Superhero Central

Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Avengers, the X-Men, Watchmen, and more: the companion volume to the PBS documentary series of the same name that tells the story of the superhero in American popular culture.

Modern gods and goddesses, remote, revered - and like the pantheon of heroes and heroines of ancient myth - possessing great power tempered with flaws. Now, find within this anthology great tales by gifted and award-winning authors who move superheroes from the four-color panels of comic books to the fantastic pages of fiction, stories that will remind anyone who ever wanted to wear a cape or don a cowl of the extraordinary powers of the imagination!

It's not easy for a young gay artist like Jordan Carson to grow up in Jefferson, Wisconsin, where all anyone seems to care about in middle school and high school are the sports teams. But Jordan was lucky. He met Owen Nelson in the second grade, and they've been BFFs ever since. Owen is a big, beautiful blond and their school's champion wrestler. No one messes with Owen, or with anyone close to him, and he bucks popular opinion by keeping Jordan as his wingman even after Jordan comes out at school.

At four-years-old, David spends his days exploring with curious contemplation the vast wonders of the seemingly magical world around him. His only real care is wondering when his big brother, Robert, will be home from school to share it with him. His life is replete with typical childhood antics, joys, and fears, and nightmares that wrack his sleep, but ultimately every morning, he knows a new adventure awaits. The divorce of their parents two years later sets in motion a chain of unforeseen events that bring David closer to his brother as a real-life nightmare unfolds.