The Superman Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Day (Paperback)

by Scott Beatty (Author) "With an ordinary bad guy, Superman has to pull his punches..." (more)
Key Phrases: Man of Steel, Clark Kent, Lois Lane (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the latest illustrated handbook from Quirk hot on the heels of our bestselling Batman Handbook and just in time for the June 2006 release of Superman Returns.

The Superman Handbook shows readers how to channel their inner super hero and make the world a better place. No special powers are required (and you don't have to wear tights, either). Handy step-by-step instructions will teach you:

• How to knock out a villain
• How to stop a runaway car
• How to jump in a single bound
• How to find someone buried in an avalanche
• How to tackle a runaway goon
• How to enter a burning building

And much more, including a special section on practical skills (like "How to fix a broken photocopier"). Complete with a mix of step-by-step and full-page illustrations, The Superman Handbook features everything you need to become a super hero. Up, up, and away!

About the Author
Scott Beatty is the author of The Batman Handbook (Quirk, 2005) and Superman: The Ultimate Guide . He lives in Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Quirk Books (May 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594741131
• ISBN-13: 978-1594741135
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #289,505 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So You Want to Be Superman, or At Least Help People, This Manual Will Tell You all You Need to Know., March 11, 2007

By	James N Simpson (Gold Coast, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Being Superman isn't just wearing your underwear on the outside, putting on a cape and attaching a giant S to your chest. You've got to know how to knock out a villain, break down a door, tackle a runaway goon, tie up henchmen, dodge and block bullets, leap in a single bound, perform various rescues such as runaway cars, cars teetering over an edge, quicksand, wild animals, someone drowning or caught in a rip, trapped under heavy objects and many other things. This manual also teaches the reader CPR, treat cuts, bites, burns, broken bones and other first aid although you really should do a first aid course to get the latest (how to save a chocking victim Heimlich Maneuver is not what you do these days). The manual also has instructions on how to change a tyre, put out a fire, stop a leak, fix an electrical outage, save a kitten from a tree and other handy skills to have.

As long as the reader can differentiate between when the novel is speaking specifically about superman and when it is the real world, then this actually is quite a useful and helpful book if ever faced with these problems. It isn't as good as competitors such as The Action Hero's Handbook by David Borgenicht and Joe Borgenicht if learning these skills is the sole purpose of buying the book, so if you are not much of a fan of Superman then get that instead. However there is not much difference and the background info on Superman and comics will sway the decision to The Superman Handbook for fans. There is is also a Batman Handbook if you prefer the caped crusader.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BECOME A REAL LIFE SUPERHERO...ALMOST!, June 15, 2006

By	Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

The introduction dutifully notes that The Superman Handbook is a work of fiction. That it is, but still with honest to goodness, real, and accurate advice for aspiring heroes everywhere. Yes, you will learn how to block and dodge bullets, break down doors, rundown a bad guy, and rescue those in dire need from floods, fires, avalanches, and more...all without the aid of real super powers.

The book is cleverly written by Scott Beatty with art by John Delany, Dave Cooper and Terry Beatty. The book combines a look at Superman lore with real life advice on survival and life-saving techniques and proves that you don't need to be faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive to be a superhero...you just need to know what to do in a given situation. For example, do you need to break down a door? The handbook tells you how. Don't waste time banging your shoulder into it...as the book explains a well placed kick exerts far greater force than your shoulder. You're also advised to find the door's "sweet spot" where the latch meets the door frame...all the better to bust it down don't you know.

How about blocking bullets? Yes, you too can block bullets provided you have the proper equipment such as a riot shield made of unbreakable Lexan polycarbonate (bullet proof glass) or a Kevlar vest, or ceramic body armor. The book explains each of these items in laymen's terms.

The section on Super Rescues tells how to save people from such predicaments as rip tides, quicksand, floods, and burning buildings. It even includes more exotic rescues like saving someone from a teetering car or hanging from a building. The Next section on Saving the Day includes practical first aid advice on how to perform CPR, treat cuts, animal bites, burns, broken limbs, help a victim who is choking, having a seizure, or been poisoned.

Throughout the book bits of Superman lore are introduced on his various powers, greatest villains, most super saves, and more, just to keep things light. Whether you're a Superman fan or not, you'll find solid advice in the handbook, related in an informal style. Great job.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

5.0 out of 5 stars Superman know-how, December 28, 2006

By	R. Howell "boriskhan" (Medford, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While Superman may be the greatest superhero ever, this book shows how you can emulate his heroics. The intro states that while Supes has many superpowers, his greatest power is his ability and desire to help mankind. This isn't a book on the lines of others that are humorous in assuming the world of superpowers are real. This book is more of a good samaritan's survival guide on how you can help out yourself and others in certain types of emergencies such as saving a drowning victim, stopping a runaway car, and help someone choking to mundane events like jumpstarting a car, changing a tire, fixing a leaky pipe, and rescuing a kitten from a tree. While using pretty simplistic scenarios, this book tries to help instill in mankind how to emulate the kindness and heroism of the likes of Superman. Thrown in for the Superman fans are little comic facts about our last son of Krypton. It's a great how to help people guide but extra training is obviously needed for some of the situations presented.