Summary

Chapter 34 opens with a flashback to Tristan at the beginning of the seventh grade. As Tristan didn't have any close friends, he used to eat his lunch alone in the library behind a sci-fi graphic novel. Tristan also loves mythology stories. One day he was sitting in the library, reading a graphic novel about a caped superhero when a scrawny black boy in glasses told him his book was "dumb" (310). He introduced himself as Eddie. Tristan realizes he isn't being rude on purpose; this is just his way of starting a conversation. Tristan asks Eddie if he knows of anything better, and Eddie's eyes light up. He tells Tristan about "the strongest, smoothest, wildest hero ever," a man who rides a crow "the size of a stretch limo" and who even has "walk-up music--drums that play when he walks (311). Tristan is amused, despite...