Superman: The Unauthorized Biography

How has "The Big Blue Boy Scout" stayed popular for so long?Why can't anyone recognize Superman when he puts on a pair of eyeglasses?Why didn't Clark Kent enlist to fight in World War II?Has there ever been a Superman comic, film, or show that wasn't a huge success?It's not true that a super-mullet happened in the 1990s, is it?NPR's go-to comic book geek, Glen Weldon, recounts Superman's story from 1930s circus strongman to all-American iconHow has he changed with the times, and what essential aspects have remained constant? This fascinating biography examines Superman as a cultural phenomenon through seventy-five years of action-packed adventures, from his early years as a crime-fighter in circus tights to his growth into the internationally renowned icon he is today.Weldon examines the character as a cultural phenomenon: how he's perceived, how that perception has changed over time, and which specific aspects have remained constant. As a critic, Weldon looks at what makes a Superman story a Superman story and what the various iterations of the character over the years say about him--and about us.