Superheroes and Beyond, by Christopher Hart

Christopher Hart's Superheroes and Beyond: How to Draw The Leading and Supporting Characters of Today's Comics promises to provide "the knowledge necessary to create great comic book characters... for beginners as well as more experienced artists". The book covers topics ranging from superheroes and heroines to action poses to light and shadow effects, with stops along the way to discuss specific comic "types" like the Female Reporter (props include microphone and briefcase!), the Mecha Bad Guy (typically a bearded dude, the opposite of the clean-cut superhero), or the super-sexy Evil Warrior Queen (think extra-long, extra-muscular legs... but lady muscles, not, like, gross bodybuilder muscles).

Hart's instructions are clear, detailed, and surprisingly funny—Superheroes and Beyond is full of affectionate little digs at comic book clichés, including characters like the Tabloid Publisher and his tips for drawing female characters ("for women, more, well, more of everything"). Sadly, there is always a difference between theoretical and practical knowledge when it comes to how-to books, so this title might not actually have you churning out professional-quality comic book illustrations at the drop of a hat—but, hey, at least you'll have plenty of fun trying!

[Review based on publisher-provided copy.]