THE STUPENDOUS SWITCHEROO

A high-stakes heist requires training, trust, and unpredictable talents.

In this second series entry, the Stupendous Switcheroo appears on the TV news, accused of attacking public icon Vin Valor. But Switcheroo has friends on his side, including brilliant inventor Tana, Mr. Meatballs the cat, and doting robot Al. Switcheroo pitches a plan to his friends, hoping to rescue his mom and the other parents Valor has jailed, but Tana isn’t sure the others will trust her. After all, she helped put their parents away in the first place, before she figured out what was wrong at Valor Tech. The group’s jailbreak brainstorming helps readers catch up on everyone’s powers, and single-page profiles provide greater detail about the cast. Switcheroo still gains a new power each day, from bunny ears with super-hearing to passing through solid objects, all the while becoming a little more intuitive about how they work. Cooking together helps the group de-stress and celebrate small victories on the way to the big showdown with Valor’s forces. Splashes of green on the monochrome pages highlight elements of each character, as well as the protagonists’ tailored costumes (“Do you know how few clothes have tail-holes???”). The cast members’ learning to trust one another and express their stress without surrendering to negativity feels like a superpower in its own right, though the many creative superpowers are fun to behold, too.

Equal parts heartfelt and action-packed.