The Government Manual for New Superheroes

by Matthew David Brozik, Jacob Sager Weinstein

The Government Manual for New Superheroes is a hilarious, mock-official handbook that offers thorough, accessible, and completely zany advice for anyone who has always dreamed of donning a skintight spandex uniform and leaping across the rooftops of their cities. Going well beyond tights and capes, this manual provides insight into choosing a name, constructing a costume, choosing the right supertools of the supertrade, establishing a base of operations, maintaining a secret identity, taking or becoming a sidekick, joining a superheroic team, and even finding that special someone who gives meaning to a superhero's life-a nemesis. Extra features include a roster of superhero unions, a registration application, several useful charts and tips, and even a list of other government-sponsored periodicals for further reading. Destined to become a cult classic, The Government Manual for New Superheroes is an essential guide for every aspiring superhero.

Genres: Humor, Superheroes, Fiction

139 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

Matthew David Brozik is a lawyer-turned-copywriter and the author of several quirky, humorous books, including:

• THREEINCARNATED

• TWIN FREAKS

• THE VOWELS OF THE EARTH

• ODDER SPACE

• SPELLED WRONG

• CHAMPION AT THE BIT

• DANGER ...WITH A HARD G (named one of the Best Comedy Books of 2017 by SPLITSIDER)

• WHIMSY & SODA

• TAKING IVY SERIOUSLY

He's also co-author (with Jacob Sager Weinstein) of THE GOVERNMENT MANUAL FOR NEW SUPERHEROES, THE GOVERNMENT MANUAL FOR NEW WIZARDS, and THE GOVERNMENT MANUAL FOR NEW PIRATES (Andrews McMeel) and (with Lauren Krueger) of GOOROO'S *PRO*-MAGNON KITCHEN.

He earned a Pushcart Prize nomination for short humor. His pieces have been featured by The New Yorker, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Grin & Tonic (Barnes & Noble), and AdultSwim. His short fiction has appeared in various publications in print and online.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hysterical book on how to become a superhero. It takes you through chosing a name, a costume, a hideout, even finding a villian.

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Guides through all the tropes, ensuring you a long running career as a super upholder of justice and The American Way (unless you're of alien origins, that is). I particularly took guidance in how to select a good secret tower of justice with consideration for neighbouring property values; and in the section explaining how to woo another superhero's archenemy for my own.

A few missing chapters however: I was specifically looking for help in communicating with over zealous (or is that jealous?) local law enforcement authorities, and for methods for earning money in super heroics without accepting taxable gifts or bribes. Both were absent within the book. But being a governmental guide, I won't hold out for an update any time soon.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of countless allusions and witty sayings, this book is a must-read for potential superheroes. ;)

[Coco · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humorous guide attempting to be serious about the conundrums that might plague a wanna-be superhero. It's a quick read and great for a grin, especially for gamer types or aspiring comic artists. My favorite was the listing of superhero labor unions in the back of the book, and the various appearances of the Eviliminator throughout the book. (April 2008)

[Lafcadio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew? A symbol of luck, both good and bad.

[Dea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting more than a quick snarky read, and I have to say I was disappointed.

The jokes were weak and very few. Maybe there were more but I just missed them because I am not in the know, but it didn’t feel like it. It also felt like the book did not know if it wanted to be ‘progressive’ and make fun of the old stuffy tropes that comic books are known for, or if it wanted to join in the fun of toxic sexism instead.


Again, this might be because I am not as knowledgeable about the topic as the target audience. Still it was not a fun read, even if it was quick and did not require much effort on my part.

[Maddi Petro · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too old timey, office-speak for me. There's also a lot of words that I had never heard before that seemed aimed at an older generation. It didn't poke fun at superhero stuff as much as I woulda liked. It was actually quite boring like an actual government document that was a bit too much heft and tough words for me to follow, but with more whimsical words peppered in than an actual government document.

[Cathlina Bergman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious! Great book! Buying my own copy now!

[Ubalstecha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laid out like an actual government publication, The Government Manual for New Superheroes, gives wanna be superheroes advice on every aspect of the business: costumes, secret lairs, evil nemeses, sidekicks, transportation, even what to call yourself. There is even a registration form at the back to speed your entry into the superhero life.



Authors Matthew Brozik and Jacob Weinstein have produced a very funny, and highly sarcastic, guide to being a superhero. They routinely reference heroes like Batman and Spiderman, but not so explicitly as to attract the attention of the corporate suits. There is also plenty of original material (like the Fencesitter, who had to eventually choose a side, although too often it was tragically too late) to keep the reader laughing. You will find yourself snorting repeatedly as you read this book.



This is a light, entertaining read that is perfect for the bus or the bathroom. A must for the comic book fan in your life.

[Mike Aragona · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, I really did. Unfortunately, I found the jokes to be lame, the style to be stale, and the "examples" to be uninspiring. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh as I understand the mold of how the book is set (as a guide manual) but it just did not live up to my expectations. [return][return]The breakdown of categories had some hints of laughter, but with the examples using heroes so well-known without naming them (like superman, batman, and spider-man) were so tongue-in-cheek that it didn't bring anything new or fresh.[return][return]Perhaps the humour was too dry for me? Maybe I know too much about comic books and superheroes? I couldn't figure out who the audience was supposed to be.

[Willow Redd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting a little more from this manual. I thought it was going to be written from the perspective of a government agency regulating superheroes and their activities. Instead it is simply a manual for new superheroes looking for advice on how to get started in the business of crimefighting.

Quick, enjoyable read. I dig the pun names the writers came up with for the superheroes mentioned throughout.

[Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad little read, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Still funny and worth the time though.