Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Halloween Costumes & Knockoffs - Part II

    Once again, it's my favorite time of year. While a good many people love the Christmas season, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I love the costumes, the candy, the decorations, and the scares. 
    Last year, I wrote a piece about Halloween costumes and knockoffs. If you want to re-read it for the legal whys behind knockoff costumes, you can find it here. Otherwise, I’m just going to dive in to some of my favorite knockoff superhero costumes I’ve run across this year. (Note: all links affiliate links)




Oh Captain, my Captain!




This black-clad assassin will make many widows.




This one makes my lawyer-sense tingle.




You have failed this knockoff. (From what I can tell, this is not officially licensed. If it is, I retract my previous statement.)



Are they even trying?




I really need to get the new game.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Book Review: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay


            A review of a book released in 2000 isn’t exactly timely, but I think the book is important to cover here nonetheless. I recently finished reading Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (affiliate link), and it was fantastic. As a fan of comics, I was aware of the book when it was released, but somehow I didn’t get around to reading it until this year. Personally, I’m glad I waited.
            The book follows the exploits of two cousins, Sam Klayman (aka Clay) and Josef Kavalier, as they enter the comic book industry in New York City in 1939. As tensions rise in Europe leading up to World War II, they create a new character, The Escapist, that quickly rises in fame. The book follows the ups-and-downs of their careers and the twists-and-turns of their lives, and it’s a gripping, entertaining read.
            One of the aspects I enjoyed the most about the book was its near seamless blending of real world fact with fiction. Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Stan Lee, and many other comic book greats inhabit the world of Kavalier & Clay, and the book draws many anecdotes from the era. The story arc of Kavalier & Clay and the ownership of their character draw many parallels to Siegel & Shuster and Superman. Additionally, one of the main turning points of the book involves the Superman lawsuits DC brought against Victor Fox (Wonder Man) and Fawcett (Captain Marvel). There is even a scene where Kavalier & Clay and a group of creators lock themselves in an apartment all weekend to create a 60-page comic book, echoing a similar tale involving Jerry Robinson, the co-creator of the Joker and Robin.
            As I said previously, I’m glad I waited 18 years before reading this book. Some of the nuances and references would have been lost on me had I read it when I was younger. Even so, it is an excellent book for anyone looking for a compelling story set during the golden age of comics.