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Superhero Reading List


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Black and White (Icarus Project, Book 1)

Shades of Grey (Icarus Project, Book 2)

 

Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge

 

Half of each book is Superhero. The other half is Supervillain.

 

http://www.jackiekessler.com/blackandwhite/

 

Superhero or Supervillain is based on how they act, not whether their ultimate aim is to defeat a bad guy. 

 

Superhero's  are heroic, never kill, make selfless sacrifice and so on. 

Supervillains are larger than life with big elaborate master plans and themed capers.

 

For Superheroes and Supervillains the world is black and white, good and evil. 

 

If you are basically using modern day morals (or lack there of) with angst and gray morality then they are basically People with Powers.  99% of comics I have read in the last 10 years are PwP's and wouldn't know a Superhero if it hit them with a two by four.  DC has even managed to turn Superman from the ultimate force for good to just a really powerful dude that can kill if it is convenient. 

 

the quote "In this complex tale, Kessler and Kittredge create a dark world where the narrow line between hero and vigilante is defined by corporate interests."  seems to be placing them squarely in PwP's territory. 

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 I wonder how you would classify "After The Golden Age" by Carrie Vaughn ? The heroine is the daughter of two supers, but has no powers herself and works as a lawyer. She saves the day more with her brain than anything else (if I am remembering correctly). However a number of the other characters in the book are super powered and seem to fit the traditional hero/villain archetypes.

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  Arrghh...

 

Between this and bubba smiths input up above do we need to revise the categories?  Or add a thread in Star Hero and Pulp Hero?

 

Ideas? Thoughts? 

 

 

Part of the problem is you have already "revised" the categories.  Your definition of "People with Powers" is not the one that is normally used.  You made up a new definition (and didn't tell us until after the fact) and then got mad at people for using the commonly accepted definition.

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Part of the problem is you have already "revised" the categories.  Your definition of "People with Powers" is not the one that is normally used.  You made up a new definition (and didn't tell us until after the fact) and then got mad at people for using the commonly accepted definition.

 

 

Actually wrong on all three counts. 

 

1) I did define it at the very beginning.    Maybe not as clearly as I might have, but adding the phrases "Colorful distinctive costumes" and "Complex master plans" isn't much of a revision.

 

2) I used the exact same definition for "People with Powers that I have been using since 1985ish and is used by most people I know and have spoken with since.  Which is why I used it.

 

3) Really.  Mad?  Where?  I haven't gotten mad anywhere.    Answered questions, revised a couple items and then ask for input.  If this is being mad to you, then I really don't know what to say. 

 

Of course now I guess you will say I am being unreasonable antagonistic.    And I have been avoiding the NGD. 

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Mention should be made of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman:_Last_Son_of_Krypton'>Superman: Last Son Of Krypton and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Monday'>Superman: Miracle Monday.  The former tells the story of Superman (Pre-COIE), his relationship with Lex Luthor, and his battle against an interstellar conqueror.  The latter has Superman battling an agent of the Devil himself.  Both novels were written by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_S!_Maggin'>Elliot S! Maggin, both were written as tie-ins to the first two Superman movies, and both confirm what most of us already knew--

 

Superman Is Awesome. :yes:

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Category, Title, Series & Volume Number (if applicable), Author

 

Superheroes, Invasion (The Secret World Chronicles #1), by Mercedes Lackey, Steve Libbey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee

 

People With Powers (Bad), Those Who Walk in Darkness (Soledad O'Roark, #1) John Ridley

 

People With Powers (Bad), What Fire Cannot Burn (Soledad O'Roark, #2) John Ridley

 

People With Powers (Good), Wild Cards (Wild Cards, #1) by George R.R. Martin (Editor), Walter Jon Williams, Melinda M. Snodgrass 

 

People With Powers (Good), Aces High (Wild Cards, #2) by George R.R. Martin 

 

People With Powers (Good), Jokers Wild (Wild Cards, #3) by George R.R. Martin (Editor / Author), Walter Simons, John J. Miller 

 

People With Powers (Good), Aces Abroad (Wild Cards, #4) by George R.R. Martin (Editor / Author), Edward Bryant, Victor Milán 

 

People With Powers (Good), Down and Dirty (Wild Cards, #5) by George R.R. Martin (Editor / Author), Melinda M. Snodgrass, Edward Bryant 

 

People With Powers (Good), Ace in the Hole (Wild Cards, #6) by George R.R. Martin (Editor / Author), Walter Jon Williams, Victor Milán 

 

People With Powers (Good), Dead Man's Hand (Wild Cards, #7) by George R.R. Martin (Editor / Artist), John J. Miller

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 I wonder how you would classify "After The Golden Age" by Carrie Vaughn ? The heroine is the daughter of two supers, but has no powers herself and works as a lawyer. She saves the day more with her brain than anything else (if I am remembering correctly). However a number of the other characters in the book are super powered and seem to fit the traditional hero/villain archetypes.

 

You can tell me.  I'm just winging it here ;)

 

If we need to add a category let me know.

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"Better To Die A Hero"  Michael Van Dagger  Sounds a bit as if it is about "people with powers" but some of them at least seem to WANT to be superheroes.

 

I'll stick it in PwP until you or someone else says otherwise

 

"Chicks In Capes" edited by Lori Gentile & Karen O'Brien Seems to cover several catergories , from Pulp (a "Domino Lady" story), to one with super villainesses as the primary characters ("Kirby Girls" )

 

I've been putting most of the collections under supereheroes since most will have at least one story.  If I get enough collections in the list I will probably break them out into their own category. 

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You can tell me.  I'm just winging it here ;)

 

If we need to add a category let me know.

 

 I would probably put it in "people With Powers Good" EXCEPT that the lead character has NO powers. She is however the central character in the novel as she is constantly kidnapped by supervillains to force her super powered parents to act (at one point she even refers to herself as "hostage girl").  That's as good a description as I can come up with from memory.

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 I would probably put it in "people With Powers Good" EXCEPT that the lead character has NO powers. She is however the central character in the novel as she is constantly kidnapped by supervillains to force her super powered parents to act (at one point she even refers to herself as "hostage girl").  That's as good a description as I can come up with from memory.

 

Done. 

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if we added the six million dollar man tie in novels, which category would they be in?

the same question also applies to t.v. or movie tie in novels

 

I tend to think that Superheros follow the old Code of the Hero.  If they are gray or just fine with killing someone then they are just like regular people, ie People with Powers leaning good or bad.    If the character actively tries to avoid sever damage (death,  maiming, etc) and is really affected when they fail, then they are probably Superheros.    The big thing is how casual are they about it.  Captain America is a Superhero, while he accepts the need in wartime or to protect the greater good, but always tries to avoid harming anyone if possible. 

 

And he never ever kills a nonthreatening innocent.    I'm sure that someone can find an issue where he is portrayed as a serial killer, but then in the last decade or so Superman has been twisted into everything from a deadbeat dad, casual killer and in one instance a mini-hitler complete with concentration camps. 

 

In the end look at the character and decide where you think it should go.  If I ask a question I am not saying don't put it there, I am just making sure you meant it.  I really don't remember 6MDM enough to say for sure.

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You certainly need to check out: www.superheronovels.com

 

People with Powers (Good)

Turbulance, Samit Basu

Absurd Superheroes - anthology

Prepare to Die! by Paul Tobin

People with Powers (Bad?)

Ex-Heroes: A Novel - Peter Clines (and it's sequels)

Corrupts Absolutely? - edited by Lincoln Crisler

 

Superheroes

Hero by Perry Moore

The Rise of Renegade X (Volume 1) by Chelsea M Campbell
The Trials of Renegade X (Volume 2) by Chelsea M. Campbell

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