Few scholars nursed on the literary canon would dispute that knowledge of Western literature benefits readers and writers of the superhero genre. This analysis of superhero comics as Romance literature shows that the reverse is true--knowledge of the superhero romance has something to teach critics of traditional literature. Establishing the comic genre as a cousin to Arthurian myth, Spenser, and Shakespeare, it uses comics to inform readings of The Faerie Queene, The Tempest, Malory's Morte and more, while employing authors like Ben Johnson to help explain comics by Alan Moore, Jack Kirby,...

The Field Guide Vol. 4 continues the definitive encyclopedia of superhero archetypes in modern comics. The final volume in the series is also the first volume available for Print on Demand Written by Jason "Dr. Comics" Tondro, Author of "Superheroes of the Round Table" and professor of English Literature, the Field Guide is a gold mine of ideas and inspiration for your next hero. With art by ICONS Line Artist Dan Houser, the archetypes will leap off the page and into your games Rather than break archetypes down by power set, the Field Guide looks at the character's origin and role in the...

Cosmic Action for the ICONS RPG A mad god searches for a dark ritual that will give him the means to destroy the universe. A corrupt space-police organization enslaves civilized worlds to enrich itself. An empire of sentient machines is exterminating any biological life in its path. Pirates prey upon the space-ways with impunity. Meanwhile, the forces of order and good are retreating, scattered and embattled. The universe needs heroes The Great Game blasts you into the far reaches of the cosmos with characters, organizations, starship stats and advice for running a space-based supers...