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Superteam: The Red Raptor Files - Part 2
When Sawyer Vincent, otherwise known as the hero Red Raptor, gets fed up with the strict rules being enforced by the Guild of Masked Crimefighters, he decides to start his own super group of teen heroes. But things don't go as smoothly as he hoped, and soon the drama starts to overshadow the action and adventure.
Meanwhile, Sawyer gets a job working at a fast food burger place to help hide his crime fighting activities from his mom, but it becomes more trouble than it's worth when his boss turns out to be a tyrant. Things are even more complicated by the fact that the restaurant is owned by Frank Douglas, the original Black Harrier--who happens to be Sawyer's father.
With a cover by Spawn and Teen Titans artist Jonboy Meyers!
Meanwhile, Sawyer gets a job working at a fast food burger place to help hide his crime fighting activities from his mom, but it becomes more trouble than it's worth when his boss turns out to be a tyrant. Things are even more complicated by the fact that the restaurant is owned by Frank Douglas, the original Black Harrier--who happens to be Sawyer's father.
With a cover by Spawn and Teen Titans artist Jonboy Meyers!
195 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 14, 2017
About the author
Christopher J. Valin
29 books21 followersChristopher J. Valin is a writer, artist, teacher and historian living in the Los Angeles area with his wife and two children. He has written stories of all kinds since childhood, including novels, short stories, comic books, and screenplays. In 2009, his biography of his 5x great-grandfather, Fortune’s Favorite: Sir Charles Douglas and the Breaking of the Line, was published by Fireship Press. In addition to writing and inking for independent comic book companies and writing screenplays for production companies, Christopher has had numerous short stories published in anthologies such as Beyond the Stars: At Galaxy's Edge, Clockwork & Capes: Superheroes in the Age of Steam and Alt. Chronicles: Legacy Fleet.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 22, 2017
The cover of this book was enough to spark my interest as a comic book/graphic novel reader. Thankfully, the book does not let down.
I enjoyed this book as an adult reader, but would also recommend it for younger readers. My interest in comics helped make this an instant connection, but the story is entertaining on its own for those less familiar with comics.
I enjoyed this book as an adult reader, but would also recommend it for younger readers. My interest in comics helped make this an instant connection, but the story is entertaining on its own for those less familiar with comics.
September 23, 2017
Better than the first!
I absolutely LOVED part 1! I wasn't sure what the author was going to do for an encore. Damn, was I pleasantly surprised. A new team, new friends, growth, villains, and super powers! Fun to be had for all ages!!!
I absolutely LOVED part 1! I wasn't sure what the author was going to do for an encore. Damn, was I pleasantly surprised. A new team, new friends, growth, villains, and super powers! Fun to be had for all ages!!!
October 4, 2017
This is book two of an incredibly fun series. The story telling is superb and it really makes you feel like you're living as Sawyer Vincent—I mean Red Kite—I mean Red Raptor. You will find yourself immersed in this world. I promise.
September 24, 2018
I liked Superteam. I liked the realistic characters, the pacing, the dialogue, the ending, and the relationship between Sawyer and Frank. I also liked that Sawyer realized that he is similar to his grandfather. Four Stars.
October 15, 2017
It's an odd thing about human brains: we want things that are both familiar and fresh; just like what we already enjoyed, only different. So every story exists on a spectrum from "completely unlike anything you've ever read" to "outright plagiarism".
My personal preference is towards the fresh end, which is mainly why this gets three stars from me. For people who want more Justice League/Teen Titans, with the serial numbers not so much filed off as scratched over a bit, it will, I think, rate much higher.
The author acknowledges this in his afterword, where he points out that it isn't simply the Justice League, but "what if Marvel did the Justice League"? Still, there are details taken directly from DC lore that didn't need to be there for any other reason than to make it more like the source material, like the heroes' logos on their chairs in what might as well have been called the Hall of Justice, or the Nightwing character having a falling out with the Batman character and spending some time fighting crime on his own in another nearby city.
Leaving the lack of originality issue aside (and it was my biggest issue with the book), there were a few other things that I thought could have been improved. Some things are told in summary that could have been in scene: "We get a tip that some human traffickers..." - wait on a second. How does this newly-formed group of teen vigilantes get a tip like that? Who from? How have they developed these contacts? Or the anticlimax where the teen team sets out to defy the registration laws (enforced by both the US government and the UN) because the Superman/Captain America character is a big meanie, and then there's just a bit of bureaucratic process brushed over in a couple of sentences and they're approved; no consequences, no struggle, no fuss. What Marvel did a whole huge crossover event about is slid past as if it was a dog license (in an unusually forgiving city where you don't get fined for not having had one in the first place); something which is presented at first as legally impossible and tangled up in international politics is resolved as if there was a form you fill in and get rubber-stamped.
Then there are a few annoying tropes: the "friend zone"; the big strong guys not being very bright; damaging a device makes it work better.
Other than that, it's a fairly by-the-numbers YA supers story with pleasant enough, but mostly one-dimensional, characters, and not much in the way of a plot. Meanwhile, there's some teen relationship angst and fast food employment hell that doesn't go anywhere in particular, or relate clearly to any other part of the story.
I look for supers books to bring something new, or at least fresh, to the table; to have high stakes and characters with some depth and weight, with at least the amount of self-awareness and reflection you'd see in a good comic book -preferably more. This was not that book. But if that's not what you're looking for, if you just can't get enough Generic Brand, Compare With: Teen Titans, this could well be for you.
I received a review copy via Netgalley.
My personal preference is towards the fresh end, which is mainly why this gets three stars from me. For people who want more Justice League/Teen Titans, with the serial numbers not so much filed off as scratched over a bit, it will, I think, rate much higher.
The author acknowledges this in his afterword, where he points out that it isn't simply the Justice League, but "what if Marvel did the Justice League"? Still, there are details taken directly from DC lore that didn't need to be there for any other reason than to make it more like the source material, like the heroes' logos on their chairs in what might as well have been called the Hall of Justice, or the Nightwing character having a falling out with the Batman character and spending some time fighting crime on his own in another nearby city.
Leaving the lack of originality issue aside (and it was my biggest issue with the book), there were a few other things that I thought could have been improved. Some things are told in summary that could have been in scene: "We get a tip that some human traffickers..." - wait on a second. How does this newly-formed group of teen vigilantes get a tip like that? Who from? How have they developed these contacts? Or the anticlimax where the teen team sets out to defy the registration laws (enforced by both the US government and the UN) because the Superman/Captain America character is a big meanie, and then there's just a bit of bureaucratic process brushed over in a couple of sentences and they're approved; no consequences, no struggle, no fuss. What Marvel did a whole huge crossover event about is slid past as if it was a dog license (in an unusually forgiving city where you don't get fined for not having had one in the first place); something which is presented at first as legally impossible and tangled up in international politics is resolved as if there was a form you fill in and get rubber-stamped.
Then there are a few annoying tropes: the "friend zone"; the big strong guys not being very bright; damaging a device makes it work better.
Other than that, it's a fairly by-the-numbers YA supers story with pleasant enough, but mostly one-dimensional, characters, and not much in the way of a plot. Meanwhile, there's some teen relationship angst and fast food employment hell that doesn't go anywhere in particular, or relate clearly to any other part of the story.
I look for supers books to bring something new, or at least fresh, to the table; to have high stakes and characters with some depth and weight, with at least the amount of self-awareness and reflection you'd see in a good comic book -preferably more. This was not that book. But if that's not what you're looking for, if you just can't get enough Generic Brand, Compare With: Teen Titans, this could well be for you.
I received a review copy via Netgalley.
January 14, 2018
kindle unlimited but got #1 when it was on amazon freebie day and 2 ku,
When Sawyer Vincent, otherwise known as the hero Red Raptor, gets fed up with the strict rules being enforced by the Guild of Masked Crimefighters, he decides to start his own super group of teen heroes. But things don't go as smoothly as he hoped, and soon the drama starts to overshadow the action and adventure. Meanwhile, Sawyer gets a job working at a fast food burger place to help hide his crime fighting activities from his mom, but it becomes more trouble when it's worth when his boss turns out to be a tyrant. Things are even more complicated by the fact that the restaurant is owned by Frank Douglas, the original Black Harrier--who happens to be Sawyer's father.
With a cover by Spawn and Teen Titans artist Jonboy Meyers!
Sidekick: The Red Raptor Files - Part 1
Superteam: The Red Raptor Files - Part 2
When Sawyer Vincent, otherwise known as the hero Red Raptor, gets fed up with the strict rules being enforced by the Guild of Masked Crimefighters, he decides to start his own super group of teen heroes. But things don't go as smoothly as he hoped, and soon the drama starts to overshadow the action and adventure. Meanwhile, Sawyer gets a job working at a fast food burger place to help hide his crime fighting activities from his mom, but it becomes more trouble when it's worth when his boss turns out to be a tyrant. Things are even more complicated by the fact that the restaurant is owned by Frank Douglas, the original Black Harrier--who happens to be Sawyer's father.
With a cover by Spawn and Teen Titans artist Jonboy Meyers!
Sidekick: The Red Raptor Files - Part 1
Superteam: The Red Raptor Files - Part 2
May 15, 2021
Entertaining continuation of a teenager coming of age with large responsibilities in a complex world. Some nice twists with a good lead into the next unwritten story (as of today). Very generous to give away. Action is much better explained than the interpersonal relationships, but fun all the same.
September 27, 2017
What a fantastic sequel! Even the story picks up a year later, it doesn't skip a beat. New and lovable characters are introduced as the story of a young crime fighter progresses. I immediately want to go back and read the first book again. Great job!
November 8, 2017
Nice sequel!
I enjoyed Superteam as much as the original. I didn’t really see many similarities with Teen Titans - rather I enjoyed the various teen characters in their own. I only wish the book was longer!
I enjoyed Superteam as much as the original. I didn’t really see many similarities with Teen Titans - rather I enjoyed the various teen characters in their own. I only wish the book was longer!
November 18, 2018
Great story.
After I finished reading the first one, I started reading this one. I loved it. As I read this I couldn't stop reading it until I finished. And it was quick as I did. Great job!
After I finished reading the first one, I started reading this one. I loved it. As I read this I couldn't stop reading it until I finished. And it was quick as I did. Great job!
January 20, 2019
Super heroes
A group of young heroes join up to become their own team but no-one believes in them. So when things so to go wrong with the guild it is left up to them to take them down. Great read
A group of young heroes join up to become their own team but no-one believes in them. So when things so to go wrong with the guild it is left up to them to take them down. Great read
September 30, 2017
Sawyer, AKA Red Raptor is fed up with the guild rules and decides he will just start his own team to fight crime in the city, and let the super chips fall where they may. And while that doesn't exactly goes as well as planned, it could have been much worse, I mean heck the world could have been taken over or something. In the mean time Sawyer's mom and recently found biological dad have decided he needs to get a job and his dad knows just the spot, one of his burger joints, close to their apartment building.
I am going to leave the description there before I give to much away, I will just say that the Red Raptor is no Spider-Man and when you get to a certain part of the book you will totally understand that statement as you are laughing and cheering him on. It is for this reason I love this series, the sidekicks are doing a very serious job but some times the way they go about it is very in orthodox and very humorous. This was a great sequel to Sidekick, And I hope there are more Red Raptor stories to come.
I am going to leave the description there before I give to much away, I will just say that the Red Raptor is no Spider-Man and when you get to a certain part of the book you will totally understand that statement as you are laughing and cheering him on. It is for this reason I love this series, the sidekicks are doing a very serious job but some times the way they go about it is very in orthodox and very humorous. This was a great sequel to Sidekick, And I hope there are more Red Raptor stories to come.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews