on national television when he appears before Senator Estes Kefauver's Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency investigating claims of comic books' pernicious effect on children. This further complicates the attempts of Rosa, Sammy, and Joe to reconstitute a family. In the end, Sammy decides to move to Los Angeles despite Joe and Rosa's attempts to dissuade him, including Joe's revelation that he has bought Empire Comics. The following morning, they find his bed made and Sammy gone. Inspiration Many events in the novel are based on the lives of actual comic-book creators, including Jack Kirby (to whom the book is dedicated in the afterword), Bob Kane, Stan Lee, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Joe Simon, Will Eisner and Jim Steranko. Other historical figures play minor roles, including Salvador Dalí, Al Smith, Orson Welles and Fredric Wertham. The novel's time span roughly mirrors that of the Golden Age of Comics itself, starting from shortly after the debut of Superman and concluding with the Kefauver Senate hearings, two events often used to demarcate the era. Characters Josef "Joe" Kavalier – One of the title characters – a 19-year-old Jewish refugee from Prague. Sammy Klayman, a.k.a. Sam Clay – the other title character – Joe Kavalier's 17-year-old American cousin. Rosa Saks – A bohemian artist who becomes Joe's love interest and later Sam's wife. Tracy Bacon – A handsome actor who plays the Escapist and helps Sam come to terms with his sexual identity. He helps add to the theme of escapism, and helps Sammy metaphorically escape out of his body. Sheldon Anapol – The owner of Empire Comics, the company that Sam and Joe work for. George Deasey – Chief editor of Empire Comics. The Escapist – Comic book superhero and brainchild of Kavalier & Clay. Embodies the wishes of the cousins. Luna Moth – Kavalier & Clay's primary female character. Joe came up with her largely on his own after meeting Rosa Saks. Bernard Kornblum – Joe Kavalier's magic and escapology teacher in Prague. Carl Ebling - A Nazi sympathizer who makes threats against Empire Comics due to Sam and Joe's work. Ethel Klayman – Sam Clay's mother. Mighty Molecule – Stage name of Sam Clay's vaudevillian father, Alter Klayman, a strongman who was crushed to death under the wheels of a tractor he was trying to upend at a fairground. Thomas Masaryk Kavalier – Joe Kavalier's younger brother, who was on his