How to Grow Up and Rule the World (Vordak the Incomprehensible) - Hardcover

"Evil mastermind Vordak the Incomprehensible shares his 'evilosity' with aspiring supervillains in this hilarious spoof on superheroes. His comical narration features over-the-top self-congratulation matched by supreme contempt for readers and everyone else. He applies that bravado with great comic effect, sharing evil insights on everything from 'choosing the lair that's right for you' to the four basic options for costume color: 'dark black, black, light black, and dark dark dark dark gray.' Each section goes beyond obvious jokes to explore all possible angles of satire. The 'Bringing Out the EVIL' chapter, for instance, includes evil laughter tips, evil manners, 'three ways to make your little brother look like an idiot, ' and a description of Santa Claus as an evil genius. Comical black-and-white cartoons on nearly every page extend the humor. Many, like the 'lemon-based-beverage' stand, work as stand-alone jokes. Vordak's distinctive voice, peppered with alliteration typical of the genre, remains fresh and funny throughout. Pop-culture references and varied elements of grossness are sprinkled in regularly, along with 15 'commandments of incomprehensibility' and repeated references to 'diabolically clever yet slow-acting death traps, ' which get funnier each time. So does the ironic fact that despite his egotistical rants, Vordak is actually a completely unsuccessful supervillain. The humor, subject matter, and visual appeal should make this a top choice for fans of Jeff Kinney's 'Wimpy Kid' (Abrams) and Dav Pilkey's 'Captain Underpants' (Scholastic) as well as any readers who enjoy superheroes without taking them too seriously." --School Library Journal

"Writing as the ultra-evil Vordak the Incomprehensible, Seegert offers a comical step-by-step guide to world domination. With a hyperbolically inflated self-image and no shortage of bathroom humor, Vordak guides readers through such topics as how to choose a costume ('the more flamboyant the better'), build a lair, and acquire enough minions to build a top-notch evil organization ('At times they can be difficult to control, but at their best they can be a relentless plague upon civilization'), all of which are paired with Martin's appropriately cartoonish artwork. Seegert gives Vordak a voice so magnetic and absurd that readers, especially young male ones, are going to soak up his warped wisdom like a sponge and circulate it at recess, even as Vordak insults them with admonishments like, 'You are just a sniveling, whiny little goober, after all.' No one is going to rule the world after reading Vordak's farcical directives, but readers will have a grand time turning pages to see what outlandish thing he'll say or suggest next, while perfecting their own villainous laughs. Muahahahaha!" --starred, Publishers Weekly