Comics & Graphic Novels

A must-read for anyone who was ever enthralled with mythic wickedness, The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood exhaustively explores the extraordinary lives and careers of hundreds of overachieving evildoers. Drawing from sources in comic books, film, live-action and animated television, newspaper strips, toys, and manga and anime, it is the definitive guide to nefarious masterminds, mad scientists, and destructive dominators who have battled super- and other fictional heroes.

The Supervillain Book investigates each character’s origin, modus operandi, costumes, weapons and gadgetry, secret hideouts, chief henchmen, and minions, while serving up a supersized trove of fascinating trivia. It also takes you behind the scenes, describing the creation and development of these marvelously malicious, menacing, and malevolent characters. With 350 entries on pop culture’s most malicious evildoers, this comprehensive resource also includes 125 illustrations, a helpful resource section, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

What would a good guy be without the bad guy? Boring. You won’t be bored with this indispensable guide to the wicked world of supervillains!

Superhuman strength. Virtual invulnerability. Motivated to defend the world from criminals and madmen. Possessing a secret identity. And they even have fashion sense—they look great in long underwear and catsuits. These are the traits that define the quintessential superhero. Their appeal and media presence has never been greater, but what makes them tick? their strengths? weaknesses? secret identities and arch-enemies? The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes is the comprehensive guide to all those characters whose impossible feats have graced the pages of comic books for the past one hundred years.

From the Golden and Silver Ages to the Bronze and Modern Ages, the best-loved and most historically significant superheroes—mainstream and counterculture, famous and forgotten, best and worst—are all here:

Superhuman strength. Virtual invulnerability. Motivated to defend the world from criminals and madmen. Possessing a secret identity. And they even have fashion sense—they look great in long underwear and catsuits. These are the traits that define the quintessential superhero. Their appeal and media presence has never been greater, but what makes them tick? their strengths? weaknesses? secret identities and arch-enemies? The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes is the comprehensive guide to all those characters whose impossible feats have graced the pages of comic books for the past one hundred years.

From the Golden and Silver Ages to the Bronze and Modern Ages, the best-loved and most historically significant superheroes—mainstream and counterculture, famous and forgotten, best and worst—are all here:

A must-read for anyone who was ever enthralled with mythic wickedness, The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood exhaustively explores the extraordinary lives and careers of hundreds of overachieving evildoers. Drawing from sources in comic books, film, live-action and animated television, newspaper strips, toys, and manga and anime, it is the definitive guide to nefarious masterminds, mad scientists, and destructive dominators who have battled super- and other fictional heroes.

The Supervillain Book investigates each character’s origin, modus operandi, costumes, weapons and gadgetry, secret hideouts, chief henchmen, and minions, while serving up a supersized trove of fascinating trivia. It also takes you behind the scenes, describing the creation and development of these marvelously malicious, menacing, and malevolent characters. With 350 entries on pop culture’s most malicious evildoers, this comprehensive resource also includes 125 illustrations, a helpful resource section, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

What would a good guy be without the bad guy? Boring. You won’t be bored with this indispensable guide to the wicked world of supervillains!

Superhuman strength. Virtual invulnerability. Motivated to defend the world from criminals and madmen. Possessing a secret identity. And they even have fashion sense—they look great in long underwear and catsuits. These are the traits that define the quintessential superhero. Their appeal and media presence has never been greater, but what makes them tick? their strengths? weaknesses? secret identities and arch-enemies? The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes is the comprehensive guide to all those characters whose impossible feats have graced the pages of comic books for the past one hundred years.

From the Golden and Silver Ages to the Bronze and Modern Ages, the best-loved and most historically significant superheroes—mainstream and counterculture, famous and forgotten, best and worst—are all here: