The Cuckoo Cage

One of The Guardian's books to look forward to in 2021.

The AKA's.

The superhero of comic books and blockbuster movies might be a State-side phenomenon, with its conservative notions of ‘truth, justice and the American way’. But the cultural DNA of the superhero arguably lies in a much older, more progressive, British tradition: the folk heroes of British protest history.

In this unique experiment, twelve authors have been charged with resurrecting this tradition: to spawn a new generation of present-day British superheroes to bring the fight back to these shores, and to more progressive causes. From the statue-toppling Bristolian with otherworldly powers, to the Essex resident protecting public spaces and parks, these characters prove that it is possible to create a new breed of superhero in ways that capture essential truths about the society we live in.

Afterwords by: Richard Sheldon, Rhian E Jones, Niklas Frykman, Rose Wallis, Chris Cocking, Katrina Navickas, John Walter, Briony McDonagh, Carl Griffin, Ariel Hessayon & Frank Earp.

For fans of the writing of Alan Moore, the ‘pioneer of serious superheroes’ - Watchmen, V for Vendetta and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

[provisional cover]