Appealing to the casual comic book reader as well as the hard-core graphic novel fan, this ultimate A-to-Z compendium describes everyone's favourite participants in the eternal battle between good and evil. With nearly 200 entries examining over 1,000 icons and their place in popular culture, it is the first comprehensive profile of superheroes across all media, following their path from comic book stardom to radio, television, movies, and novels. The best-loved and most historically significant superheroes -- mainstream and counter-culture, famous and forgotten, best and worst -- are presented with numerous full-colour illustrations, including dozens of classic comic covers. Each significant era of the superhero is explored -- from the Golden Age of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s through the Modern Age -- providing a unique perspective of the role of the hero over the course of the 20th century and beyond. This latest edition has been revised to reflect updates on existing characters, coverage of new characters, and recent films and media trends in the last several years.