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Spandex and Superpowers #2
Comic Book Romance
A Spandex and Superpowers Novella
A maximum-security supervillain prison plus a new colleague with a reputation for attracting trouble. What could possibly go wrong?
Calvin Kant is what anyone would want in a reporter—an excellent typist, a dogged investigator, and an upstanding citizen. Oh, and a superhero. At least, his alter ego, Maxim, is. Fleeing a messy situation at his last job, Cal arrives in Capital City without much direction—until fellow reporter Liang Lu sweeps him into a dangerous assignment.
A supervillain prison break leaves them trapped and in peril, with Cal juggling his growing attraction to Liang with his need to protect his secret identity. And that mess Cal’s running from could catch up with him at exactly the wrong moment, leaving him vulnerable. Luckily Liang’s got more than good looks going for him, and together the two men might just save the day—and each other—and find their own comic book romance.
A maximum-security supervillain prison plus a new colleague with a reputation for attracting trouble. What could possibly go wrong?
Calvin Kant is what anyone would want in a reporter—an excellent typist, a dogged investigator, and an upstanding citizen. Oh, and a superhero. At least, his alter ego, Maxim, is. Fleeing a messy situation at his last job, Cal arrives in Capital City without much direction—until fellow reporter Liang Lu sweeps him into a dangerous assignment.
A supervillain prison break leaves them trapped and in peril, with Cal juggling his growing attraction to Liang with his need to protect his secret identity. And that mess Cal’s running from could catch up with him at exactly the wrong moment, leaving him vulnerable. Luckily Liang’s got more than good looks going for him, and together the two men might just save the day—and each other—and find their own comic book romance.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 29, 2017
3 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Charles Payseur
76 books134 followersCharles Payseur is an avid reader, writer, and reviewer of speculative fiction. His works have appeared in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, Lightspeed Magazine, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies, among others, and many are included in his debut collection, The Burning Day and Other Strange Stories (Lethe Press 2021). He is the series editor of We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction (Neon Hemlock Press) and a multiple-time Hugo and Ignyte Award finalist for his work at Quick Sip Reviews. When not drunkenly discussing Goosebumps, X-Men comic books, and his cats on his Patreon (/quicksipreviews) and Twitter (@ClowderofTwo), he can probably found raising a beer with his husband, Matt, in their home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 7, 2018
3.5 Stars!
Consistent enjoyment for those who love to indulge their geeky nerd side!
Set in the same universe as How the Supervillain Stole Christmas, this really expanded on the alternate comic book reality. Payseur good naturedly pokes fun at and pays homage to canon with a nice play on words, paralleling beloved characters we grew up reading and watching.
This series is growing on me for sure, and it was cheekily entertaining showing the burgeoning romance between superhero Maxim, and his new journalistic partner Liang.
These two of course, get into all sorts of trouble trying to thwart evil-doers and when the dust settles, will Maxim be forced to “come out” and live with the consequences of his dual identity or will he have to start anew?
Again, quite fun with a dash of smexy! I'm off to read the next!
Consistent enjoyment for those who love to indulge their geeky nerd side!
Set in the same universe as How the Supervillain Stole Christmas, this really expanded on the alternate comic book reality. Payseur good naturedly pokes fun at and pays homage to canon with a nice play on words, paralleling beloved characters we grew up reading and watching.
This series is growing on me for sure, and it was cheekily entertaining showing the burgeoning romance between superhero Maxim, and his new journalistic partner Liang.
These two of course, get into all sorts of trouble trying to thwart evil-doers and when the dust settles, will Maxim be forced to “come out” and live with the consequences of his dual identity or will he have to start anew?
Again, quite fun with a dash of smexy! I'm off to read the next!
November 30, 2017
Capital City with its plethora of superheroes (and supervillains!) is back, and this third story in the ‘Spandex and Superpowers’ series is no less creative than the other two. They are linked through the world they are set in only, so you can read each one separately, but they all have a few things in common: a great sense of humor, superheroes with flaws and very “human” issues as well as supervillains to fight, and a plot where secret identities as well as secret crushes play a major role. All the books in this series also excel at transferring the feel of a comic book with all its over-the-top characters and events into the more “traditional” written form. I think that is a big part of why I am enjoying them so much.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 8, 2017
4.5 Stars
This was a fun read that played on the superhero comic books that have become all the rage thanks to the Marvel movies. There’s all kinds of nods to comic lovers and enough silliness and fun to satisfy those looking to branch out into a new genre. The plot itself is typical good vs bad, with enough reality and common sense that it doesn’t seem as over-the-top as the main character’s comic book counterpart, nor as over-powered despite having the exact same (Maxim-um) power.
The author manages to show the dual personalities of the main character and superhero Cal/Maxim, leading to a slight difference in narration when Cal dresses as Maxim that is excellent to see. I absolutely loved the rash and inquisitive Liang, who seemed to know just the right thing to outsmart the villains, or negotiate with them. Even each of the supporting characters were clearly thought out, even if we didn’t get to know them too much.
The attraction between the two main characters was very palpable despite the fact that there wasn’t too much in relationship building. The author did make sure that there was trust built up between the two of them, and it was clear that this was just the beginning of the road for them, so I didn’t mind that there wasn’t much relationship building.
Though short, the author managed to squeeze a lot of laughter and fun into the plot and didn’t leave any loose ends or unanswered questions, which is a skill in itself in a novella. A great book if you’re looking for something a little silly and fun to read.
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
This was a fun read that played on the superhero comic books that have become all the rage thanks to the Marvel movies. There’s all kinds of nods to comic lovers and enough silliness and fun to satisfy those looking to branch out into a new genre. The plot itself is typical good vs bad, with enough reality and common sense that it doesn’t seem as over-the-top as the main character’s comic book counterpart, nor as over-powered despite having the exact same (Maxim-um) power.
The author manages to show the dual personalities of the main character and superhero Cal/Maxim, leading to a slight difference in narration when Cal dresses as Maxim that is excellent to see. I absolutely loved the rash and inquisitive Liang, who seemed to know just the right thing to outsmart the villains, or negotiate with them. Even each of the supporting characters were clearly thought out, even if we didn’t get to know them too much.
The attraction between the two main characters was very palpable despite the fact that there wasn’t too much in relationship building. The author did make sure that there was trust built up between the two of them, and it was clear that this was just the beginning of the road for them, so I didn’t mind that there wasn’t much relationship building.
Though short, the author managed to squeeze a lot of laughter and fun into the plot and didn’t leave any loose ends or unanswered questions, which is a skill in itself in a novella. A great book if you’re looking for something a little silly and fun to read.
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
February 17, 2018
Calvin is the guy who just changed jobs, going from one rival newspaper to another, all in effort to avoid being outed as superhero Maxim. Of course the first task he gets from his new boss is superhero related and his partner is sharp investigative reporter with focus on superpowered people.
The story cheerfully pokes fun at the plot but the writing style wasn't easy to follow. The story was clearly aiming to be satiric and funny, but it didn't quite hit the mark. I kept reading because I liked hunting allusions to comic books (you can guess which one) but that was about the extent of my interest.
If there was a little more depth to characters or their relationship the story would have fared better. It is however, what it says on the tin: a book which plays up comic book heroes and plot, so if it is your cup of tea, go for it.
I received copy of this book in exchange for review.
The review is also posted on Gay Book Reviews
The story cheerfully pokes fun at the plot but the writing style wasn't easy to follow. The story was clearly aiming to be satiric and funny, but it didn't quite hit the mark. I kept reading because I liked hunting allusions to comic books (you can guess which one) but that was about the extent of my interest.
If there was a little more depth to characters or their relationship the story would have fared better. It is however, what it says on the tin: a book which plays up comic book heroes and plot, so if it is your cup of tea, go for it.
I received copy of this book in exchange for review.
The review is also posted on Gay Book Reviews
January 15, 2025
A very good, fun superhero story. Very well developed in the short length with lots of fun bits for comic book fans. The "Maxim-um" was ridiculous, but fitting for the story. I like that this is a complete, standalone story, but I had really been hoping that it would build on the first book to give that story more depth. If not for the Dr. Devious mention at the end you'd never know the stories to be in a shared universe/series.
That aside, Liang stole the story and I seriously think he has superpowers. If Domino can have luck as a power, Liang can have/be bad luck. I love that he's a formidable and perfect partner for Cal/Maxim. Cal, though, is a bit meh as a character. I get that that's intentional and very fitting for the caped crusader his character is inspired by, but I wish he'd been a little more fun to match Liang's energy better.
That aside, Liang stole the story and I seriously think he has superpowers. If Domino can have luck as a power, Liang can have/be bad luck. I love that he's a formidable and perfect partner for Cal/Maxim. Cal, though, is a bit meh as a character. I get that that's intentional and very fitting for the caped crusader his character is inspired by, but I wish he'd been a little more fun to match Liang's energy better.
February 27, 2026
***vrijdag 27 februari 2026***
⭐3 - it was cute
I really like the writing style of Charles Payseur. There is something there that just works for me. The story itself is forgettable. I enjoyed myself while reading, even smiled a few times but I started this around ten days ago and had already forgotten what was up with the main plot. Part of that is my faulty memory, part of it is that the story is cute. I like cute things but will also forget about them.
⭐3 - it was cute
I really like the writing style of Charles Payseur. There is something there that just works for me. The story itself is forgettable. I enjoyed myself while reading, even smiled a few times but I started this around ten days ago and had already forgotten what was up with the main plot. Part of that is my faulty memory, part of it is that the story is cute. I like cute things but will also forget about them.
June 21, 2018
Fun, light, romantic pastiche of that Super Man we all know. Lots of fun, in-joke winks and nods (some blatant, like the lead characters' names) and some not so. It's a quick read and I smiled all the way through it.
January 7, 2018
My favorite of the series so far.
July 26, 2018
Fun, sweet, with understated depth. Would happily read more by this author.
November 17, 2019
This was a lot of fun — sweet and funny, full of geeky jokes and comic book hijinks.
March 20, 2023
Cute but short.
December 4, 2018
I was a bit disappointed to find that this book wasn't about Rex and Sanjay, but I did like that Rex was mentioned by his supervillain name.
I do have to admit that it was a little cheesy to have the main characters as Calvin Kant, Lexu Luzo, Liang Lu, so closely named to the Superman characters. There's even a mention of Ragnarok, though they're two people in this story, Ragna and Rok, a brother and sister supervillain duo.
Saying that, this was a good plot with interesting characters. There were nonbinary characters, Liang was bisexual, and there was a more complete background and superhero/supervillain atmosphere throughout. I loved that Liang wasn't an airhead and that he put the pieces together to figure out that Maxim and Calvin were the same person. Calvin was your typical superhero, someone who is hesitant about the spotlight for fear of exposing his real identity. There was a hint of some kind of interesting story in his past, but it was never followed through on.
The adventure / superhero aspect was good, but again I didn't feel that the adventurous super-sex was necessary.
"We haven't exactly been on a date."
"Of course we have. We stopped a nefarious supervillain plot. What could be more romantic?"
I do have to admit that it was a little cheesy to have the main characters as Calvin Kant, Lexu Luzo, Liang Lu, so closely named to the Superman characters. There's even a mention of Ragnarok, though they're two people in this story, Ragna and Rok, a brother and sister supervillain duo.
Saying that, this was a good plot with interesting characters. There were nonbinary characters, Liang was bisexual, and there was a more complete background and superhero/supervillain atmosphere throughout. I loved that Liang wasn't an airhead and that he put the pieces together to figure out that Maxim and Calvin were the same person. Calvin was your typical superhero, someone who is hesitant about the spotlight for fear of exposing his real identity. There was a hint of some kind of interesting story in his past, but it was never followed through on.
The adventure / superhero aspect was good, but again I didn't feel that the adventurous super-sex was necessary.
"We haven't exactly been on a date."
"Of course we have. We stopped a nefarious supervillain plot. What could be more romantic?"
December 30, 2017
I see this as #2 in the series but I really don't know what the order is suppose to be, I am just going by the release dates and Comic Book Romance is listed as November 29 and Werewolf Before Christmas is December 1. Truth is, it doesn't really matter because each is a separate story in the Spandex and Superpowers universe, some character mentions overlap but the plots themselves are individual.
As for Comic Book Romance, well it is just as fun and unique as the two Christmas tales in the series. The obvious difference is the main character, Maxim is a superhero as opposed to the supervillains of the other two. But once again, I was completely bowled over by the cleverness and levity that is not often found in a genre that is about good vs. evil. Can't think of anything more to say without giving away the plot so I'll just end with this: brilliantly clever and intriguingly fun that will brighten your day, and that is never a bad thing.
As for Comic Book Romance, well it is just as fun and unique as the two Christmas tales in the series. The obvious difference is the main character, Maxim is a superhero as opposed to the supervillains of the other two. But once again, I was completely bowled over by the cleverness and levity that is not often found in a genre that is about good vs. evil. Can't think of anything more to say without giving away the plot so I'll just end with this: brilliantly clever and intriguingly fun that will brighten your day, and that is never a bad thing.
January 17, 2020
Um, this was .... okay. Perhaps my least favorite of the Spandex and Superpowers series but still entertaining with a Clark Kent-like superhero (his alter ego is Calvin Kant) who works for Peri Blanc. 3.5 stars.
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Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews