Do you remember your first comic book? I think I read my garage sale compilation of The Fantastic Four and eerie Dr. Strange issues about a thousand times, wondering what superpower I would want if such wishes were granted, and if I would use that power for good or evil?

Hero’s have evolved over time; now they are more human and flawed, some would say odder as well. See Batman and Squirrel Girl for prime examples.

Now, my son has discovered a new superhero, amazing on so many levels. Let me tell you why: This one gets children to read chapter books. Seriously. Over video games and YouTube. So take that. What’s better than that? Power of Flight? Invisibility? Not even close…He makes children laugh. Out loud. If you can find a more powerful force in the universe, I’d love to hear it.
Our hero is Captain Underpants, and he is truly special. His super powers include a variety of underwear-related skills, his exploits are full of word play and alliteration BUT the real mark made by this caped commander of the commode is his creator.

Dav Pilkey began his career at 8 years old, crafting his first captain UP comic in the hallway of the school after being removed from class for a single picture. He was told that underwear is NOT funny, and that he can’t just draw pictures for a living. Wrong on both accounts, , and add to that he had to deal with learning disabilities along the way.  Now, I appreciate a good story. I appreciate what he had to overcome to rise to success. But why he is now my hero is his treatment of children who are different.

Let me set this up for you, as Dav Pilkey took the stage at the #Inspire Book show in TO a few weeks ago. The children are bunched up on the floor, the parents comfortably settled in surrounding chairs. I have secured a front row seat, more to have a launch point to intervene should things go awry than interest in getting a better view of the author. Dav starts off with a brief history of how he got here, and then interacts with the kids, drawing pictures and asking questions. As this is going on, he is getting interrupted by one excited guy who won’t stop putting his hand up and answering questions before they are  asked because, well, he literally can’t help himself.

Dav doesn’t filp out, doesn’t ignore, doesn’t do any of the standard stuff. He addresses the questions, acknowledges the child, but doesn’t reward him with extra gifts or the like but by treating him like EVERY OTHER KID. Amazing. Then after an excruciatingly long wait in the book signing line, (like 5 minutes), we make our way to get our favourite copies signed. All Spence can say is, hey, Dad, that’s Dav Pilkey!!. Can barely look at the man. And Dav smiles and thanks him for his questions earlier, and draws a special picture in his book.

Then Dog Breath gets a treatment for his sister, and we are off for a subway ride home.

Now, these rides are usually a running commentary of which stop is next and who we know who lives near. But today, all I got was a ‘Dav Pilkey remembered me…’, and he’d stare out the window.

Well, I remember Dav too. And thanks to captain underpants books, from all the odd superheros out there (and all their parents too).Tra-la-la.