Pepper Page Saves the Universe!

Fifteen-year-old Pepper Page, an orphan, specializes in all things Supernova: despite living in a technological future populated by robots and holograms, she knows the classic comic hero’s originals and reboots, and even collects vintage print comics. To avoid mean teachers, bullies, and sometimes even friends, Pepper escapes into Supernova’s comics, which are studded with genre mainstays, including a commitment to “truth, integrity, and the rights of all.” When Pepper intervenes in a teacher’s experiment, saving its feline subject, a door to the realm beyond the physical opens, revealing that her favorite stories may be more than fiction. With strong line work, lanky characters, and luminescent colors, artist Jones cuts between the present and Supernova’s golden age–inspired comics in pages that reflect both screen tones and newspaper print. Though Walker’s overly reverent handling of classic tropes and fandom—especially male comics creators such as Peter David and Jack Kirby—sometimes detract from Pepper’s journey, she brings to life many fans’ dreams of living out their heroic fantasies. Ages 8–12. [em](Feb.) [/em]