Super Problems (A Magic Pen Adventure)

2021 Maxy Award Finalist - Middle Grade/Young Adult

Before Monster Problems, there is Super Problems, the story of how Blue Hood first learned of the magic pen.

Scott draws the comic book adventures of himself, Blue Hood, and their friends as the Alpaca Defense Squad fighting their archenemy the evil Stinky Sock. No one knows Scott's using a magic pen and everything he draws becomes real. The middle schoolers and an alpaca named Bruce are thrown into a real-life superhero adventure! At first, they think it's great. They're living their superhero fantasy! What more could superhero fans want? But saving the day is not as easy as it looks!

The Stinky Sock is a clever nemesis, and Bruce the alpaca is obnoxious and demanding. The Alpaca Defense Squad must unite as a team, master their powers, put up with Bruce, and solve their super problem... before the Stinky Sock rules the world!

Jason R. Lady is an army brat who moved a lot, living on military bases from Germany to Fort Knox, Kentucky. Jason made friends by drawing comics and writing stories that starred the kids in each new school. When he's not writing, Jason listens to 80s music, is into superheroes, and is working on visiting every MLB stadium. Jason's first novel, Monster Problems, came out in December 2019. He lives with his wife in Cleveland, Ohio.