INTERVIEW

December 2009

Part comic-book adventure and part Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, Matthew Cody's debut novel POWERLESS introduces readers to 12-year-old Daniel, an ordinary boy who recently moved to a town full of young superheroes in danger of losing their abilities when they reach their 13th birthdays. In this interview with Kidsreads.com's Norah Piehl, Cody talks about what inspired the book's unique plot and explains why he chose to balance the story's fun and exciting aspects with a more solemn subplot. He also discusses how he thought up some of the characters' unusual superpowers, gives advice to aspiring young writers, and shares details about his next work-in-progress.

Kidsreads.com: What was your inspiration for the idea of having a town full of junior superheroes in your book?

Matthew Cody: Growing up, my favorite superhero stories were always the origin stories. I loved first issues because back in the day, you were guaranteed a super-origin. In some ways, POWERLESS is one big origin story. What if there were really superheroes and what if they were all kids? And what if they lived across the street? That felt to me like a good place to start.

KRC: Their powers fade as soon as they become teenagers. Why then? Did you ever think of that happening at an older age?

MC: It had to be 13. It’s an arbitrary age, in some ways, but it’s also the age when society expects you to start acting like an adult, or at least, to stop acting so much like a kid, so that makes it an awfully powerful age. But with that comes a certain trade-off, I think --- a loss of wonder. It’s an exciting time, but also scary and a bit sad, so I just externalized all that angst and gave it big stakes. The kids in Noble’s Green have to leave a lot more behind than just their action figures and baby dolls.

KRC: In the novel, Daniel is the new kid in town. He also has no super powers, but he loves detective fiction and is a pretty good amateur sleuth, partly because he’s read so many Sherlock Holmes stories. Do you think that book smarts like Daniel can be their own kind of super power?

MC: Sure. But I don’t actually think of Daniel as being exceptionally smart. He’s a bright kid, I’d say a “B” student. And sure his own fascination with detective fiction helps as well, but in the end it’s Daniel’s refusal to quit, his refusal to give up on his friends despite his own jealousy and his own problems, that really makes him the hero of the story.

KRC: Some of the kids in Noble’s Green have pretty unusual powers. How did you come up with the ideas for their special talents?

MC: Well, there’s a standard set of superpowers out there in comic books --- super-strength, super-speed, flight, invisibility, etc. and I wanted to make sure that I had those covered, because those are the ones that everyone dreams about. But the really fun ones were the slightly odd or even silly powers, because those became trademarks of the characters’ personalities. For example, Rohan is a bit bookish, but he’s also incredibly perceptive and insightful. So he can literally see footprints on the moon, but he needs glasses to read.

KRC: POWERLESS is funny and exciting, but there are also sad parts, especially the loss of kids’ memories of their superhero pasts once they turn 13, as well as the death of Daniel’s grandma. Did you always know that there would be this darker undercurrent under what sounds like a pretty lighthearted premise, or did that grow out of the story you were telling?

MC: I began writing POWERLESS during a time when my own family was dealing with a serious illness. At the time my nephew was quite young, and watching him react to all of it, I was struck by how inescapable life is --- by that, I mean that being young is no protection from tragedy. I decided then that I wanted to add a subplot to the book that dealt with a similar situation, in part because I wanted kids who read the book to see that they are not alone in dealing with this sort of stuff. Thematically, the idea of powerlessness affects all the characters in the book, from the superkids who are losing their abilities to Daniel and his parents who have to deal with the loss of a loved one.

KRC: The ending of POWERLESS is definitely satisfying, but there’s still the possibility that more adventures could take place in this world. Do you think you’ll revisit these characters in the future?

MC: I’d like to. I’m a huge fan of serial fiction. Plus there’s a larger story there --- unanswered questions about Johnny Noble and the Witch Fire Comet that Daniel would like to solve, not to mention the fact that all his superkid friends are about to become super-teenagers…

KRC: If you could have any super power, what would it be?

MC: What a softball question! Flight, of course! Doesn’t everyone want to fly?

KRC: POWERLESS is your first published novel. Tell us a little bit about what the publishing process has been like for you.

MC: It’s been great. I’ve been really, really lucky to work with a great agent who’s also a good friend, and an amazing editor and marketing team who have done a good deal of hand-holding along the way. Everyone has been tremendously patient and supportive of this New Kid in Town.
 
If there was one surprise along the way, it was how long the publishing process takes from the acceptance of a book to publication. To put it in perspective --- when I first got the call that POWERLESS had sold, my wife was just a few months pregnant. Fast-forward to today, and POWERLESS just hit the shelves and my son is turning two next month!

KRC: Anyone who reads POWERLESS can tell you’re a big fan of classic comic books. Who are some of your favorite comic book heroes and villains?

MC: My favorite hero is probably the Flash. And what’s so cool about him is that he has this crazy rogues gallery of villains --- the Mirror Master; Captain Cold; and, of course, Professor Zoom, the Reverse Flash! What’s also great about the Flash is that there isn’t just one --- there’s actually this legacy of Flashes going all the way back to the Golden Age. I love the idea of a superhero title being passed down from generation to generation…hmm, that gives me an idea…come to think of it, can I go back and change my answer to question six?

KRC: Did you read Sherlock Holmes when you were growing up?

MC: Yes, I loved them. Although, to tell the truth, I was a bit disappointed that the mysteries always turned out to be perfectly explainable crimes of mankind. I always wanted something truly fantastical to challenge the world’s greatest detective. I guess that’s why THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES was always my favorite, right up until the end. The big reveal was kind of a letdown for the 12-year-old me.

KRC: Have you ever thought about writing comic books? What would your first comic book be called?

MC: I’d love to write for comics one day. Actually, part of what appeals to me is the opportunity to work with characters who have been around for 60, 70 years. I love that about superhero comics --- that so many people have added to the overall story of the characters, so many people have interpreted them differently. But I do also have a few ideas for original comics as well. And for me, titles always come last (but I promise it would be something catchy!)

KRC: You work with schools and with kids’ book groups. What do you find most interesting or exciting about working with young writers and readers?

MC: The only thing cooler than young readers are young writers. Kids are so honest in their opinions, and so perceptive, that it makes talking shop with them a real treat. Adults can get caught up in genres or literary labels, but kids just read what they like, and they write stories that they think will be entertaining. They try to write good stories, that’s all. It’s refreshing and humbling all at once.

KRC: What advice would you have for kids who want to become writers?

MC: Read a lot. And write a lot. But mostly read a lot. Read good books and read bad books and study them all. Ask yourself why you liked something or why you didn’t and try to learn from that. And don’t just read fiction --- read nonfiction, too, because that’s where your best ideas will come from. Even if you plan on someday writing about warriors riding on soaring dragons, you can start with reading about the first bi-plane pilots and what the experience of flying in an open cockpit was like. It’ll make your dragon pilots all the more authentic (yes, I did just call dragon pilots authentic).

KRC: You recently submitted the manuscript for your new book to your publisher. Can you tell us what it’s about?

MC: If POWERLESS was my homage to superhero comics, my next book is an homage to the great 19th century adventure novels like 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and THE LOST WORLD. One of the buzzwords in publishing right now is Steampunk, and I guess my next book fits into that category. But it’s about more than just airships and cool gadgets. It’s about other times and other dimensions, and in the end it answers the question, “Should we really be afraid of that closed closet door at night?” (I’ll give you a hint --- the answer is a big YES!)

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