Other People's Heroes

The Heroes of Siegel City #1

by Blake M. Petit

Imagine, for a moment, that you live in a world full of superheroes. Imagine a world where people bend steel in their bare hands, where champions dart across the sky, where avengers step out of the shadows to protect the innocent. Imagine a man larger than life protecting the innocent, imagine a family of heroes, imagine warriors dedicated to the safety of mankind. Imagine you've worshiped them your entire life. Then imagine it's all a hoax. Imagine that your champions are actors, the fights choreographed... imagine the real heroes vanished a decade ago. Imagine you're the only one who knows the truth. And imagine what you would do to put things right...

Genres: Superheroes, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Comics, Fiction

239 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2002

About the author

Blake M. Petit is a writer, columnist, reviewer, podcaster, actor, director, and teacher from Ama, Louisiana. He is the author of several novels, short stories and nonfiction examinations of geek culture available both in print and in eBook form. His original stage play, The 3-D Radio Show, was produced in 2004 and again in 2016. In a former life as a newspaper editor, his weekly Think About It column won the Louisiana Press Association Award for best column in 2001. In his free time, he teaches high school English, which at the moment pays better than the rest of his more impressive-sounding endeavors put together.

Blake lives in Ama, Louisiana, with his remarkably understanding wife, Erin, their son, and a sizable army of action figures, statues, and LEGO Minifigs.

Contact Blake at BlakeMPetit@gmail.com and visit him on the web at www.BlakeMPetit.com

Reviews

[L.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Article first published as Book Review: Other People's Heroes by Blake M. Petit on Blogcritics.

Comic books have long been a way to savor our heroes and find those with super human powers that do good in our world. As with most, in order to be successful as a hero, there must also be villains. In Other People’s Heroes by Blake M. Petit, we follow the exploits of a group of heroes and villains known as Capes (superheroes) and Masks (villains).

Ever since being rescued as a young child from a burning building by the superhero Lionheart, Josh Corwood has been enamored of the Capes. His obsession never waned and as he gained adulthood he went into the only profession he could that he felt would bring him close to his idols. Working for Powerlines kept his finger on the pulse of crime, and he could stay in contact with the inevitable conflicts that continued to rise between these two forms of superpowers.
Over time, his hero worship never really dimmed although his favorite hero Lionheart had disappeared in a confrontation with the Mask known as Carnival. When Josh receives an opportunity for an exclusive interview with Dr. Noble, one of the most highly respected of the Capes he is excited. His best friend Sheila is his copy editor at Powerlines and is just as discouraged as he is, by the pompousness experienced during his interview. The one thing though that Josh did find interesting was the rush of power he experienced when he was around Dr. Noble. It was the same feeling he had experienced so many years ago when rescued by Lionheart.

As he experiments with this power with seems to fill him in the presence of both Capes and Masks alike, he realizes that he is capable of becoming one of them and fulfilling is lifelong dream. He soon realizes that everything he believes my not be real. And even as this education initiates, it begins to appear as though there is now an extreme super villain. Can Josh with his new powers along with the other Capes save the day, or will they need more than what they themselves are capable of.

Petit has done an exceptional job of building heroes and villains that are unique and quite true to form from the comic books and cartoons. He has taken this group and built an incredible story around them. Like reading a comic from the beginning issue to the end, it is satisfying and enriching. As with the comic when I was young I could become the hero or the villain, and while they were both incredibly talented, they were not extremely evil. It was fun to make believe because there was always just a bit of good even in the worst of the bunch. However, when real evil enters the fray all bets are off, and it is anyone’s guess who will win and who will lose.

Written with a keen eye it is easy to picture the characters and the places. The story told is exceptional, and if I had pictures with it, I would have felt again as a child as I read the most recent issues of my favorite hero. The thing about comics though is some readers never gave up and have been followers for their whole lives. The true comic lovers are the people I envy even as I read and find myself transported back to a time of real believing.

I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys action and adventure, and especially those that enjoy comic book heroes. It is fun and absorbing. I found it hard to put down once I began.

This book was received as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the top adventure

The plot was truly creative and the humor was good. I wish I could give it five stars. But it was melodramatic. The hero swung from enraged to giddy to devastated (yes, those words). The bad guys were obviously bad and the good guys perfect. But the overall story was creative and clever enough that even with all that it was still an enjoyable story.

[Two Bibliomaniacs · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I don’t know what’s worse, your stupidity or your low opinion of me.”

The age old story... boy longs for superpowers. Boy recognizes his dream. Boy falls in love with super good looking, yet slightly insecure super-heroine. Boy uncovers sinister plot. Boy must make a cadence of decision that will have a profound influence on the fate of the entire world, all the while, indulging a journey of self discovery and trying not to get blown up by a deadly Teke-blast.

Josh Corwood has spent his entire life hero-worshiping his city’s superheroes. In fact, he’s made a career of reporting and writing stories about them. Then, one fateful day, after witnessing a battle between Dr. Noble and Miss Sinistah, Josh realizes he also possesses a few super skills (as an added bonus he doesn’t have to fall into an oversized vat of toxic ooze). At once, the main character makes plans to integrate himself into the world of Superheroes and Super-villains. Only then does he realize the world in which he has longed to become a part of, is not all that it seems. In fact, it’s nothing like it seems and all too vulnerable to corruption and greed. Will our young hero pull the curtain on the hoax? Will he fight for justice and honor against a corrupt system? Or will he lose his lower extremities and suffer the same fate as washed up superheroes of the past? Sorry, you’re just going to have to read Other People’s Heroes to find out...

Other People’s Hero’s has the distinct honor of standing as our first superhero related novel. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. From the beginning we were sucked into the fantastical world of superheroes and super-villains. The text contains many unique personalities, yet there was a good balance of back-story while at the same time keeping the story moving forward. It’s hard not to be intrigued with characters like Merlin Junior, the Conductor, Particle, Animan, the Goop, the Gunk, Justice Giant, and Herr Nemesis.

Other People’s Heroes had a few minor flaws, yet none were significant enough to distract from the overall story. The writing was simple (in a good way) and fun and we found ourselves laughing at more than one analogy. The themes are what you’d expect from a comic book type novel – good vs. evil, power vs. submission, greed vs. selflessness, super-speed vs. super-strength – yet each topic was given interesting perspective. For anyone looking to hero-up or for something different than the novel their currently reading (assuming they’re not reading something from the superhero genre), Other People’s Heroes will prove a worthy ally.

[Ruby Ridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

t is really hard to get a new angle on superheroes nut the author succeeds, unfortunately the execution is not up to the idea, Characters are never really fleshed out - maybe as there are so many - and trying to keep up with who is who interferes with the following of the plot. Another thing is the superpowers are either never really clear or kinda dumb,
A solid three star book, I just wonder what a different author would have done with the idea.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first impression was that the editing is... rough. I mentioned this to the author (we're connected on Google+), and he said that he and a couple of editors had gone over it but something always gets missed. Well, they missed quite a lot, actually. Mostly typos, misplaced commas, quotation marks closed in the wrong place and so forth, but several clangers as well. Blake: The piece of gymnastic equipment is called a pommel horse, not a pummel horse. The Happy Days character was Ralph Malph, not Ralph Mouth. And a split between members of a group is a schism, not a chiasm.

Apart from that - and as a former editor, these things annoy me disproportionately - I loved this. I'm a big fan of superhero novels, though I've at least temporarily given up on the comics because the way the women are drawn isn't good for my head. (The final trigger was a collection of Legion of Superheroes. I looked at Objectified Girl and Inadequate Clothing Lass, or whatever their names are, on the cover and decided to return it to the library unread.)

Other People's Heroes, though (which is what I was talking about, in case you also had forgotten), had all of the strengths of a really good superhero tale, without the silliness.

It wasn't predictable - at least, only one of the three things I thought would happen actually happened. The central character was a decent guy doing his best with the hand he'd been dealt, which is my favourite kind of protagonist. There was enough action to be exciting without it being wall-to-wall fisticuffs, a good balance of conflict and reflection. And the superhero powers were a mix of classic and fresh. There were nods, for comics fans, to a lot of DC and Marvel heroes, but it managed to be a tribute rather than a rip-off. (Particularly since these were the minor characters - all the majors were original.)

When I finished, I went to the Kindle store under the vague impression that I'd seen another novel in the same setting, but it turned out to all be short stories. Please, Sir, can I have some more?

[Michele Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Title: Other People's Heroes: The Heroes of Siegel City
Author: Blake M. Petit
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781463599072
Reviewed By Michele Tater for The Couch Tater Review

I believe that interest in heroes is universal and eternal. ~Norman Spinrad

Joshua Corwood is a “regular” guy in a world filled with super heroes (Capes) and villains (Masks). The only saving grace in his mundane life is the fact that he gets to write about these extraordinary people in a newspaper called Powerlines. He gets to interview them and get their back story to share to the world, well his small corner of the world. Joshua secretly wishes he was a superhero, someone who could save the innocent and be a hero to all. In his pursue of the next big story he discoveries the tale of the millennium. Could everything he knows and ultimately loves about the Capes be a sham? And if it is should he tell others or keep it to himself? The life as Siegel City knows it will be changed forever if the story gets out.

Imagine a comic book story made into a book without pictures...this is the result. Not really heard of right, but it works so well here. I really enjoyed this method because it give the reader the opportunity to use their imagination to picture the characters and events. Each character, even the superheroes and villains, have depth and substance with very human-like personalities including their flaws. I loved the sense of humor sprinkled throughout the book along with the serious story line. A plot like no other keeps the reader engrossed and entertained with the pasting of each page. Recommended to readers of all ages especially lovers of comic books who are willing to see it in a different light and in a whole new way.

[Carl Alves · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his novel Other People’s Heroes, Blake Petit puts together an interesting premise. It’s a combination of the Justice League and the Legion of Doom run by a professional wrestling federation. In the world he created, in Siegel City, there is a cadre of superheroes and super villains except the heroes aren’t always good and the villains aren’t always bad. They play characters much like in pro wrestling with staged rumbles between the good guys and bad guys. Right off the bat, this is a cool concept, which definitely made me what to read more. Josh Corwood is a very ordinary guy who finds out by accident that he has superpowers. His is that he can replicate other people’s powers when in close proximity to them. He’s also a reporter, who when indoctrinated to what’s going on in Siegel City, wants to expose the scam. However, when he befriends some of the heroes, including Miss Sinista, he has a change of heart.

This novel has a very fast pace to it. There is little fluff, which I enjoyed since most novels tend to be overwritten. Petit employs a light style and humor, and never takes his story too seriously. The collection of superheroes in the novel is pretty cool. They don’t necessarily have the typical superpowers found in the Marvel and DC universes. I give Petit an A+ for originality. The writing is also good and the climax explosive. If I were to offer some criticism, the use of humor in spots seems forced and the idea of less is more should have been employed. Also, some of the action sequences, especially at the finale were a little hard to follow. All told, this was a fun novel that I recommend reading.

Carl Alves - author of Reconquest: Mother Earth

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun. Certainly written by someone who loves the genre.

However, this book retains numerous pitfalls native to superhero fiction: overwriting; excessively large cast; secondary characters missing in action; and others. This book also appears to be self-published (read: no professional editing).

Other People's Heroes has a lot of the same problems that Soon I Will Be Invincible has, chief among them, the author spends way too much time feeding the reader with world-building information that the central narrative is crowded out. Dozens of characters are name-dropped, worthless, or introduced for initially inexplicable reasons, only to be recalled once or twice later, leading to very confusing character dynamics (considering it's highly unlikely the reader is to remember these dozens of names, powers, motivations, and so forth). It's exhausting and unnecessary.

On the plus side, the book's splinter plots are of interest, and the novel does a pretty solid job of orchestrating an intelligent means of supporting the initial premise, even if the action doesn't really start moving until halfway through. To that end, it's a considerable shame that the main character's civilian life completely disappears. The most significant struggle of being super human is the quest to remain or pretend to be human in spite of your superior obligations. The main character, Josh, abandons his civilian obligations, which is a bit impractical.

This edition includes two short stories in the back. I would advise readers to skip them.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josh Corwood has always wanted to be a superhero, and when he unexpectedly develops a special talent, he is excited to join the league. But what if the life of a superhero isn't as real as it seems?

I have never read a superhero story before, so I didn't know what to expect. What I got was an amazing read. Action, excitement, surprise, and even a sweet love story.

Josh is a really nice guy. He has a solid moral and ethics code, and everything he does is in line with this. This makes for a refreshing, and very likeable character. His crush, and resulting romance, is very sweet, and totally unexpected.

Most of the characters are very accessible, and easy to understand. There are a few cliche-type personalities, but this fits with the superhero theme. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and realistic facets that each personality had. I'm not sure if this was just my reaction, or if it also had to do with Josh's surprise at this development as well. Either way, I liked it.

There were two bonus stories included, Lonely Miracle and Inciting Incident. Both of these stories were awesome, and complimented the main story well. I loved the little insight into a specific superhero's story. I'd love to read stories about the other characters.

[Sean Duggan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the concept of the "professional wrestling" setup for superpowered conflict a lot and I wish they had kept with that. Unfortunately, the plotline moves instead to a scheme by a master villain and we never really get back to the fun running the business.

Despite my disagreement on the introduction of the master villain, I enjoyed the book. The editing was a bit rough on the edition I read, and I've heard some of the other versions are even worse (the book reportedly being self-published). The main character, Josh, comes off a bit over-powered at times with his ability to essentially use anyone else's powers at all, and often using them better than the people who have been using them for years. There are a ton of characters introduced and then essentially disappear from the plot. But overall, it's a good product.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. I read the 2011 edition of this story which I understand is a bit different from a version published a few years ago. This is probably one the best superhero themed books I've read. It tells the story of Josh Corwood, a reporter in Siegal City who finds he has an unusual super power and then finds that there is a big secret that all the superheroes and villains are hiding....This is one of those gems you sometimes unearth in self publishing and I'm really glad I purchased this book to read and I'll be looking out for anything new in Siegal city as this was a real fun read.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

"There is no peace for me," says the villain in Other People's Heroes. "There will never be peace for me, and it's all because of the stupid, stupid superheroes." Poor guy. All he wants to do is take over the world. And those darn superheroes keep getting in his way. Tsk! The book ends with the phrase: "... it was a start." That's a mildly clever way to end a novel.

[Rosalind M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started out not being too keen on the whole "reporter reveals all" idea but determined to read the book. I soon found myself picking the book up to continue reading at every opportunity. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

Note that there's also a short story starring the main character of this book: "The Restless Dead of Siegel City".

[Jeffrey Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a refreshing take on comic-book superheroes. It's fairly original, it's fun, and I found myself laughing often. Petit has a very wry sense of humor, and it comes out well in this story. I think the best part of the book is the dialogue, as it keeps the story moving, and really reads quickly.

I don't read comedy novels that often, but I really enjoyed Other People's Heroes.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather odd plot line, using a WWF-like structure for handling a bunch of superheroes and supervillains. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am eagerly anticipating the sequel.

To all those readers complaining about typo errors and grammatical glitches, I'd like to point out that even the most experienced and renowned authors make errors (a personal 'favourite' is in "Pillars of the Earth"!!!)

[Penelope · Rating 5 out of 5]

A realy enjoyable story. I was entertained from the first page. I really liked the story and the characters, the twists that make the story exciting and give it action.

I definitely recommend this one! Both to the superhero fans and those that aren't.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of superheroes with a twist- the "battles" between good & evil are being staged. This comedic novel was a lot of fun, but definitely dragged on for way too long. A graphic novel format with some deep editing would make this into a 5 star endeavor. Opportunity missed.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent take on a superhero book. I enjoyed seeing the progression of the main character. I hope there is a 2nd book.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[iamjacksfingers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar. Great, great story.

[Will Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun super hero story and a entertaining read but its definitly no "Devil's Cape"

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this superhero podiobook. Excellent pacing, fun action, and a plot with just enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, not too many to keep track of.

[Igii Enverga · Rating 3 out of 5]

old. can't remember the book at all, sorry future self reading these reviews D;

blackhole: me, myself, and i

[Ran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story and writing.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book, entertaining, fast read. I wanted some light, easy reading, and this was exactly that.

[Britt]

good book