<P> Meanwhile, Sam develops a romantic relationship with the radio voice of The Escapist, Tracy Bacon . Bacon's movie - star good looks initially intimidate Clay, but later they fall in love . When Tracy is cast as The Escapist in the film adaptation of the now - popular franchise, he invites Clay to move to Hollywood with him, an offer that Clay accepts . But later, when Bacon and Clay go to a friend's beach house with several other gay couples, the private dinner is raided by the local police as well as two off - duty FBI agents . All of the men at the party are arrested, except for two who hid under the dinner table, one of whom is Sam Clay . The FBI agents use their authority to sexually abuse Sam and the other man . After this episode, Clay decides that he can't live with the constant threat of being persecuted because of his relationship with Tracy; he does not travel with Bacon . Some time after Joe leaves, Sammy marries Rosa and moves with her to the suburbs, where they raise her son Tommy in what outwardly appears to be a typical traditional nuclear family . </P> <P> Sammy and Rosa cannot hide all their secrets from Tommy, however, who manages to take private magic lessons in the Empire State Building from Joe for the better part of year without anyone else's knowledge . Tommy is instrumental in finally reuniting the Kavalier and Clay duo, which works with renewed enthusiasm to find a new creative direction for comics . Joe moves into Sammy and Rosa's house . Shortly afterwards, Sammy's homosexuality is revealed on public television . This further complicates the attempts of Rosa, Sammy, and Joe to reconstitute a family . In the end, despite Joe and Rosa's efforts to convince Sammy to stay, he leaves the house in the middle of the night without saying goodbye . </P> <P> 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 . </P> <Ul> <Li> Josef "Joe" Kavalier--One of the title characters--a 19 - year - old Jewish refugee from Prague . </Li> <Li> Sammy Klayman, a.k.a. Sam Clay--The other title character--Joe Kavalier's 17 - year - old American cousin . </Li> <Li> Rosa Saks--A bohemian artist who becomes Joe's love interest and later Sam's wife . </Li> <Li> 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 . </Li> <Li> Sheldon Anapol--The owner of Empire Comics, the company that Sam and Joe work for . </Li> <Li> George Deasey--Chief editor of Empire Comics . </Li> <Li> The Escapist--Comic book superhero and brainchild of Kavalier & Clay . Embodies the wishes of the cousins . </Li> <Li> Luna Moth--Kavalier & Clay's primary female character . Joe came up with her largely on his own after meeting Rosa Saks . </Li> <Li> Bernard Kornblum--Joe Kavalier's magic and escapology teacher in Prague . </Li> <Li> Ethel Klayman--Sam Clay's mother . </Li> <Li> Thomas Kavalier--Joe Kavalier's younger brother . </Li> <Li> Thomas Edison Clay--Joe Kavalier and Rosa Clay née Saks' natural son and Sam Clay's stepson . Told he is Sam Clay's son until the reappearance of "cousin Joe". </Li> <Li> Longman Harkoo--The father of Rosa Saks, father - in - law to Sam Clay . </Li> </Ul>

The amazing adventures of kavalier and clay film