8 - Hero by Perry Moore

I was excited to find a book with a gay teen superhero! As one of the blurbs says, this is a genrebuster. Thom, the protagonist, has two BIG problems to deal with: he's gay, and he's developing super powers. His distant dad, a disgraced superhero with no innate powers of his own, isn't going to be happy about either of Thom's secrets. Consequently, Thom's running himself ragged to work, go to school, volunteer, save the world, and kiss a guy. Any guy, really, even the super-creepy one who picks him up in the parking lot of the Purple Cactus. Oh, and Dark Hero won't quit following him. And then his invisible mother shows up in his bedroom with a pocket flask and more secrets.

This book was full of every trope and cliche Moore could possibly pack in. In the grand tradition of pulpy superhero stories, it was cheesy and bordered on silly at times. But I loved it. Thom was a very real, flawed character with problems, mistakes, and insecurities galore. I was rooting for him for the very beginning. His team of superhero hopefuls was quirky and kind of pathetic, but they supported him when it counted and didn't even care that he was gay. It's good to have friends who accept you no matter what.

Sadly, I learned that Perry Moore passed away a few months ago. He was an executive producer for The Chronicles of Narnia and did various other things in Hollywood. Sad that such talent is gone.