Does anyone remember Superman II novelization?

[TrickyDickie]

I did a web search and didn't come up with anything. I would swear that there was one. Last Son of Krypton and Miracle Monday both had white covers and spines and as I recall Superman II had a black cover and spine. I can remember having all three books side by side on my book shelf back in the 80s. Now, it is as if the book never existed.

[Mike Farley]

I do not remember a SUPERMAN II novelization, and that's definitely something that I would have bought. MIRACLE MONDAY did have a SUPERMAN II photo insert though.

[Donald Draper]

Mike Farley wrote:

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I do not remember a SUPERMAN II novelization, and that's definitely something that I would have bought. MIRACLE MONDAY did have a SUPERMAN II photo insert though.

That must be what he is thinking of. Neither Superman The Movie or Superman II had novelizations. Only the third and fourth films did and where more aimed at young readers.

Same thing with comic book adaptations, none for the first two. Which is surprising. Comic adaptations and novelizations where very common in the late 70s and early 80s. Even Swamp Thing and Supergirl had both.

[Peak]

I owned what I think is the first Superman movie novelization in Swedish once. Found a picture of it:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lhGCk9PD72...%A4nniskan.JPG

Or wasn't it the movie novelization? So long ago I read it, but i don't remember reacting on any differences between the book and the movie...

Edit: This may be the 'Last son of Krypton' apparently. You learn every day..

[Mysterion]

I don't remember that. I do recall seeing one for Superman III, though.

I will say that Last Son of Krypton and Miracle Monday are two of the best Superman stories I've read. I really like Maggin's take on the Superman character and his world.

[Captaindemotion]

Superman III was novelised by the same guy who did the adaptation for ET. The spectacularly named William Kotzwinkle.

[TrickyDickie]

Well that's mighty weird. Because I even remember what else I had on that shelf too. Three Buck Rogers novels: Armageddon 2419 A.D. by Philip Francis Nowlan, the movie novelization by Addison E. Steele, and That Man on Beta, also by Steele. I also had 3 Flash Gordon books: the movie novelization by Arthur Byron Cover, and the first two books of the six book set by David Hagberg: Massacre in the 22nd Century and War of the Citadels.

Here's another thought: Anyone know of an alternate cover/spine for Last Son of Krypton that was in black instead of white? I have been known to collect multiple copies of the same paperback book when there are alternate covers. I had several versions of Blish's Star Trek 2.

And yes, I do remember that Cover's Flash book had a black....cover.

[Dantheman]

I heard the reason Supermans I and II didn't have novelizations and comic adaptions was because Mario Puzo, who wrote the screenplay for the first Superman movie, had a clause in his contract that said his screenplay couldn't be adapted to other literary forms, with him being an author and all, thus the reason why the Elliot S Maggin books The Last Son of Krypton and Miracle Monday have Christopher Reeve photos on the covers and pics from the film.

[Greg Cox]

Dantheman wrote:

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I heard the reason Supermans I and II didn't have novelizations and comic adaptions was because Mario Puzo, who wrote the screenplay for the first Superman movie, had a clause in his contract that said his screenplay couldn't be adapted to other literary forms, with him being an author and all, thus the reason why the Elliot S Maggin books The Last Son of Krypton and Miracle Monday have Christopher Reeve photos on the covers and pics from the film.

The Puzo thing is before my time, but, yes, screenwriters sometimes have the right to veto a novelization, or they may have language in their contracts requiring that they be given the option of writing any novelizations themselves, which they may or may not waive later.

I recall pursuing the novelization rights to one movie, which shall go nameless, only to discover that the screenwriter would only allow the publication of his actual screenplay, not a novelization thereof. So there was no book.

[qwuit]

This may be the 'Last son of Krypton' apparently

[TrickyDickie]

qwuit wrote:

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This may be the 'Last son of Krypton' apparently

Seems to be a broken image link there....

[Set Harth]

Peak wrote:

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I owned what I think is the first Superman movie novelization in Swedish once. Found a picture of it:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lhGCk9PD72...%A4nniskan.JPG

Someone stuck "FILM SUCCEN" on the cover, which, if that means what I think it means, is totally unfair.

[TrickyDickie]

Set Harth wrote:

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Someone stuck "FILM SUCCEN" on the cover, which, if that means what I think it means, is totally unfair.

Nope, just looked it up....means 'successful film.'