School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-A superhero is strong, tall, quick-witted, and resourceful. Twelve-year-old Miles Taylor is none of these things. He has just moved to the Cedar Lake apartments in the Atlanta area with his dad, his mom having left them for her new boyfriend in Hollywood, FL. Money is tight, since the Taylors have dropped down to a single-income household. While accompanying his dad on an electrical job at a downtown parking structure, Miles sees an alien attacking the city, only to be thwarted by beloved superhero Gilded, a man in a golden cape. However, Gilded is killed in the attack, and with his dying breath, he tells Miles to take up his Golden Cape and protect the city. The cape has a mind of its own and only acts when there's a serious need-definitely not when Miles just wants to seek personal gain. With the help of new friend Henry, Miles learns all he can about the mysterious cape and tries to settle into his newfound role. The novel is strong on characterization, and each character evolves from relatively flat to likable and nuanced. For example, Josie Campobasso, Miles's crush, is more than just a pretty face. Furthermore, the difficulties of being a superhero are made readily apparent, such as when Miles inconspicuously tries to get to a tornado while everyone else is running away from it. Given Venditti's background in comic book writing (including the graphic novel version of The Lightning Thief), it's no surprise that this book, which features primarily prose with some comic panels whenever Gilded is present, is engaging and perfect for reluctant readers. Higgins's art is a welcome addition and adds to the comic-novel theme. VERDICT Venditti sets the tone nicely for a series that is sure to be a hit with fans of comic books and action-adventure.-Jessica Ko, Los Angeles Public Library © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Miles heeds the dying wish of an aging superhero by donning Gilded's superpower-granting golden cape. Along with the challenges of being a newly minted superhero, Miles deals with the teen angst that accompanies being the new kid in school. Interspersed with the text are short comic-book sections, which add an interesting dimension to a story that works well in both formats. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
This comic-book-style adventure is not a subtle book. The assistant principal at Chapman Middle School is named Mr. Harangue. A local news reporter is named Steve Voyeur. The lead villain is an evil alien named Lord Commander Calamity. The main character, on the other hand, is just called Miles Taylor becauselike many great superheroeshe's mild-mannered and unassuming until he puts on his cape. Venditti borrows from all the great superheroes: Superman and the Martian Manhunter and The Greatest American Hero. But mostly, Miles is reminiscent of Captain Marvel from the Shazam! comics, a young boy who turns into a caped crusader when people are in trouble. The format even shifts from text to stiffly drawn comic-book panels every time he puts on the costume. In the book's one original touch, Miles can only use his powers when he's performing a selfless good deed; otherwise, he's just a kid in a goofy-looking cape. The plot might seem less derivative if the prose had the slightest bit of nuance, but sentence after sentence reads like this description of the alien invaders: "They were the opposite of happiness. They were the opposite of generosity and selflessness and basic decency." Phrases like "comic-book villain" are sometimes used to describe cardboard characters, but actual comic books tend to be more sophisticated than that. Readers may prefer them to this surprisingly bland novel. (Adventure. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.