In Julie Murphy’s new book, the New York Times #1 Bestseller undertakes writing an origin story for Valiant Comics superhero Faith Herbert, aka Zephyr.
After the tragic passing of her parents, Faith Herbert moved to the small midwestern town of Old Glenwood to live with her Grandma Lou. There she has been living a rather ordinary life for the past several years.
Faith is an ardent fan of the long-running TV series The Grove with her friend Matt, for which she runs a popular fan-site. When she’s not geeking out, she’s likely at the animal shelter volunteering with her friend Ches.
That was Faith’s life before the summer of her senior year. But with Matt and Ches away for the rest of summer, the days are looking long and lonely.
Things quickly take a turn when Faith tries to befriend someone new who informs her that she is psiot and has superpowers.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Faith accepts an invitation from a dubious, secret organization where she undergoes an operation to have her superpower of flight activated.
Upon returning home many changes quickly start taking place in Faith’s life, not all of which are related to her recently acquired power.
The Grove is relocating to her town to shoot its new season and its female star, Dakota Ash, is showing a romantic interest in Faith, making her question her feelings. Dogs and people are disappearing under mysterious circumstances.
There is also a new designer drug being distributed at school that she has been tasked with investigating. Not to mention the growing uncertainty about her future after graduation.
As these events hit closer to home, Faith’s relationships are put to the test and not everyone appears to be who they seem to be.
With danger looming around her town and loved ones, Faith must decide whether to put her life on the line to save them and risk revealing her secret in the process.
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Julie Murphy is notably known for the representation of LGBTQ and plus-sized women in her stories. Faith: Taking Flight is no exception. Murphy has mastered the art of highlighting diversity in her stories in a casual and almost apolitical manner.
Being LGBTQ just is. Being plus-sized just is. Being a person of color just is. In Faith: Taking Flight, those are noticeable traits of the characters but not the sole essence of who they are.
Faith: Taking Flight is as much a coming of age story as it is a superhero origin story. Our heroine, Faith Herbert, is navigating the world and learning new things about herself, not just her powers. She is also coming to terms with the fact that as we grow older things change, and that there are things that are out of our control, even for those with superpowers.
A big reason for why I enjoyed this book was thanks to Faith’s endearing and cheerful demeanor. Although her life isn’t always easy, her unwavering loyalty, optimism, and values always remain. Faith is the type of person that we should strive to be or at least want to have around.
The fact that she’s a total nerd adds an extra element of awesomeness to her character. How great would it be to run a popular fan-site dedicated to your favorite show that even the cast of said show references?
It wouldn’t be far fetched to think that as more readers become acquainted with Faith, she’ll become an inspiration and role model to kids and adults alike.
On that matter, before reading this book I had never heard of Faith, and wrongly assumed that she was a new character. As it turns out, Faith Herbert made her first appearance in Harbinger #1 in 1992 and was created by Jim Shooter and David Lapham. For those who want to read more of Faith’s superhero adventures make sure to check out the Harbinger series from Valiant Comics.
Something else I learned is that this is the first of two books being written by Julie Murphy on Faith Herbert’s origin story. I look forward to seeing what Murphy has in store for us and how Faith’s future unfolds after the events of the first book.
Anyone looking for an entertaining coming-of-age, superhero origin story should give this book a read. The same can be said to anyone looking for a YA book with LGBTQ and plus-sized representation. Faith is a lovable character who is comfortable being herself and who represents the best in people, and also represents those who have often been marginalized and forgotten in writing. For anyone who wants a fun and easy read, this book checks those boxes as well.
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