As a growing child I love animations/cartoons, they made my day. Being that we got a few hours of screen time, I honestly did not like anything that had to do with super heros. Maybe because I had a soft heart, or an over imaginative mind😂😂😂😂😂. However as a parent now, I’ve found out that there are various forms and types of superheroes and whatever the cape he/she wears, I can learn one or two lessons from him/her. Think about the typical superhero your child admires. They defeat villains with strength. They solve problems with violence. They win through superior force. The message is clear. Power means the ability to dominate others.
But MARV and the Duck of Doom by Alex Falase Koya flips this script completely. When young Marvin discovers his grandad has a super powered past and faces the hilariously absurd Duck of Doom and his Ducklings of Doom he learns something revolutionary. His super suit does not run on nuclear energy or alien technology. It runs on kindness and imagination. Two things every single child already possesses in abundance.
This changes everything. For too long we have told children that power comes from being bigger stronger faster than everyone else. We have shown them heroes who solve problems by punching harder than the bad guys. Marv offers a radically different vision. His suit literally will not work without kindness. He cannot access his abilities by being mean or aggressive. His superpower is directly connected to his character.
When children read about Marv they learn that the qualities they already have are not weaknesses to overcome but superpowers to embrace. They discover that being good is not boring or weak but actually the most powerful choice they can make. Real power does not come from dominating others. It comes from connecting with them.
The brilliance of making the villain an evil duck cannot be overstated. By creating an absurd hilarious threat the story removes the glorification of violence that plagues so many superhero tales. Children are not afraid of the Duck of Doom. They are laughing at him. This means they can focus on the real lesson which is how Marv responds to threats with kindness rather than aggression. The hilariously fun illustrations by Paula Bowles keep young readers ages 7 to 10 engaged while the deeper message sinks in without feeling preachy.
We live in a world that teaches children that nice people finish last. That kindness is for weak people who cannot compete. MARV stands against all of that cultural messaging. It insists that kindness is not weakness but strength. That imagination is not childish but essential. That the best way to defeat evil is not to become more evil yourself but to remain stubbornly good.
Children who learn that their kindness is a superpower grow into adults who change the world through compassion rather than domination. They become leaders who lift others up instead of tearing them down. They create communities built on cooperation rather than competition.
Our world does not need more people who know how to punch harder. It needs people who know how to think more creatively and care more deeply. Marv proves that being kind is a superpower and reminds children that they already have everything they need to be heroes right now. The super suit is optional. The kindness is essential.