Sign-In
Cart
Waiting for Clark Kent
Hardcover
General FictionHistorical FictionLiterary Fiction
Publisher: Brad Laidman
Published: Jun 21 2026
Pages: 298
Weight: 1.25
Height: 0.69 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
What if the strongest boy in the world just wanted to grow up like everyone else?
Once upon a time, in a world he alienates, Clark Kent strikes out Bruce Wayne, strikes down Rabbit Maranville, lets Bill Veeck make him a clown, gets drafted, ingests Capra propaganda and faces down the Axis powers naked as a jaybird. Can he fly to freedom by realizing he is free to save himself and the world at the same time with flair, fun and fantasy?
Waiting for Clark Kent is a coming-of-age novel inspired by the classic children's sports stories of the past, especially the timeless spirit of The Kid From Tomkinsville by John R. Tunis, where character matters more than talent and growing up is the greatest challenge of all.
Set against the mythology of Smallville and beyond, Brad Laidman reimagines the boy behind the legend. Before the cape. Before the fame. Before the world expected him to be a hero.
Clark is gifted beyond imagination, faster, stronger, smarter than anyone around him, yet painfully unsure of who he is or what he owes the world. As he navigates small-town sports, first love, family expectations, and the crushing weight of potential, he confronts the universal struggle every young person faces:
How do you become yourself when everyone expects you to be something else?
Blending humor, heart, nostalgia, and philosophical depth, Waiting for Clark Kent captures the innocence of youth, the thrill of competition, and the ache of growing up in a world that rarely feels built for you.
Beautiful illustrations inspired by the classic books of the 1940s enrich the reading experience and give the story a timeless charm that echoes the golden age of storytelling.
Originally conceived in 1987, this book was envisioned as the perfect story for adults to read with their young loved ones, helping elevate them from comic books toward the highest levels of intellectual and philosophical fiction, while still allowing them to remain fans of both long after the final page.
This is not a story about saving the world.
It is about surviving childhood, discovering love, facing loss, and learning what it truly means to become a man.
For readers who grew up on classic sports novels and timeless tales of youth, and for anyone who has ever felt different, out of place, or burdened by expectation, Waiting for Clark Kent is both a tribute to the stories that shaped us and a bold new reflection on what it means to grow up.
Grab your copy of Waiting for Clark Kent today and rediscover the wonder, heartbreak, and hope of growing up.
1 different editions
Also available
Also from
Laidman, Brad
Also in
Historical Fiction
James Fenimore Cooper: The Leatherstocking Tales Vol. 1 (Loa #26): The Pioneers / The Last of the Mohicans / The Prairie
Cooper, James Fenimore
Hardcover
Anniversaries, Volume 2: From a Year in the Life of Gesine Cresspahl, April 1968-August 1968
Johnson, Uwe
Paperback
The Pirate Queen: A Novel from the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Frozen River
Lawhon, Ariel
Hardcover
The Moonlight Runner: A Gripping Historical Novel of Survival, Bravery, and Romance
Robards, Karen
Hardcover
The Amalfi Curse: A Bewitching Tale of Sunken Treasure, Forbidden Love, and Ancient Magic on the Amalfi Coast
Penner, Sarah
Paperback
The Pirate Queen: A Novel from the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Frozen River (Large Print Edition)
Lawhon, Ariel
Paperback
A Pair of Aces: Reese's Book Club (Large Print Edition)
Murray, Victoria Christopher
Benedict, Marie
Paperback
Murder on the Orient Express: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
Christie, Agatha
Paperback