Superheroes

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About Meddling Heroes

My latest novel, Meddling Heroes, is now on sale in both paperback and e-copy. While the books find their way to local stores and libraries, you can order your copies at the links below.

This novel presents Roosevelt Pythagoras, a newly-released supervillain who must solve the mystery of his own murder before it happens. Does his villainy lead to his demise, or did one of those meddling heroes do it? He is joined by his defense attorney Eva Corson, who has more than professional goals in mind for this case…

Wait…why does the name Roosevelt Pythagoras sound familiar?

Other than the historical figures that the name draws from, Roosevelt Pythagoras was the mad scientist/protagonist of my short story “Flinch,” which received honorable mention in the 2018 New Millennium Writings Fiction Awards. If you haven’t read that story yet, I’ll be posting it here in the coming days.

And yes, there’s more!

As with my Greystone Valley novels, I’ll be adding information about the world of Meddling Heroes to this site in weeks to come. This supplemental information isn’t needed to enjoy the book, which stands alone, but helps to flesh out the world around Roosevelt’s adventures. You can check the Meddling Heroes section of this site for more.

Get ready for a world of zany comic book style fun! Meddling Heroes is now available!

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Coming Soon: Meddling Heroes

Every day, my captors wake me up, strip me naked, and check for microchips in my brain.

Roosevelt Pythagoras has nine PhDs, a litany of crimes, and several lifetime sentences in a maximum security prison. He is the world’s most notorious supervillain…or was, until his exoneration days ago. Now he must win over the trust of a superhero community who wants him either dead or behind bars, all while trying to solve the most puzzling murder of all: his own.

Meddling Heroes is my latest novel featuring a supervillain-turned-detective who must solve his own murder before it happens. The mystery unfolds in a world of superheroes, magicians, and time travelers. Come along for the journey and try to solve a mystery in a world where anything is possible.

Meddling Heroes will be available in print beginning May 4, 2023 and on the Kindle shortly after that. In the meantime, check out the new Meddling Heroes section of this site for background information and hints that can help you explore this superpowered whodunnit!

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Fantasy as you Like It

Originally published in the Chaffin Journal (as Charlie Martin)
Winner of the 2006 Chaffin Award for FictionIncredible Hulk #1 (Marvel Comics)

A man in a lab coat stands in the middle of the desert. His mouth hangs open in an extended scream as his body twists and grows. His glasses fall off and his clothes tear at the seams. American soldiers surround him on all sides, their jaws slack in shock as they watch an ordinary man become a seven foot tall gray-skinned behemoth. A giant question mark hangs in the air behind the scene, invisible to all but the reader and posing one apparently all-important question.

IS HE MAN OR MONSTER OR…IS HE BOTH?

Continue reading →

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Meddling Heroes: Another World, Another Time

Einstein told the President to make a bomb. Instead, they made a man.

Meddling Heroes is a superhero murder mystery told from two perspectives: the world’s greatest supervillain and the woman who frees him from prison. Before we explore the characters in this drama, though, let’s break down the world in which it unfolds.

Continue reading →
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My Favorite Panels: Lex’s Realization

All Star Superman

Comics are a visual medium, and one panel can leave an impression that lasts a lifetime. With that in mind, I thought I would run through some of my favorite comic book panels of all time.

I begin the journey with one of my favorite comics ever, All Star Superman. I think it’s the best Superman story ever written, and it may be one of the best comics ever. Any given page of this 12-issue series is a work of art, but my favorite panel is rather understated.

Read more at the Screamsheet!

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The Golden Age Superman was a Badass Vigilante (Part 1 of 2)

Superman Action Comics #1

I had the good fortune of picking up Superman: The Golden Age, Vol. 1while it was on sale at Comixology.com a few weeks ago. I like the Golden/Silver Age stuff as a historical artifact of how comics shaped pop culture. In the case of Golden Age Superman, the results were really eye opening.

I knew that Superman’s early days were very different from the Man of Steel we know today. He didn’t have heat vision, couldn’t fly, and kryptonite wasn’t a thing yet. However, I didn’t realize how fully early Superman embraced his role as a man of the people – or how well the stories serve as middle-class wish fulfillment.

Read more at the Screamsheet!

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Captain American Punching Hitler was Once Controversial

Captain America 1In 1941, the people of the United States got their first taste of a superhero known as Captain America. This star-spangled soldier introduced himself to the world by punching Adolf Hitler in the face. Can’t get more American than that, right?

Too bad Cap’s creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby got death threats over it.

Read more at Time for Backstory!

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Captain America is Ruined Forever! (But Not Really)

Steve Rogers Captain America #1After several years of not being Captain America, Steve Rogers has once again donned his iconic blue suit, albeit with a few changes to the overall look.

Oh yeah…there’s one other big change to the original Captain America – one which, according to many people on the Internet, ruins him forever.

Since Steve Rogers: Captain America #1 only hit shelves this week, I’ll add an off-topic spoiler space for those who want a chance to be surprised by the big twist.

Read more at the Screamsheet!