Posted on: Sunday, May 16, 2004
Superman bedevils comic book writer
By David Colton
USA Today
"It's a Bird ..." By Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen; DC Comics, hardback, $24.95
The graphic novel "It's a Bird" tells of a comic-book writer suffering from writer's block as he tries to tackle Superman.
That's the premise of the latest in a growing library of books and graphic novels that explore the creative process behind America's literary jazz: the comic book.
In the smart and touching graphic novel "It's a Bird," a grim and guilt-ridden comic-book writer struggles with what should be a career-capping assignment: writing another Superman comic.
But which Superman? The flying boy scout from Krypton, grown tall as Kansas wheat?
The Nietzchean overlord who — thank goodness! — fights for truth, justice and the American Way?
Or is Clark Kent the secret to the myth, and the man in tights only a spectacular distraction?
To figure it out, Seagle's reluctant comic-book writer sketches 20 meditations on Superman, delivered in elegant shades of watercolor by artist Teddy Kristiansen.
In one, an anxiety-ridden Superman feels naked in his costume. "There is nothing so terrifying as having one's hidden self seen," muses the abashed Man of Steel.
The writer has his own struggles: He fears he will inherit Huntington's disease; his father is missing; his girlfriend wants kids. He focuses instead on Superman. "Too much about him makes no sense," he grouses. "I could never get past the costume. Who on earth could be taken seriously wearing something like that?"
Even the yellow in the super S comes in for psychoanalysis. "Nazis branded Jews with yellow crosses in concentration camps," the writer ponders. (Actually, it was yellow stars of David.) He notes that Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster "were Jewish. How could they stand to leave a Jewish mark on you at all?"
Steven T. Seagle's writing has the vŽritŽ of "American Splendor's" Harvey Pekar; Kristiansen's art is spare and limber; the book's payoff is satisfying and wise.
This hardcover comic book about comic books easily ranks with Spirit creator Will Eisner's memoirs of life in the comic sweat shops and Michael Chabon's best-selling "The
Adventures of Kavalier and Clay."
The genre will get more crowded in July when Ronin Ro's "Tales to Astonish" takes a no-holds-barred look at creative tensions between Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, creators of Marvel Comics.
For now, though, "It's a Bird" brings us closer yet to the battles between good, evil and acceptance that must be fought before any of us can truly fly.
Look! Up in the sky! It's writer's block!
