Hollywood seems to be obsessed with superheroes – it’s hard to keep tabs on all the Marvel movie characters, while Batman V Superman is released in UK cinemas next month.
There have inevitably been spoof superhero films, like Kick-Ass, but even that doesn’t come close to the new breed of superhero concocted by Phil Earle in his latest book for school kids.
The Z-list are an unlikely bunch led by Mouse The Mighty, whose magician dad has just left his Lollipop Lady mum and five brothers (triplets and twins).
When Mouse and his mum accidentally foil a jewel heist by Ernie D’astardly and his sister Esther, they become local heroes, but Esther, who escapes from the scene of the crime, has an evil plan to infiltrate the Z-list and reclaim a precious diamond that landed in the triplets’ change bag.
Last year’s Demolition Dad, about Jake’s dad George who’s a secret wrestler, won wide praise – and Mouse lives just up the road from Jake on Storey Street. Fabulous fun.