BAM! POW! A History Lesson In Comic Book Heros

By Stefan Doyno Published April 7, 2013

It all started in 1938 when Action Comics introduced a costumed character with two identities. The man possessed powers and extraordinary strength. He used these gifts to protect the defenseless. This man went by the name Man of Steel, and not only was he a superhero; he was a prototype for all future models, including Batman, and Wonder Woman.

Recommended Videos

The Golden Age of DC Comics by Taschen is a comic book nerd’s study guide to the world of superheroes and comic book history. And we all know you don’t have to wear tape around your glasses to be a nerd.

The book chronicles from 1935 to 1956 and traces DC Comics’ first decades, which starts out with pulp origins and continues on to discuss topics like book burnings and McCarthyism. Taschen’s latest book also includes an exclusive interview with Joe Kubert, a legendary comic book artist who is well known for Sgt. Rock and Hawkman.

Taschen explores the origins of well known legends but also gives the reader a behind the scenes look with stories about the men and women responsible for bringing colorful fiction to the many happy kids of yesteryear.

Author Paul Levitz is a comic book fan and has worked as an editor and publisher of The Comic Reader. He was an editor of the Batman titles and has written more than 300 stories. H also acted as the president of DC Comics from 2002 – 2009.

So come on, embrace your geeky side and pick up a copy here.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Stefan Doyno is a two-time Emmy-winning television producer who has worked for various shows at ABC News, including Good…

Culture

Learn how to smoke a pipe the proper way with our guide for beginners

Let us show you the classy way to smoke a pipe

Packing a pipe

Pipe smoking is the most aesthetically distinguished way to enjoy tobacco, but you lose the classy effect if you don’t know how to smoke a pipe properly. Smoking a pipe has become a lost art, and these days, most people who engage in pipe smoking do so to achieve a sense of nostalgia. Perhaps your grandfather enjoyed a puff now and again paired with a good stiff whiskey, or maybe your goal is to emulate a pipe-smoking artist.

I know that I enjoy a good puff on a pipe now and then, and knowing the right way to enjoy a pipe has made the experience much more pleasurable for for me. Whatever the case, if you intend to take up the time-honored tradition of unwinding with a pipe like me, you should learn how to smoke a pipe the right way. And smoking a pipe is very different than smoking a cigar (except you shouldn't be inhaling either).

Culture

Don’t ruin your cigars: here’s how to properly season a new humidor

Seasoning secrets every cigar lover could use

faceless man presenting a cigar humidor with cigars inside with gloved hands

If you're a newcomer to the world of cigars or just bought a brand-new humidor, you'll need to season it. And no, I'm not saying to add salt and pepper to it. If you've never heard of it, you might ask, "What is seasoning for a humidor?"

Don't think you need to flavor the box or anything — seasoning is really about getting the wood inside your humidor so as not to rob your cigars of precious moisture. Easy to understand, and getting it done is relatively straightforward as well. The trick is figuring out the "why," and we'll get into that in a bit. But let's first discuss seasoning a humidor.

Culture

The NBA’s ultimate celebration tool: The victory cigar

A look at the players and coaches who smoke to celebrate

Jordan smoking a cigar image on a bag

Sports are synonymous with celebration. After winning the biggest trophy of their lives, athletes want to indulge in the payoff that comes with seeing their dreams realized. Teams go into the locker room, where a waterfall of champagne hits them in the eyes, and swimming goggles seem to be a requirement, lest you walk around on the best night of your life half blind. While drinking is often the activity of choice after winning a championship, the NBA has an alternative symbol of greatness that other sports don't use nearly enough: the victory cigar.

Basketball is a team game, but it's also an individual canvas for solo superstardom. After winning an NBA championship, the coaches and players who sit atop the throne have long smoked a cigar in the locker room, during the parade, or even on the bench before the clock has hit zero. There's nothing quite like a good stogie to signify the ultimate win over the rest of the league, but how did the victory cigar get so ingrained in NBA championship celebrations? We want to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the historical moments and people who made the cigar what it is within the NBA today.
Red Auerbach's victory cigar on the bench
Red Auerbach: The Story Behind the Victory Cigar + His Disdain of NBA Officials - Red on Roundball