. Was Superman a Spy? demystifies all of the interesting stories, unbelievable anecdotes, wacky rumors, and persistent myths that have piled up like priceless back issues in the seventy-plus years of the comic book industry, including: • Elvis Presley's trademark hairstyle was based on a comic book character (True) • Stan Lee featured a gay character in one of Marvel's 1960s war comics (False) • Wolverine of the X-Men was originally meant to be an actual wolverine! (True) • What would have been DC's first black superhero was changed at the last moment to a white hero (True) • A Dutch inventor was blocked from getting a patent on a process because it had been used previously in a Donald Duck comic book (True) With many more legends resolved, Was Superman a Spy? is a must-have for the legions of comic book fans and all seekers of “truth, justice, and the American way.”

Fascinating and often bizarre true stories behind more than 130 urban legends about comic book culture. Was Superman a Spy? demystifies all of the interesting stories, unbelievable anecdotes, wacky rumors, and persistent myths that have piled up like priceless back issues in the seventy-plus years of the comic book industry, including: • Elvis Presley's trademark hairstyle was based on a comic book character (True) • Stan Lee featured a gay character in one of Marvel's 1960s war comics (False) • Wolverine of the X-Men was originally meant to be an actual wolverine! (True) • What would have been DC's first black superhero was changed at the last moment to a white hero (True) • A Dutch inventor was blocked from getting a patent on a process because it had been used previously in a Donald Duck comic book (True) With many more legends resolved, Was Superman a Spy? is a must-have for the legions of comic book fans and all seekers of “truth, justice, and the American way.”

Outrageous, fascinating and bizarre facts from every corner of the comic book universeWhat comic book artist was the recipient of an on-stage thank you from Paul McCartney and an on-air apology from Johnny Carson? What superhero got his powers by being bitten by a mongoose? What popular NPR host was forever immortalized as a "bad boyfriend" in a notable comic book? In Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent?, author Brian Cronin will answer those questions and more by revealing the most obscure, wacky and surprising facts about comics—from the characters and creators, to the TV shows, movies and merch. Cronin has teamed up with some of the top comic book writers and artists of today to present 100 trivia lists, including: · Nine Celebrities That Guest-Starred in Comic Books…without Their Permission · Seven Bands That Got Their Names from Comics · Ten Crazy Items Found on Batman’s Utility Belt · Five Comic Book Inventions That Eventually Became Real · Five Stupidest Superhero Origins · And much, much more! From Batman to Spiderman, Aquaman to the X-Men, each list in Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent? will entertain and inform whether you’re a hardcore geek or a casual fan.

Intertwining stories about the invention of Superman as a defender of the little guy, his rise as a media force, and the real fight against the Ku Klux Klan demonstrate how a mythical hero could take on the fight for civil rights.

The Superman Files reveals the secret life of the man named Clark Kent and the world of the greatest superhero. It’s a comprehensive account of his history, employing clippings from the Daily Planet, journal entries, surviving artifacts from Krypton, schematics for the Fortress of Solitude and other technology, files from Stryker's Island Prison, as well as hundreds of "photographs" of Superman's enemies and allies culled from modern Superman comics. The Superman Files offers a complete, in-depth life story of the Man of Steel, from his birth on Krypton as Kal-El through his present, as Clark Kent and Superman, and even onward into the future. One thousand years from now, a group of superpowered teenagers is inspired by Superman’s legacy. They band together and form the Legion of Super-Heroes, a crime-fighting group dedicated to protecting the citizens of the United Planets. One of these teens is Brainiac 5, a highly intelligent descendant of Superman’s arch foe, the original Brainiac. Like many people in the 31st Century, members of the Legion idolize Superman. They frequent the Superman Museum and marvel at tales of his past. A few of them even travel back in time to Clark Kent’s teenage years. They recruit him to their team, thereby jumpstarting the adventures of Superboy, the Boy of Steel. In a future without precise records of the 21st Century, Brainiac 5 takes it upon himself to compile a tribute to his hero and friend. Collecting accounts from a myriad of sources, he compiles the universe’s greatest historical record of the life and times of the Man of Steel. The Superman Files chronicles seventy-five years of adventures in one easy-to-understand history of the Last Son of Krypton. Appealing to Superman fans of any age—from new collectors just starting out with the New 52 to longtime readers who have followed the character from his very first adventures—there is something for everyone. With a modern tone and a deep respect for his legacy, The Superman Files is not only entertaining, but it is also a complete and thorough history of the Man of Steel. SUPERMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics. (s13)

Lex Luthor is up to his old tricks again. Wearing his battle suit, the super-villain sets out to steal a special chip from S.T.A.R Labs, called the Mega Module with the help of a few friends. Superman shows up just in time to stop Lex's pals, but Lex manages to insert the Mega Module into his suit before Superman can stop him. Now, with power levels similar to Superman's, Lex is looking to steal Superman's claim to fame as the real Man of Steel!

When a sentient ship which collects and preserves dying civilizations mistakenly collects Metropolis, Superman investigates and discovers that the evil Brainiac has become trapped and has infiltrated the ship's systems.

"Sally the Sleuth is a reprint of a 1930s comic first appearing in pulp novels which were primarily sexual escapades. It was later transformed into a non-sexual crime comic series in the 1950s."--

Baghdad, 2003. The reign of Saddam Hussein is over. The Americans are in command. And no one is in control. Former cop turned military contractor Christopher Henry knows that better than anyone. He’s in the country to train up a new Iraqi police force, and one of his recruits has just been murdered. With civil authority in tatters and dead bodies clogging the streets, Chris is the only person in the Green Zone with any interest in finding out who killed him-and why. Chris’ inquiry brings him first to Sofia, an American-raised Iraqi who now sits on the governing council, and then to Nassir, a grizzled veteran of Saddam’s police force-and probably the last real investigator left in Baghdad. United by death but divided by conflicting loyalties, the three must help each other navigate the treacherous landscape of post-invasion Iraq in order to hunt down the killers. But are their efforts really serving justice-or a much darker agenda? Inspired by his real-life experiences as a CIA operations officer in Iraq, writer Tom King (BATMAN) teams with artist Mitch Gerads to deliver a wartime crime thriller like no other in THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON VOL. 1: BANG. BANG. BANG., collecting issues #1-6 of their groundbreaking Vertigo series.

Writer of the "Comic book urban legends revealed" online column since 2005 "demystifies all of the interesting stories, unblievable anecdotes, wacky rumors, and persistent myths that have piled up ... in the seventy-plus years of the comic book industry."--Cover, p.4.