DC Announces a new Early Reader Graphic Novel, You’re a Superhero – Graphic Policy

DC has announced You’re A Superhero!, a new early reader graphic novel from writer and actor Azie Tesfai and illustrator Penelope Rivera Gaylord, arriving November 3, 2026. Created for readers ages 5–7, this uplifting story introduces young fans to six-year-old Mariam, a girl who loves superheroes but is not sure she sees them in her everyday world until she discovers that heroism is all around her.

In You’re A Superhero!, Mariam wishes the heroes she sees on TV felt a little closer to home. But as she explores her neighborhood with her mom, she begins to notice the extraordinary people who make her community work: the building super who keeps everyone safe, the bus driver who knows every kid’s name, the electrician who brings light back to the block. Inspired by the real-life heroes around her, and by her super mom, Mariam learns the most important lesson of all: she is a superhero, too.

Tesfai is no stranger to superheroes. She played the Guardian on Supergirl, becoming the first Ethiopian and Eritrean person to portray a superhero on television, and the first CW actor to write for the network, penning the Guardian’s debut episode “Blind Spots.” Her work on the series centered on community, inclusion, and the idea that everyone has the power to protect and uplift the people around them.

Illustrator Penelope Rivera Gaylord brings Mariam’s world to life with warmth, humor, and expressive character design. A visual development artist whose credits include DC’s Diana and the Hero’s Journey middle grade graphic novel, Cartoon Network, Imagine Entertainment Kids and Family, and 9B Collective, Gaylord has also illustrated several Little Golden Books, including Captain Marvel and Avengers: Battle on the Moon. Born in the Philippines and raised in the Washington, DC, area, she now creates stories alongside her husband Jerry, and pursues what she calls a “cowabunga lifestyle.”

You’re A Superhero!, by Azie Tesfai and Penelope Rivera Gaylord, arrives on November 3, 2026, wherever books and comics are sold. The book is available for preorder now through Bookshop, Amazon, and more.

Source: Graphic Policy