Favourite Superhero Sidekicks by Alex Falase-Koya

Who are your favourite superhero sidekicks? We all have ones we like more than others! Check out the blog post below from author Alex Falase-Koya for his list of faves!

Hi! I’m Alex, the Author of Marv and the Mega Robot and here’s a list of my favourite superhero sidekicks.

Robin (Dick Grayson)

Let’s start with the original, the sidekick that basically started it all. Robin! Well, firstly we have to think about which Robin we’re talking about. There have been a number of different robins over the years from Jason Todd, who had an unfortunate run in with the Joker, to Damien Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s son. My favourite though has been Dick Grayson, the very first incarnation of Robin. Dick was a circus gymnast along with his parents until one day a conflict with a mobster left him an orphan, at least until Batman stepped in.

Aside from his interesting, sometimes contentious, relationship with Batman and how that grows as Robin grows, Robin’s other appearances as both Nightwing and in the Teen Titans really elevate the character. In some ways you can only truly understand a sidekick by watching how they act when their superhero is not around and Robin has always shown his loyalty, intelligence and bravery no matter who he’s working with. That loyalty piece is especially compelling to me, it’s one of the things that I really wanted to come across in the Marv books I’ve been working on, between Marv and his robot sidekick, Pixel.

Krypto

Good dog? Good dog! If I could have a sidekick, any sidekick, I would probably want it to be my cat (who coincidentally is sitting on me as I write this). In a lot of ways relationships between sidekicks and superheroes are less about their powers and more about the bonds they have with each other. There are few stronger bonds than the bond you have with your pet. Krypto is a dog from Krypton, superman’s dying planet, who was sent after Superman by Superman’s father. On earth, he’s mostly a normal dog, but on occasion he puts on his cape and tries to help Superman out, as he has all the same powers as Superman. Generally, when we think about sidekicks we think about other human beings, but things like dogs or robots (in Marv’s case), can be just as, if not more, cool as a sidekick.

April O’Neil and Casey jones

Okay, I’m cheating a little bit by doing two characters in one section, however I just didn’t know how I could talk about one of these characters without talking about the other one, so here we go! These two are the teenage mutant ninja turtles’ closest allies and a couple of their best friends. One interesting thing here is that both sidekicks really showcase that helping superheroes can come in many different forms and shapes, for example: April O’Neil is a great investigator and reporter, a great source of knowledge to the turtles, whilst Casey is a great fighter with a killer visual design. Oh and eventually they end up in a romantic relationship which is cute.

Pixel

My favourite recent sidekick of course is Pixel! Marv’s sidekick. Pixel is an excitable robot who has been studying the art of sidekicking for quite some time, she was Marvin’s grandad’s sidekick too back in the day. With her mastery over technology and bravery, she’s an invaluable ally and friend to Marv.

Marv is the first book in a powerful new series by Alex Falase-Koya, following one boy’s journey to unlock the superhero within.

Marv and the Mega Robot and Marv and the Dino Attack – suitable for 5+, publishes on the 3^rd February 2022 by Oxford University Press.