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The League of Regrettable Superheroes
Look, up in the sky! It's a bee! It's a witch! It's ... a giant eyeball? You know about Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, but have you heard of Doll Man, Doctor Hormone, or Spider Queen? In the League of Regrettable Superheroes, you'll meet fifty of the strangest superheroes ever to see print, complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. So prepare yourself for such not-ready-for-prime-time heroes as Bee Man (Batman, but with bees), the Eye (a giant, floating eyeball; just accept it), and many other oddballs and oddities. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, The League of Regrettable Superheroes will appeal to die-hard comics fans, casual comics readers, and anyone who enjoys peering into the stranger corners of pop culture.
128 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
August 5, 2015
The subject matter was kind of interesting but I hated the writing style. The sidebars being full of little unfunny gags was annoying to me. (on the one for Fantomah, "Complexion: Definitely a 'summer,' except when she's transformed her head into a blazing skull") The whole book felt like a printed version of a clickbait article. Instead of this book maybe just find a wikia of the subject matter, that will likely be a lot better than the forced humor this has.
May 3, 2016
This was an enjoyable look at some forgotten comic book superheroes, most of which were deservedly forgotten, but a few who died an untimely death due to publishing issues or just bad timing. My favorite is probably The Eye, which is nothing but a giant eye and is frankly creepier than most supervillains. But there's also Fantomah, who I didn't know is credited with being the first female superhero (she predates Wonder Woman by more than a year) and whose art is unique for its time. I'd like to see a return of Nelvana of the Northern Lights, too.
November 25, 2015
A cute read, perfect for stocking stuffers, comic fans, and those who aren't apt to pick up books. This little book contains summaries, pictures and quotes from the comic book industries most "regrettable" superheroes. As the introduction states, "We call these second-tier (or lower) superheroes "regrettable," but it's important to remember that none of thesecharacters are inherently bad. Sometimes, the only factor that kept them from succeeding was bad timing, an unstable marketplace, or merely being lost in the crowd."Author Jon Morris explores some of the truly odd, overlooked, and underappreciated superheroes that are now largely forgotten. That cast includes: Doctor Hormone, Lady Satan, Rainbow Boy, Thunderbunny, and more. A quirky, quick, enjoyable read.
August 5, 2015
other than some dumb comments the author thought funny, this was a great little book. very informative on both superheroes of little to no exposure (or survivability!) and the eras that birthed them, this was a very fun, easy read. I think it very illuminating and, amid carefully downsizing my physical library, I am struggling with whether to keep it or not. if you've any interest in supers or the history of them - or even writing them - I recommend this title.
May 11, 2018
An amusing look at some of the quirkier ill fated heroes to grace comic pages over the years. Unfortunately I was unaware that the "loot crate edition" meant "the abridged edition" containing far less content than the normal version. That being said, I can't be too mad since I only spent a couple bucks to buy it from their overstock. Still, I imagine I will add a star or two to my review on the full edition when and if I get my hands on it.
April 22, 2021
Fun book.
December 19, 2021
I’m surprised by how many of these characters I knew or had read, from the Harvey heroes from the 60’s to the Atlas comics of the 70’s. I actually bought Prez #1 from a spinner rack at a drug store!
August 9, 2015
A fun little read about some of the more unique and strange heroes that have graced the pages of our four color wonderlands over the past century; a boy turns into a giant, pink,super-strong bunny? Eh, why not? Many of them; most of them; are characters that I had never heard of, while some, especially as we move into the modern age, I can remember owning comics books for; US 1 being the prime example; but could not have told you at all what their stories were about.
The author does a wonderful job of explaining the heroes in a voice that is enjoyable to read and responds to the characters in much the same way that we would. He puts the characters in context for when they were created and helps us understand, just in case we missed it, what it was that made the heroes so regrettable. It's easy to see this expanded to include the regrettable moments of more established characters. It would also be nice to see the same method used for the various villains that have found their ways into comics over the years, except that many of those would be regrettable because of their often racist origins.
One quibble with the work is that Morris does not really establish what his criteria is for a hero to be regrettable. Reading about The Bouncer, whose near wink, or just grotesquely drawn face is the stuff of nightmares, or Fatman, the Living UFO, its easy to see why we look back and shake our heads with a knowing grin, but what puts Doll Man, who still shows up in print and even on cartoons nearly seventy-five years after being created? Even Peacemakers extended stay in comics and appearance in the first major event "Crisis on Infinite Earths," allows him to be someone that is never mentioned again, but Doll Man, my only real argument with is rankings (and isn't half the fun of reading a book like this arguing over the decisions?) seems like a hero that no one is really regretting.
The author does a wonderful job of explaining the heroes in a voice that is enjoyable to read and responds to the characters in much the same way that we would. He puts the characters in context for when they were created and helps us understand, just in case we missed it, what it was that made the heroes so regrettable. It's easy to see this expanded to include the regrettable moments of more established characters. It would also be nice to see the same method used for the various villains that have found their ways into comics over the years, except that many of those would be regrettable because of their often racist origins.
One quibble with the work is that Morris does not really establish what his criteria is for a hero to be regrettable. Reading about The Bouncer, whose near wink, or just grotesquely drawn face is the stuff of nightmares, or Fatman, the Living UFO, its easy to see why we look back and shake our heads with a knowing grin, but what puts Doll Man, who still shows up in print and even on cartoons nearly seventy-five years after being created? Even Peacemakers extended stay in comics and appearance in the first major event "Crisis on Infinite Earths," allows him to be someone that is never mentioned again, but Doll Man, my only real argument with is rankings (and isn't half the fun of reading a book like this arguing over the decisions?) seems like a hero that no one is really regretting.
July 24, 2015
This part of the July LootCrate is keeping me subscribed for at least another month. Sure, this kind of thing has been done before, but this guy's writing is funny enough to justify another entry into the list of lists of silly superheroes. This is great time-killing reading. Nothing to think about, just something to chuckle at. Check it out if you're into comedy lists.
July 19, 2015
Interesting idea, and I did learn some interesting little tidbits about super heroes that I'd never even heard of before. But the book was basically about as lame as most of the characters it described.
October 25, 2017
It's a good list and the author does a nice job of presenting the heroes, but it's boring and looses its charm pretty quickly. Maybe it isn't meant to be read in one go as I did, but this is (for me) a total skip.
April 4, 2022
It’s a very fun, and brisk book! Full of laughable and sometimes intriguing ideas from comics past, I just with the book contained a little more commentary on the history of comics than it does.
Great for comic or superhero fans!
Great for comic or superhero fans!
July 27, 2015
A little ridiculous, a little sad, but mostly regrettable. This book showcases the term "throw something at a wall, see if it sticks."
December 8, 2015
63rd book read in 2015.
Number 135 out of 491 on my all time book list.
Review Pending:
Number 135 out of 491 on my all time book list.
Review Pending:
June 8, 2019
I have one word for you: Thunderbunny! I need Thunderbunny merch in my life, y'all!
July 5, 2025
If you’re at all interested in the more obscure history of comic books this is a fun read though I will say some of the attempts at humor fall a bit flat and make me wish they’d just tell me more about the characters with the limited space they have.
September 11, 2025
Fun read and browse through a bunch of printed superheroes from old comics. This is cool because it shows that writing and creating is important and that the comic artist that made these 'regrettable' (just not super popular) superheroes still made something that is recalled in this book.
March 8, 2025
An easy, fun read, great to pick up when you only have a few minutes of down time.
October 28, 2025
It was ok, if not insightful. I enjoyed some of the older ones. I guess I expected it to be a little loonier and give more insight.
October 27, 2015
ComicWorm Speaks!
The League of Regrettable Superheroes
by John Morris
****
The Story: You know about Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, but have you heard of Doll Man, Doctor Hormone, or Spider Queen? In The League of Regrettable Superheroes, you’ll meet one hundred of the strangest superheroes ever to see print, complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. So prepare yourself for such not-ready-for-prime-time heroes as Bee Man (Batman, but with bees), the Clown (circus-themed crimebuster), the Eye (a giant, floating eyeball; just accept it), and many other oddballs and oddities. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, The League of Regrettable Superheroes will appeal to die-hard comics fans, casual comics readers, and anyone who enjoys peering into the stranger corners of pop culture.
The Review: When the Worm was in High School, one of his favorite books from the library was the DC Comics Encyclopedia. He carried it around in his backpack for weeks at a time, for as long as the checkout time permitted, enjoying the rich mythology of comic books. Ever since those days, the Worm was more a less a comic book fan. While he enjoys the stories of Superman, The Hulk, and Wonder Woman, what was also a treat was looking into the more obscure corners of the comic book stands. The weird and colorful characters that had and have, a lot of potential.
For those who love the more obscure facets of fandoms, this book is perfect for them. The characters described within are weird, wacky, and wonderful. Some are complete misfires such as Speed Centaur, some are just odd like the Iron Skull. There are also a few that are really bizarre but have a strange appeal i.e. The Eye. It would be an interesting journey to explore some of their adventures and maybe seem them again some time.
Perhaps that could be a thing: Modern comic book artists take a half-baked hero from the past and put them in a modern story. Give them a chance at redemption in the eyes of the nerds and geeks.
They say variety is the spice of life and this book follows this mantra well. As it says in one of the interludes, they were literally hundreds of costumed characters vying for the public attention. To sift through all of that history must have been hard work and it paid off, for the characters selected are each unique and present a unique diversity of Batman ripoffs, Superman knock-offs, magical heroes and super science subjects. While there are definitely common threads, each turn of the page is a new delight.
The text seems to largely focus on characters created during the Golden and Silver Ages of comic books, which can be a disappointment to younger readers. The Golden Age was back when comic books were still an experimental, niche industry, and not the multi-million dollar industry responsible for creating some of the most profitable films in movies history. Since it was an experimental medium, this is reflected in the nature of the characters. What it seems to forget is that the modern age is filled with misfires and mistakes. Perhaps not so much from Marvel and DC anymore, because again, they are in mainstream popular culture. But there are plenty of independent publications that portray superheroes that are not so super. There is an entire chapter dedicated to the Modern Age of comics but its only around a third of the book. Nostalgia is great but when it describes characters that went out of print decades before The Worm was born, its hard to relate to them. Just another collection of old things.
Seeing characters that millennials may have passed during their prepubescent escapades to the comic book store, may make this book feel more relevant and not simply a journey into nostalgia. The Worm digresses.
What could have made this book a little better was for it to be written in an ‘in-universe’ style. The reason that the DC Comics encyclopedia was so cool is that it was written in a way that made all of the characters feel real. This book is very aware of its medium, making references to the artists and publishers and their history. Their stories and abilities are told in a mocking manner. That may be the source of the humor in this book the characters do not feel real. That would have been a little nicer, bring some life back into the characters that have been consigned to the bargain bins of popular culture.
Final Verdict: Even though this has been said by another reviewer, it is so perfect that it cannot be resisted: There is nothing regrettable about buying this book! It is a fun, entertaining read worthy to grace the shelves of any fan of comic books.
Four out of Five Stars
thecultureworm.blogspot.com
The League of Regrettable Superheroes
by John Morris
****
The Story: You know about Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, but have you heard of Doll Man, Doctor Hormone, or Spider Queen? In The League of Regrettable Superheroes, you’ll meet one hundred of the strangest superheroes ever to see print, complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. So prepare yourself for such not-ready-for-prime-time heroes as Bee Man (Batman, but with bees), the Clown (circus-themed crimebuster), the Eye (a giant, floating eyeball; just accept it), and many other oddballs and oddities. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, The League of Regrettable Superheroes will appeal to die-hard comics fans, casual comics readers, and anyone who enjoys peering into the stranger corners of pop culture.
The Review: When the Worm was in High School, one of his favorite books from the library was the DC Comics Encyclopedia. He carried it around in his backpack for weeks at a time, for as long as the checkout time permitted, enjoying the rich mythology of comic books. Ever since those days, the Worm was more a less a comic book fan. While he enjoys the stories of Superman, The Hulk, and Wonder Woman, what was also a treat was looking into the more obscure corners of the comic book stands. The weird and colorful characters that had and have, a lot of potential.
For those who love the more obscure facets of fandoms, this book is perfect for them. The characters described within are weird, wacky, and wonderful. Some are complete misfires such as Speed Centaur, some are just odd like the Iron Skull. There are also a few that are really bizarre but have a strange appeal i.e. The Eye. It would be an interesting journey to explore some of their adventures and maybe seem them again some time.
Perhaps that could be a thing: Modern comic book artists take a half-baked hero from the past and put them in a modern story. Give them a chance at redemption in the eyes of the nerds and geeks.
They say variety is the spice of life and this book follows this mantra well. As it says in one of the interludes, they were literally hundreds of costumed characters vying for the public attention. To sift through all of that history must have been hard work and it paid off, for the characters selected are each unique and present a unique diversity of Batman ripoffs, Superman knock-offs, magical heroes and super science subjects. While there are definitely common threads, each turn of the page is a new delight.
The text seems to largely focus on characters created during the Golden and Silver Ages of comic books, which can be a disappointment to younger readers. The Golden Age was back when comic books were still an experimental, niche industry, and not the multi-million dollar industry responsible for creating some of the most profitable films in movies history. Since it was an experimental medium, this is reflected in the nature of the characters. What it seems to forget is that the modern age is filled with misfires and mistakes. Perhaps not so much from Marvel and DC anymore, because again, they are in mainstream popular culture. But there are plenty of independent publications that portray superheroes that are not so super. There is an entire chapter dedicated to the Modern Age of comics but its only around a third of the book. Nostalgia is great but when it describes characters that went out of print decades before The Worm was born, its hard to relate to them. Just another collection of old things.
Seeing characters that millennials may have passed during their prepubescent escapades to the comic book store, may make this book feel more relevant and not simply a journey into nostalgia. The Worm digresses.
What could have made this book a little better was for it to be written in an ‘in-universe’ style. The reason that the DC Comics encyclopedia was so cool is that it was written in a way that made all of the characters feel real. This book is very aware of its medium, making references to the artists and publishers and their history. Their stories and abilities are told in a mocking manner. That may be the source of the humor in this book the characters do not feel real. That would have been a little nicer, bring some life back into the characters that have been consigned to the bargain bins of popular culture.
Final Verdict: Even though this has been said by another reviewer, it is so perfect that it cannot be resisted: There is nothing regrettable about buying this book! It is a fun, entertaining read worthy to grace the shelves of any fan of comic books.
Four out of Five Stars
thecultureworm.blogspot.com
August 22, 2024
Comic books were once considered the stuff of children. After all, they featured grown people in skin-tight suits, spectacular feats of derring do and bright colors everywhere. It was like going to the circus, only for less than a quarter. Anyone over the age of 40 can remember countless hours spent flipping the pages, looking for that next great story or hero to grace the sheets.
Well, Mr. Morris dug deep and found superheroes that were…less than stellar. They flared up briefly, sputtered into the sky and fell to earth we know not where, doubtless lost in the depths of a cardboard box at your local comic book store. The creations in this book are the also-rans, the never-weres, the ones who didn’t quite make the grade.
Who knows why they didn’t cut it? (Oh well, Mr. Morris knows and had no problem venting his opinion.) They were simply too goofy, too much like another, more successful superhero creation, they were too far ahead of their time, too far behind or used lingo that was already going outdated by the time they hit the shelves (far out, man).
But the inkers tried. They didn’t create these fictional characters to fail, after all. (Although you have to scratch your head at the creative “genius” behind someone who thinks a floating, disembodied eyeball is superhero material. What was he smoking?) Even if these attempts didn’t last beyond a few short installments, you have to appreciate the fancies of people who thought Mother Hubbard, Dracula or a man whose metallic hand is reminiscent of Inspector Gadget would be worthwhile supers.
You sense the love behind these handiworks. The craftspeople wanted to bring something new to the page and comics lend themselves wonderfully to flights of fancy, outrageous propositions, stories that demand their readers suspend belief and call to the imagination of their readers. Sometimes, you could see how these fictional beings were precursors of far more successful followups. There are hints of the future characters of Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and so many others.
Whether you read this for amusement or for a peek into the deranged minds that could invent a superhero who could dismember his own body, this is a book to flip through quickly, savor or share with your comic book-loving friends. Nerds of the world, unite!
Well, Mr. Morris dug deep and found superheroes that were…less than stellar. They flared up briefly, sputtered into the sky and fell to earth we know not where, doubtless lost in the depths of a cardboard box at your local comic book store. The creations in this book are the also-rans, the never-weres, the ones who didn’t quite make the grade.
Who knows why they didn’t cut it? (Oh well, Mr. Morris knows and had no problem venting his opinion.) They were simply too goofy, too much like another, more successful superhero creation, they were too far ahead of their time, too far behind or used lingo that was already going outdated by the time they hit the shelves (far out, man).
But the inkers tried. They didn’t create these fictional characters to fail, after all. (Although you have to scratch your head at the creative “genius” behind someone who thinks a floating, disembodied eyeball is superhero material. What was he smoking?) Even if these attempts didn’t last beyond a few short installments, you have to appreciate the fancies of people who thought Mother Hubbard, Dracula or a man whose metallic hand is reminiscent of Inspector Gadget would be worthwhile supers.
You sense the love behind these handiworks. The craftspeople wanted to bring something new to the page and comics lend themselves wonderfully to flights of fancy, outrageous propositions, stories that demand their readers suspend belief and call to the imagination of their readers. Sometimes, you could see how these fictional beings were precursors of far more successful followups. There are hints of the future characters of Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and so many others.
Whether you read this for amusement or for a peek into the deranged minds that could invent a superhero who could dismember his own body, this is a book to flip through quickly, savor or share with your comic book-loving friends. Nerds of the world, unite!
July 24, 2015
Entertaining reading for a weekend. Nothing that we haven't seen before, just more of it. Seriously, any fanboy (or girl) who's been in the comic collecting hobby for more than a year or two has most likely seen multiple lists of "Lamest Superheroes" and "Forgotten Heroes" and now, "Regrettable Superheroes." I think Cracked has done at least three different listicles on the subject. And Wizard used to run a monthly column devoted to the topic. But here they are, collected in a single volume, and with a few new additions that I had not previously seen (or, in some cases, heard of) before.
Stalwarts like Madame Fatal, Fatman, and Captain Marvel (SPLIT!) are nearly synonymous with such lists, so much so that you actually miss them when they're neglected. But there are a few in this book that I think maybe, just maybe, should not have been included.
For one, Dollman. Why is he "Regrettable?" He has the poser to shrink. Atom, Wasp, Ant-Man (Now a major motion picture!) Elastigirl, Shrinking Violet, Bumblebee, and (depending upon which incarnation of the Legion you're reading ) Colossal Boy all had that same power.
Another is Rom, the Spaceknight. The only thing "Regrettable" about him was the fact that he was a thinly (as in, not-at-all) disguised toy advertisement pretending to be a comic. A comic that was, by all accounts, well-written and fun to read. And produced in the era of Saturday morning cartoons, or "30-minute Toy Commercials." He was a good example of the entertainment style of his time.
Contrast that with Adam-X, a good example of a BAD example of the entertainment style of his time. Grim, gritty, and above all EDGY! If ever there was a character who belonged in this book, it is The X-Treme. Just for that damned "name."
Really, some of these are characters who simply never should have existed. They are horrible concepts executed badly. Some of the others, however, are sweet, funny, goofy, or just plain fun. Never meant to be taken as serious character concepts, just light-hearted fun. Taken as such, there's is nothing to truly "Regret."
All in all, the book is a good read. I enjoyed it, it was the one thing in the Crate that I was really looking forward to, and it did not disappoint.
February 15, 2019
An insane look at over 80 years of some of the wildest, craziest and more bizarre superheroes to ever grace a comic book!
This is the companion piece to Legion of Regrettable Supervillains. Only it's condensed in order to fit in a LootCrate box. There's now a third book about sidekicks. While I wouldn't mind finding that book for a steep discount like I did this one, I am not planning on actively looking for it (or the larger versions of these books.)
Jon Morris does an amazing job finding these wacky characters. He covers some great depths of comic book history. But his sarcastic view is off-putting.
God knows I don't take things as serious as I could. I guess what I am saying is that the author, while a great historian, just isn't that funny to me. It's like the professor who is incredibly smart and knowledgeable but only does dad jokes.
There's one more thing to be aware of. This book, though only 4 years old, is already dated. For example, Morris talks about how the Marvel run of Rom Spaceknight is likely to never be collected and reprinted due to licensing issues. Yet with IDW's recent franchising deal with Hasbro, the publisher has not only revitalized the character but they've also announced plans to issue a multi-volume collection of those Marvel books starting sometime this fall.
This isn't the author or publishers fault. Anytime you right a book about history of any sort, new developments will cause some of the data to become outdated. So maybe Jon Morris and Quirk Books might want to work on some revised editions. If so, maybe he can update the jokes as well
This is the companion piece to Legion of Regrettable Supervillains. Only it's condensed in order to fit in a LootCrate box. There's now a third book about sidekicks. While I wouldn't mind finding that book for a steep discount like I did this one, I am not planning on actively looking for it (or the larger versions of these books.)
Jon Morris does an amazing job finding these wacky characters. He covers some great depths of comic book history. But his sarcastic view is off-putting.
God knows I don't take things as serious as I could. I guess what I am saying is that the author, while a great historian, just isn't that funny to me. It's like the professor who is incredibly smart and knowledgeable but only does dad jokes.
There's one more thing to be aware of. This book, though only 4 years old, is already dated. For example, Morris talks about how the Marvel run of Rom Spaceknight is likely to never be collected and reprinted due to licensing issues. Yet with IDW's recent franchising deal with Hasbro, the publisher has not only revitalized the character but they've also announced plans to issue a multi-volume collection of those Marvel books starting sometime this fall.
This isn't the author or publishers fault. Anytime you right a book about history of any sort, new developments will cause some of the data to become outdated. So maybe Jon Morris and Quirk Books might want to work on some revised editions. If so, maybe he can update the jokes as well
July 31, 2015
A fun little book that came with the July 2015 "Heroes 2" themed Loot Crate. As the title suggests, it is a brief tour of some comic book superheroes who failed to ascend to the ranks of Superman, Batman, Wolverine, et al.
The book is divided into 3 main sections--Golden Age, Silver Age, and Modern Age---with 2-4 full-color pages devoted to each of its 50 heroes/hero teams, and excerpts of the comics or their covers re-printed therein. 1-2 of those pages contain text describing the hero, his/her/their origin story and powers, and the inevitable demise of his/her/their title. While many of the heroes were ridiculous or just ghastly in concept, some were rather fascinating and had obvious potential that simply failed to take off. For example, take the Spider Queen, a heroine who used wrist-held web shooters invented in her late husband's laboratory to stick to walls and swing from buildings. Sound familiar? Only she beat the legendary Marvel comics webslinger by two decades.
My one gripe about the book is that attention to female failures drops off after the Golden Age. There is not a single female hero featured in the Silver or Modern age sections, though there were a few teams that had token female members featured, and a few mentions of female side-kicks. Unless every single female hero ever invented in these decades was long-lived and made of win (yeah right), this is a failing on Morris's part.
Otherwise I enjoyed the book. Those who paid for a July 2015 Loot Crate got their money's worth.
The book is divided into 3 main sections--Golden Age, Silver Age, and Modern Age---with 2-4 full-color pages devoted to each of its 50 heroes/hero teams, and excerpts of the comics or their covers re-printed therein. 1-2 of those pages contain text describing the hero, his/her/their origin story and powers, and the inevitable demise of his/her/their title. While many of the heroes were ridiculous or just ghastly in concept, some were rather fascinating and had obvious potential that simply failed to take off. For example, take the Spider Queen, a heroine who used wrist-held web shooters invented in her late husband's laboratory to stick to walls and swing from buildings. Sound familiar? Only she beat the legendary Marvel comics webslinger by two decades.
My one gripe about the book is that attention to female failures drops off after the Golden Age. There is not a single female hero featured in the Silver or Modern age sections, though there were a few teams that had token female members featured, and a few mentions of female side-kicks. Unless every single female hero ever invented in these decades was long-lived and made of win (yeah right), this is a failing on Morris's part.
Otherwise I enjoyed the book. Those who paid for a July 2015 Loot Crate got their money's worth.
March 16, 2018
When this showed up at the store, I knew I'd have to read through it before putting it on the shelf. I'm glad I did - it's a very humorous look at obscure and, frankly, lame comic book characters (not all of whom are "superheroes" but hey). It scanning some reviews, it looks like the version I have (The Loot Crate Edition) is a smaller, edited version of the original. Too bad 'cause I would have liked to have read more entries. The book is divided into 3 eras: The Golden Age (1938-1949), in which only a couple of the characters (Doll Man & The Ghost Patrol) were familiar to me from later DC reprints. The Silver Age (1950-1969) contains a few more characters I knew about, including a couple that I have their books (Brother Power the Geek & The Fab Four). I'd heard of and/or had the comics of almost all the Modern Age (1970-present) characters, despite the fact that most of the characters throughout the book appeared only a handful of times before disappearing altogether. I did get to learn about a few new-to-me characters and add to my already encyclopedic knowledge of comic books. This book was great fun, even if the requirements for characters being listed seemed pretty arbitrary.
March 23, 2020
With so many movies featuring superheroes now hitting the big screen in sequence and several different actors having played heroes such as Superman, Batman and Spider-man, many wannabees have never been heard from. This book contains brief descriptions of some of the oddest and quite frankly dumbest superheroes that were ever created. As one would have expected, many did not survive for more than a few issues.
Quirky is too mild a word to describe most of these characters. For example, there is “Madam Fatal,” a hero that is a man cross-dressed as a grey-haired old woman. This character appeared in 1940 and lasted for nearly two years! Another is “Fatman, the Human Flying Saucer,” where an obese man turns into an actual flying saucer when it is time to confront the evildoers. My favorite by quite a bit is “Dr. Hormone” (really!) Debuting in 1940, he was a man that used hormones for many purposes, sometimes well beyond the realm of medical ethics. He does not hesitate to use his potions on children and even babies.
Comic characters tend to be quirky and unusual, but until you read this book it is unlikely that you ever realized just how far that expression can be extended.
Quirky is too mild a word to describe most of these characters. For example, there is “Madam Fatal,” a hero that is a man cross-dressed as a grey-haired old woman. This character appeared in 1940 and lasted for nearly two years! Another is “Fatman, the Human Flying Saucer,” where an obese man turns into an actual flying saucer when it is time to confront the evildoers. My favorite by quite a bit is “Dr. Hormone” (really!) Debuting in 1940, he was a man that used hormones for many purposes, sometimes well beyond the realm of medical ethics. He does not hesitate to use his potions on children and even babies.
Comic characters tend to be quirky and unusual, but until you read this book it is unlikely that you ever realized just how far that expression can be extended.
June 1, 2016
There is a lot to like in this examination of 50 lesser-known superhero characters from previous years/eras. At its best, the book is funny, informative and (most importantly) driven by a real sense of affection for bizarre characters like Fantomah, Dr Vampire and Dracula (superhero version). It feels like it's laughing with them, not at them, and acknowledges the energetic 'nothing's too crazy' imagination that gave us superheroes in the first place.
Sadly, too much of the book swings the other way, throwing down 'ironic' snark and asides to get cheap laughs - and failing, because that's when the writing is weakest and least funny. Too many of these entries are snide and tired, while others are thin attempts to throw shade at whole swathes of comics history. (Yes, we get it, you think '90s comics were dumb. Real controversial opinion there.)
If the good outweighed the bad, this book would be a lot of fun. But it doesn't, and it's only a moderate amount of fun. And wrong about the '90s.
Sadly, too much of the book swings the other way, throwing down 'ironic' snark and asides to get cheap laughs - and failing, because that's when the writing is weakest and least funny. Too many of these entries are snide and tired, while others are thin attempts to throw shade at whole swathes of comics history. (Yes, we get it, you think '90s comics were dumb. Real controversial opinion there.)
If the good outweighed the bad, this book would be a lot of fun. But it doesn't, and it's only a moderate amount of fun. And wrong about the '90s.
December 11, 2021
I read the Loot Crate edition because my friend Kat gave it to me. I think I might have to find the original edition and see if I missed anything. Y'all this book is a HOOT. It's a compilation of real, published superhero concepts that missed the mark badly enough that they often didn't last more than a handful of issues, if that.
From a marketing point of view it's a fascinating read...something/someone is hot in culture right now, so grab that idea and run with it to wring as much money out as possible. On at least two occasions a the phrase "the company folded shortly thereafter" was used, so I guess money often could not be wrung as much as the publishers hoped.
Example of lazy cash-grab work: the villains in one story are called the Surrians. Because "Russians" would have been too on-the-nose.
The text is very snarky so if snark ain't your thing take note.
From a marketing point of view it's a fascinating read...something/someone is hot in culture right now, so grab that idea and run with it to wring as much money out as possible. On at least two occasions a the phrase "the company folded shortly thereafter" was used, so I guess money often could not be wrung as much as the publishers hoped.
Example of lazy cash-grab work: the villains in one story are called the Surrians. Because "Russians" would have been too on-the-nose.
The text is very snarky so if snark ain't your thing take note.
November 8, 2023
It seems like I definitely missed out on the Golden Age comics!
Fantomah - first female comic book heroine whose face melts and only her blonde hair and skull remains while she protects the jungle...
Invisible Scarlet O'Neil who doesn't use violence but her wits and who turns invisible by touching her wrist
Madam Fatal ERMERGERD! Ex soldier and deep sea diver whose wife gets killed and his daughter gets kidnapped so what does he do? He disappears for 8 years to return as an elderly lady who swings from rooftops and fights with a cane! The worlds first crossdressing superhero
But it gets better!
Mother Hubbard is a witch who fights bones who remove children's eyes with a crowbar.
I mean, give me back the Golden Age Comics,please!
Fantomah - first female comic book heroine whose face melts and only her blonde hair and skull remains while she protects the jungle...
Invisible Scarlet O'Neil who doesn't use violence but her wits and who turns invisible by touching her wrist
Madam Fatal ERMERGERD! Ex soldier and deep sea diver whose wife gets killed and his daughter gets kidnapped so what does he do? He disappears for 8 years to return as an elderly lady who swings from rooftops and fights with a cane! The worlds first crossdressing superhero
But it gets better!
Mother Hubbard is a witch who fights bones who remove children's eyes with a crowbar.
I mean, give me back the Golden Age Comics,please!
September 12, 2015
Book was entertaining and had some interesting moments. The old comics were seemingly repetitive though. I wish there were some more NEW regrettable superheroes. I could list off quite a few. I won't but with enough antagonizing I could... don't push me... or go ahead push me! I bet you won't.
Anyway it was fun reading about some poorly thought out comic characters and I love comics so much it hurts so this was at least a book in my wheelhouse of things I enjoy.
Yay comics heroes good and regrettable,
Justin
Anyway it was fun reading about some poorly thought out comic characters and I love comics so much it hurts so this was at least a book in my wheelhouse of things I enjoy.
Yay comics heroes good and regrettable,
Justin
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