Bad Guys Finish First

March 27, 2017
Cartoonist and author Fry (the Odd Squad series) explores what happens when supervillain parents end up with a good kid in this offbeat story, which is bolstered by plenty of loopy b&w comics sequences. Twelve-year-old Victor wants to please his parents, Rupert and Olivia Spoil, but it’s hard when he’s a neatnik who doesn’t have an evil bone in his body. Enter the Smear, one of the many nutty heroes and antiheroes populating the story. Not even the most sinister of villains, Dr. Deplorable, is remotely menacing—Fry draws heroes and evildoers alike as egg-headed, out-of-shape has-beens with such names as Professor Tuba and the Pollinator. The Smear, whose superpower is staining people, has been hired by Victor’s parents to tutor Victor in the art of supervillainy in a world in which superhero battles are all staged, “just like pro wrestling.” Kids who like their humor absurdist may be entertained, but with low-as-can-be stakes and what’s essentially a cast of losers, it may not impress diehard superhero fans. Ages 8–14. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.