If you’ve been reading here, seen the movie, or just know your stuff, you know that Glenville High School is a big part of all of this. And though the old school has been replaced, the history and tradition of this mighty program marches on. Currently, the Tarblooders are battling through the high school playoffs, having already beaten perennial juggernaut St. Ignatius. Next up, Massillon.

They were called the Tarblooders in Jerry and Joe’s time, and it is a name of some controversy. More interesting is the team mascot, who, local legend has it, *may* have been designed by a certain art student. But that’s for later — march on Red.

anyway, I’ve been sitting on this for awhile, mostly to let the ink dry but also because, yeah, you know. Anyway, lots of people keep writing me for information, or for the movie, so easier to just say it here: a Last Son DVD is NOT for sale, nor will it be for awhile. There are some other reasons for this, but one is that I’m writing a book (see below). You can still see the movie at film festivals so check the site or write me, should be more in 2010. I hope it goes without saying THANKS to everyone who has supported me in the film and on this site and all your help — could not have done it alone. To repay you, o awesome Superman fans, you are going to get the most complete account of the story ever written.

Trust me.

from SFScope:
Bradley J. Ricca sells biography of Superman’s creators to St. Martin’s

By Ian Randal Strock

Publishers Lunch is reporting that Bradley J. Ricca sold Super Boys: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and the Creation of Superman to Michael Homler at St. Martin’s via agent Scott Mendel of Mendel Media Group. The author is a comic book scholar at Case Western Reserve University.

PL reports that the book is to be “the first-ever biography of the creators of Superman, detailing the complex lifelong collaboration and occasional betrayals, private dramas and public struggles, that accompanied their creation of perhaps the most iconic fictional figure of the 20th century.” That “first-ever” part was the cause of some surprise here, but further research seems to show it might indeed be the first, at least for adults. Author Marc Tyler Nobleman and illustrator Ross MacDonald’s Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman was a 40-page hardcover published for children by Knopf in July 2008. We fully admit that we don’t know everything. Do you, the readers, know of any other biographies of Siegel and Shuster? And if there aren’t, can anyone think why it took so long to get these first two?

Edited: When asked, Ricca tells us more about himself: “I teach a comics course at Case with Mike San Giacomo (a reporter who also wrote the award-winning Tales of the Starlight Drive-In graphic novel). He also adds to the question of “first”, by reminding us of Gerard Jones’ Men of Tomorrow.

Good news! The Friends of Lulu just announced that Joanne Carter Siegel has won the very prestigious “Woman of Distinction” Award for 2009. Think of it as a Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in Comics. Check their site for more information, on Joanne and this important organization. Comics awards are notorious for being rigged and/or shady but the FoL does it right: they take nominations from the field, sift them through an expert panel of judges, and then let the public vote. Really happy to see Mrs. Siegel win — she absolutely earned it.

Had a great time this past weekend down at Miami University in Hamilton. Showed the film to over a hundred people on a Thursday night — in fact, I think it was the overall best screening experience I’ve had. Comic-Con was bigger and cooler but it was pretty manic — the atmosphere at Miami was really good — all great questions too, including (from the back) “Are you Marvel or DC?” She didn’t like the answer. No better audience than college students. Thanks to everyone involved, especially my pal Katie who set it up and did a phenomenal job from dinner to the after-party. They even had a big display at the library with a giant poster (not ever pictured) — it was nuts. Great too to see ex-staffer, now WMSR boss Joe (who produced an extremely important film) and missed sidekick (I was hers)/professor/poet Liz. Though she did sell me out on the film introduction by revealing my musical tastes. Thanks Southern Ohio, I rip you all the time for your folksy ways and weird climate, but I really miss you sometimes.