What is neo-pulp? In the introduction, the editor quotes Adam Ford as it being stories that are fun without being stupid. The stories in this collection look at aspects of super-powers including those who possess them, and those people around them in a non-traditional way. Hayley Barry-Smith examines a World War II era superheroine who is juggling the responsibilities of protecting the home front with those of her family in Avon Calling. Ben Langdon's The Scoundrel's Wife peeks in on a woman who is watching live television reports showing her super-powered husband's attempt at bank robbery being thwarted by a superhero team. In Comics on Strike, Jeff Bowles's creations refuse to take action on the printed pages until their writer / artist experiences what their day-to-day existence is like in real life. And in Secretface well, this was a little too off the wall for my tastes, but not every story will appeal to every reader.

I'd recommend this anthology for fans of the super-hero genre who want to experience more than fight scenes.


RATING: A solid 4 stars, and I was sincerely tempted to toss in an extra 1/2 star.

DISCLOSURE: I won this book in a contest; winners were encouraged to review the book, but there was no requirement to do so (nor, of course, was there any attempt to influence the rating).

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