Nation’s Largest Pop Culture Event Launches New Illustrated Novel
The glamorous world of Beverly Hills gets a bold new twist in The Real Superheroes of Beverly Hills, an illustrated novel that made its dazzling debut at Comic-Con.
Writer Steve Stern (known for Zen Intergalactic Ninja) shares, “It’s about four Beverly Hills High students who gain extraordinary powers during a cosmic event at Griffith Observatory, only to be exposed by a tabloid reporter—and then thrust into their own reality TV show.” He adds with a grin, “What could possibly go wrong?”
The novel’s vibrant illustrations come from Jim Fletcher, former Creative Director of DC Direct, and his daughter Leila. Fletcher explains, “We aimed to explore heroism through the lenses of fame, vanity, and social media culture.”
Published by 1First Books, and supported by Executive Producer Ken F. Levin of Amazon Prime’s The Boys, the book was met with enthusiastic acclaim at Comic-Con. Levin states, “This illustrated novel’s unique concept is a perfect addition to our expanding imprint.”
Stern and Fletcher’s collaboration dates back decades, with Fletcher previously crafting artwork for Stern’s Zen Intergalactic Ninja videogames and comics.
Blending action, satire, and humor, The Real Superheroes of Beverly Hills features a vengeful psychopath deploying AI-enhanced henchmen to disrupt events at the Beverly Hills Hotel—and even Comic-Con itself. Stern, a Beverly Hills resident, says, “We had fun incorporating iconic local landmarks into the story.”
Looking ahead, Stern notes, “Fans at Comic-Con kept asking if this would become a reality TV show. My answer? Hopefully, it will be.”
SOURCE: 1First Comics
