Who am I?
I’m a writer and teacher from Ama, Louisiana, who has also been a reader of comic books since I first learned how to read. I spent many years as a columnist, reviewer, and podcaster for a now-defunct comic site, while also working on my own novels, humor columns, and even the occasional stage play. My time these days is split between my day job as a high school English teacher, my dream job writing, and my full-time job of being the father of a five-year-old.
Blake's book list on superheroes outside of graphic novels
Discover why each book is one of Blake's favorite books.
Why did Blake love this book?
Joe Kavalier and Sammy Clay are cousins, two young men working in the Golden Age of comic books. As tensions rise in Europe, Joe and Sam create the Escapist, a superhero whose adventures put him on the front lines of the culture war brewing in American comics. Chabon’s book is a beautiful, dramatic story about family and struggle. It’s also meticulously researched, providing a remarkable insight into the early days of comic books and giving the reader a glimpse into the world that would create the superhero genre that has become so prevalent in media today.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
Why should I read it?
6 authors picked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
What is this book about?
Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay' is a heart-wrenching story of escape, love and comic-book heroes set in Prague, New York and the Arctic - from the author of 'Wonder Boys'.
One night in 1939, Josef Kavalier shuffles into his cousin Sam Clay's cramped New York bedroom, his nerve-racking escape from Prague finally achieved. Little does he realise that this is the beginning of an extraordinary friendship and even more fruitful business partnership. Together, they create a comic strip called 'The Escapist', its superhero a Nazi-busting saviour who liberates the oppressed…