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James Gunn’s highly-anticipated reboot of “Superman” soars into theaters this weekend and along with it comes a flurry of new merch and collectibles. But the return of the fictional superhero has also spawned new interest in a hardcover book released late last year, billed as “the most comprehensive book about Superman ever produced.”
“Superman: The Definitive History,” was released in December as a 15-pound, 486 page coffee table book from publisher Insight Editions. Originally listed at a retail price of $175, Amazon’s Prime Day promo has the new book marked down to just $102 for a limited time online.
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Superman: The Definitive History
Written by veteran entertainment journalist Edward Gross and author and former DC Comics employee Robert Greenberger, “Superman: The Definitive History” contains timelines, anecdotes and new interviews that track more than 85 years of Superman’s pop culture legacy, from his debut in “Action Comics #1,” to his motion picture appearances, small screen success on “Smallville,” video games and beyond.
The book also looks at Superman’s impact on everything from advertising to merchandise, while offering insight into how the small-town superhero became an international cultural phenomenon.
The text is accompanied by unpublished, never-before-seen stills and artwork from the Warner Bros. archives, plus bonus inserts with pull-out cards, posters, mini booklets and memorabilia for both movie fans and collectors alike.
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Almost every incarnation of Superman is tracked here, and the book explores the entire Superman family, including Superboy, Supergirl, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and even the Legion of Super-Pets. There is also an entire section dedicated to all the supervillains, including Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Darkseid, Doomsday and General Zod. The authors gathered information from both DC Comics and Warner Bros. Studios while also speaking to the filmmakers, illustrators and actors involved.
Reviewers online have raved about this book, giving it a 4.9-star rating (out of five) on Amazon.com. Readers noted the incredibly comprehensive rundown of Superman’s life and career, along with the rare imagery and beautifully-presented pull-out box cover. This makes a great gift for comic book fans and movie fans alike too.
Regularly $175+, get “Superman: The Definitive History” on sale for just $102 now. The book comes ahead of “Superman: The Art and Making of the Film,” a new book dubbed as an immersive behind-the-scenes experience to complement Gunn’s new movie. That book is due out this fall.
