Action Comics 1
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| - | :''[[spandex]], [[Gods In Spandex A Survivors Account Of 80s Cinema Obscura]]'' | ||
| - | '''''Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes''''' is a book by [[Christopher Knowles (comics)|Christopher Knowles]], the former editor of ''[[Comic Book Artist]]'', with illustrations by [[Joe Linsner]]. | + | '''''Action Comics 1''''' is a [[comic book]] that was published in April 1938 (cover-dated June) by National Allied Publications, a corporate predecessor of [[DC Comics]]. Featuring the [[first appearance]] of the [[Jerry Siegel]] and [[Joe Shuster]] creation [[Superman]], it is considered the first true [[superhero]] comic, and though today ''[[Action Comics]]'' is a monthly title devoted to Superman, it began, like many early comics, as an [[anthology]]. |
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| - | The book examines superheroes as a modern evolution of [[mythological]] [[archetype]]s. | + | |
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| - | ==Overview== | + | |
| - | The book looks at the evolution of the superhero through the early Egyptian, Greek and Roman myths to the modern era. In particular Knowles highlights the significance of [[Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]]'s novel ''[[Vril|The Coming Race]]'' and its concept of the [[Vril-ya]], a super human race occupying the [[hollow earth]]. This was adopted and adapted by [[Theosophy]] into their concept of [[Ascended Master]]s which when mixed with [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]'s [[Übermensch]], became the template for the early superheroes. | + | |
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| - | It also examines the religious, mystical and occult influences on comics writers like [[Jack Kirby]], [[Alan Moore]] and [[Grant Morrison]]. | + | |
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| - | Knowles has further expanded on his ideas, in particular looking at [[Action Comics 1|''Action Comics'' #1]] and its similarities with ''[[Hercules Clubs the Hydra]]'' by [[Antonio del Pollaiolo]]. He also runs The Sacred Sun blog which also returns to the theme, especially in connection with [[Jack Kirby]] and the influences of ideas like the [[Ancient Astronaut Theory]] on his work, even series seemingly unconnected to it such as [[Devil Dinosaur]], a topic Knowles has written about before for ''The Jack Kirby Collector''. | + | |
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| - | The themes the book raises have also been the focus of a number of panels at comics conventions. [[A. David Lewis]], who has organised similar panels looking at religion and comics, organised one at [[New York Comic Con]] in 2008, with [[G. Willow Wilson]], [[Douglas Rushkoff]] and [[Dennis O'Neil]]. Another was held on February 24, 2008 at [[WonderCon]]. | + | |
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| - | ==Reception== | + | |
| - | [[Sequential Tart]] was impressed by the amount of infomration saying that "after reading it I believe I could perform fairly well in a comic book history trivia contest." Despite that it remains accessible "book is written in a way that is understandable to almost anyone who has only a basic knowledge of comic books" and their "only problem with Knowles' writing is that it seemed to jump around a bit, especially the first half." Steve Bennett, at ICv2, said it was "the best book on the subject I've read since Gerard Jones' landmark Men of Tomorrow." | + | |
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| - | However, other reviewers were less impressed. ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' said that "[n]ot only does Knowles fail to make a persuasive case for his theories about the genre’s occult origins, but he repeatedly shoots himself in the foot with wild overstatements." ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' said "[t]his kind of thinking, along with most of Knowles's book, is not news to academics or fans" and concludes that it is a "fun, fluent book, but not the breakthrough popular history that the subject deserves." | + | |
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| - | ==Awards== | + | |
| - | *2008: Won "Favourite Comics-Related Book" [[Eagle Award (comics)|Eagle Award]] | + | |
| - | is a book published by Succubus Press published in 2007. It was a successor to [[Polyester, Or, A Survivors' Account of 70's Cinema Obscura]] (2004). Both books are by by [[Suzanne Donahue]] and [[Mikael Sovijarvi]][http://www.nanarland.com/interview/interview.php?id_interview=godsinspandexvo&vo=]. | + | |
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| - | It features profiles on [[Teddy Page]], [[Richard Harrison (actor)]], [[James Gaines]], [[Mel Novak]], [[Hy Pyke]], [[Norman J. Warren]], [[Bill Rebane]], [[The Age of Insects (1990 film)]] and [[Pat Bishow]]. | + | |
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Action Comics 1 is a comic book that was published in April 1938 (cover-dated June) by National Allied Publications, a corporate predecessor of DC Comics. Featuring the first appearance of the Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster creation Superman, it is considered the first true superhero comic, and though today Action Comics is a monthly title devoted to Superman, it began, like many early comics, as an anthology.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Action Comics 1" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
