We are delighted to announce the winner for the superhero story competition is Olivia Ezeh for her story âYour Neighborhood Teenage Heroesâ. As well as the prize of ÂŁ500 we are also turning her story into a one page comic strip.
Step aside Captain America, Thor, and Wonderwoman. When environmental disaster hits a community in India, itâs the role of six underdog kids, rejected by society, to come to the rescue! Their mission â to tame an onslaught of extreme heat, floods, famine, and more, made worse by the terror of a grotesque pollution monster. In the words of the author: âIt emerged from under the water. Its eyes were as red as burning coal and smoke fumed from its nostrils. It glared at them. Then it opened its mouth and roared leaving a horrible stench of burning gas. What shocked the children the most was the skin of the monster. They expected green, slimy, and murky. But instead, its body was made of garbage. Literal garbage. Cans, wrappers, metals, and other revolting objects were intertwined in its bodyâŚâ.
Credit to the wonderful Olivia Ezeh for this snapshot of the winning superhero story: âYour Neighborhood Teenage Heroesâ! Olivia, a teenager from Nigeria impressed the judges with her ability to embrace the superhero genre while simultaneously presenting some compelling solutions to the climate crisis. Beyond the fantasy-based methods of taming the monster, her story included the practical solution of dialogue with Indian policy-makers about the need for improved drainage systems. Coupled with the âsuperpowerâ of passionately communicating the need for urgent action. Watch this space to see part of Oliviaâs story transformed into a 1-page comic strip!
