Supervillainess


Book Description

Includes both parts ("It's Not Easy Being Evil" & "It's Not Easy Being Good" Sand City, a town in the Pacific Northwest, where the rents are too high and the rain never stops. On the surface, it appears normal – except this city is run by General Savage, an alleged supervillain. Fleeing Chicago and the disastrous mistakes of his past, Doctor Kimber Wellington accepts a job at the only hospital willing to hire him. Grateful for a second chance, he ignores the city’s strange obsession with supervillains. That is, until the daughter of General Savage nearly dies in his arms. Kimber couldn’t be any more different than Reader, the self-professed supervillainess-in-training, who insists she has superpowers that just so happen not to work around him. She’s deranged, violent, abrasive – and has never known kindness from anyone else. Unfortunately, helping her places Kimber in the crosshairs of Reader’s arch-nemesis. Drawn to the part of her that’s good yet horrified by her dark, violent world, Kimber finds himself at a crossroads: become Sand City’s superhero, at the potential cost of his own life, or abandon the city, the people and the compelling supervillainess who need him.




Wonder Women and Bad Girls


Book Description

Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Shuri, and Black Widow. These four characters portray very different versions of women: the superheroine, the abuse victim, the fourth wave princess, and the spy, respectively. In this in-depth analysis of female characters in superhero media, the author begins by identifying ten eras of superhero media defined by the way they portray women. Following this, the various archetypes of superheroines are classified into four categories: boundary crossers, good girls, outcasts, and those that reclaim power. From Golden Age comics through today's hottest films, heroines have been surprisingly assertive, diverse, and remarkable in this celebration of all the archetypes.




Gotham City Living


Book Description

Framing Gotham City as a microcosm of a modern-day metropolis, Gotham City Living posits this fictional setting as a hyper-aware archetype, demonstrative of the social, political and cultural tensions felt throughout urban America. Looking at the comics, graphic novels, films and television shows that form the Batman universe, this book demonstrates how the various creators of Gotham City have imagined a geography for the condition of America, the cast of characters acting as catalysts for a revaluation of established urban values. McCrystal breaks down representations of the city and its inhabitants into key sociological themes, focusing on youth, gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity, class disparity and criminality. Surveying comic strip publications from the mid-20th century to modern depictions, this book explores a wide range of material from the universe as well as the most contemporary depictions of the caped crusader not yet fully addressed in a scholarly context. These include the works of Tom King and Gail Simone; the films by Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton; and the Batman animated series and Gotham television shows. Covering characters from Batman and Robin to Batgirl, Catwoman and Poison Ivy, Gotham City Living examines the Batman franchise as it has evolved, demonstrating how the city presents a timeline of social progression (and regression) in urban American society.




Costuming Cosplay


Book Description

Cosplay, short for "costume play", has grown from its origins at fan conventions into a billion-dollar global dress phenomenon. Costuming Cosplay takes us from elaborately crafted DIY costumes to online fandoms, examining how the practice of portraying fictional characters from popular culture through dress and performance has become a creative means of expressing and playing with different identities. With an approach that ranges from admiration and role-play to gender performance, this is the first book to fully examine the subculture and costume of the Cosplay phenomenon. Drawing on extensive first-hand research at conventions across North America and Asia, Therèsa M. Winge invites us to explore how Cosplay functions as a meritocracy of creativity, escapism, and disguise, and offers a creative realm in which fantasy and new forms of socializing carry as much importance as costume. Illustrated with color photographs of both celebrity and amateur Cosplayers, Costuming Cosplay is essential reading for students and scholars of fashion and costume, popular culture, anthropology, gender, and media studies, as well as global players and fans of Cosplay.




1000 Facts about Supervillains Vol. 1


Book Description

Some of Doctor Doom's dialogue is paraphrased from David Cameron's speeches. Lex Luthor's first name wasn't revealed for 20 years. Doctor Octopus was the first supervillain to unmask Spider-Man. Harley Quinn originated from Batman: The Animated Series, not the comics. Mystique had a son with Sabretooth. Ra's Al Ghul is over 600 years old. Despite what many people believe, Apocalypse is not the first mutant. 20 years after Two-Face debuted, he only appeared five times in the comics. Bullseye killed somebody by throwing a poodle at them. Doomsday has killed millions of Green Lanterns. The Red Skull used to be a bellhop. The Riddler has a mental illness than renders him incapable of lying. Elektra's name was misspelt upon her debut. The Joker was nearly killed after one issue. Ultron used to be called the Crimson Cowl. Zod was a member of the Suicide Squad. Venom was originally called The Alien Costume. The Penguin is sometimes modelled off Donald Trump.




The Supervillain Book


Book Description

Everything you ever wanted to know about the bad guys in comics, film, and television! A must-read for anyone who was ever enthralled with mythic wickedness, The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood exhaustively explores the extraordinary lives and careers of hundreds of overachieving evildoers. Drawing from sources in comic books, film, live-action and animated television, newspaper strips, toys, and manga and anime, it is the definitive guide to nefarious masterminds, mad scientists, and destructive dominators who have battled super- and other fictional heroes. The Supervillain Book investigates each character’s origin, modus operandi, costumes, weapons and gadgetry, secret hideouts, chief henchmen, and minions, while serving up a supersized trove of fascinating trivia. It also takes you behind the scenes, describing the creation and development of these marvelously malicious, menacing, and malevolent characters. With 350 entries on pop culture’s most malicious evildoers, this comprehensive resource also includes 125 illustrations, a helpful resource section, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. What would a good guy be without the bad guy? Boring. You won’t be bored with this indispensable guide to the wicked world of supervillains!




The Science of Supervillains


Book Description

The authors of The Science of Superheroes now reveal the real genius of the most evil geniuses Ever wonder why comic book villains, such as Spiderman's bionic archenemy Dr. Octopus or the X-Men's eternal rival Magneto, are so scary and so much fun? It's not just their diabolical talent for confounding our heroes, it's their unrivalled techno-proficiency at creating global mayhem that keeps comic book fans captivated. But is any of the science actually true? In The Science of Supervillains, authors Lois Gresh and Bob Weinberg present a highly entertaining and informative look at the mind-boggling wizardry behind the comic book world's legendary baddies. Whether it's artificial intelligence, weapons systems, anti-matter, robotics, or magnetic flux theory, this fun, fact-filled book is a fascinating excursion into the real-world science animating the genius in the comic book world's pantheon of evil geniuses. Lois Gresh (Scottsville, NY) and Bob Weinberg (Oak Forest, IL) are the authors of the popular Science of Superheroes (cloth: 0-471-0246-0; paper: 0-471-46882-7)




The Secrets of Supervillainy


Book Description

Merciless, the Supervillain without Mercy (TM) is back with even bigger problems! How far will he go to fix his wife's current state of being a soulless vampire? Can he ignore his growing feelings for Cindy, despite their difference over the new Star Wars movie? Can he survive the wrath of the President of the United States (who he accidentally stole billions from)? While he ponders those personal issues, Death has a new mission for him. The greatest hero on Earth has killed and she isn't pleased. Death wants the murder solved and the perpetrator given the kind of justice only the Avatar of Death can dish out. Unfortunately for Gary, that's only the tip of the psychotic iceberg.




The Adventures of a Wimpy Superhero


Book Description

After years of watching superhero movies, reading comics and fantasizing about being a crime-fighter, Josh Walker decides to become one.




1000 Facts about TV Show Vol. 1


Book Description

An algorithm cast Kevin Spacey for House of Cards. Rob McElheney gained 50lbs for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia because he thought it would be funny. Stranger Things was supposed to be called Montauk. No two zombies in The Walking Dead have the same design. In the Game of Thrones books, Tyrion has no nose. Matthew Broderick was meant to play Walter White in Breaking Bad. Jack Bauer kills 309 people in 24. Tobias from Arrested Development is secretly black. The Big Bang Theory was banned in China. Monica and Joey were meant to be the main love story in Friends. In Family Guy, Meg's full name is Megatron Griffin. Doctor Who was nearly cancelled after one episode. Martin Scorsese absolutely loves Fawlty Towers. Will Smith was so poor before starring in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, his only mode of transport was an engineless scooter.