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6/2/09 - With work on Age of TV Heroes entering the final stretch, we took some time to sit down to discuss the book and its contents on TwoMorrows' Tune-In Podcast, hosted by Chris Marshall. To have a listen to your intrepid authors, please go to the Tune-In page and listen to the "Tuesday, 2 June" entry!
5/21/09 - Our design work is complete, please check back here soon for preview images!
4/9/2009 - Hello, Good Citizen! The Age of TV Heroes book has once again been solicited in the April issue of the almighty Diamond Comics catalog. Its "Spotlighted" listing can be found on page 290 of the catalog. It can also be pre-ordered at Amazon.com, TwoMorrows.com and your local book merchant. The book is now due to arrive July 29, 2009!
Worry not, dear reader - Jason and George have not forsaken you. After over five years of work on this project, the book is completely written (and presently being beautifully designed). If all goes according to plan this summer, the authors will also be making a few appearances together in the West Coast, including one at the almighty 2009 San Diego Comic-Con!
So stay tuned to this site as we start kicking the updates into high gear. Godspeed to all of you, from your friends, Jason & George!
1/1/2009 - Happy new year! With the new year comes a new publication date. We are now set to have Age of TV Heroes in stores in July, 2009. Please keep checking this page for more updates and information.
9/2008 - Hey, Comic Book Fans! In Diamond Comics Previews' September 2008 issue, you will find the solicitation of The Age of TV Heroes book on page 329. So if you want a copy, please be sure to tell your local comics retailer to order one on your behalf. Our book was spotlighted by Diamond throughout the catalog. This book will also make a great gift for your relatives, significant others and friends that love the Superhero genre!
8/2008 - Please check the bottom of the page to contact the authors.
8/2008 - While Jason and I await the July, 2009 release of our book, we thought that some of you might enjoy a look at an article I wrote about 1980's Flash Gordon motion picture for the British magazine SFX. It's one of our favorite films! Do hope you guys enjoy reading it during this beautiful summer. It's up now at POP! Oh, yeah - Hail Ming! G.K.
8/2008 - We've had a lot of questions concerning the book and its focus. We're covering, with only a couple notable exceptions, comic-based superheroes that have had live-action television adaptations. So programs like Superman, Spider-Man, The Flash and The Tick are included, while one like Heroes, despite its obvious comic book influences, is not. The main thought behind our coverage was whether or not the character in question had their origins within comic books.
We decided to limit our coverage so we could focus on a field that has been around for over fifty years, yet has hardly any standalone resources devoted to investigating it. Many of the people appearing in our pages have given us their first interviews regarding their work on these shows, and we're delighted to be able to present their stories and memories.
7/2008 - I took another trip to the San Diego Comic-Con this year, my twenty-sixth if you can believe it, and the crowds were bigger than ever. While there is usually a variety of things that stand out each year, I was anticipating the presence of one particular item this time around. Profiles in History hold their Hollywood auctions close to the time of Comic-Con each year, and for the past number of shows they have brought down a large selection of the items they're going to be auctioning off. This year they were offering several costumes and pieces of interest from television superheroes, including a full suit from Reb Brown's second Captain America film and the item I was hoping to see, one of the Spider-Man suits from the Nicholas Hammond series.
I checked the booth on Wednesday and Thursday and was disappointed. But on Friday, the Spider-Man suit was on display out in the open on a mannequin. For a thirty year old costume, it looked great. There was only some minor wear on the toes and a few abrasions to the spandex on the tops of the legs, but the colors were still vibrant. The black webbing looked like it was drawn on by hand with a fabric marker, quashing all those thoughts I had as a youngster of someone applying black thread over the whole thing. The eyes were metal discs with holes drilled in them. Fred Waugh, main stuntman for the series, recalled that type of lens being used in some of the suits, until they found different solutions later. A lot of people were taking pictures with the costume and it took me a while to get a couple clear shots, but I finally did.
An interesting side note, this costume was being offered as one worn by Nicholas Hammond, who played Peter Parker. Most full costumes were worn by Fred Waugh. But this appears to be the suit from the very first pilot, which was indeed a Hammond suit. To knock out any other confusion, there was a dated costumer's tag in the back that spelled out "N. Hammond." So this is one of the very few full suits the series' star actually wore. They were also auctioning one of the bulky metal web shooters used with the suit.
Considering Spider-Man has been a favorite for a long time, and I avidly watched the series way back when, being able to see the suit in person was a huge thrill. J.H.
7/2008 - All of our writing is done and everything has been handed over to our publisher.
5/2008 - With Speed Racer entering theaters, George Khoury took a look at Tatsunoko Productions' other most famous creation, Gatchaman. Check out his POP! column at Comic Book Resources, which includes material from Jason and George's first book together - G-Force: Animated, for the full scoop!
3/2008 - We're now up for pre-order at Amazon.com.
3/16/08 - Our own George Khoury has covered Alex Ross' history of covers in his POP! column at Comic Book Resources.
2/2008 - Our cover is done! Many thanks to Alex Ross for another outstanding job. Please check Alex Ross Art for more information.
2/2008 - Age of TV Heroes is coming from TwoMorrows Publishing in July, 2009!
The live-action television adventures of your favorite comic book heroes and heroines will be documented in this brand-new book. Age of TV Heroes will feature a lengthy history of live-action comic heroes on TV, in addition to detailed articles on the creation of The Adventures of Superman, Batman, Shazam, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, The Hulk, The Flash, Superboy, Lois & Clark - The New Adventures of Superman, The Greatest American Hero, The Tick, Smallville and more!
Additional entries will investigate other live-action productions like the Captain America and Doctor Strange TV movies, the Legends of the Superheroes specials, one-shot specials, regional superhero movie show hosts, Sea World's Salute to the Super Heroes water ski event and unsold pilots.
Age of TV Heroes includes new and exclusive interview content from Jackson Bostwick (Shazam!), Reb Brown (Captain America), Stephen J. Cannell (The Greatest American Hero), Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman), Larry Charles (The Tick), Howard Chaykin (The Flash), Phyllis Coates (The Adventures of Superman), Anne Collins-Ludwick (Wonder Woman), Paul De Meo (The Flash), Ben Edlund (The Tick), Jeannie Epper (Wonder Woman), Chuck Fries (Spider-Man), Peter Gallay (Legends of the Superheroes), James Galton, Nicholas Hammond (Spider-Man), Robert Janes (Spider-Man), Kenneth Johnson (The Hulk), William Katt (The Greatest American Hero), Dan Kibbie, Chip Kidd, Bob La Porta, Bruce Lansbury (Wonder Woman), Jack Larson (The Adventures of Superman), Stan Lee, Jeph Loeb (Smallville), Sheldon Moldoff, Warden Neil, Noel Neill (The Adventures of Superman), Arthur Pierce, John Romita, Alex Ross, Ilya Salkind (Superboy), Lou Scheimer (Shazam!), Danny Seagren (The Electric Company), John Wesley Shipp (The Flash), Marty Sullivan (Super Host), Lyle Waggoner (Wonder Woman), Patrick Warburton (The Tick), Fred Waugh (Spider-Man) and Adam West (Batman)- with even more to be added!
If that wasn't enough, Age of TV Heroes features a brand-new cover by renowned artist, Alex Ross.
Age of TV Heroes will focus on the nostalgic aspects of these special productions, while tapping in to the fun, eager feelings that kids had to watch them. It will be an upbeat and positive look at the making of these programs which will feature the memories and stories from those most closely associated with their creation.
Co-written by Jason Hofius and George Khoury, this full-color, one hundred ninety two page hardback book will be released for sale in July, 2009 by TwoMorrows Publishing. It will be available at all fine retail and online outlets.
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More coming soon!
If you have questions, comments, requests or other reasons to contact the authors, please send e-mail here.
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© Jason Hofius, George Khoury and TwoMorrows Publishing