Strength, science and Superman — the combo never fails, especially when the Man of Steel is at the helm. In this new exciting book series, Superman teaches the readers all there is to know about the science of strength and how staying strong can be the best thing to happen to anyone.

Usually, Superman is seen as someone who can fly at super speed, easily see through walls, dodge deadly bullets and stop runaway trains. His superpowers may be out-of-this-world, but, in reality, anyone can achieve remarkable strength just by knowing their body.

Written by Agnieszka Biskup, Superman’s powers are explained scientifically and logically. With the help of illustrations from the 1990s Superman: The Animated Series, the book tells us about the human body and in detail about the superpowers we have.

With references from Greek Mythology to present history, the book explains how many different types of muscles our body has, what advantages one gets due to training every day, what are the dos and don’ts of bodybuilding and what makes one really strong. Described in easy-to-understand English, the pages have separate boxes which carry amazing facts. They give information regarding the strongest people in the world, events where ‘strength’ is judged and sports where muscles decide the winner. They also name ‘strong’ people who have managed to make it to the top.

The 32-page book compares the strengths of animals, humans and even underwater creatures, and somehow tries to make the reader believe that Superman’s strength could be a reality one day. In the olden days, animals were used to drag carts and wagons. Ox was used to plough fields and drag weight more than its own. A gorilla and a Bengal tiger are strong and can overcome their opponent bigger than themselves, while an elephant has derailed a train in the past. Even an insect such as mantis can be deadly when confronted.

The book also quotes examples from real life, and references that help in understanding the word ‘super’. The robotic stuff developed for the military has enhanced strength for soldiers and techniques have also aided the doctors, who have devised ways to make unable-to-walk people get back on their feet. With such help, paralysed patients have achieved the impossible. The best part of the book is that whatever difficult words are used in it, the meanings are provided in the footnote. Glossary and Index at the end of the book help in recollecting whatever is learned from the Man of Steel.

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 9th, 2022