Sunday, November 22, 2009

Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore

"It's a Bird, It's a Plane...It's Superman," everybody's favorite superhero.  "Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore" reveals a comic lover's fantasy situation. We all know that Superman has one, and only one weakness-Kryptonite. But what happens when all of the Kryptonite is destroyed? An unstoppable Superman, ready to defeat all of the bad guys? Not quite. 

In fact, to Superman and all of his readers' dismay, Superman's powers decreased signficantly and we begin to see a weaker, more vulnerable superhero. Certainly, this is not the only twist in the story. During the same occurance that lead to the elimination of the Kryptonite, comes an unexpected creation. A second Superman appears on the scene, made of sand and earth. When Superman and his sand clone meet, the results are not very favorable to Superman or the planet Earth. 

This book, and its outstanding artwork, will grab the attention of young adult visual learners. Books with small text on every page can quickly bore young readers, but pairing information with color popping artwork can reach even the most uninterested reader. Comics are often thought of as "fun," not educational so this can trick kids into trying it out. The concept of weaknesses, vulnerability, overcoming unexpected obstacles can be addressed through this graphic novel. Teachers can use graphic novels to enhance the classroom experience.






8 comments:

Mallory Umar said...

What happened to the day when comic books were $.50 each? This re-printed book from 1971 was $30!!! Certainly not the comic book of my days.

Amy said...

This sounds interesting...although I'm not sure if I like the idea of two Supermans and deviating away from the original all-powerful, heroic super power. But I agree with you that comic books/graphic novels are good for reluctant readers. The colorful pictures and fewer words make them a bit less intimidating and even enticing. While I personally have never been a big fan of comic books, this book does sound appealing to those that like them.

hutting said...

I am also not a fan of comic books and graphic novels. I prefer the story and images to be produced in my head. I find trying to read, look at pictures and follow the box format style distracting. I chose the graphic novel, The Rift,to read and it is in black and white only. I found it less distracting and visually involved, so I was more relaxed reading it.

Anne said...

The new twists the books offer sound very interesting. I wonder how many of today's students know the "real" Superman stories of back in the day. I would bet most have not seen a genuine comic book and get most of the information from today's blockbusters. Sounds like many young adoplescents would like this book though, especially those who have limited attnetion spans or difficulty reading.

Caitlin Strandquist said...

This books sounds totally interesting, and I like your point about visual readers. I really feel like graphic novels are a lot more accessible to lots of people for those exact reasons.

Stu1980 said...

I would probably like this. I grew up in the early 80s when Superman was hugely popular.Liked how you commented on why graphic novels can be more accessible for kids, they definitely offer a different approach to storytelling.

VCaste said...

Since enrolling in this class I have been exposed to different kinds of graphic novels, and I must say I really enjoy them. Not only are they interesting stories, they are also very enjoyable to read. I'm sure that this story would be no different. The story of Superman has always been a great story in the U.S. and I'm sure that this tale would be a fun and interesting read. Great post!

Krystal Tanami said...

I think that anything superman is great. I grew up in the 80's when superman was huge and lived with the biggest Superman nut, my dad, he has a huge collection including some of the earliest comics. I bought this for him and he loved it. and to Mallory the price of everything has increased from the 70's why does it surprise you that comics are this expensive?