Book Review - 'Hero' by Perry Moore

2020 EDIT: Reread.

Content warning: sexism, misogyny, slut shaming, racism (as in hate crimes), child abuse, mention of eating disorders.



'Hero' is as well written, dynamic, versatile and exciting as I remember. I must have been at least sixteen when I first read it - that is over ten years ago. Wow.

The writing and characters are good enough that I don't mind much that the plot doesn't really start until over halfway through the novel. And in a superhero story at that.

No, the reason for my downgrading 'Hero' - my knocking off two stars - is that while in some ways it is progressive and very diverse for its time (2007), in others it is not. Undeniably so.

I'm more critical and attentive now that I am older. 'Hero' is no longer a favourite of mine, and I've grown into a more seasoned superhero and comic book fan since my teens.

Our protagonist is a teenage white American gay boy, named Thom Creed, who possesses healing powers, and is notably thoughtful, helpful, hardworking, and sympathetic...mostly. Until his unchecked sexism rears its ugly head in his first person narrative. And in dialogue from other characters, gone unchallenged.

Bigoted people are the absolute worst, but marginalized people who are themselves discriminatory and patronizing towards others who are not like them, they are arguably worse still. Because they should know better. They actually know what being underprivileged, targeted, victimized and mocked feels like; what it does to their lives. But they are sexist/racist/homophobic/transphobic/ableist etc. anyway, and that makes them no better than the bigots who target them for whatever makes them an outcast and socially "different". They are not helping anyone, and they are part of the problem, is what I'm getting at.

An example of Thom's blatant sexism:


'I bolted upright in my bed with one overwhelming thought: what was I supposed to wear? I shook my head. What a girl.' - page 94


What a girl.

Three little words, and they are enough to completely bring me out of the book, in utter shock, confusion, and groaning. The thought seemed out of character for Thom up to that point; he didn't come across as a sexist meathead jackass before.

Just...why were those words put there? To what purpose? Only bullies think things like "What a girl". Toxic masculinity has never made sense, but this takes it to a new extreme. What does deciding what to wear for a life changing meeting have to do with being a girl, in a derogatory sense? EVERYONE thinks about what clothes are best to wear for important events - first impressions and all that. It has NOTHING to do with being a "girl", as if boys and men don't also think about clothes. THEY DO. THEY'RE CLOTHES! EVERYONE WEARS THEM! EVERYDAY! FOR WHATEVER SUITABLE CIRCUMSTANCE! THE FUCK IS THIS?!

There are many instances of unchecked sexism in 'Hero'. Practically every female character is portrayed negatively and adheres to retrograde stereotypes - you have a runaway mum (who stays invisible throughout the book for really no reason); a bitchy, blonde and busty cheerleader girl with a serious attitude problem who is unconscionably mean to the main character for petty reasons, and who needs a penis and a pregnancy to help calm her down; one-dimensional side players who are forgotten about once the action gets into gear; and a chain-smoking older woman who is super cool and snarky (and is refreshingly not homophobic, unlike most of the other characters), but in her past she had abandoned her POC fiance, who got crippled for life by racist white men, because of their relationship. She left the man she loved to be abused further by his white employer at a gift shop. Guilt or not, it was selfish, cowardly, and a plain dick move. And she gets fridged.

The most egregious example in 'Hero' of a sexist woman stereotype written by a man is Warrior Woman, the Wonder Woman expy. Warrior Woman is a one-dimensional, clearly labelled "bitch"; nowadays she would be dismissed as a "nasty woman". While she isn't explicitly a man-hater, nor does she obviously express any other strawman feminist personality traits, Thom, and by extension the reader, is predisposed not to like her. Because she's a "bitch", who exists as an obstacle for the hero, and who always has to be in the wrong. An alien superhero character actually calls Warrior Woman a "bitch" (page 182). For fuck's sake, even the literal space alien in the story is sexist! I don't care if it is said in jest, it didn't need to be there! She is called a "pushy broad" (page 381) by another character (spoilers), whose ultra serious and tragic personality does not reflect in the slightest that he would say something like that. But who cares about character consistency when the chance to use misogynistic language comes up, eh!

How dare 'Hero' insult Wonder Woman like this. I've grown into quite a fangirl in recent years, so now I can be angry about Warrior Woman's portrayal for another reason. It's so painfully obvious that she is supposed to be Wonder Woman - the most famous superheroine in media history, who's been popular for over sixty years at the time of this book's publication - and she is barely a character. She's useless and inconsequential to the story. She's just a "bitch".

I cannot begin to convey how colossally disrespectful this is to a prominent feminist icon and heroine to girls and women. So I won't. I wish to save at least some of my remaining blood vessels.

And lest we forget, here is the following line, spoken by an adult woman:


'[...] No one would take me seriously as a hero, I thought, if they knew what was really going on. Plus, I didn't want people to think I was trying to sleep my way to a top spot on the League. Do you remember Velvet Vixen? No, of course you don't, you're too young. Well, she was a real slut, and I didn't want anyone thinking I was easy like her.' - page 301


Internalized misogyny, slut shaming, and contradictory and hypocritical "feminism" all rolled into one giant, toxic F-U shit bomb! THIS is what I meant about this book not ageing well in some areas.

Other things bugged me about 'Hero' as well: such as the incredibly lame superhero names, even if this is meant to be a parody, but I have a feeling this was actually done to avoid copyright issues concerning existing comic book superheroes, and done half-assedly; there are issues of abuse to be discussed, but which aren't in the existing text, in the way the relationship between Thom and his father is portrayed (the homophobic, alcoholic dad very nearly beats up his teenage son (page 197), for the love of fuck! Don't pretend that didn't happen!); the "twists" are bleeding obvious; despite the diversity attempt, nearly all of the main characters are white; and who spells Thom with an H? I think it's the only time I've ever seen Tom spelled like that. Why? And how do people know to spell it as "Thom" whenever he tells them his name, without him having to mention the H? Some plot points and character motivations don't make sense to boot; which are too many to list here.

I'll leave off my re-review with one final evidence of unchecked, complicit sexist garbage from our gay protagonist:


'There'd been a lot of girls and make-out sessions once I'd hit puberty, but nothing I'd really wanted to do. Mostly it was just at the end of some stupid party and we would have paired off arbitrarily, and I'd just end up kissing them because I didn't want to be responsible in any way for their low self-esteem or future eating disorders or whatever.' - page 203


or whatever.

Fuck you.

(To Thom, I mean, not necessarily the author.

RIP Perry Moore.)

Final Score: 3/5





Original Review:



'Hero' by Perry Moore is one of my favourite novels, and one of the best superhero stories ever written, period.

Despite not being a comic book geek, I love superheroes. I've always loved the different ways they can be interpreted, explored, constructed, and parodied. In any writer's hands, they make us realize how human we all are - how much we desire to be someone special, but being wary of the responsibilities that would entail.

And dealing with the unavoidable prejudices and judgements, no matter how much good you do or try to do for others.

Also, a lot of these stories are gosh darn fresh and entertaining.

Moore's 'Hero' ticks all the boxes for me. On the surface it's silly, with cringe-worthy superhero names such as Polar Paul, Mighty Mite, Elastic Elbert and Vicious Violet. And aliens. But underneath it all is a coming-of-age story about a normal teenage boy trying to get through life, society and the expectations of his former superhero father.

The boy, Thom Creed, like everyone, has secrets. He has inherited superpowers from his mother - he can heal himself and others. He can do really good things for the world that is losing hope despite superheroes existing. And he is gay. He is too scared to tell anything to his tragedy-stricken and disgraced father.

It is a rarity that I find any book with a homosexual protagonist, much less in superhero fiction. Portrayed in a progressive light.

I first read 'Hero' when I was younger. Maybe a bit too young - this is not for children. But I loved it even then. It's also the first book I read that featured the main character masturbating.

Thom is a great protagonist to root for. He is not a stereotype but a realistic teen with relatable problems, even though he has superpowers. He tries to do good things without them, like look after and teach children in charity groups. He struggles and has insecurities like all people, and takes shit from no one. Determined and impulsive, Thom is likable, and his sexual preferences have no effect on his personality.

His relationship with his father is realistic, heartfelt, and well done. Heck, everyone Thom interacts with is the same. From Scarlett, Golden Boy, to Ruth. Their tragic backgrounds deal with real life issues. 'Hero' is a novel full of lost and misfitted souls trying to work hard for themselves and for others. With or without powers, they are flawed human beings, and life still sucks.

But the story is nonetheless uplifting in a colourful comic-book-in-prose-form perspective.

'Hero' is an original satire on superhero stories. While existing comic book heroes are obviously in this book but have had their names changed to avoid copyright issues, I didn't mind. I found it to be funnier that way.

The ending made me teary-eyed as well. Without giving much away I'll only say that Thom will know he is never really alone in the world - people will love him regardless of who he is. He and the other downtrodden characters end up being true heroes, with sacrifices made throughout the journey. They will win their own personal rewards; not really what they had at first wanted, but fitting nevertheless.

More people need to read this book, I believe. Too much negative notions and stereotyping are aimed towards gay people nowadays and it is important to realize that they are human - inside and outside. They are the same as everyone else, they make choices and contribute to society in a number of different ways. Thom is gay, and he is a character. He gets through his story discovering more about himself and his powers. He falls in love with someone he never imagined he would. He gets understandably angry when someone with him makes homophobic comments; whether directed at him or at someone else who has done nothing wrong.

A lot can be learned from reading:

'Hero' by Perry Moore -

exciting, fresh, entertaining, life changing, fun, silly but with a sincere subtext, and one of the more realistic superhero journeys I've come across.

Final Score: 5/5

Other reviews:

'This totally original, can't-put-it-down page turner is more than a terrific read, it's an unforgettable experience.' - Stan Lee

'Moore's characters are enigmatic misfits whose struggles to belong are totally believable, whether or not they've got the ability to fly...' - People Magazine