The Epic Origin of Super Potato: Book 1

Super Potato originated in Spain and now his awesome adventures are coming to the US, courtesy of Graphic Universe.

The story begins with Super Max, an amazing superhero with great hair, 737 muscles (he has more than the average human!), and no problem defeating the bad guys... until the villainous Dr. Malevolent turns him into a potato! All hope is lost! Potatoes can't be superheroes!

Or can they?

A quick stop at home for the accessories of his (failed) action figure, and Super Potato is on the job, complete with great hair! Er, maybe no hair. His first task is to get Dr. Malevolent to turn him back to the awesome Super Max, of course, but when that plan goes awry (think giant potato peelers!!) he'll have to decide if he can keep being a show more superhero - without great hair or his 737 muscles.

The goofy cartoons reminded me a little of the style of Trondheim. Super potato is a, well, a potato while Dr. Malevolent (and his pet rat) are skinny, long-nosed creatures that posture and rant. A quasi-futuristic city, distressed potato-citizens (Dr. Malevolent got a little handsy with his ray gun for a while), and plenty of jokes, both for superhero fans and young readers, make it clear why Super Patata is a popular comic strip in Spain.

Verdict: I've been wrong about European import comics (and vegetable-themed superheroes) before, but I really think this one will click with younger kids. I wouldn't go out on a limb for it if I wasn't sure though, because the library bound titles are expensive at over $20 apiece while the more affordable paperbacks will be so skinny they disappear on the shelf.

ISBN: 9781512440218; Published August 2018 by Lerner/Graphic Universe; Borrowed from another library in my consortium show less

Super Max is taken by surprise when his arch-nemesis attacks him with the technology to change him into a potato! But his enemy in surprised in turn when all of Max's super powers still exist, turning him into ... Super Potato!

This was a short, hilarious read. There's nothing earth-shattering in terms of moral or message (there's arguably not one at all), but it's a fun and quick read for young readers. I could definitely see it being used for those wanting to get into comic books and becoming familiar with the style. Fans of other funny comics like Dog Man would enjoy this book. This being only his origin story, there is more Super Potato to read if kids really do enjoy this title.

My one big reservation with the book is the total lack show more of diversity. show less

This is a lot of fun. Is you have kids that love Dogman, Captain Underpants, or Narwhal then you need to get this book. Super Potato started out as Super Max. But his run in with Doctor Malevolent leaves his as a wrinkled and plump root vegetable. This book is over the top silly, which is exactly as I would want and expect. Kids will love it.

This book is about how Super Potato becomes a superhero after a villain turns him into a potato. He goes on adventures as he tries to stop the villain. This could be used to encourage students who might struggle with reading to enjoy reading through humor and comics. It can also help students practice understanding story sequence. Age range: 6-10.

Cute! Vain super hero turned into a potato. Adorableness.