Status
Checked out
Series
Publication
Dark Horse Books (2013), 112 pages
Description
"What if you can leap tall buildings and defeat alien monsters with your bare hands, but you buy your capes at secondhand stores and have a weakness for kittens? Cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks brings charming humor to the trials and tribulations of a young, female superhero, battling monsters both supernatural and mundane in an all-too-ordinary world" -- from publisher's web site.
User reviews
LibraryThing member LibraryGirl11
A series of vignettes in the life of a young superhero trying to make her mark in a city without a lot of action, by the creator of Friends with Boys.
LibraryThing member mamzel
These strips originally appeared online. Superhero Girl can't fly but can leap tall buildings (up to 11 stories high) and can kick butt. She does have everyday problems like running out of money and needing to find a job, dealing with her brother who can fly and finding an archnemesis.
I laughed out
I laughed out
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loud frequently. The funniest strip dealt with a bear with a monocle. Superhero Girl was not your run-of-the-mill superhero or young adult but dealt with her problems with humor and imagination. Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Superhero Girl is a superhero in a small town with not-too-successful supervillains. Mocked by the community, and feeling less than her superfamous superhero brother, she finally comes to terms with herself and her life.
LibraryThing member pussreboots
If you see the name Faith Erin Hicks on a graphic novel or comic, drop whatever else you're reading, and read her work. Anyway, that's my policy.
The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks is the story of a superhero who is trying to break free from her famous family of heroes and make a
Even when one is a superhero, it's still hard to establish oneself as a new adult. Shopping at thrift stores for superhero costumes, isn't going to make the showy impression people expect. Then there's the mundane problems too: bills, groceries, school, skeptical friends, and worse yet Ñ pesky big brothers coming to help but just showing off!
It's a fun read and a refreshing one in contrast to the over sexualized portrayal of female superheroes in many mainstream comics. The fact that I have to qualify superhero with a gender speaks to the problem with the superhero genre.
The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks is the story of a superhero who is trying to break free from her famous family of heroes and make a
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life for herself. It was originally published as a black and white webcomic, from 2010-2012. The book's artwork has been colorized.Even when one is a superhero, it's still hard to establish oneself as a new adult. Shopping at thrift stores for superhero costumes, isn't going to make the showy impression people expect. Then there's the mundane problems too: bills, groceries, school, skeptical friends, and worse yet Ñ pesky big brothers coming to help but just showing off!
It's a fun read and a refreshing one in contrast to the over sexualized portrayal of female superheroes in many mainstream comics. The fact that I have to qualify superhero with a gender speaks to the problem with the superhero genre.
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LibraryThing member kayceel
Insanely charming! An everyday superhero who has to worry about the rent and an older brother whose superhero antics far outstrip her own.
Turns a lot of superhero tropes on their heads and will make you giggle at the same time.
Turns a lot of superhero tropes on their heads and will make you giggle at the same time.
LibraryThing member kornelas1
This graphic novel is essentially a collection of comic strips that were originally published in webcomic form, which combine together to tell the longer term exploits of Superhero Girl—a fumbling girl whose only skills come in superpower form, who’s finding that, even with superpowers, the
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world is a difficult place to get by in. The graphic novel is replete with small gags, such as the interactions between Superhero Girl and her arch nemesis when they’re both ‘off-duty’ and putzing around town doing mundane errands, as well as larger issues, such as dealing with the uncertainty of finding your rhythm and place in life. Although Superhero Girl has already set off on her own and lives with a roommate in an apartment, this collection will likely apply to young adults who are beginning to worry about identifying their purpose in life and setting off into the uncertain years that follow the structure of K-12. The story also masterfully deals with the frustrations of feeling like siblings are constantly overshadowing you and learning how to communicate to improve relationships with prickly family members. Throughout it all, the interplays between text and illustrations, when presented as disparate comic strips, also mindfully deconstruct the superhero genre through parody to reassert the intention of comics to provide humor and fun. In a classroom context, this book could be utilized as a way to study short form stories and narrative structures that create impactful vignettes, or to illustrate that comic strips can be a publishable alternative to comic books and graphic novels. Recommended for purchase. Show Less
LibraryThing member terriko
The intro describes this as a story about being human, but also a superhero. This is exactly what gives it such charm, and Faith Erin Hicks' adorable art makes it perfect.
It also doesn't hurt that it's also very Canadian. (Why do the cats like the prime minister so much? Is a superhero qualified to
It also doesn't hurt that it's also very Canadian. (Why do the cats like the prime minister so much? Is a superhero qualified to
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work at Tim Horton's?) Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
So I read this when it was a regularly updated webcomic and was super excited when I saw that she was going to get to publish it. It's a pretty funny book showing an average superhero just starting out trying to get her act together. In a lot of ways it's like any adult starting out and trying to
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get their act together. I do wish that it felt more finished since the book does seem to abruptly end. In fact I felt like the last strip made it more abrupt. If they had ended on the previous story line it would have felt more complete. I'm hoping that the author gets a chance to add more to the story or finish it somehow. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
So I read this when it was a regularly updated webcomic and was super excited when I saw that she was going to get to publish it. It's a pretty funny book showing an average superhero just starting out trying to get her act together. In a lot of ways it's like any adult starting out and trying to
Show More
get their act together. I do wish that it felt more finished since the book does seem to abruptly end. In fact I felt like the last strip made it more abrupt. If they had ended on the previous story line it would have felt more complete. I'm hoping that the author gets a chance to add more to the story or finish it somehow. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
So I read this when it was a regularly updated webcomic and was super excited when I saw that she was going to get to publish it. It's a pretty funny book showing an average superhero just starting out trying to get her act together. In a lot of ways it's like any adult starting out and trying to
Show More
get their act together. I do wish that it felt more finished since the book does seem to abruptly end. In fact I felt like the last strip made it more abrupt. If they had ended on the previous story line it would have felt more complete. I'm hoping that the author gets a chance to add more to the story or finish it somehow. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
So I read this when it was a regularly updated webcomic and was super excited when I saw that she was going to get to publish it. It's a pretty funny book showing an average superhero just starting out trying to get her act together. In a lot of ways it's like any adult starting out and trying to
Show More
get their act together. I do wish that it felt more finished since the book does seem to abruptly end. In fact I felt like the last strip made it more abrupt. If they had ended on the previous story line it would have felt more complete. I'm hoping that the author gets a chance to add more to the story or finish it somehow. Show Less
LibraryThing member mirikayla
Love the idea, but the execution (mostly lame dialogue) fell flat for me.
LibraryThing member lillibrary
She has superpowers! She fights evil ninjas! She needs to pay rent! Faith Erin Hicks explores the role of a superhero by taking a humorous look at her daily life. A life where Superhero Girl runs into her arch nemesis while grocery shopping, where she forgets to take off her mask before a date, and
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where she needs a roommate to help keep expenses down. And don’t even get the girl started on her famous superhero brother, Kevin! A collection of webcomic strips rather than a singular plot line, The Adventures of Superhero Girl is a smart, quirky read guaranteed to provide plenty of chuckles. Show Less
LibraryThing member kittyjay
Beautiful, colorful art, a great story premise, and great lines, with an underlying message. What more could I want?
Faith Erin Hicks's style is vibrant, charming, and shows off her talent. The peppy coloring and line is is just so perfectly suited to the superhero theme. Super Hero Girl is just a
Definitely give it a try.
Faith Erin Hicks's style is vibrant, charming, and shows off her talent. The peppy coloring and line is is just so perfectly suited to the superhero theme. Super Hero Girl is just a
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regular superhero, trying to fight crime in a city with a dearth of supervillains, prove her worth in the shadow of a perfect big brother (also a superhero), and trying to pay her half of the rent. Though it definitely is funny and hopelessly charming, there's something so relatable about Super Hero Girl that makes it more than just a series of funny one-page comics or a superhero parody. Definitely give it a try.
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LibraryThing member bobbybslax
It's cute, it's quick, and it seems perfectly relatable for young girls. I wouldn't know personally, but it has a good message and an earnest, encouraging spirit.
LibraryThing member LibroLindsay
This may have been the cutest comic ever. Long live Superhero Girl!
LibraryThing member lexilewords
This was such a fun and amusing book! Meet Superhero Girl (that's not really her real superhero name, but well she lives in Canada...) as she tries to find her place in the world out of the shadow of her brother Kevin's super-heroic infamy.
She saves cats, helps old ladies cross the street, battles
These are loosely connected comics ranging from a few panels to a few pages, that mostly pick up from where the other left off (except when it goes into the past as Superhero Girl chose to strike out on her own, about half way through the book).
I know Hicks' artwork and charm from the short comics that are occasionally featured on Tor.com (for fannish things--reactions to movies and such). This is my first time reading an original work of hers and I loved it. Perfect for all ages with colorful artwork and plenty of humor.
The book begins by having Superhero Girl doing stuff you don't see heroes doing much of nowadays; their own laundry (how to deal with a shrunk cape!), explaining their weird disappearances to roommates and friends, saving cats (even if they don't want to be saved). At first this really is just a book of 'day in the life of a superhero' with only the title character tying them together.
It changes when we start to learn more about her past and meet her brother Kevin. SG was his sidekick back in their hometown and while this seemed fine and dandy for him, she wanted something more. Wanted to be recognized on her own merits. The scene where she explains to him is heart breaking on both sides. Kevin clearly doesn't want her to strike out on her own, but he let's her because he's unselfish. Equally I don't think SG wanted to hurt him or leave him in the dust, but she couldn't find an identity.
Anyone with a sibling can understand. I know I surely can. Its like 'But wait...why can't we go back to you following me around and thinking I'm the super coolest?'
At any rate I think this will please just about anyone. Hicks draws and writes for an all ages crowd, but doesn't sacrifice impact.
She saves cats, helps old ladies cross the street, battles
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ninjas, deals with a skeptical obnoxious superhero fanboy and searches for an archnemsis (who won't steal her job and become rich from giving up a life of crime).These are loosely connected comics ranging from a few panels to a few pages, that mostly pick up from where the other left off (except when it goes into the past as Superhero Girl chose to strike out on her own, about half way through the book).
I know Hicks' artwork and charm from the short comics that are occasionally featured on Tor.com (for fannish things--reactions to movies and such). This is my first time reading an original work of hers and I loved it. Perfect for all ages with colorful artwork and plenty of humor.
The book begins by having Superhero Girl doing stuff you don't see heroes doing much of nowadays; their own laundry (how to deal with a shrunk cape!), explaining their weird disappearances to roommates and friends, saving cats (even if they don't want to be saved). At first this really is just a book of 'day in the life of a superhero' with only the title character tying them together.
It changes when we start to learn more about her past and meet her brother Kevin. SG was his sidekick back in their hometown and while this seemed fine and dandy for him, she wanted something more. Wanted to be recognized on her own merits. The scene where she explains to him is heart breaking on both sides. Kevin clearly doesn't want her to strike out on her own, but he let's her because he's unselfish. Equally I don't think SG wanted to hurt him or leave him in the dust, but she couldn't find an identity.
Anyone with a sibling can understand. I know I surely can. Its like 'But wait...why can't we go back to you following me around and thinking I'm the super coolest?'
At any rate I think this will please just about anyone. Hicks draws and writes for an all ages crowd, but doesn't sacrifice impact.
Show Less
Awards
Eisner Award (Nominee — 2014)
Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List (Selection — 2014)
OYAN Graphic Rave (2013)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013-02-26
Physical description
112 p.; 10.51 inches
ISBN
1616550848 / 9781616550844