So when a villain attacks editorial assistant Gail Godwin and she’s rescued by superhero Blaze, it’s a great story, and nothing more. Until it happens again. And again. Now, the media has dubbed her Hostage Girl, nobody remembers her real name, and people are convinced that Blaze is just Gail’s boyfriend Jeremy in disguise. Gail’s not so sure. All she knows is that when both Jeremy and Blaze leave town in the same week, she’s probably doomed. Who will save her now?But when the villains miraculously lose interest, Gail is able to return to her life…until she wakes up strapped to a metal table by a mad scientist who hasn’t read the news. Escaping, and now more than human herself, she’s drawn into a secret underground world of superheroes. She’ll have to come to terms with her powers (and weakness) to make it in the new society, and it’s not easy. After all, there’s a new villain on the rise, and she has her sights set on the one and only Hostage Girl.

    Between them and the rest of us stands the United Science Patrol! But who are these enigmatic defenders, and how do they perform their miracles? Shin Hayata and Kiki Fuji have spent half a lifetime trying to find out - and now, their quest drives them toward a decades-old dark secret, and a collision course with a mysterious warrior from beyond the stars! Kyle Higgins (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Mat Groom (Self/Made) and Francesco Manna (AVENGERS) reimagine the classic origin of a pop culture icon as Ultraman rises at Marvel! The histories of two worlds, the experiences of two lives, and the destinies of two heroes must reconcile as Ultra and Man struggle to become one - and if they don't, neither will survive! The Rise of Ultraman (2020) 1-5

    But when she's captured trying to rob a vault that belongs to a secret guild of villains, she's offered a hard choice: prove she has what it takes to join them or be eliminated. Apprenticed to one of the world's most powerful (and supposedly dead) villains, she is thrust into a strange world where the lines that divide superheroes and criminals are more complex than they seem. The education of a villain is not an easy one, and Tori will have to learn quickly if she wants to survive. On top of the peril she faces from her own teacher, there are also the capes and fellow apprentices to worry about, to say nothing of having to keep up a civilian cover. Most dangerous of all, though, are those who loathe the guild's very existence. Old grudges mean some are willing to go to any length to see the guild turned to ash, along with each one of its members. Even the lowly apprentices.

    An authoritarian regime, the SCI controls everything to do with superhumans. Those supers who don't register with the SCI are excluded from society. Most become criminals, having no other choice. This is the story of heroes and villains living under the SCI. ----------------------------------------------------- The setting is a world of superheroes and sci-fi, and the main character is not a hero. He is a villain, with mental abilities. He is a bad man who does bad things. If you are looking for a golden age superhero story, you've come to the wrong place. If you're looking for a tale where the bad guy wins, keep reading. Rated R: Definite language, sex, and all the horrible things that can happen in the world. If you have triggers, consider this your warning.

    This science fiction adventure blends magic and technology with the adventures of Ruth, a normal human, pushed into extraordinary situations. Ruth’s transformation takes her from Earth to worlds and situations of which she never dreamed.

    You may see some of these characters and places again, but Wardstone has always been intended to remain a trilogy. Without further adieu, please enjoy the HUGE free sample of book one. Enjoy the journey, M.R. Mathias

    

    Agon, a megalomaniacal inventor with an arsenal of lethal gadgets. Motley, a wisecracking jewel thief with nothing left to lose. Chillpill, a cryogenic drug lord who just wants a normal life. Baelphegor, a demonic psychopath with an ugly score to settle. They're the most dangerous supervillains on Earth, and they're about to pull off the perfect crime. There's just one catch: if they succeed, they might accidentally save the world. From the skyscrapers of Apex City to the gates of Hell itself, the Antagonists are pursued by violent superheroes and billionaire vigilantes. But as loyalties are tested and old hatreds are rekindled, the line between friend and foe begins to blur...

    She faces discrimination in her school and her family’s retail business is plagued by an organized crime family that collects “insurance,” often brutally. Roni’s always been extraordinarily good at hiding, first in hide-and-seek as a child and later to avoid embarrassment. Now, older, she and her brother begin to realize that what she actually has is a form of telepathy. She can’t read other people’s minds, or speak to them silently, or force her thoughts on theirs. All she can do is make other people “not notice” her. At first being able to become invisible seems like a great way to hide from or avoid her old boyfriend, but she slowly begins to realize that it will let her do so much more. She even begins to wonder if she might be able to do something about the mob family that’s been holding her city in its thrall.

    Men and women with abilities science cannot explain. Heroes and monsters. Both beloved and feared, the Titans are the new superpowers in the post-Wave world.Into this changed world are thrust Mercy Garner and her crew, trapped in time for fifty years and thought to be dead. They were the first to detect the Wave, the first to be hit by it, and the last to discover the changes the Wave brought to their world.

    All that changes one day when he is beaten and left for dead after a robbery. Arnab awakens to discover that he has developed fantastic superhuman powers and he tries to master his new¬found powers and to use them for good. As a hooded superhero he takes to the streets on a one-man crusade against injustice. However he soon realizes that in a society where the only power that matters comes from having money or the right connections, one man, even a superhero, can make little difference.When he embarks on a final, desperate mission, he realizes that to succeed, he has to become a part of the very system he loathes by tapping into a motley set of allies such as the Minister who wants to use his powers to rig elections, the corrupt policeman who shot Arnab for exposing him and the corporate tycoon who wants to sign him up as a brand ambassador!At one level, Heroes R Us seeks to entertain with a delightfully contemporary take on the superhero genre, and at another level it asks the provocative question of whether in the dark and corrupt times we live in, there is any place left for heroes. Slumdog Millionaire meets Spiderman in this exciting novel that will entertain and make you think at the same time.BONUS CONTENT in this eBook:- The Making of Heroes R Us- the origin of this novel in the author's own words- Free sample of Vimana, the science fiction thriller by Mainak DharPraise for the paperback edition:"Strikes a chord somewhere, chronicling his journey from a nobody into a somebody and this theme for a dream - to dream big, rather - is what makes it endearing. Overall an honest attempt, Dhar tries to weave the superhuman existence with contemporary; Leaves the reader with the feeling that hope floats, after all!"- IBN Live"The plot, thereafter, is engaging, and wholesome Bollywood film material. Herogiri ends on a high note, the action sequence in the stadium is confusing but exciting."- Hindustan Times"A delightful take on the superhero genre."- LiveMint"Excellent balance between super powers and what they leave out, Herogiri also has a surprisingly refreshing take on politics and society. Arnab 'GA' Bannerjee is the unpretentious hero you want by your side.... The most super man ever, this affable, retiring 25-year old is possibly the most likeable of all characters you shall meet this summer."- Financial Express"Here's a delightfully engaging and refreshing take on the superhero genre.... racy good versus evil roller coaster"- Mid Day"Exhilarating!"- Tehelka Magazine

    There's a brand new Hulk in town, and his name is Amadeus Cho! Get ready for the craziest Hulk story of the millennium as a kid genius decides he's gonna be the best Hulk ever- and just possibly brings the entire Marvel Universe crashing down into chaos!

    When an opportunity to join the Mechanized Infantry presents itself, Pete is first in line. He knows that he's going to get shot at one way or another, but the idea of sitting in a warm and more importantly, dry mechanized suit appeals to him almost beyond reason. While still training in the jungle, Pete's squad is called out to intervene in a skirmish in a nearby village. Of course, the Marines haven't seen fit to certify his squad with ordnance. The fact that they'll be up against a platoon of squishies doesn't convince him that's it's any better of an idea and things turn quickly to crap when they discover the squishies are protected by grav-tanks. Pete, Popeye and Olive is a fast paced, short-story with plenty of action.

     Alan Star thinks he's the luckiest guy in the world, but fantasy turns into nightmare when a late-night meetup with a heroine turns deadly. To the dismay of the powers-in-charge, Alan has stumbled upon the dirty truth behind the squeaky-clean image of the hero business. Soon, everyone from government black ops to angry superpowered flames want to shut him up. Permanently. With nowhere else to run, Alan escapes to the one place that the heroes won't go: the underground world of a fabled hero-killer. There, he discovers the key to becoming the greatest hero of all. Alan will have to gain new powers, seduce even more superpowered babes, and face the true menace lurking in the shadows. Witness the birth of the Red Light Hero. Warning: This book contains diverse adult situations and possibly unwholesome interactions such as superpowered flings, polyamory, and biology experiments gone wild. This book also contains light gamelit mechanics in the final act.

    It finally comes to rest in the pasture of an ordinary couple's country home. Immediately upon going inside, they are placed in irrevocable, sole command by the ship's computer. How Dan and Stacy Saddler handle the enormous military, political and religious pressure of choosing a crew and taking the ship back through the enigmatic warp point makes this one of Darrell Bain's most exciting novels.