Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever

Mona and Joey can't stop fighting! They bicker about everything, expecially about who loves their favorite superhero, the Mighty Mojo, more. When the Mighty Mojo decides to pass his costume on to them, these argumentative twins fight so much that they rip it in half. Now each twin is only half as strong! Can Mona and Joey look past their differences and combine their powers? Or will they let the evil Saw-Jaw beat them and ruin their hometown's big parade?

Two talented cartoonists, Jay Lynch and Dean Haspiel, combine their own artistic powers to craft a superheroic romp full of twists and turns that are bound to keep early readers asking for more.

Children's Literature

When siblings Mona and Joey get a visit from their favorite superhero, the Mighty Mojo, it's like a dream come true, especially when Mojo reveals he is retiring and gives his costume—which contains all of his powers—to the kids. Unfortunately, "Mo" and "Jo" cannot stop arguing over who gets to wear the costume and end up tearing it in half. Fortunately, mom is able to sew the scraps into two costumes, but now each kid has only one of Mojo's powers but needs both to stop the villainous Saw-Jaw from popping a giant balloon at a parade. Can the brother and sister duo put aside their differences and work together for once? Drawn in classic Silver-Age-style comic book artwork, Mo and Jo Fighting Together Forever combines relatable sibling rivalry with old-fashioned, comic-book storytelling to create a story that will entertain younger kids. Young readers will like the powers showcased, which include magnetic boots—allowing Jo to climb up metal walls like Spider-Man—and elastic arms—letting Mo stretch her limbs like Elasti-Girl from The Incredibles. Not a book for older kids who will probably want something more sophisticated but a definite winner for readers who appreciate creative picture books. Reviewer: Michael Jung

Jay Lynch, who wrote Mo and Jo’s story, loved to read superhero comics like Plastic Man when he was a kid. When he wasn’t reading comic books, he would draw his own cartoon characters on the sidewalk in front of his house—then hide in the bushes to hear what other kids had to say about his drawings! Jay grew up to become a legendary cartoonist and has helped create many popular humor products, including Wacky Packages and Garbage Pail Kids.
 
Dean Haspiel used to read Fantastic Four and Shazam! when he was a kid. He admits that when he was young, he used to fight with his brother, too: “All siblings have a healthy rivalry, and so did we.” He has illustrated Pulitzer Prize-wining author Michael Chabon’s The Escapist and drawn superheroes for Marvel and DC Comics. He created his own comic character, Billy Dogma, and is the founder of the webcomic collective ACT-I-VATE.