[PREV - FOUND_DEAD] [TOP]
KEY_FIGURES_BIT_PLAYERS
October 17, 2008
MEN_OF_TOMORROW
A few points in "Men of Tomorrow" -- a history of
the formation of Superman, that ranges widely
through other Golden Age comic characters, and
covers many predecessors and influences -- shows
signs of a tendency to over-simplify the nature
of some of those influences.
It's a trap, maybe an inevitable trap,
to present a kind of stereotyped sketch
of a predecessor, and yet to cover the The biographer must build up
central subject in detail, and point out the importance of the
it contains more complexities that might central subject -- else why
be missed at first glance. focus on that subject? --
and if only for reasons of
space, must at least subtly
dismiss the importance of
all others.
PISTOL_WHIPPED
Jones in passing talks about
the sloppy writing of The
Shadow pulps (ignoring
that in places it's
tighter, with a touch of LONG_SHADOW
poetry); the thin
characterization of the
Skylark stories (ignoring SKYLARK
places where it gets deeper);
he dismisses Wylie's
"Gladiator" for dull-witted GLADIATOR
pretentiousness by focusing
on it's prefunctory
conclusion -- rather than the
main themes visible throughout.
--------
[NEXT - BAD_SMELL]