Steven T. Seagle
It's A Bird... (2004)
Author: Steven T. Seagle; illustrated by Teddy H. Kristiansen
Genre: Graphic Novel (Literary)
Plot Summary:
When Steve, a comic book writer, is given the chance of a lifetime to work on Superman, he falters and can only think of reasons why he hates the superhero. While his girlfriend tries to get him to open up about why he think he wants to turn it down, his agent continues to urge him to take the job. But whenever he thinks of Superman or the comic, he associates them both with an event from his childhood when his grandmother died from Huntington's Disease. While Steve the child desperately wanted to see his grandmother to say goodbye, his parents gave him and his younger brother a Superman comic instead. Steve battles his inner demons, trying to determine not only who Superman/Clark Kent/Cal-El really is but also who he himself is. SPOILER: When Steve goes looking for his missing father, he finally finds him at Steve's aunt's bedside, watching her disintegrate from Huntington's Disease. Steve realizes that he is likely to die from the same terrible fate, but also realizes the necessary hope Superman gives people, and finally agrees to take the job.
Geographical Setting: United States
Time Period: present day (2004)
Appeal Characteristics:
Seagle uses a combination mainly of dialog and stream of consciousness writing, and often varies the typeface between Steve's and Superman's lives. There is a dark and gritty, almost frightening tone to the entire book. Steve lives his life in a fog, and Kristiansen does an amazing job capturing the mood with his realistic watercolor illustrations. Steve's character, although somewhat sympathetic, is not entirely likable, but this contrasting aspect helps to better portray his inner turmoil for the reader. Because Seagle primarily focuses on Steve and the angst surrounding him, the pace is slow and contemplative, allowing the reader to get inside Steve's head. However, Seagle also includes flashbacks and Steve's thoughts about Superman, which add complexity to the story. Although Steve's girlfriend, family, and agent are part of the story, the philosophical ideas of Superman/Clark Kent/Cal-El and Huntington's Disease play more important secondary characters.
Read-alikes: Seagle's writing style is a kind of dark realism with characters that evoke sympathy without being completely likable. For readers who would like to experience more of Seagle's style, American Virgin: Head may be a good start. This graphic novel follows a youth evangelist who dismisses forgiveness in lieu of vengeance when he hears that his fiancee has been raped and murdered while in the Peace Corps in Africa. However, if you'd like to read one of the actual Superman comics that Seagle actually worked on, try Superman: The 10-Cent Adventure #1, where Seagle introduces Amok and the Futuresmiths. Seagle also makes some interesting observations about the Man of Steel as Steve works through whether or not to take the Superman work. If you found these speculations interesting, you might like to read The Man from Krypton: A Closer Look at Superman, a compilation of essays analyzing the icon, the character, and the relationships surrounding the superhero. Seagle also tackles the difficult subject of Huntington's Disease, its genetic predisposition, and its terrible effect on Steve's family. Ian McEwan addresses the disease slightly differently in Saturday, a suspenseful thriller about a neurosurgeon who has a run-in with a thug with Huntington's Disease. It's A Bird... is fantastic not only for the writing, but also for Kristiansen's amazing disturbingly realistic ink and watercolor artwork. For more immersion into these beautiful representations, try Four Devils, One Hell, part of the Grendel Tales graphic novel series written by James Robinson about four displaced devils fighting for power in New Orleans. Finally, if readers are turned on by the philosophical idea of superman presented by Nietzsche and alluded to in several instances by Seagle, they may want to brave Friedrich Nietzsche's own Thus Spake Zarathustra, the text that created the concept of the super man and its anti-conformities.
Red Flags: This is not a Superman comic; there is some violence, and strong adult themes
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