# Superhero prose: novels; short story anthologies; websites **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-prose-novels-short-story-anthologies-websites/264061 "2004-09-11T18:33:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-prose-novels-short-story-anthologies-websites/264061/1 "2004-09-11T18:33:45Z")
Now, recently, [this thread by CandidGamera](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=270833) has gotten me thinking of my own abortive superhero ideas over the years. I’ve decided to try my own hand at writing superhero short stories, and to write three before the end of the year. To better prepare for this science fiction/fantasy subgenre, I’d like to do some research. In my own library I have Martin’s _ **Wild Cards** _ series (well, the first three books) – and the Marvel/Epic Comics 4-part mini-series. (1987-1992). I’m still picking my way through the third mosaic novel but I’ve read the first two. I own _ **Superheroes** _, an anthology title edited by John Varley and Ricia Mainhardt – “all-original adventures of all-new superheroes.” (1995) Some very memorable stories in this collection. I have \*\*The Ultimate Hulk \*\* (1998), by Stan Lee and Peter David. I thought this was okay – **I recognize a couple of stories to be prose versions of things I’ve seen in regular sequential art format – I’m not terribly interested in reading more stories like this, so no prose adaptations of movies or other storylines unless they are MARKEDLY well done.** There was a huge list of other Marvel Comcs prose titles here: I was wondering which ones were any good. I’ve read Batman and Joker novels in the mid-80s, but I’d like to re-read some, if you can help me remember the titles. Any other suggestions of prose superhero stories that may have appeared in ASIMOV’S, ANALOG or FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION recently (say, last three years) would be appreciated. Oh – and websites. Can’t forget websites. I used to be kinda involved in fan-fic myself a few years back. You got any, post links here. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-prose-novels-short-story-anthologies-websites/264061/2 "2004-09-11T22:55:43Z")
Not exactly in a superhero vein, but I’ll plug [http://www.lexicon.tf/](http://www.lexicon.tf/), the biggest repository of Transformers fanfic on the internet. The webmistress is a friend o’ mine. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-prose-novels-short-story-anthologies-websites/264061/3 "2004-09-11T23:13:40Z")
The very first novel written about a characyer that is an unqualified superhero. [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1557092281/qid=1094944267/sr=1-44/ref=sr\_1\_44/104-2879222-5695927?v=glance&s=books](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1557092281/qid=1094944267/sr=1-44/ref=sr_1_44/104-2879222-5695927?v=glance&s=books) > [@](#): > > Originally published in 1942, The Adventures of Superman was the first full-length novel about the world’s first and most endearing comic book super hero. This facsimile is an exact reproduction of the original with the addition of a new introduction by bestselling Superman comic book writer and novelist Roger Stern. Illustrations throughout, including 4 full-color plates. I own one.