Book Review: Sex Lives of Superheroes by Diana McCallum

Diana McCallum's Sex Lives of Superheroes is an entertaining deep dive into an unconventional topic that blends humor with surprisingly robust scientific research. The book strikes an impressive balance between witty side commentary and fascinating factual analysis, making it as engaging as it is informative.

As I read, I laughed, I learned, and yes, I occasionally cringed—sometimes all in the same chapter. McCallum leaves no question unanswered (and answers a few I hadn’t even thought to ask), exploring her subject matter with both curiosity and precision.

That said, there were moments where the scientific details became a bit too dense, and I found myself skimming through some of the more technical explanations. However, these instances were rare and didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.

If you’re looking for a read that is equal parts hilarious, insightful, and surprising, Sex Lives of Superheroes won’t disappoint

“batman doesn’t like guns because he shoots blanks” actually made me pee from laughter. this book was so much fun, you’ll enjoy it if you like deadpool type humor. soooo funny.

Entertaining, hilarious, and full of excellent explainers for why Mr. Fantastic's near-infinitely stretched penis wouldn't be much fun to have sex with, whether the Hulk can even have sex safely, and much much more.

Not something you think you'd ever see but interesting nonetheless. I like the bridging of real to unreal by using real-world research to explain certain biological characteristics that a superhero might have. This book was classified as a graphic novel which isn't right. But an interesting book though.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

I requested this book because of the title and was quite surprised. I did not think of how our favorite supers have sex or what the result of it would be. I guess in my head some of the births were like Zeus' kids springing from his head.

I enjoyed this book immensely and can now answer questions if anyone has them. I won't spoil it, I will say that all adult superhero fans should read this book. Especially if they have questions.

I had read some reviews and they sparked my interest in reading this book.
As many say, this book is hilarious, but also very interesting. I am a comic reader and superhero fan, and I would be lying if I said I have never wondered about anything this book says, and like many people, I didn't dare to ask.
I found this to be a very informative book. I love that everything it says is backed up with scientific foundations. The book is too good to put down, you get more and more interested with each word you read, so you can get to know your favorite superheroes more intimately and what happens in the bedroom.
Do I recommend this book? Yes
To whom? I really don't know how to recommend this book. It's not for everyone really.
If you want to know hard sexual facts about your favorite superheroes, read this book. You'll have so much fun.

Everything you wanted to know about the sex life of your favourite superhero but were too afraid to ask (and a few things that you probably didn't want to know).


This book is exactly what you expect, but you can also learn from it a lot about human relationships and sex. I was really suprised by some facts. 

Every chapter focuses on a different case, like Can Supergirl have a child with a human? Or can Reed Richards enlarge his little guy? but they are all treated as a serious question and analyzed with real life science (and a lot of puns).

I especially enjoyed the "Mind over Mattress" part, focusing more on the psychological questions (the Batman chapter is def my fav). Also, there are these quick interludes about weird stories from real comic books. Did you know that Superman actually married Supergirl? Or that he almost starred in an adult movie? Yeah, me neither. 

It's a great book for all comic book nerds and people who just like deep dives into weird subjects.

Thank you, Diana McCallum and NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

I dare say this was definitely funny as he'll and terrifying in some ways. By terrifying, I don't mean horror. I mean, i found out so many facts I didn't need to know about animals due to superheros having their abilities and such. If you're interested in the sex lives of superheros and maybe some villains and you want to know a lot of facts about penises look no further! This goes very into detail about reproduction and all sorts of twisted things you would possibly want to know. Some will have you laughing, others making you want to throw the book because ewwww! Why would we want to know such things and, of course, for our smutty lovers? This definitely fits that it you may be having.

Spiderman, Wolverine, Superman, Loki, there are so many heroes and some non heroes throughout this book, and we definitely get to learn the nitty gritty things. Perhaps a bit more than we are asking for. If you want to know how some of them are even able to get down and dirty and do things like a normal human being, then you're in the right place. This book is for you and I dare say be prepared.

I enjoyed this book even with how much it went into detail at times. It's a great book for those interested in finding out what goes on behind the closed doors of superheros homes and I will say this i won't look at spider, turtles or a lot of these heros the same ever again.

Taking cue from a fellow reviewer, this book was definitely a lot more fun than I thought it would be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was such a specific topic, but I will admit that this book was a lot of fun. I’m giving it three stars on the basis of some initially very well researched pieces, but I did find that as the book went on that it got rather repetitive.

There were definitely some chapters in here that were incredibly entertaining. The one on vampires and Howard the Duck were particular stand-outs, and there were jokes throughout. I found myself laughing on and off in the book, and it was great. It was incredibly scientific in places, which made it a great read in that it didn’t feel so much salacious as entertaining.

I did think it could have been a little more entertaining, particularly towards the end, but it was a fun book, and I’m keen to see an eventual sequel.

First, a huge thank you to NetGalley and BenBella Books for the chance to read this advance copy. That said, prepare yourself some fun and interesting thought experiments as author Diana Mccallum investigates the triumphs, tragedies, and just plain challenges that some of the most beloved superheroes face in the bedroom/between the sheets/in outer space.

Mccallum presents a wealth of knowledge of comic book lore and history as well as well-referenced scientific articles to make her analysis of some two-dozen different superheroes from the pages of DC, Marvel, and other superhero producers. While she does lean very heavily on one non-canon source for many of her Marvel conjectures, she does a great job referencing many official sources straight from the comics and movies (another possible contradiction since the page and the screen are often at odds, anyways). Mccallum does a phenomenal job mixing light-hearted humor with scientific research to examine the questions about some of our favorite superheroes we were always too shy to ask (but definitely have considered) outside of a Kevin Smith movie. Mccallum leaves no major comic book player untouched (although she strongly recommends not touching Howard the Duck). Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, the Hulk, Wolverine, and even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles all get teed up for her analyses. She does an incredible job mixing lore, conjecture, and both real science and comic-book "science" to examine the physical and psychological implications of super-powers on our heroes' bedroom exploits.

Overall, the book was a lot of fun for any comic book-lover. While it might be a bit of a stretch for those with just a casual understanding of these characters, those type of fans are probably not really invested in the nitty-gritty of the examined activities in the first place. For real hardcore fans, a deeper dive into the lore evidence and a choice of either the page or screen representations would have been welcomed, but would turn away all but those hardcore fans. Mccallum really hit a fairly well balanced sweet spot for the slightly-more-than-casual comic book reader.

Everything you ever wanted to know (and a few things you didn't) about sex lives of the most popular superheroes, back by research and relayed humorously and engagingly.
Yeah, this book is all kinds of fun. You know who may not be having as much fun as you'd think someone with superbods and superpowers might have? The superheroes. Why? Well, it's complicated, But do read this book and find out.
Very entertaining and surprisingly educational. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

It is a comedy book , would like to suggest for teenagers(13+) fond of superhero who really are interested in smut. At some point it also provides the general scientific information which is a appreciable thing. All eager smut readers interested personal sex life of superheroes should read it., but who actually feel cringe on this please do not read. At some point might feel like it is going overboard but trust me read further and you will enjoy reading it .Overall a fun book.

I hate that I now know most of these things, but at least I had a fun time reading about it. This is completely useless knowledge about things I didn't know I wanted to know but oh boy I had a fun time reading about it.

I read this courtesy NetGalley and Ben Bella Books. Tongue in cheek yet insightful, this book gives us reasoned speculation, using some real science and some comic-book science, about the ins and outs (so to speak) of the very private lives of the superheroes we’ve come to know and love, both on the screen and on the printed page. I was pleased to see that author Diana McCallum refers to an essay written long ago by the famed science fiction author Larry Niven, “Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex,” discussing such matters seriously long ago, and McCallum has a wealth of materials from which to explore since then. So much material! She discusses the possibilities of “radioactive spider blood” (aka Peter Parker, the first Spider-Man) and how, in the comics, that leads to the demise of Parker’s wife, Mary Jane (but that’s only one in the many Marvel universes, so MJ fans shouldn’t worry too much). Both DC and Marvel heroes get attention, not to mention other heroes (some of whom will surprise you!), and some of the speculation had me laughing out loud. Like silliness interspersed with seriousness? You’ll like this book.
#SexLivesofSuperheroes #NetGalley

Smart Pop Books, an imprint of BenBella Books, provided an early galley for review.

As a life-long comic book reader, how could I resist the premise of this collection of essays? Simply, I could not.

With twenty-six essays organized in five different sections, McCallum puts to page the kind of topics comic book fanboys inevitably get into discussing late at night, over snack foods and beverages, on those long convention weekends. I am certain some of these might have come up when I was hanging with my buddies for San Diego Comic-Con decades ago.

The discussion here is a little bit salacious and a whole lot scientific. McCallum doles out the matter-of-fact facts as well as Sheldon Cooper and the guys on The Big Bang Theory could. It is both entertaining and educational. And she certainly did her research (as the eleven pages of end-notes can attest). I also appreciated that there is a good balance of representation from both of the big two - DC Comics (Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, etc.) and Marvel (Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Daredevil, etc.) along with a few others thrown in for good measure as well.

This is one I definitely believe comic book fanatics will enjoy.

My thanks to NetGalley and BenBella Books- Smart Pop for an advance copy of this informative look about the birds, the bees and the radioactive stretchable glowing anatomy parts that make up the private lives of superheroes and other fabled creatures in comics, movies and books.

Years ago I read an essay on Superheroes that was very confusing and considering the subject matter, not as spicy as I had expected. The essay was by science fiction writer Larry Niven, and entitled Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex. The subject was how would Superman, the last son of the planet Krypton, have relations of the carnal kind with women from planet Earth. What I thought was going to be a funny, maybe kind of dirty look was anything but. The essay was tongue and cheek, but the writing was more biology than comedy. Niven looked at both the act, the gestation and the birth of a so called Superbaby, and the risks that would have to be taken by the mother in a variety of ways. Sadly in reading this I learned more about the facts of life than any health class, or parental talk ever. I had the same thoughts while reading this book, an experience that I found both enlightening and hysterical in spots. And being a a nerd of long standing was embarrassed by quite a few things. Sex Lives of Superheroes: Wolverine's Immortal Sperm, Superman's Porn Career, the Thing's Thing, and Other Super-Sexual Matters Explained by Diana McCallum is a look at what happens when the comic panels go dark, a series of essays dealing with characters from all sorts of media.

The book starts with how many comic readers might have had some questions raised about their favorite characters, the scenes in Mallrats where Stan Lee is asked a bunch of questions that Stan the Man never had to deal with while writing his Stan's Soapbox. From their we travel the mulitverses dealing with characters from DC, Marvel, an independent or two, and vampires. Both serious and sparkly. McCallum asks the hard and sometimes pointed questions that many might have thought up, created slash fiction about, but sometimes were to ashamed to ask. We learn why Daredevil the Man Without Fear probably goes through alot with his enhanced senses, and maybe why he is blinded with success from the ladies. Does the Hulk Hulk out just lying next to a woman, and though a father what that experience must be like. Why does Green Lantern like to take his dates to outer space so much. And a look at one of the more controversial Spider-Man stories, Spider-Man: Reign, and why if might be more accurate of a tale than we think, though it still won't change people's minds on the story. And many other kinks, whoops I meant capes and their private lives.

The book is funny, let's get that out of the way. McCallum is a very good writer quick with a joke, however I found this book to be a lot more than a snicker-snicker, they are doing it kind of story. McCallum has done a lot of research, and really goes into depth on a lot of the subjects here. Again I learned more from one or two essays than I learned in Health class. I knew very little about the female issues touched on here, and by coaching it with showing superheroes I think this might be a good way to teach some males about what women like too.

The writing is clear, the research is interesting and well presented, and this was a much more informative book than I expected. A great gift for a comic fan just to watch him turn red, and a helpful guide for one's partners to show that there is a lot more to romance than just taking off your cape and cowl.

The hook of this book comes from, of course, the title. But under the title, the question got me thinking and decided to request the book from NetGalley. Honestly, it is just curiosity. And to my surprise, the request got approved (thank you Diana McCallum and BenBella Books).

Diana used an engaging writing style, used scientific terms and researches (a lot of them comic-based but I digress) to support her arguments on each topic. McCallum didn’t shy away from challenging the traditional narratives around superheroes, especially the stereotypes surrounding their sexual identities. She always cleverly added little imagination such as
“Forget Bruce Wayne paying for everything; the Flesh has the Justice League’s finances covered. Just don’t ask him where the money came from.” I’m both laughing and crying.

She analyzed how their romantic and sexual relationships influence their heroism and public identities, questioning the role these connections play in shaping their character. Diana, in most cases, broke down superheroes power in her own argument, which was enlightening.

However, some readers might found that the book occasionally assumes a level of familiarity with superhero comics and their history. McCallum’s references to comic arcs and niche characters might be challenging for those new to the genre. But for those well-versed in the world of comic books, this would feel more like a rewarding deep dive into beloved stories and characters.

Despite the steamy title, I would recommend to read this book as a superhero fan.

This book was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I was concerned that it would be very science heavy and take itself too seriously. I'm not sure why I thought a book about superheroes having sex would be serious, but ya never know with books. However, while there's plenty of serious science stuff going on here, the overall feel is fun learning.

The chapters are all quick and easy to skip around to what interests you or what characters are your favorites. The question of the chapter starts off kinda silly but then the science comes in and you're slowly learning about the human body and how it works during different sexual activities. The superheros are just a trick to get you to learn essentially and I'm not mad about it. It feels like Bill Nye would have wrote this, it absolutely has the same vibe his shows do.

I did only give it 3 stars instead of 4 because I read it all from start to finish in order and some of the science got repetitive, sometimes in the very next chapter. So I had to do some skimming over that and getting to the new stuff. Otherwise, surprisingly educational and fun, it makes you think about your favorite characters, and sometimes yourself, in a different way.