This has to be one of the most interesting books in my collection so far. In 1998, Chronicle Books published this excellent hardcover titled Superman: The Complete History. Written by Les Daniels, the book showcases everything you ever wanted to know about Superman‘s long legacy though many mediums up until the point of its publishing.
As soon as you open the book, you are hit with full-color photos of some classic Superman artwork, posters, and collectibles. The book opens with a detailed glimpse into the character’s influences and creation as well as Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster‘s other creations like Slam Bradley and Funnyman. Daniels expertly covers Superman’s journey through his radio years, his first animated films, his first live-action films starring Kirk Alyn, and the character’s involvement as an icon during World War II. That was just in the 1940s alone. With the help of some amazing photographs, we get a real taste of the 1950s television series The Adventures of Superman, the character’s trip through the 1960s which includes the Broadway musical starring Bob Holiday, on through the 1970s and the memorable comic issues of the time, like Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, as well as the introduction of the influential blockbuster Superman: The Movie. The book continues and tells a detailed story of the 1980s and the groundbreaking John Byrne re-vamp. Superman’s life in the 1990s as his death at the hands of Doomsday rocked fans around the world. His eventual rebirth and television series called Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman brought forth a new generation of fans. At the end, the book covers the phenomenal Superman: The Animated Series.
Every time I go through this book, I’m continually blown away by the fantastic photography of rare Superman memorabilia. As a collector, I have to make sure I don’t drool on the pages. The jacket cover proudly shows off a closeup image of Superman as drawn by Joe Shuster on the cover of Superman #1 in 1939. When the jacket is removed, a beautiful surprise lays underneath as the actual cover of the book features the exacting homage artwork of Alex Ross.
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Superman Collector in Hawaii 
Wow, this sounds like a great book of all things Superman, I bet there’s loads of stuff in there you’d like to add to your collection as well! Nice to have something that covers so many aspects of Superman, the films and different merchandise.
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