If you are a fan of the silver age of comics, or any age of comics, you will really enjoy Speed Reader By Matthew Cody And Illustrated by Zack Giallongo as we get a classic super hero story from the award-winning creator of the Cat Ninja series. One of the things that we just loved was when the story goes back to his Grandfather or a flashback, we actually get a different look to the page which really makes it feel like we are in the past with those pages, and it works great.
This is a classic super hero story, with Zander Fast inheriting powers from his Grandfather in a unique way and now he can run, read (see title), and do all sorts of things with super speed. We get the origin of Zander as he steps into the life of having super powers. As you would expect though things will not be safe for Zander as people want his power and villains come out of nowhere to try and make that happen. Things will get hectic as there are exciting twists and mysteries that we learn about, with many “Well I didn’t see the coming” pages.
There is a great cast of characters with Zander, his Great Uncle, Tanya May, and his dog Spike as they seek to keep the city safe from the cast of villains. The artwork, coloring and book are very well done, keeping that old school comic vibe going. We expect to see more stories as we learn of a new villain in the last few pages of the book, and the outlook looks cold.
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (March 3, 2026)
Length: 160 pages
ISBN13: 9781524886394
Grades: 2 – 6
Ages: 8 – 12When Zander Fast discovers an old book that gives him the power of super speed, he finds himself the last in a long line of heroes. But is the world ready for a hero right now? The Flash meets The Bad Guys in this all-new, action-packed graphic novel series from the award-winning creator of the Cat Ninja books!
Zander Fast is always last—last to complete an assignment, last to finish reading, and last to the bus. Even worse, his Great Uncle Merv is constantly embarrassing him with his cheesy catchphrases and tall-tale stories. But when Zander receives a mysterious book in the mail, all of that changes. Suddenly, Zander has the speed (and popularity) he’s always wanted––and Uncle Merv’s stories no longer seem so far-fetched.
Between navigating the perils of middle school and balancing his newfound powers with his studies, Zander, his best friend Tanya May, and his trusty dog Spike must protect their hometown as it transforms into a wacky world of ex-heroes and villains. Will a mind-controlling villain have his way with the people of Cape City? Or will a new generation of heroes emerge to defeat him?
Speed Reader By Matthew Cody And Illustrated by Zack Giallongo provided for review by Andrews McMeel Publishing