Prepare to Die by Paul Tobin

Despite being at their mercy, Steve Clarke, aka superhero Reaver, is inexplicably given a boon by arch-nemesis Octagon and his cadre of supervillains, Eleventh Hour - instead of killing him outright, they grant him 2 weeks to take care of his affairs before he reports back to them to fight to the death.  Steve uses the two weeks to come to grips with how he became a superhero in the first place, the loss of superfriends, his own moral ambiguity at times, and to reunite with his high school love, the girl who got away (or was pushed away due to Steve's unanticipated mutation caused by a chemical spill which transformed some of the cars occupants and killed others).



Sometimes seemingly lightweight with much commentary on teenage boys and their constant thoughts on sex, masturbation and getting inside the clothing worn by girls, this book is alternately chuckle-out-loud funny, sad, touching, and thought-provoking, giving an inside look at the mental workings of a man that many see as a hero, many others see as a being to fear, and he himself sees as not worthy of either reaction.  Steve deals with conflicted feelings towards the death of his best friend (and fellow super), guilt over the death of his protege and brother, and the loss of many personal relationships due to his mutation.  Features long-lost love Adele, her wise-cracking, sex-obsessed sister Laura, and Laura's grocery-store-working girlfriend Apple, with peeks at supes like Paladin (healer, good guy, and the ruler by which Reaver measures himself), Siren (just her voice makes men and women slaver with lust and eager to due her bidding), Mistress Mary (with many powers, her most obvious one is her commanding voice), Stellar (who knows the name of every single person on Earth and flies between the planets - does it count as a mutant if you aren't from this world?), Macabre (magical many of mystery who is also a sadistic maniac), Kid Comet (invulnerable as long as he is in flight), and Tempest (worshiped in some cultures as a goddess, she commands the weather), among others.

Definitely for adults - lots of references to sex, alcohol and drugs, as well as lots of curses would freak some parents (and kids) out, but teens mainly wouldn't "get" some of the themes about going home again,  and the co-existence of good and evil.