Written with Etienne Augé, my new book explores the science, history, and mythology behind the superhero genre.
In early 2020, there was an idea (Stealing a bit of Nick Fury here for this opening statement).
Well, it was a proposal really – to write a book about the superhero genre as we know if (or as we knew it back in 2020). The proposal/idea came from publisher Bot Uitgevers, and the proposal was suggested to Etienne Augé and I. We agreed. We were excited. And we started writing.
Then the pandemic struck in March 2020, and the wheels came off the writing process. Life, survival, lockdowns, house moves, family expansions, and more took precedence over finishing a book about the past, present, and future of the superhero genre.
Yet, we remained committed to the project, and as society released vaccines and came to terms with the pandemic aftermath, our writings started to take shape.
It was a long, testing, yet enjoyable journey, and the result is now there for all to see, and to read. My new book ‘Superheroes’ – co-written with the Thor-loving Etienne Augé who hails from France – is out now!
What to expect
So, what can you expect from my new book? Well, one thing I can confirm is that the book is full of scientific, historical, and mythological viewpoints on the superhero genre. Together Etienne and I explore all that is great, good, bad, and truly forgettable about the world of superheroes.
And in writing the book, we disagree about almost everything – that is an unescapable fact. In our meetings and correspondence while writing the about, we argue about many things. Of course, we do agree about certain things too, but if we agreed about everything then it wouldn’t have been as much fun to write it.
We define the concept of the superhero, we reflect on the nature of a superpower, we discuss the constants of the superhero genre, and we predict where things are going.
While finishing the book, one point became clear – we have so much more to write about and to talk about in relation to the superhero. I’ll be sharing information about our efforts to share these thoughts and ideas outside of the book over the coming weeks and months.
Newsletter
One way that we’re going to share additional information is in my new newsletter, with the first issue coming out over the coming weeks. The newsletter will showcase my upcoming speaking events, my past events, and some science communication tips.
However, the newsletter will also have a component dedicated to the work of Etienne and I on the superhero genre. You can subscribe to the newsletter on the homepage of the website.
Promotional times
So begins the promotional aspect of the book as I’ll spend the coming weeks and months spreading word of my new book ‘Superheroes’. You can keep up-to-date with the latest on the book and my superhero activities here.
To start things off, you can read an interview with me about the book in the Cursor online newspaper, which is based at Eindhoven University of Technology. Check out the article here.
Barry W. Fitzgerald. March 2024.