Zeroes to Heroes

The Adventures of Invisible Boy #2

by Doogie Horner

 


Being invisible comes with great responsibility ...
and great fun!


In the second installment of this hilarious unlikely-superhero
romp, Stanley and Gene master their invisibility
powers and face a mysterious new villain bent on their
destruction!


Stanley and Gene have joined forces and finally figured out how
to control their invisibility. It's obvious to Stanley
what the duo should do with this newfound control—fight crime
of course! Gene, on the other hand, is not so sure. When the
only crime around is stealing a pen from the bank, fighting it isn't
all that exciting.


But when a new pair of villains rob Stanley's
family store, things get personal. Can Stanley and Gene track down
the thieves and recover the stolen goods before his family is
forced to sell their home? And who is the mysterious supervillain
boss instigating all of this trouble?


These enemies-turned-partners will have to use
all their powers and creative problem-solving to face these foes.



'Hilarious, hectic, and gleefully unpredictable ... The cartoon
action is frenzied and fun, right till the last absurd, clever
turn.' - Kirkus



The second full colour graphic novel of The Adventures of
Invisible Boy
Action-packed, full of humour and superhero fun!
Perfect for fans of My Brother is a Superhero and Dexter's
Laboratory

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult

192 pages, Paperback

Published January 28, 2025

About the author

Doogie Horner is the author and illustrator of The Adventures of Invisible Boy graphic novel series, which was a Junior Library Guild Selection, an ALA notable book, and was named best graphic novel of 2024 by The Week Junior. His other books include the YA novel This Might Hurt a Bit.

“Horner skillfully delves into deep themes such as parental expectations, social acceptance, and self-worth in a manner that will resonate with middle graders.”
–School Library Journal

“Doogie Horner: America’s heart-warmer-in-chief?”
—Time magazine

Reviews

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 4 out of 5]

At some point I'm going to stop being surprised by this series, but that moment was not this book. It's a well drawn, very funny book.

When book talking it, I sell the first book as a cross between a super hero comic and Calvin and Hobbes, and I think that's true with the second volume as well. There are plenty of jokes, both in the dialogue and in the art. The details that Horner puts in his art - in one sequence the Pixar ball appears, in the next frame there are tiny turtles wallowing in toxic ooze - pull me in and keep me smiling.

There's more action in this volume than in the first - that's the super hero aspect, I guess. Horner does as good a job at drawing a fight as they do at writing a joke.

Personal bonus - this book has an abandoned amusement park in it, so I get to add it to my Amusement Parks shelf! Horner uses that setting well - but I love love LOVE the Manhattan Mini Golf course that's used as a setting for a fight early in the book. I didn't know I needed a Guggenheim putt putt hole, but I do. I really, really, do.

Good stuff - easy to recommend.

[Abia Hashmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nephew and I read this book together, and we both enjoyed it! I absolutely loved Trash Robot. He was hilarious and definitely my favorite character! 😂

This is such a fun book for young readers, but it also teaches some valuable lessons about friendship, communication, and taking responsibility for your actions. I especially appreciated how it encourages children to express their feelings when a friend hurts or upsets them, rather than keeping those emotions bottled up. It also highlights the importance of apologizing and making things right.

Overall, a fun, entertaining read with meaningful lessons for young children!

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

This series is so chaotic. I know I have students who will love it. It's not my favorite but that's okay. In this installment, the boys become superheroes using their powers.

I might consider this series a read alike to the Dog Man series or HiLo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually glad that I started this series last year. It's been an interesting journey and I feel like with each volume, Horner provides readers with more depth/layers to the characters and plot. Though I can't say much about this installment, it was just as enjoyable as the first volume and I truly appreciated the exploration of the meaning of friendship. There are a lot of unanswered questions; however, Horner has already alluded to the development of a third volume which I definitely will pick up!

[Chris Hazen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is so good. Wholesome, fun, humor filled, & redemption arcs.
New characters in this book. All feel natural.
Nothing ever feels forced.
Flows so well.
The art is just fantastic. Story is so good & tight.
Everything comes back around.
This is definitely a kids book that I normally wouldn’t read. 🏆🥇 for biggest surprise read.
Love it.

[c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review copy courtesy of G.P. Putnam & Sons through Edelweiss

Highly recommended for elementary libraries where graphic novels are popular! Horner's second in the series is just as funny, well-drawn, and action packed as his first book. Give this to your Dog Man fans!

[Wade Huggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Zeroes to Heroes is the sequel to the Invisible Boy. The boys invent a trash robot that fights crime but there is no real crime in town until Invisible Boy’s dad’s hardware store is robbed. To help, they open a smoothie stand to raise funds. They also battle henchmen, go to a minigolf venue, and giant-like combatants.
The plot Is humorous, and pretty well-written but somewhat reliant on the first book. The characters are interesting, and entertaining. The illustrations are inviting and this book should be popular with children that like other graphic novels in this genre. Recommended for ages 8-10 by the SEPALIB reviewers association.

[Emma Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Son is IN LOVE with this series. We need more!