The Supervillain and Me - Chapter One - They never stood a chance

Aug 25, 2026

A fast-paced opening to a YA superhero story introduces a dramatic museum heist stopped by the hero Red Comet, followed by a tense sense of everyday danger in Morriston. In the school auditorium, Abby and her best friend Sarah trade jokes and gadgets while anticipating an uncomfortable surprise guest. The narrative frames supers as celebrated, godlike protectors, yet highlights the mystery of their powers and the strain on ordinary people who must endure rising crime.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages57

Reading Time1 h 28 min

AccessFree to download

Chapter One

They never stood a chance

Red Comet’s rescue and the growing crime rate

School assembly and the mysterious supers

The Supervillain and Me The Supervillain and Me Danielle Banas Swoon Reads | New York A SWOON READS BOOK An imprint of Feiwel and Friends and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 [swoonreads.com](swoonreads.com) THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME. Copyright © 2018 by Danielle Banas. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Our books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact your local bookseller or the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by e-mail at [MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com](MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com). Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available. ISBN 978-1-250-15435-4 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-250-15434-7 (ebook) Book design by Rebecca Syracuse First edition, 2018 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Mom & Dad— Thankyou doesn’t scratch the surface. Chapter One They never stood a chance. Tires screamed as the van sped around the corner. It hopped the curb, and the vehicle jolted, the back door swinging open, spilling a sack of priceless artifacts—paintings, sculptures, anything and everything the thieves could snatch from the Morriston History Museum. Not that it mattered. They would be apprehended quickly. They always were. A golden platter slid from the back of the van, spinning like atop in the middle of Fifth Avenue’s busy intersection before falling still. Rotor blades flapped as a helicopter hovered overhead, a cameraman dangling out the door, filming the scene for the world to see. But the real show was just beginning. It started with a shadow—long and narrow, stretching over the river where the wharf met the city. The shape grew, widening as it torpedoed to the ground. Blink and you’d miss it. A red blur shot through the air into the back of the van, stopping it from traveling down the ramp to the riverbank, where a boat waited at the docks. Brakes screeched. The van spun in a tight circle, coming to a crunching halt against a guardrail. Dozens more relics fell through the doors, landing in a heap at the side of the road. The camera feed from the helicopter shook as the man inside struggled to get closer. Smoke curled into the air. The passenger door opened slowly. The hero who emerged wore a bright red suit, paired with amask that covered the cheeky grin likely unfolding across his face. As he forced the thieves—a young man and woman—toward the onslaught of police officers, the crowd on the sidewalks erupted, cheering his name. “Red Comet! Red Comet! Red Comet!” I wanted to barf. “Abby, wasn’t that the coolest thing ever?” My best friend, Sarah, put away her cell phone, silencing the video clip of Red Comet’s latest rescue as we took our seats in the school auditorium for a Fridayafternoon assembly. “Anyway,” she continued, “do you want to go out somewhere tonight? I just bought a new Taser.” She unzipped her purse to show me.“You can’t go wrong with glitter and pink.” “Well, at least it’s better than the can of pepper spray you accidentally shot in your eye last month.” “Hey now. My screams of agony kept that guy from stealing my car out of the mall parking lot. I call that a win.” I wished I could laugh, but in reality the crime rate in Morriston had grown to such a height that we would be stupid to step outside without some form of protection. Gangs and muggers ran rampant, and then there was that one guy who robbed the mini-mart on Bay Street every Thursday evening like clockwork. After a while, people started making light of the situation just to spare themselves the pain. The pickpocket stole my homework was a common joke among students. The police and the supers were stretched thin, and my father, Morriston’s longest-tenured mayor, was running himself into the ground to contain it. Taser or not, I couldn’t give Sarah a definitive answer. I was too busy dreading the upcoming assemb

FAQs

What happens during the Morriston History Museum robbery?

A van carrying stolen artifacts speeds away, but it is halted by an attack from the sky. Red Comet emerges, drives the thieves toward police, and the crowd cheers his name.

How does Abby describe the everyday situation in Morriston?

Crime has become so common that people make jokes to cope, and police plus supers are stretched thin. Abby also notes that danger can’t be ignored when going outside.

Why is Abby worried about the upcoming school assembly?

Principal Davis says Morriston High has arranged a famous surprise guest, and surprises make Abby’s stomach sour and her palms sweat.

Aug 25, 2026

Uploaded by Olivia Brown