"Masques And Capes: An Imaginary History"

I was very pleased that author D.K. Latta brought his recently-released  Masques & Capes book to my attention early last month. Its cover was added to the right side of the page and links to the Amazon.ca page from where it can be purchased digitally but it is now available in paperback format as well.  

What if...there had been a generations-spanning Canadian superhero universe? Who would have been the heroes? What adventures might have been told? How would the decades have been reflected?

And what if...we no longer had to ask "what if?"

Pull back the curtain on a hitherto unknown history of costumed heroes, presented here for the first time in almost two dozen prose tales of mystery, adventure and dilemmas. Tales that attempt to capture the eclectic spirit of comic book superheroes in prose -- that mix of straight-faced sincerity with a touch of knowing kitsch, of high-flying adventure with human drama. From the pulp fiction-inspired spirit of the 1940s to the moral complexity of today.

The 1940s: WITNESS! the triumphs and tragedies as The Daring Dominions foil Nazi spies and saboteurs!

The 1950s: ENTER! the sinister Armageddon House with the intrepid Dr. Id! 

The 1960s: JOIN! the country's greatest heroes as they battle an alliance of their arch foes on board an alien space ship! 

The 1970s: BEWARE! as a costumed heroine tries to prevent a Hollywood North film shoot from becoming a stage for murder!

And on into the present day! From World War II to the War on Terror, from Bobby Soxers to bloggers, follow the adventures through The Golden Age, The Silver Age, The Bronze Age and onward to today. From hippy communes to society soirees. From the vastness of the Arctic Tundra to the bustle of downtown Toronto. From pandemonium on a prairie field to murder on a movie set. From sea to sea to sea. Put on some slippers, settle in a comfy chair, and prepare to experience a universe that you always knew was out there, if only in your dreams...

Are you familiar with Latta's work? You might be without realizing it.

Latta wrote "The Secret History Of The Intrepids" for Masked Mosiac, perhaps my favourite story in that anthology. He is also the author of "Pssst! Have You Heard...The Rumour?" for Tesseracts Nineteen: Superhero Universe, among others. He also manages The Ultimate Captain Canuck Tribute Page and has since the internet was invented (or thereabouts) and write for The Huffington Post.

You can find out more about the book on this page, but should also check out the this blog for some background material on the individual stories.