The Adventures of Superman (novel)
The Adventures of Superman is a novel by George Lowther.[1] It was first published in 1942 with illustrations by Joe Shuster, the co-creator of Superman. Upon its release in 1942, it was advertised as being "approved by the children's book committee of the Child Study Association of America".[1] A facsimile edition was released in 1995 by Applewood Books, with a new introduction by Roger Stern.[2]
Background
This book is the first novelization of a comic book character,
The book is illustrated with four full-page color illustrations, six full-page black-and-white illustrations, and numerous sketches, all examples of Joe Shuster's work.
Reception
Michael Rogers wrote in the Library Journal that the novel is "a great piece of Americana", and was published to "cash in on the man of steel's popularity in comics as well as on radio for which Lowther was a scriptwriter". He points out though that it was "originally written for a young adult audience ... and is probably a little too sophisticated for today's youth and will probably find a wider readership among adults who enjoyed Superman as kids".[5]
The Chicago Sun-Times opined that when Lowther gave Superman and his father the last name of El, which is a Hebrew word for God, "from that point forward, with the father christened Jor-El and the son christened Kal-El, the Superman story became one of El (God) the father sending El (God) the son to save the Earth".[6]
J.J. Sedelmaier of Print Magazine praised the artwork of Joe Shuster, noting how each chapter page "includes a black and white pen/brush and ink illustration" ... that are "tasty, gestural pieces of inspiration" ... and the illustrations are "immediate and almost impulsive ... and not what I would expect from a book produced in 1942". He opined that including this artwork "puts a focus on the artist as opposed to the character" and is "daring in its loose expression and vitality".[7]
References
- ^ a b "The Adventures of Superman By George Lowther, Random House, $1". Books For Christmas. The Birmingham News. Birmingham, Alabama. December 6, 1942. p. 10A.
- ^ ISBN 1-55709-228-1.
- ^ Worcester, Kent (Summer 2015). "Love Control: The Hidden Story of Wonder Woman". New Politics. Vol. 15, no. 3. pp. 101–106.
- Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Rogers, Michael (October 1, 1996). "The Adventures of Superman". Library Journal. Vol. 121, no. 16. p. 132.
- ^ "Lightning Rod Six Takes on a Topic in the News: Superman". Chicago Sun-Times. June 25, 2006. p. B2.
- ^ Sedelmaier, J. J. (February 27, 2012). "Joe Shuster's Artwork for the 1942 Novel The Adventures of Superman". Print. (article includes a photo gallery of the illustrations)