Alvin Schwartz (2) (1916–2011)

This was a Christman gift from my son Ben, and I am actually quite touched by it. It shows a certain attentiveness to what I like to read, and it is quite likely that he checked my library to make sure I didn't already have it. That said, this is a collection of "Superman" comic book reprints from 1959 to 1963. This was probably the worst period of Superman's long history. The stories were outlandishly contrived, the writers had a rigidly defined concept of Superman's capabilities, but often show more had not a clue to using them in a believable way. The art was frequently stiff and boring, with different artists subscribing to a rigid concept also of Superman's appearance. And Superman has never been more of an old fogeyish type than portrayed here. It's as if Superman were channelling Ward Cleaver. However, I read these comics during a formative stage in my life, and they still have a strong tug on my psyche. I'm glad as heck that comics have grown up so much, but these older stories had a certain charm and naivity that I quite enjoy. show less

pleasingly goofy and enjoyable. like reading comfort food. a few really silly ones here, my fav being Jimmy Olson wishing for superman to "mate" his parents

While there were plenty of problems with this work- it achieved something rather elusive - a depth of feeling, an emotional tension, a rawness… something out of the ordinary. I have very mixed feelings about this work. At some points it was trying too hard- and was almost unbearably pretentious. And as I said, at other points it achieved a great humanity.

A queer little book, but not without merit. The subtitle calls it a "metaphysical memoir," and that's true after a fashion, even if it only describes a singular event that set Alvin Schwartz on the Buddhist "Path Without Form," which is as hard to describe as it sounds. Parts of it are strange and fantastic, especially all the time Schwartz recalls spending with the Tibetan tulpa (a being of pure thought brought into physical form) who sought him out, and the fairly improbable things that show more happened afterwards. It has a good payoff at the end, tho; when Superman's role as a tulpa himself is revealed.Not a bad read. Schwartz's writing style is a little wooden at times, but if you roll thru it with the idea that it's a recollection of personal transformation instead of an eyewitness account of the hidden world in action, it becomes less and less silly. show less