Every hero needs a sidekick, and The Last Adventure of Constance Verity author A. Lee Martinez is here to tell you why.
About ‘The Last Adventure of Constance Verity’
Constance Verity has been saving the world since she was seven, and she’s sick of it. She sets off on one last adventure to reset her destiny and become the one thing she’s never been: ordinary.
Ever since she was granted a wish at birth by her fairy godmother, Constance Verity has become the world’s great adventurer. She is a master of martial arts, a keen detective, and possesses a collection of strange artifacts. Constance has spent the past twenty-eight years saving the world, and she’s tired of it. All she wants is to work in an office and date a nice, normal guy. And she’s figured a way out. The only problem is that saving the world is Constance’s destiny. She’s great at it, and there are forces at work to make sure she stays in the job.
Then again, it’s also her destiny to have a glorious death.
7 sidekicks that improve anything by A. Lee Martinez
Sidekicks get a bad rap. It’s assumed that heroes don’t really need sidekicks, but that attitude assumes heroes are infallible masters of their fate. Even Batman stumbles (or he should now and then), and most great characters are defined in part by their great supporting cast. It’s not just the villains who make heroes great.
In my new novel, The Last Adventure of Constance Verity, Constance has a history of being both hero and sidekick. Her best friend, Tia, has mostly been relegated to hostage or plot complication. When Constance begins her last adventure, Tia steps up to the plate. She knows she’s in over her head, but as Constance herself says:
“The mark of a good sidekick is being undertrained and overenthusiastic.”
Here’s a list of seven sidekicks that make their heroes and their stories better:
1. LAUNCHPAD McQUACK
Darkwing Duck might be the terror that flaps in the night, but he’s a heck of a lot better at protecting St. Canard with the stalwart aid of Launchpad McQuack. It was established that Drake Mallard was already a successful crimefighter when he bumped into Launchpad, Darkwing’s self-declared biggest fan. Once Launchpad joined up with Darkwing, things really fell into place.
Launchpad was no stranger to adventure before teaming with Darkwing. When you’re the personal pilot of Scrooge McDuck, you’re going to have a colorful history. Launchpad had already visited lost civilizations, encountered magic, and even been to outer space. Teaming up with Darkwing Duck to fight the villains of the city was just another day in the life of Launchpad McQuack.
2. SHORT ROUND
I know I’m alone when I say Temple of Doom is my favorite Indiana Jones movie, but darn it, I like it a lot. There are annoying elements. Willie is a far worse sidekick than Marion. There’s some bizarre cultural insensitivity that’s hard to excuse, but it has some crackerjack adventure sequences.
Short Round is one of those iffy elements that ultimately I like. He’s a smart, capable kid who handles himself well. He’s an obvious homage to all those scrappy kids who palled around with intrepid heroes of the past, but updated in a smarter way. Short Round’s a kid, but he’s no slouch. If I were in trouble, I’d want him on my side.
3. JACK BURTON
Big Trouble in Little China is rightly considered a classic. The subversion here is that Jack Burton, our nominal hero, is an outsider who never becomes an insider. He’s out of his element from the start, and it’s only his own stubborn assumption of his capabilities that he continues to think otherwise.
Jack’s the sidekick to Wang Chi, our unassuming, badass kung fu hero. In another movie, it’s easy to see the imposing, swaggering Jack as the hero to Wang Chi’s slight, unassuming role. But Wang Chi kicks a lot of ass, and it’s his love he’s fighting for. Jack’s just along for the ride, but he contributes enough to the story to keep from becoming an annoying gimmick. Wang Chi might be our hero, but Jack’s good to have around as a backup.
4. BEVERLY SWITZLER
Trapped in a world he never made, Howard the Duck isn’t quite a hero. He’s more interested in protecting his own tail feathers than saving the universe. The universe, however, has other ideas. Howard might not have any superpowers, but it hasn’t prevented him from saving the world from the worst the Marvel Universe has to offer.
Beverly, his frequent companion and human girlfriend, is just as much out of her element as Howard. A foil for Howard’s foul moods (pun intended), she’s also the only one who can reliably be counted on to call him out on his nonsense. Man-Thing ain’t gonna do it. Howard works best with someone stubborn and smart enough to keep him in check, and Beverly is just the person to do it.
5. ALFRED PENNYWORTH
Any of the various incarnations of Robin would be a more obvious choice for Batman’s sidekick, but Alfred is more consistently part of the Batman mythos. Robins come and go, but Alfred is there, day in, day out, helping Bruce Wayne with all the logistical work required to fight crime in Gotham City.
The dynamic between Alfred and Bruce has always been more interesting to me. Robin is a student. Alfred is a mentor, father figure, and advisor. It’s a complicated relationship that explores all aspects of Batman stories. Alfred can be support, devil’s advocate, concerned guardian, good friend. He might not be out there trading punches with supervillains every night, but he’s always by Batman’s side in one way or another.
6. ACE THE BAT-HOUND
Two Batman sidekicks on this list? Yes, and while the notion of Batman having a specially trained dog who helps him fight crime will be met with scoffs from those hardcore fans who only want Batman to fight serial killers dressed as clowns, I have a soft spot for Ace. Is it that absurd that a vigilante dressed in a bat costume who fights crime with a cool car and a personal jet has a loyal hound to back him up? Perhaps, but I’ll always like Batman more even if Ace is just sitting in the cave, awaiting his loyal master’s return.
7. WOOLA
The hideous calot isn’t much to look at, but as John Carter’s beast companion, it’s hard to top Woola. The ’12 live-action film isn’t perfect, but its version of Woola is. I love this guy. I’m a sucker for animal companions, which is why two made it on this list, but Woola deserves to be here. On a world like Edgar Rice Burrough’s savage Barsoom, sometimes the only thing a hero can count on is the steel in his hand and the loyal calot at his side.
Excerpt from ‘The Last Adventure of Constance Verity
About the author
A. Lee Martinez was born in El Paso, Texas. At the age of 18, for no apparent reason, he started writing novels. Thirteen short years (and a little over a dozen manuscripts) later, his first novel, Gil’s All Fright Diner was published. Since then he has published or is about to publish six additional novels, including his latest, The Last Adventure of Constance Verity. His hobbies include juggling, games of all sorts, and astral projecting. Also, he likes to sing along with the radio when he’s in the car by himself.
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