When Superman first appeared, he didn’t have X-ray vision or all the neat superpowers. In fact, he couldn’t even fly. But y’know what power he did have? He was bulletproof. Unable to be shot. And that’s why Superman was created: He’s not some American Messiah or some modern version of Moses or Jesus or whoever else historians like to trot out – Superman is the result of a meek little Clark Kent named Jerry Siegel wishing and praying and aching for his murdered father to be bulletproof so he doesn’t have to be alone.
Trailers designed to promote books are an interesting phenomenon. When I first saw one for Brad Meltzer’s The Book of Lies, which features among other Joss Whedon and Christopher Hitchens, I was impressed with the audaciousness of the marketing. It summarises the plot of the book – what if the murder of Abel by his brother Cain, and that of the father of Jerry Siegel, creator of Superman, were somehow linked across a divide of millennia – but also plays off the faddishness of conspiracy fiction in the wake of Dan Brown’s success. What’s more the trailer itself trades in nods and winks at comic book fans. As if to suggest that this book is a self-aware parody of The Da Vinci Code, but ironically replacing high art with comic books..
Cal works with a homeless charity, cruising the streets of Miami in a van, looking for folks living on the streets. His partner Roosevelt is a defrocked preacher who insists that he needs to get himself some kind of a life outside of his work. Cal’s a man with a painful past though, one he tries to bury by doing good deeds and living humbly. As a former customs officer drummed out for misconduct he already has plenty to atone for. One night on their rounds the pair find a mugging victim with a gunshot wound in a park. Cal instantly recognizes the man as his father, who vanished from his life after he was sent to jail for the accidental killing of his wife. His past has caught up with him with a vengeance.
While his father Lloyd is relieved to see Cal, he also appears to be running scared. His story of a vicious mugging does not seem too plausible. Pulling in some favours from a friend in the force, Cal discovers not only is his father involved in a plot to smuggle a secret item into the country, the bullet he was shot with came from the same gun that was used to murder Mitchell Siegel in 1932.
Meanwhile an assassin with complicated father issues of his own named Ellis is on Lloyd’s trail. He believes Cal’s father is in possession, or knows the whereabouts of, an artefact known as the Book of Lies. Believed to reveal the weapon used by the Biblical Cain in murdering his brother, Ellis’ organisation has been searching for it for centuries. They are willing to kill anyone in their path, after all God is on their side. The last person rumoured to have owned the artefact was Mitchell Siegel. Could Jerry Siegel have witnessed his own father’s death and hidden the location of the Book of Lies in a Superman comic?
As this is a novel about a McGuffin its pages are filled with ominous definite articles. The Book of Lies, The Map, The Prophet. I found myself cursing under my breath towards the end What Is The Point? Is this a parody of Brown, or an excoriation of the poor treatment of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster by their publishers? It is interesting to note that Meltzer himself has written for DC Comics, including the best-selling miniseries Identity Crisis, which featured the murder and retroactive rape of the much loved Sue Dibny character. It was not very good.
Neither is this novel. Most chapters are no more than two or three pages. The plot feels like Bible and comic book history trivia strung together haphazardly. Characters dump exposition on the page to move the action along. Everyone has parental issues of one kind or another. Someone once said all American fiction is about fathers and sons. This book takes that adage a little too literally.
While I like the idea of the holiest relic in Western culture being a comic book, it doesn’t justify this dull, plodding narrative. I closed this book with a sigh of relief.
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October 10, 2010 at 4:19 am
Stacy
The trailer promotion/idea sounds intriguing to me.
I applaud your willingness to give Meltzer a chance. After reading “Identity Crisis” I sincerely refuse to read any more of his prose or comics. It was that repellent to me.
“The Book of Lies” sounds like a bad farce, and tying Siegel into the storyline sounds like bad fan fiction. That in turn sounds just like the writing found in Identity Crisis.
I like your parallel to the “Da Vinci Code.” If this is a send up of Brown’s work, I’d say that’s simply sad. It’s all too familiar as I think “Identity Crisis” is a blatant rip off of “Watchmen.”
I am sorry the story turned to torture for you.
October 11, 2010 at 10:41 am
Emmet
It would never have occured to me to compare Watchmen to Identity Crisis, but I see what you mean.
I found The Book of Lies itself to be a pale imitation of Michael Chabon’s Kavalier and Clay, which also linked Jewish myth to the origins of the American comic book industry, but to much greater effect and purpose.
October 12, 2010 at 11:33 am
Stacy
Identity Crisis has a gang of similarities to Watchmen to a point where you could make a good checklist.
If only it were a good imitation. I see Book of Lies follows a similar model.
October 12, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Emmet
A further issue for me is the appropriating of the Siegel estate’s story of their arduous conflict with the publishers of Superman for royalties.
Firstly, I only ever hear of the Siegel and Shuster families when someone has something to sell. The most famous instance would be the Richard Donner movie. In referring to their plight in The Book of Lies, Meltzer is once again employing what could be seen as cynical marketing. Which is a shame, as his charity to rescue the Siegel house has been noted for its good intentions. The more I think about it, however, the more concerned I become that this was all with a view to publicising his book.
Secondly, we have a new Superman film coming out. Just in time to beat the 2011 deadline for the royalties to be handed over to the families of the creators. I find this disgusting and wish the film-makers could be called out on it. However, they won’t, because the times have moved on since Donner made his movie, intended for mainstream audiences. Now comic book films have a built in audience of fans who will attend screenings, potentially multiple times (and buy the tie-in merchandise etc.). They don’t care about the Siegels or the Shusters. They just want to see Superman punch someone a lot. In 3D.
There’s a real story there, a story of hurt and exploitation, that is far more interesting than this ‘weapon of Cain’, nonsense.
October 12, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Stacy
The situation was far deeper than I imagined. I have to be honest, I *do* take Superman for granted, despite his archetypical/iconic heroism/character.
At the heart of all this is the fact that the creators really were treated poorly, while their creations flourished.
I think you’re right when you say not too many people put thought about who the creators are, and only want to see Superman on the big screen.
Regarding Meltzer. If he was doing charitable acts to promote his book I think that’s a sad commentary. At least the book should have been good to read.
October 12, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Emmet
I would like to point out that I’m a very cynical person at the best of times. Still lets imagine if the next Superman film was released in 2012 instead with the consent and cooperation of the respective families, who will receive a cut of the profits. Think of the good publicity that would generate!
Would have been the smarter move in my opinion.
October 13, 2010 at 4:33 am
Stacy
Emmet,
You always struck me as a optimistic person with a touch of sarcasm. 😉
That in itself makes me wonder how all of our online persona’s present us.
You are right, doing something to help the respective families would be great. Then I look at Alan Moore’s struggle with The Watchmen’s rights, and it falls into context. 😦
October 14, 2010 at 9:04 am
Emmet
Cheers Stacy. You have also always been very supportive and kind as regards my writing and I am sure that reflects your ‘RL’, persona 🙂
October 19, 2010 at 11:46 am
Stacy
You’re welcome. I love to help people who are serious about writing. it makes me feel good.