"Empire of the Superheroes is a history of the creation and evolution of America's comic book superheroes, as revealed through the experiences of the young creators that built the myth and medium but did not profit from it. From the seminal introduction of Superman in 1938--when comics were ten cents per copy and considered pulp fiction for kids--the superhero genre has transformed into a global phenomenon and multi-billion-dollar business. From its genesis, Superman and the lineage of superheroes he inspired evolved in tandem with licensing and merchandising deals that built the comic book publishing business that ultimately grew into multi-media entertainment empires. But only a few of the artists and writers who created the popular and enduring heroes behind this success managed a share in it--the publishers owned the copyrights and made and profited from the lucrative licensing deals"--