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Sunday, May 27, 2007

The Last  Days of Krypton

Comics legend Marv Wolfman just read THE LAST DAYS OF KRYPTON in manuscript. I had hoped he might be willing to give a blurb for the dust jacket. Instead, he responded with a full-fledged introduction, which will be published in the novel. Marv is the writer of the classic "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and the novelization of SUPERMAN RETURNS, and is the creator of Blade: Vampire Hunter, the New Teen Titans, and has written for a wide array of successful comics.

The novel comes out in October.

INTRODUCTION

Science fiction fandom began in the 1930s and two such fans were Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the former a writer, the latter an artist. From their singular passion came the ultimate science fiction creation, Superman, that strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond... No reason to continue; you know the rest. Everyone knows the rest.            

Superman was born was born out of a love for science fiction, so it should be no surprise that the story of Krypton, Superman's doomed planet, would be trusted to Kevin J Anderson, one of the best science fiction writers working today.             

Kevin was given a task as daunting as any of Superman's legendary deeds. He had to put together a history of a world that over the past 68 years has had countless conflicting stories created for it. Did Krypton die of an earthquake? Or did a comet hit it? Or maybe the sun went nova and destroyed it in its burning wake? What were Krypton's people like? Were they benevolent, self-indulgent, emotionless or loving? And what about Brainiac... what about Argo City... what about...  what about... ?            

These are questions that have been asked and answered by millions of fans many, many times.            

But now it is time for a new story that brings those diverse stories together yet forges its own path. We all know Krypton's outcome but Kevin gives us a new, thrilling tale unlike any we've seen before. It is both familiar and surprising.            

Recreating a rich, real, complex history out of such convoluted lack of continuity is an undertaking I would never have wanted to do.  But Kevin did and succeeded and he has now given us the definitive history of a world most of us grew up knowing and caring for. And somehow, with that same flash of inspiration Siegel and Shuster showed when they created Superman all those years ago, he has put it all together in an extremely fast paced book that has something for every fan of Superman, no matter which era they love, which Krypton they grew up with, which Superman they idolize.              

-Marv Wolfman
 May 7, 2007

I'm also attaching a promo postcard and a proposed cover painting. We still don't know exactly what the cover will look like.

-- KJA