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What They Did to Princess Paragon: A Novel
The author of Fag Hag and Closet Case is back with a novel about a cartoonist in charge of updating the image of the forgotten superhero Princess Paragon. His solution is to change her hairdo, her clothes and her sexual orientation. But for Jerome Kornacker the only way to save the Princess from scandal is to end the cartoonist's career.
281 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1995
2 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Robert Rodi
210 books123 followersRobert was born in Chicago in the conformist 1950s, grew up in the insurrectionist 1960s, came of age in the hedonist 1970s, and went to work in the elitist 1980s. This roller-coaster ride has left him with a distinct aversion to isms of any kind; it also gave him an ear for hypocrisy, cant, and platitudes that allowed him, in the 1990s, to become a much-lauded social satirist.
After seven acclaimed novels set in the gay milieu, Robert grew restless for new challenges — which he found in activities as wide-ranging as publishing nonfiction, writing comic books, launching a literary-criticism blog, and taking to the stage (as a spoken-word performer, jazz singer, and rock-and-roll front man).
In 2011, excited by the rise of digital e-books, he returned to his first love, publishing new fiction inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He also organized the republishing of his seminal gay novels under the banner Robert Rodi Essentials.
Robert still resides in Chicago, in a century-old Queen Anne house with his partner Jeffrey Smith and a constantly shifting number of dogs.
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German version: Robert Rodi wurde 1956 in einem Vorort von Chicago geboren. Im Alter von 22 schloss er sein Philosophie-Studium ab. Schon vorher beschäftigte er sich mit Comedy. Sein erster eigener Roman, "Fag Hag" aus dem Jahr 1991 war ein großer Erfolg. Es folgten mehrere andere komische Romane, zahlreiche Kurzgeschichten und Sketche. Robert lebt mit Partner und Hund in Chicago.
After seven acclaimed novels set in the gay milieu, Robert grew restless for new challenges — which he found in activities as wide-ranging as publishing nonfiction, writing comic books, launching a literary-criticism blog, and taking to the stage (as a spoken-word performer, jazz singer, and rock-and-roll front man).
In 2011, excited by the rise of digital e-books, he returned to his first love, publishing new fiction inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He also organized the republishing of his seminal gay novels under the banner Robert Rodi Essentials.
Robert still resides in Chicago, in a century-old Queen Anne house with his partner Jeffrey Smith and a constantly shifting number of dogs.
.
German version: Robert Rodi wurde 1956 in einem Vorort von Chicago geboren. Im Alter von 22 schloss er sein Philosophie-Studium ab. Schon vorher beschäftigte er sich mit Comedy. Sein erster eigener Roman, "Fag Hag" aus dem Jahr 1991 war ein großer Erfolg. Es folgten mehrere andere komische Romane, zahlreiche Kurzgeschichten und Sketche. Robert lebt mit Partner und Hund in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 12, 2016
It begins in Manhattan, sometime between the end of the Great Depression and the beginning of WWII. Disgusted with the crass brutality around him, a comic book writer/artist formulates an appealing hypothesis about what’s wrong with the world: the masculine principle – force – is in ascendance, while the feminine principle – persuasion – has all but waned. To allay these ills, the artist creates his ultimate character, Princess Paragon, an avatar of goodness and enlightenment. “She stepped out of his soul and into his pen, and when he moved his drawing hand, he released her.” Her creator fervently believes in all she represents.
“She was his feminine principle – all humanity’s feminine principle – corporealized as a beautiful figure of power and benevolent authority. She was a perfect woman; she was a perfect human being.”
Spanning decades and social spheres, Robert Rodi’s novel provides a deceptively farcical peek into the frenzied microcosm of the comics industry, while it delineates the denominational conflict between the two major publishers. At Bang Comics, the angst-ridden and cynical characters pulsate with vitality; whereas at Electric Comics, decades older, the square-jawed and noble heroes (and heroines) seem always to have been out of step with the times. Yet, for all their complexity, the Bang characters lack the iconic resonance of the Electric crowd, all of whom qualify as authentic pieces of Americana. Acme Man, able to leap tall buildings in a single whatever, remains as familiar to the average citizen as Uncle Sam, and Moonman with his young sidekick Comet have become an integral part of the nation’s folklore. Nevertheless, Electric has fallen on hard times. Unable to keep abreast of evolving popular tastes, its most venerated titles are in danger of being canceled. In an attempt to rescue the company, a new publisher imports (steals, really) some hot new talent from the competition.
A veritable palace rebellion ensues, during which a gay artist – gifted with the sort of naked ambition usually restricted to movies about conniving starlets – manages to seize control of the Princess. Readers of FAG HAG and CLOSET CASE will hardly be surprised that Rodi can evoke a claustrophobic demimonde with its own highly idiosyncratic rituals and jargon. Here he presents Brian Parrish, a charming egomaniac who couldn’t care less about iconic resonance. Parrish has big plans – thoughts of merchandizing deals give him an erection – but obstacles abound. Already one of the new breed of British radicals has been brought over to write the coveted Moonman series and – in his first issue – has Comet murdered by child pornographers while Moonman arranges an abortion for a nun.
That's stiff competition. If Parrish and the Princess are to survive, he must reinvent the old girl and come up with an angle that will salvage her plunging sales.
Thus is born the world’s first lesbian superhero, and the irreverent wunderkind feels no awe for the folklore he’s tampering with. (When urged to make the Princess’ paramour “a woman of color,” he promptly decides on green.) He’s prepared both for the Christian Right backlash and for parents’ groups who want to have his comic banned. He even relishes the prospect of all the publicity. But he hasn’t reckoned on another force, one before which even the Paragon herself must quail. The true believers: fans whose passion, though a source of ridicule within the profession, remains its lifeblood.
Those fans are incarnated in the unlikely body of Jerome T. Kornacker. An obese recluse, terrified of change, Kornacker finds his fantasy world crumbling “and with it the only workable self-image he’d ever been able to construct – the only belief system that allowed him to survive.”
He's like a depressed bomb.
In situations fraught with hilarious dangers, absurd complications and deft one-liners, the plots shifts from backstage back stabbings in New York to a comic book convention on the outskirts of Chicago, where Kornacker – the ultimate Princess Paragon fan – confronts the heretical writer who threatens to destroy her.
Don’t be too sure you can guess what happens next. Rodi’s plots are anything but schematic. A colorful gang of characters who confront their own moral failings as they struggle toward personal salvation might seem an awful lot to expect from a satirical novel about a comic book, but Rodi delivers without sacrificing a single laugh. Quips fly in all directions, and Rodi crowds the boundaries of this narrow world with memorably raucous moments… while providing some shrewd observations about the appeal of escapism.
“She was his feminine principle – all humanity’s feminine principle – corporealized as a beautiful figure of power and benevolent authority. She was a perfect woman; she was a perfect human being.”
Spanning decades and social spheres, Robert Rodi’s novel provides a deceptively farcical peek into the frenzied microcosm of the comics industry, while it delineates the denominational conflict between the two major publishers. At Bang Comics, the angst-ridden and cynical characters pulsate with vitality; whereas at Electric Comics, decades older, the square-jawed and noble heroes (and heroines) seem always to have been out of step with the times. Yet, for all their complexity, the Bang characters lack the iconic resonance of the Electric crowd, all of whom qualify as authentic pieces of Americana. Acme Man, able to leap tall buildings in a single whatever, remains as familiar to the average citizen as Uncle Sam, and Moonman with his young sidekick Comet have become an integral part of the nation’s folklore. Nevertheless, Electric has fallen on hard times. Unable to keep abreast of evolving popular tastes, its most venerated titles are in danger of being canceled. In an attempt to rescue the company, a new publisher imports (steals, really) some hot new talent from the competition.
A veritable palace rebellion ensues, during which a gay artist – gifted with the sort of naked ambition usually restricted to movies about conniving starlets – manages to seize control of the Princess. Readers of FAG HAG and CLOSET CASE will hardly be surprised that Rodi can evoke a claustrophobic demimonde with its own highly idiosyncratic rituals and jargon. Here he presents Brian Parrish, a charming egomaniac who couldn’t care less about iconic resonance. Parrish has big plans – thoughts of merchandizing deals give him an erection – but obstacles abound. Already one of the new breed of British radicals has been brought over to write the coveted Moonman series and – in his first issue – has Comet murdered by child pornographers while Moonman arranges an abortion for a nun.
That's stiff competition. If Parrish and the Princess are to survive, he must reinvent the old girl and come up with an angle that will salvage her plunging sales.
Thus is born the world’s first lesbian superhero, and the irreverent wunderkind feels no awe for the folklore he’s tampering with. (When urged to make the Princess’ paramour “a woman of color,” he promptly decides on green.) He’s prepared both for the Christian Right backlash and for parents’ groups who want to have his comic banned. He even relishes the prospect of all the publicity. But he hasn’t reckoned on another force, one before which even the Paragon herself must quail. The true believers: fans whose passion, though a source of ridicule within the profession, remains its lifeblood.
Those fans are incarnated in the unlikely body of Jerome T. Kornacker. An obese recluse, terrified of change, Kornacker finds his fantasy world crumbling “and with it the only workable self-image he’d ever been able to construct – the only belief system that allowed him to survive.”
He's like a depressed bomb.
In situations fraught with hilarious dangers, absurd complications and deft one-liners, the plots shifts from backstage back stabbings in New York to a comic book convention on the outskirts of Chicago, where Kornacker – the ultimate Princess Paragon fan – confronts the heretical writer who threatens to destroy her.
Don’t be too sure you can guess what happens next. Rodi’s plots are anything but schematic. A colorful gang of characters who confront their own moral failings as they struggle toward personal salvation might seem an awful lot to expect from a satirical novel about a comic book, but Rodi delivers without sacrificing a single laugh. Quips fly in all directions, and Rodi crowds the boundaries of this narrow world with memorably raucous moments… while providing some shrewd observations about the appeal of escapism.
January 29, 2016
A real fun read that someone could turn into a great little indie movie if they thought to do so.
March 24, 2016
Brian Parrish, a brass gay cartoonist, leaves Comet Comics for a new seven figure salary at Bang comics, where he is assigned the task of changing a non seller old comic book--Princess Paragon--into a new best seller by turning her lesbian.
His boss, Heloise Feritay, assigns him a lesbian editor, Perpetual Cotton, to help him deal with the transformation.
The first issue is out and it's a best seller. But it causes a loser "comic-phile," Jerome T Kornacker, to get extremely angry because of what a pervert is doing to his heroine.
Rodi takes us to a comic convention where Jerome describes the type that reads comics as: "In one sense he (Jerome) wasn't hallucinating, though nearly everywhere at the convention there was a misfit of some recognizable type. Jerome had never seen such a number of them, stuffed into ill-fitting clothing, peering out at the world from beneath stringy pubic-fuzzy hair."
Parish is presented as a prick and refuses to appear in the Bella Martinez Chicago talk show. Because when Brian learns that the originator of Princess Paragon, Roger Oaklyn, is to appear with him, he has a fit and kicks Mr. Oaklyn off the show. Anyone who is from Chicago recognizes Bella as Oprah, and NO ONE pisses Oprah on her show, so Brian pays a steep price. The taping goes terribly for him.
Meanwhile, Brian is confronted by Jerome and is beaten pretty hard by him. Jerome gets scared and Brian decides that he'll make Jerome pay by invading Jerome's home and making him his servant until he writes the next chapter on Princess Paragon.
But Jerome has plans of his own. He takes the finished copy from Bryan's hotel and rewrites it to fit his view of what Princess Paragon should be and faxes it to Bang Comics with Brian's signature.
Brian's adventure ends really bad when he is stuck in Jerome's old work site (he was a nightwatchman at Carter Foods). Jerome is fired and Brian is stuck there until they have a second confrontation because Brian learns what Jerome has done to him.
This time Jerome throws a gun at Brian's face and ends up in the hospital with a broken jaw. There he finds out Jerome is not the only one who is jobless; Bryan has lost his job to Perpetual.
As he leaves the hospital he goes to a bar and is approached by Mr. Oaklyn who gets his revenge from being thrown out the show. He learns how bad Mr. Oaklyn had it, after creating Princess paragon he sold the perpetual rights for four hundred dollars at age 23, and was never able to have a comeback.
It is at the bar, after two drinks that Brian realizes that "Jerome and Perpetual had exactly as much right to Princess Paragon as he had--which was no right at all. By any moral reckoning, she belonged to Roger Oaklyn. It was as simple as that. As plain, and terrifying as that."
This is the first Rodi book in which Chicago is not one of the characters of the story. Most of the action happens in NYC. Although the book is an easy and fun read, I missed his old form--making fun of an aspect of gay life with Chicago as the background.
His boss, Heloise Feritay, assigns him a lesbian editor, Perpetual Cotton, to help him deal with the transformation.
The first issue is out and it's a best seller. But it causes a loser "comic-phile," Jerome T Kornacker, to get extremely angry because of what a pervert is doing to his heroine.
Rodi takes us to a comic convention where Jerome describes the type that reads comics as: "In one sense he (Jerome) wasn't hallucinating, though nearly everywhere at the convention there was a misfit of some recognizable type. Jerome had never seen such a number of them, stuffed into ill-fitting clothing, peering out at the world from beneath stringy pubic-fuzzy hair."
Parish is presented as a prick and refuses to appear in the Bella Martinez Chicago talk show. Because when Brian learns that the originator of Princess Paragon, Roger Oaklyn, is to appear with him, he has a fit and kicks Mr. Oaklyn off the show. Anyone who is from Chicago recognizes Bella as Oprah, and NO ONE pisses Oprah on her show, so Brian pays a steep price. The taping goes terribly for him.
Meanwhile, Brian is confronted by Jerome and is beaten pretty hard by him. Jerome gets scared and Brian decides that he'll make Jerome pay by invading Jerome's home and making him his servant until he writes the next chapter on Princess Paragon.
But Jerome has plans of his own. He takes the finished copy from Bryan's hotel and rewrites it to fit his view of what Princess Paragon should be and faxes it to Bang Comics with Brian's signature.
Brian's adventure ends really bad when he is stuck in Jerome's old work site (he was a nightwatchman at Carter Foods). Jerome is fired and Brian is stuck there until they have a second confrontation because Brian learns what Jerome has done to him.
This time Jerome throws a gun at Brian's face and ends up in the hospital with a broken jaw. There he finds out Jerome is not the only one who is jobless; Bryan has lost his job to Perpetual.
As he leaves the hospital he goes to a bar and is approached by Mr. Oaklyn who gets his revenge from being thrown out the show. He learns how bad Mr. Oaklyn had it, after creating Princess paragon he sold the perpetual rights for four hundred dollars at age 23, and was never able to have a comeback.
It is at the bar, after two drinks that Brian realizes that "Jerome and Perpetual had exactly as much right to Princess Paragon as he had--which was no right at all. By any moral reckoning, she belonged to Roger Oaklyn. It was as simple as that. As plain, and terrifying as that."
This is the first Rodi book in which Chicago is not one of the characters of the story. Most of the action happens in NYC. Although the book is an easy and fun read, I missed his old form--making fun of an aspect of gay life with Chicago as the background.
February 19, 2025
Such a fun book!!! I loved it!
September 11, 2015
An entertaining novel that satirizes the comic book industry through a recasting of the early 1990s in which a well-regarded comic book writer/artist decides to make his mark in the new, mature field by taking a character from the golden age and remaking her as a lesbian. Like all good satire, there’s an edge here–although John Bryne did do a retelling of Wonder Woman, I don’t think he has remade her sexual orientation, but one quick look at the field and the various changes that have been made and it does not seem that it would be too much of a stretch. Batman is a ruthless vigilante, Superman’s been dead, Spiderman has an alien costume…it’s enough to make any fan think that the field has no sacred cows.
Rodi picks up this idea and uses it effectively, if a little heavy handed and without a measure of sympathy in some cases. Everything works out in the end (this is a comedy, after all, and it wouldn’t do to have anyone really hurt), along the way there’s enough pain to make you think that Rodi’s been watching too much Seinfeld and not reading enough P.G. Wodehouse. Actually, I probably should compare Rodi to Joe Keenan, because he shares Keenan’s sexual preference and is also writing humorous novels. Keenan’s fare is meringue pie– light and fluffy and leaving you wanting for more; Rodi’s dessert has a bitterness to it, as if it may have stayed in the oven a little too long.
Picking on the unwashed masses of comicdom may be a little like shooting fish in a barrel, and Rodi’s talent at poking things with a sharp stick should probably be utilized where something is bloated out of proportion with its importance. Too much of this novel is the same stereotypes that we know have a basis in reality, but are not quite what they seem. The one redeeming factor to Rodi’s cruelty to his comic fanboy is that he doesn’t restrain himself from a jab or two at his gay protagonist (although mainly through the Broadway schtik of his lover).
Rodi picks up this idea and uses it effectively, if a little heavy handed and without a measure of sympathy in some cases. Everything works out in the end (this is a comedy, after all, and it wouldn’t do to have anyone really hurt), along the way there’s enough pain to make you think that Rodi’s been watching too much Seinfeld and not reading enough P.G. Wodehouse. Actually, I probably should compare Rodi to Joe Keenan, because he shares Keenan’s sexual preference and is also writing humorous novels. Keenan’s fare is meringue pie– light and fluffy and leaving you wanting for more; Rodi’s dessert has a bitterness to it, as if it may have stayed in the oven a little too long.
Picking on the unwashed masses of comicdom may be a little like shooting fish in a barrel, and Rodi’s talent at poking things with a sharp stick should probably be utilized where something is bloated out of proportion with its importance. Too much of this novel is the same stereotypes that we know have a basis in reality, but are not quite what they seem. The one redeeming factor to Rodi’s cruelty to his comic fanboy is that he doesn’t restrain himself from a jab or two at his gay protagonist (although mainly through the Broadway schtik of his lover).
November 13, 2012
I'm a huge Robert Rodi fan and a huge comic book fan so when I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I agree with most of the bad and good reviews.
Yes, it is cliche and remarkably similar to Fag Hag. And for those who have read Fag Hag, you are going read three chapters of Jerome's perspective and think "Yeah, I know what sh*t this motherf*cker is going to get into." Because really, it gets kind of obvious. Like really obvious, Painfully. Obvious. So obvious that I almost didn't want to read it. But did because I love the characters. The plot is as entertaining as a B-cast feel good movie. It's not going to win any awards, but you watch it for the mindless value, not despite it. So yeah, if you want some moving, tear-jerking piece of work, you are not going to find it in this book. Read something like the Color of Purple for that. But like I said, for the characters.
So yeah, I kept reading for the characters and it is probably the only reason I gave it four stars. I am a huge comic book fan and could relate to every single character in this book (well almost). I definitely understood where Jerome was coming from. Sometimes, I too, feel the urge to knock a writer unconscious and give him a beat down. For example, when Black Cat was turned from a fun-loving thief to a rape victim, I almost sent a few death threats. Almost. I got where Brian was coming from about the desire for money, fame, and creative pursuit. And I definitely felt Regina's rage on feminism because at one point, I gave the same kind of speech to my sister who is a total "Pet." So yeah, I keep reading for the incredibly human characters which what I can really hope for in a feel good book.
May 3, 2011
This is an absolute delight to read. Fun, whimsical, well written and original.
January 9, 2024
This book owes a lot to A Confederacy of Dunces by john Kennedy Toole, one of the main characters is even named Jerome like the antihero of that great satirical book. But it's not a pastiche of that book, Robert Rodi creates a fresh take by using the comic book world, something he is immersed in himself. And yes, Princess Paragon is a comic book, not a graphic novel. Her purpose is to entertain - but Jerome sees her as a moral beacon. In his efforts to save the Princess from political correctness, he acts in anything but a moral way, committing assault, theft, forgery and even attempted murder - yet somehow we feel sympathy for this hapless buffoon, as does the other protagonist, Brian the comic book writer. Brian's sexuality is essential to his world view, but he's oblivious to any other character's needs or wants. Brian's success makes him feel he has transcended his own shortcomings - but in his interactions with Jerome, he finds out otherwise. Yet somehow, the selfish and hardbitten writer becomes a better person, and transforms the lives of everyone around him in a truly moral ending. All this talk about morals makes the novel sound rather highbrow, but it's a delicious romp where various characters act in increasing outrageous ways to get what they want. You don't have to be a comic book fan to enjoy it. Anyone who's seen a superhero movie will appreciate it. And it's written in such a pacy style, it's easy to read quickly.
October 4, 2025
Not the kind of superhero literature you'd find anything else similar to on this list. This isn't a book about superheroes but superhero writers. It was also written in the Nineties by a gay author dealing with a very different environment to today. The short version is that it is a story about the star intending to reboot the world's Wonder Woman equivalent as a lesbian. This offends one of her fans so much that he sorta-kidnaps him and the two develop a weird friendship over the course of a ridiculous series of events. It is closer to A Confederacy of Dunces than Soon I Will Be Invincible. Very much for adults even if a lot of the humor has aged poorly and falls into stereotypes about geeks and activists
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October 12, 2022You know, when I first read about this novel, and how it was something of a parody of the comics industry and rabid fans, I thought “hey this sounds amusing,” but honestly I couldn’t get into it. This guy’s writing is AWFUL. Not because he can’t write…but because his descriptions are just…bad. Some of them were downright gross; I don’t need to read a description of how a person is chewing their food or smacking their gum.
I dunno, maybe I’ll try again. Not all my obscure finds are going to be good, but I expected better. For now, it’s a DNF.
I dunno, maybe I’ll try again. Not all my obscure finds are going to be good, but I expected better. For now, it’s a DNF.
December 4, 2022
You know, for someone who clearly loves comics (and went on to write them), this author really seems to dislike comics fans. And comics writers. And feminists. No, I’m exaggerating, it’s not that bad at all.
October 19, 2021
Light and amusing, good for reading a light and amusing novel in a summer beach. Unfortunately, now it’s october
April 28, 2020
Rereading Robert Rodi’s 1994 novel “What They Did to Princess Paragon” shows that it retains its satirical bite on the comics industry and its hard-core fans. The story revolves around an acclaimed writer-artist (Brian Parrish) who is lured from working for one company to a competitor with the offer to take on any title and update the character(s). He chooses a legacy character “Princess Paragon” (sort of a Wonder Woman clone) and decides that making her lesbian will bring both outrage and increased sales. Brian is gay, so he feels his retcon will help with acceptance of gay people everywhere. But his chief motivation is not so altruistic; he expects increased fame and fortune from his actions. Enter Jerome T. Kornacker, a thirtysomething comics fan living with his mother and working as a night guard at a local plant. Jerome is a bit of a stereotype of the older comics fan, one that aims for complete collections of his favorite comics and writes heartfelt letters to the editor. He is overweight, straight and lacking any social skills to help him meet women. His favorite comic is Princess Paragon, a character whom he worships for her purity. When Jerome learns that one of his favorite writers is taking over the book and making her a lesbian, he becomes unhinged, goes to a comic book convention and confronts Brian Parrish. He accidentally causes Brian to tumble down stairs. A recovering Brian decides to use the incident to his advantage by convincing Jerome he won’t call the police if he can stay at his house while working on the next issue of “Princess Paragon,” the issue where she comes out. Mom is out of town so further comedy ensues while this odd couple try to live with each other for a few weeks. Jerome attempts to replace Brian’s script with his own to prevent Princess Paragon’s “changeover” from happening. The comedy remains fresh after all these years, but the notion that Brian would agree to move in with his attacker requires a leap of faith. And mother Kornacker’s malapropisms wear thin when she is around. The book came out in 1994 right when the Internet was taking off. Today Jerome would probably be venting about changing his favorite character via social media and trolling Brian Parrish rather than physically confronting him. In these 26 years there have been more comics introductions of gay characters (e.g. Midnighter) and at least one gay retcon of a legacy character (Iceman). The comics industry continues to wrestle with meeting the needs of older continuity loving readers and younger ones who are being introduced to the characters via TV and film. Someone once said that the challenge in any serial type of entertainment is to provide the illusion of change without permanently changing what it was that readers/viewers liked about a show/comic book/book in the first place. That tension lies at the heart of the humor of “Princess Paragon.” Recommended.
September 11, 2009
It starts out as a satire of the comics industry circa 1986 - 90, but does so in a way that is so generic that it doesn't really have any bite, and then populates the story with stereotypes - for example ALL the comics fans are socially inept, overweight, male virgins who live with their parents.
In fact none of the characters in the story are at all sympathetic, so I did find it odd that about halfway through the story turns into something of a farce, and then ends up giving them happy endings.
Interesting more for curiosity than anything else, as the opening chapters that deal with a major American comics company revamping a well known character as overtly lesbian have been overtaken by reality.
In fact none of the characters in the story are at all sympathetic, so I did find it odd that about halfway through the story turns into something of a farce, and then ends up giving them happy endings.
Interesting more for curiosity than anything else, as the opening chapters that deal with a major American comics company revamping a well known character as overtly lesbian have been overtaken by reality.
March 31, 2015
Uptight, condescending comic writer decides — for purely financial reasons — to take a tired, old super-heroine and make her a lesbian.
Uptight, condescending comic reader takes great offence at the depravity of said change — and decides to do something about it.
Add assorted other condescending and/or uptight characters. None of the characters is particularly likeable — but the story is an enjoyable, easy read all the same.
Uptight, condescending comic reader takes great offence at the depravity of said change — and decides to do something about it.
Add assorted other condescending and/or uptight characters. None of the characters is particularly likeable — but the story is an enjoyable, easy read all the same.
April 11, 2013
I read this book over a decade ago, but it stuck with me. If you like comics, it's a funny commentary on the major superheroes. Princess Paragon is basically Wonder Woman. The one unbelievable part is that she has a super-dedicated fan. I mean, of her stories.
OK, I'm kind of joking, but WW has been a lot more profitable as an icon than as an actual character.
Anyway, I still remember parts of this book ten years later, so that's saying something.
OK, I'm kind of joking, but WW has been a lot more profitable as an icon than as an actual character.
Anyway, I still remember parts of this book ten years later, so that's saying something.
January 1, 2010
Not the favourite of the Rodi books I have read, but still good nonetheless. The characters are engaging, and the premise novel (pardon the pun).
Strong similarities to 'Fag Hag' don't make this book any less enjoyable, and you'll be dying to know how the two main characters each 'save' Princess Paragon!
Strong similarities to 'Fag Hag' don't make this book any less enjoyable, and you'll be dying to know how the two main characters each 'save' Princess Paragon!
September 9, 2016
The writing is decent, perhaps I just don't get the satire its going for. I found all the characters pretty un- compelling and unappealing. Overall the story comes off as underwhelming and as though the characters who have grown have done so for no real reason other than the story needing them to.
December 5, 2008
I loved this book. The author is some bitchy queen the likes of Augusten Burroughs with a sharp wit and a "oh, no, he did not say that" kind of attitude. This is my favorite of his, by far. The others are worth reading though.
May 20, 2009
This is a fun and accessible book for anyone, but if you know anything about comics -- behind the scenes -- you will not only recognize everyone in the story, but you will sprain something laughing. It's hysterical.
April 21, 2009
Really funny satire that starts off being about the comic industry in the early 1990s, and ends up being more about the love/hate relationship between comic book creators and their fans. I don't know if someone who wasn't a comic fan would enjoy this at all, but I thought it was hilarious.
July 10, 2015
This book speaks, volumes, to the Jerome T. Kornacker within me. I've had it in my possession for a couple of years now, but apparently this is when I needed to read it. Synchronous with my attitude toward the status of corporate comics today.
March 23, 2010
Story from two perspectives: comic creator and fan. Hilarious back and forth between the bold new vision the one has for a beloved character and the other's unwillingness to let go of the familiar.
May 21, 2011
A very fun tale that will be especially enjoyable for anyone familiar with the history of Wonder Woman.
October 23, 2014
I read this book as a young teen. It was hilarious and engaging, and I still remember a few choice lines from it to this day. What a fun story, and wonderfully written!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews