Super-Folks
Encyclopedia
Superfolks is a 1977 novel
by Robert Mayer (hb ISBN 0-207-95814-9, pb ISBN 0-417-05460-2). The novel satirizes
the superhero
and comic book
genres, and was aimed at a more adult audience than those genres typically attracted.
Superfolks also examines comic book conventions and clichés from a more serious, "literary" perspective. The novel was influential on many writers of superhero comic book
s in the 1980s and 1990s, notably Alan Moore
and Kurt Busiek
. Although the book's pop culture references clearly date it to the 1970s, its influence on the deconstruction of the superhero genre is still felt through Moore's Watchmen
, Marvelman
, and Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
.
edition), Superfolks eventually fell out of print. It was republished in 2003 in limited quantities by About Comics
with a new cover by Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons
and an introduction by Busiek. It reprinted again in March 2005 by St. Martin's Griffin with a new cover by Mike Allred and an introduction by Grant Morrison
(ISBN 0-312-33992-5).
is a Superman
analogue named David Brinkley. His superhero codename is never fully given: various intelligence agencies refer to him as "Indigo" (the color of his mask
) and "der Ubermensch
" (Overman) and the original book jacket refers to him as "Everyman
." He hails from the planet Cronk and is vulnerable to the substance Cronkite (again, no relation to another famous news anchor
), in a reference to Superman's home of Krypton and weakness to Kryptonite
.
Brinkley gradually lost his superhuman
powers due to the influence of an unknown enemy, and all of the other superheroes (Superman
, Batman
and Robin
, Wonder Woman
, and Snoopy
, among others) have retired, disappeared, or died. It's later revealed that this is a plot made by Pxyzsyzygy to kill all heroes. This is a list of how they died, retired, or disappeared.
Brinkley's powers gradually return, years later, in the midst of a mid-life crisis
, and as criminals swarm Manhattan
.
The loss of Brinkley's powers is discovered to be because his enemies—unsure of his secret identity—had introduced minute amounts of Cronkite into many common products, as well as the water supply. The return of his powers is later revealed to be a CIA-sponsored attempt to lure Brinkley out of retirement so that they can assassinate him as required by a nuclear disarmament
treaty with the USSR.
With the assistance of the institutionalized Captain Mantra (Captain Marvel
) and a grown-up, flamboyantly gay
Peter Pan
, he relearns how to use his powers and ultimately defeats his enemies: gigolo
"Stretch" O'Toole, aka Elastic Man (Plastic Man
); the incest
-born Demoniac (reminiscent of Captain Marvel, Jr. and Black Adam
); and the millionaire Powell Pugh, a.k.a. the alien elf Pxyzsyzygy (Mr. Mxyzptlk by way of Howard Hughes
).
Superfolks is also notable for examining how superheroes might affect human sexuality
--a topic then rarely (if ever) examined in mainstream comics (though the topic was undoubtedly the subject of much speculation among comic fans). Brinkley occasionally uses his "gamma ray vision" to peer through women's clothing, and is heartbroken to learn that his high school sweetheart has become a stripper
and a bisexual superhero groupie
.
wrote an article in Speakeasy #111 and "[i]n the span of a few paragraphs, Morrison implies that Alan Moore stole the plots for 'Marvelman,' 'Watchmen,' and 'Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' from Robert Mayer's relatively obscure novel." When asked about the influence of Superfolks, Moore said that he had read it at some point before writing Marvelman
but that "it was by no means the only influence, or even a major influence upon me output." suggesting "I’d still say that Harvey Kurtzman’s Superduperman
probably had the preliminary influence, but I do remember Superfolks and finding some bits of it in that same sort of vein."
According to Kurt Busiek
, "Superfolks was a revelation, over time changing my outlook on both superheroes and on writing, and making it possible for me to write Marvels
, Astro City
, Superman: Secret Identity
and more."
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Robert Mayer (hb ISBN 0-207-95814-9, pb ISBN 0-417-05460-2). The novel satirizes
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
and comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
genres, and was aimed at a more adult audience than those genres typically attracted.
Superfolks also examines comic book conventions and clichés from a more serious, "literary" perspective. The novel was influential on many writers of superhero comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s in the 1980s and 1990s, notably Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
. Although the book's pop culture references clearly date it to the 1970s, its influence on the deconstruction of the superhero genre is still felt through Moore's Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
, Marvelman
Marvelman
Marvelman, also known as Miracleman for trademark reasons in his American reprints and story continuation, is a fictional comic book superhero created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher L. Miller & Son. Originally intended as a United Kingdom home-grown substitute for the American...
, and Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" is a 1986 comic book story featuring the DC Comics character of Superman. The story was published in two parts, beginning in Superman #423 and ending in Action Comics #583, both published in September 1986...
.
Publication history
A modest success upon publication (also featured as a special book clubBook sales club
A book sales club is a subscription-based method of selling and purchasing books. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book discussion club, which can cause confusion.-How book sales clubs work:...
edition), Superfolks eventually fell out of print. It was republished in 2003 in limited quantities by About Comics
About Comics
About Comics is a publisher of comics and comics-related material founded in 1998 by Nat Gertler. It identifies itself as neither "a mainstream comics publisher, nor an alternative comics publisher"....
with a new cover by Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything"...
and an introduction by Busiek. It reprinted again in March 2005 by St. Martin's Griffin with a new cover by Mike Allred and an introduction by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
(ISBN 0-312-33992-5).
Plot synopsis
The novel's protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
is a Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
analogue named David Brinkley. His superhero codename is never fully given: various intelligence agencies refer to him as "Indigo" (the color of his mask
Mask
A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
) and "der Ubermensch
Übermensch
The Übermensch is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche posited the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra ....
" (Overman) and the original book jacket refers to him as "Everyman
Everyman
In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances...
." He hails from the planet Cronk and is vulnerable to the substance Cronkite (again, no relation to another famous news anchor
Walter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
), in a reference to Superman's home of Krypton and weakness to Kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
.
Brinkley gradually lost his superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
powers due to the influence of an unknown enemy, and all of the other superheroes (Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
, Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
, and Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
, among others) have retired, disappeared, or died. It's later revealed that this is a plot made by Pxyzsyzygy to kill all heroes. This is a list of how they died, retired, or disappeared.
- Superman is missing and presumed dead when a meteor of Kryptonite fell on Metropolis.
- Batman and Robin died when the Batcar (BatmobileBatmobileThe Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...
) crashed into a school bus carrying African-American children to school. - Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., Black Adam, and the other members of the Marvel family died when they were hit by a bolt of lightning.
- Wonder Woman retired to become an active feminist, giving speeches constantly.
- Snoopy was mentioned to have died in the beginning, but in fact appeared later to be alive, even though he was only given a short cameo.
Brinkley's powers gradually return, years later, in the midst of a mid-life crisis
Mid-life crisis
Midlife crisis is a term coined in 1965 by Elliott Jaques and used in Western societies to describe a period of dramatic self-doubt that is felt by some individuals in the "middle years" or middle age of life, as a result of sensing the passing of their own youth and the imminence of their old age...
, and as criminals swarm Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
The loss of Brinkley's powers is discovered to be because his enemies—unsure of his secret identity—had introduced minute amounts of Cronkite into many common products, as well as the water supply. The return of his powers is later revealed to be a CIA-sponsored attempt to lure Brinkley out of retirement so that they can assassinate him as required by a nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
treaty with the USSR.
With the assistance of the institutionalized Captain Mantra (Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
) and a grown-up, flamboyantly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, he relearns how to use his powers and ultimately defeats his enemies: gigolo
Gigolo
Gigolo may refer to:* A male prostitute, escort, or dancer, who offers services to women* Gigolo , a 2006 single by Helena Paparizou* Gigolo , a 2003 single by Nick Cannon...
"Stretch" O'Toole, aka Elastic Man (Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
); the incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
-born Demoniac (reminiscent of Captain Marvel, Jr. and Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
); and the millionaire Powell Pugh, a.k.a. the alien elf Pxyzsyzygy (Mr. Mxyzptlk by way of Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
).
Superfolks is also notable for examining how superheroes might affect human sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
--a topic then rarely (if ever) examined in mainstream comics (though the topic was undoubtedly the subject of much speculation among comic fans). Brinkley occasionally uses his "gamma ray vision" to peer through women's clothing, and is heartbroken to learn that his high school sweetheart has become a stripper
Stripper
A stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,...
and a bisexual superhero groupie
Groupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....
.
Characters
- David Brinkley/Rodney, the main character. A SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
analog from Cronk, he is married and has two beautiful blonde children. By the end he has another child, a son, with his blue hair (and possibly some of his powers). - Billy Button, aka Captain Mantra, is an ex-superhero who claims to be crazy. Like Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (DC Comics)Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
he becomes a superhero after saying a magic word. In Button's case the word is "tomato-herring." - Mary Button, aka Mary Mantra, is an analog for Mary MarvelMary MarvelMary Marvel is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine, originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 in...
died before the story begins after being run over by a train. She and her brother, Billy, had a child (Near the end of the book, she is revealed to be a head angelAngelAngels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
in heaven). - Peter Pan is now older and homosexual, and gave Rodney some tips on flying.
- Demoniac, a villain who is the product of incestIncestIncest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
between Mary and Captain Mantra. He is a mix of Captain Marvel, Jr. and Black AdamBlack AdamBlack Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
. - Elastic Man is an analog for Plastic ManPlastic ManPlastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
, and serves as a villain for the series. - Pxyzsyzygy is an analog for Mxyzptlk. He serves as the main villain for the story.
Influence
Grant MorrisonGrant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
wrote an article in Speakeasy #111 and "[i]n the span of a few paragraphs, Morrison implies that Alan Moore stole the plots for 'Marvelman,' 'Watchmen,' and 'Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' from Robert Mayer's relatively obscure novel." When asked about the influence of Superfolks, Moore said that he had read it at some point before writing Marvelman
Marvelman
Marvelman, also known as Miracleman for trademark reasons in his American reprints and story continuation, is a fictional comic book superhero created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher L. Miller & Son. Originally intended as a United Kingdom home-grown substitute for the American...
but that "it was by no means the only influence, or even a major influence upon me output." suggesting "I’d still say that Harvey Kurtzman’s Superduperman
Superduperman
"Superduperman" is a satirical story by Harvey Kurtzman and Wally Wood published in the fourth issue of Mad . Lampooning both Superman and Captain Marvel, it revolutionized the types of stories seen in Mad, leading to greatly improved sales, and it was influential on writers, notably Alan Moore,...
probably had the preliminary influence, but I do remember Superfolks and finding some bits of it in that same sort of vein."
According to Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
, "Superfolks was a revelation, over time changing my outlook on both superheroes and on writing, and making it possible for me to write Marvels
Marvels
Marvels is a four-issue comic book limited series written by Kurt Busiek, painted by Alex Ross and edited by Marcus McLaurin, and published by Marvel Comics in 1994....
, Astro City
Astro City
Kurt Busiek's Astro City is a comic book series centered on a fictional American city of that name. Written by Kurt Busiek, the series is co-created and illustrated by Brent Anderson with character designs and painted covers by Alex Ross...
, Superman: Secret Identity
Superman: Secret Identity
Superman: Secret Identity is a four-issue mini-series of 48 pages each in prestige format, written by Kurt Busiek and illustrated by Stuart Immonen. The first issue was published in January 2004, and the limited series ran until April 2004. A re-release of the first two issues will become available...
and more."
External links
- Superfolks on Robert Mayer's site
- John McDonagh's Superfolks annotations