Book Review: Other People’s Heroes by Blake M. Petit

Comic books have long been a way to savor our heroes and find those with super human powers that do good in our world. In order to be successful as a hero, though, there must also be villains. In Other People’s Heroes by Blake M. Petit, we follow the exploits of a group of heroes and villains known as Capes (superheroes) and Masks (villains).

Ever since being rescued as a young child from a burning building by the superhero Lionheart, Josh Corwood has been enamored of the Capes. His obsession never waned and as he gained adulthood he went into the only profession he could that he felt would bring him close to his idols. Working for Powerlines kept his finger on the pulse of crime, and he could stay in contact with the inevitable conflicts that continued to rise between these two forms of superpowers.

Over time, his hero worship never really dimmed although his favorite hero Lionheart had disappeared in a confrontation with the Mask known as Carnival. When Josh receives an opportunity for an exclusive interview with Dr. Noble, one of the most highly respected of the Capes, he is excited. His best friend Sheila is his copy editor at Powerlines and is just as discouraged as he is, by the pompousness experienced during his interview. The one thing though that Josh does find interesting is the rush of power he experienced when he was around Dr. Noble. It is the same feeling he experienced so many years ago when rescued by Lionheart.

As he experiments with this power which seems to fill him in the presence of both Capes and Masks alike, he realizes that he is capable of becoming one of them and fulfilling his lifelong dream. He soon realizes that everything he believes may not be real. At the same time, an extreme super villain appears. Can Josh, along with the other Capes, save the day with his new powers?

Petit has done an exceptional job of building heroes and villains that are unique and quite true to form from the comic books and cartoons. He has taken this group and built an incredible story around them. Like reading a comic from the beginning issue to the end, it is satisfying and enriching. As with the comics when I was young, I could become the hero or the villain, and while the latter were incredibly talented, they were not extremely evil. It was fun to make believe because there was always just a bit of good even in the worst of the bunch. However, when real evil enters the fray all bets are off, and it is anyone’s guess who will win and who will lose.

Written with a keen eye, Petit makes it easy to picture the characters and the places. The story is exceptional, and if I had pictures with it, I would have felt again as a child as I read the most recent issues of my favorite hero. The thing about comics, though, is that some readers never gave up and have been followers for their whole lives. True comic lovers are the people I envy even as I read and find myself transported back to a time of real believing.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys action and adventure, and especially those that enjoy comic book heroes. It is fun and absorbing. I found it hard to put down once I began.