Count Geiger's Blues

Xavier Thaxton writes for the Fine Arts section of his local paper, and he's a snob of the highest order. He is practically physically repulsed by any exposure to Popular Culture. Then, while camping out at a George Bernard Shaw festival, he takes a dip in a pond that has been tainted by radioactive waste. He soon realizes that he has become allergic to High Culture--only an equal exposure to Popular Culture can stem the symptoms. Eventually, he's forced to become the ultimate embodiment of pop culture: the superhero. He's about as good at it as you would expect some random middle-aged, over-educated, under-exercised shlub to be.

Bishop writes with a light touch here, and handles the satire of both High and Low Culture with style. But show more the ending (which makes perfect sense) is a revelation, giving this breezy satire some much-needed pathos and depth. show less

Another one that I don't really remember, so I must have been bored by it and given up.