Novels for Fans of Superheroes
There are a lot of comics in my house, from Disney and Archie to Batman, X-men, and Crisis of Infinite Earths. And there are tons of great Marvel and DC graphic novels these days, too (Primer and Whistle are two of my favorites). Sometimes we want a nice long novel to sink into. I’ve found a few great novels to recommend in the YA and adult spaces for superhero fans. The first three have superpowered main characters; the last two are about “ordinary” people who think a lot of about superheroes.
Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn (2017)
This adult romance (yes, there’s sex!) focuses on Evie, whose job is personal assistant to her best friend Annie, known to the world as Aveda Jupiter — demon-destroying, world-saving superhero. When Aveda is injured and Evie reveals that she also has superpowers, the pair must re-evaluate which of them should save the world from alien demons.
Dreadnought series by April Daniels (started 2017)
This fantastic YA duology starts with the death of a superhero and a trans kid inheriting those powers, and with them, the ability to be seen by others they way she feels inside. Beyond her identity, Danny must also navigate the local superhero organization, a vigilante super, and the villains who are coming for her and all humanity.
Renegades series by Marisa Meyer (started 2018)
Meyer’s YA series is set in a world where superheroes have become the government and explores how that might complicate life. The world’s history includes a past where people with powers were forced to hide. There were those who fought for equality, led by Ace Anarchy. Ace was deemed a villain for his methods. His niece, Nova, aka Nightmare, is the heroine of the series as she goes undercover with the governing forces.
The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune (2021)
Nick has ADHD, his dad’s a cop, and his mom was killed in a bank robbery. He spends all his free time writing fan fiction about his city’s superhero, one of the Extraordinaries. When he meets the hero (a scene that had me laughing out loud), Nick decides he should become Extraordinary, too.
Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin Hicks (2020)
Hicks, who is well known for her graphic novels, makes her YA fiction debut with Comics Will Break Your Heart. The novel centers on the unlikely romance between Miriam and Wendell. The grandfathers of the pair were collaborators on the TomorrowMen comic series, about to become a blockbuster movie. Years ago, Miriam’s grandfather sued for his portion of the fortune but died before the case finished. Miriam’s mother settled for a payout, but bad feelings remain between the two families.