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Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life: Neil Gaiman, Jodi Picoult, Brad Meltzer, and an All-Star Roster on the Caped Crusaders That Changed Their Lives

Thomas Dunne: St. Martin's. Jun. 2016. 304p. ed. by Liesa Mignogna. illus. ISBN 9781250043924. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466842267. LIT
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Mignogna (vice president, editorial director, Simon Pulse: Simon & Schuster) presents this collection that looks at the relationships between authors and their superhero idols. The essays discuss how each writer finds inspiration and the impact the heroes have had on their lives. For example, Delilah S. Dawson's "On the Hulk: You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry" is not an analysis of the Hulk but rather an investigation into Dawson's experiences, her anger, and the idea of coming to terms with the dark parts of oneself. This is a collection with a lot of heart and variety; each piece takes the premise in a different direction and unveils in compelling ways why these superheroes are so revered.
VERDICT More a book of motivational stories and slices of life than of comics legends, this compilation will appeal to fans of the genre as well as admirers of the contributors (among them Neil Gaiman and Scott Westerfeld), as each piece uncovers a bit about the writer's personality.
Reviewed by Matthew Gallagher, Victoria, BC , Jun 01, 2016
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