I finished it this week, and the ending has really stayed with me (or, not really what *does* happen in the end, but more what *doesn't* -- the fact that no one has a Golden Age comic-book happy ending, I guess). (And god, *Jack.*)
I really liked it, particularly how much you made me care for the characters. Seeing 9/11 approaching, all I wanted to do was swoop them up and protect them all. God, that HURT.
One thing I particularly liked, that I haven't seen mentioned in any of the reviews I've read (and I admit that I've read them only sporadically) was that, due partly to the changing POVs, some of the more significant action takes place "between the panels," like Caroline referring to Jack's father's death. For a novel influenced by comic books, I liked that choice *very* much.
As a reader, thanks for writing Superpowers. It's going to stick with me for a long time. (As a Buffista -- we miss you!)
Cool; I'm going to go check out the discussion right now.
I like that you point out the action-in-the-gutters thing. I guess we've both read our McCloud :-)
I'm glad you enjoyed my painful little book! Seriously, some of the negative mentions I've seen seem to have wanted the Happy Ending, complete with some sort of last-minute save of 9/11. To which I can only say "I'm sorry WTF?!?" That was the first thing I discarded; it would have been incredibly cheap.
That was the first thing I discarded; it would have been incredibly cheap.
You may have already seen my Buffistas post by now, but I think that I may have said the same thing practically verbatim ("incredibly cheap," that is).
Granted, the fact that I know you (in an Internet-y way) predisposed me to feel VERY sure that 9/11 would mess with the All-Stars horribly, versus some cheesy Superman Defeats Hitler-type move. From what I know of you, that's not the type of narrative cop-out that you would choose.
Plus, it's fairly clear from the very beginning that this isn't a book about "superheroes"; it's a book about ordinary people -- I almost said "kids," because now that I'm many years on the other side of college, they surely ARE still kids, in a way -- who have to figure out how to deal with, well, with superpowers.
It's not a book about the freaking JLA.
I like that you point out the action-in-the-gutters thing. I guess we've both read our McCloud :-)
Heh. I haven't read McCloud, although I know of his book. I have a co-worker who's also a comics fan, and I think he was the one who first introduced me to the phrase "between the panels."
But really, I thought its use was *very* effective on your part.
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Date: 2008-07-12 04:17 am (UTC)I finished it this week, and the ending has really stayed with me (or, not really what *does* happen in the end, but more what *doesn't* -- the fact that no one has a Golden Age comic-book happy ending, I guess). (And god, *Jack.*)
I really liked it, particularly how much you made me care for the characters. Seeing 9/11 approaching, all I wanted to do was swoop them up and protect them all. God, that HURT.
One thing I particularly liked, that I haven't seen mentioned in any of the reviews I've read (and I admit that I've read them only sporadically) was that, due partly to the changing POVs, some of the more significant action takes place "between the panels," like Caroline referring to Jack's father's death. For a novel influenced by comic books, I liked that choice *very* much.
As a reader, thanks for writing Superpowers. It's going to stick with me for a long time. (As a Buffista -- we miss you!)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-12 07:12 pm (UTC)Cool; I'm going to go check out the discussion right now.
I like that you point out the action-in-the-gutters thing. I guess we've both read our McCloud :-)
I'm glad you enjoyed my painful little book! Seriously, some of the negative mentions I've seen seem to have wanted the Happy Ending, complete with some sort of last-minute save of 9/11. To which I can only say "I'm sorry WTF?!?" That was the first thing I discarded; it would have been incredibly cheap.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-12 07:35 pm (UTC)You may have already seen my Buffistas post by now, but I think that I may have said the same thing practically verbatim ("incredibly cheap," that is).
Granted, the fact that I know you (in an Internet-y way) predisposed me to feel VERY sure that 9/11 would mess with the All-Stars horribly, versus some cheesy Superman Defeats Hitler-type move. From what I know of you, that's not the type of narrative cop-out that you would choose.
Plus, it's fairly clear from the very beginning that this isn't a book about "superheroes"; it's a book about ordinary people -- I almost said "kids," because now that I'm many years on the other side of college, they surely ARE still kids, in a way -- who have to figure out how to deal with, well, with superpowers.
It's not a book about the freaking JLA.
I like that you point out the action-in-the-gutters thing. I guess we've both read our McCloud :-)
Heh. I haven't read McCloud, although I know of his book. I have a co-worker who's also a comics fan, and I think he was the one who first introduced me to the phrase "between the panels."
But really, I thought its use was *very* effective on your part.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-12 08:03 pm (UTC)I did see it :-) Well played!
Yeah, I really did want to keep their world very much the real world, and the characters themselves just plain ol' folks. Kids, at that.