From the Academy Award-winning actor and best-selling author: a novel about the making of a star-studded,multimillion-dollar superhero action film . . . and the humble comic books that inspired it. Funnytouchingand wonderfully thought-provokingwhile also capturing the changes in America and American culture since World War II. Part One of this story takes place in 1947. A troubled soldierreturning from the warmeets his talented five-year-old nephewleaves an indelible impressionand then disappears for twenty-three years. Cut to 1970: The nephewnow drawing underground comic books in OaklandCaliforniareconnects with his uncle andremembering the comic book he saw when he was fivedraws a new version with his uncle as a World War II fighting hero. Cut to the present day: A commercially successful director discovers the 1970 comic book and decides to turn it into a contemporary superhero movie. Cue the cast: We meet the filmΓÇÖs extremely difficult male starhis wonderful leading ladythe eccentric writer/directorthe producerthe gofer production assistantand everyone else on both sides of the camera. Bonus material: Interspersed throughout are three comic books that are featured in the storyΓÇöall created by Tom Hanks himselfΓÇöincluding the comic book that becomes the official tie-in to this novelΓÇÖs \