Villainous by Stonie Williams and Jef Sadzinski
Mad Cave Studios
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 9781952303067
Matilda “Rep-Tilly” Anderson is ecstatic when she’s paired as a sidekick with superhero great Showdown. Showdown is supposed to train her for superhero field duty, but instead, Rep-Tilly spends her time cleaning and picking up dry cleaning. During her “training,” Rep-Tilly learns that Showdown and the Coalition of Heroes are not always so heroic and actually kill people. When she begins to question the heroes and the Coalition, she must decide who she thinks is the real villain and if she wants to team up with the Shadow Order—the people she thought were villains.
Villainous is an action-packed twist on the superhero comic. The artwork is colorful and keeps pace with contemporary superhero comics with recognizable, big-name heroes. Rep-Tilly is a complex, relatable character, and the Shadow Order provides a cast of characters with depth. Villainous is an engaging story with interesting characters that allow readers to explore the line between hero and villain.
Fans of Marissa Meyer’s Renegades series or Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son series will find a lot to enjoy in the similar superhero themes—like good versus evil—found in Villainous. Teens who enjoy superhero comics and movies will find similar artwork and engaging characters.
—Cyndi Hamann
Other Nominated Titles
- The Hazards of Love, vol. 1: Bright World by Stan Stanley (March 31, 2021)
- Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan (March 9, 2021)
- Seekers of Aweto: The Hunt Is On by Nie Jun (March 2, 2021)
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams will feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation will be listed as well. At year’s end, the team will use that list of nominated titles to select a final list and Top Ten. The previous years’ lists are also made available on The Hub.
