Superfolks is a 1977 novel by. The novelsatirizes the superhero and comic book genres, and was aimed at a more adult audience than those genres typically attracted. Superfolks also examines comic book conventions and clichés from a more serious, "literary" perspective. The novel was influential on many writers of superhero comic books in the 1980s and 1990s, notably Kurt Busiek and Grant Morrison, the latter of whom brought the novel back to prominence in 1990 when he suggested that it had been a major influence on Alan Moore's Watchmen, Marvelman, and , a claim Moore has generally downplayed.
Publication history
A modest success upon publication, Superfolks eventually fell out of print. It was republished in 2003 in limited quantities by About Comics with a new cover by Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons and an introduction by Busiek. It reprinted again in March 2005 by St. Martin's Griffin with a new cover by Mike Allred and an introduction by Grant Morrison.
Plot synopsis
The novel's protagonist is a Superman analogue named David Brinkley. His superhero codename is never fully given: various intelligence agenciesrefer to him as "Indigo" and "der Übermensch" and the original book jacket refers to him as "Everyman." He hails from the planet Cronk and is vulnerable to the substance Cronkite. David gradually loses his superhuman powers due to the influence of an unknown enemy, and all of the other superheroes retire, disappear, or die. It is later revealed that this is a plot made by the alien elf Pxyzsyzygy to kill all heroes. David's powers gradually return, years later, in the midst of a mid-life crisis, and as criminals swarm Manhattan. The loss of David's powers is discovered to be because his enemies—unsure of his secret identity—have introduced minute amounts of Cronkite into many common products, as well as the water supply. The return of his powers is later revealed to be a CIA-sponsored attempt to lure Brinkley out of retirement so that they can assassinate him as required by a nuclear disarmament treaty with the USSR. With the assistance of the institutionalized Captain Mantra and a grown-up, flamboyantly gayPeter Pan, David relearns how to use his powers and ultimately defeats his enemies: gigolo "Stretch" O'Toole, aka Elastic Man ; the incest-born Demoniac ; and the millionaire Powell Pugh, a.k.a. the alien elf Pxyzsyzygy.
Characters
David Brinkley/Rodney, the main character. A Superman analog from Cronk, he is married and has two beautiful blonde children. By the end he has another child, a son, with his blue hair.
Billy Button, aka Captain Mantra, is an ex-superhero who claims to be crazy. Like Captain Marvel he becomes a superhero after saying a magic word. In Button's case the word is "tomato-herring."
Mary Button, aka Mary Mantra, is an analog for Mary Marvel died before the story begins after being run over by a train. She and her brother, Billy, had a child.
Peter Pan is now older and homosexual, and gave Rodney some tips on flying.
Elastic Man is an analog for Plastic Man, and serves as a villain for the series.
Pxyzsyzygy is an analog for Mxyzptlk. He serves as the main villain for the story.
Influence
wrote an article in Speakeasy #111 and "n the span of a few paragraphs, Morrison implies that Alan Moore stole the plots for 'Marvelman,' 'Watchmen,' and 'Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' from Robert Mayer's relatively obscure novel." When asked about the influence of Superfolks, Moore said that he had read it at some point before writing Marvelman but that "it was by no means the only influence, or even a major influence upon me output." suggesting "I’d still say that Harvey Kurtzman’s Superduperman probably had the preliminary influence, but I do remember Superfolks and finding some bits of it in that same sort of vein." According to Kurt Busiek, "Superfolks was a revelation, over time changing my outlook on both superheroes and on writing, and making it possible for me to write Marvels, Astro City, and more."
