Heroes & Villains

VIPERS
Comprehension Pack
 STAGE 3
Unit focus: Heroes and Villains
Text focus: Narrative

Captain Apparatus
Dear Diary,

Today was another stressful day. I’m so exhausted! Who knew being the only superhero in school
would be so time-consuming? It’s only been a week since Green Jumper disappeared but already
things are piling up.

I had an emergency meeting with Children Helping Usurp Maniacal People (C.H.U.M.P) this
morning. They are working on finding out which secret volcano lair Green
Jumper is being held in. There are so many it is taking them a while. I’m on
my own until then.
We’ve had an outbreak of Mega-Wedgies this week. It was mainly
amongst the older children for now. It’s a mysterious boy dressed all
in black with a pair of pants as his mask, apparently. He’s calling himself
Professor Pants. He’s definitely one to keep my eye on. Maybe I’ll set up a
sting to catch him?
Mrs Crossly tried to talk to me today. She has some hair-brained idea to
stop the younger children from disappearing in the sandpit. She tried to
convince me that one of the juniors had developed an invisibility cloak
and was hiding them all for a joke. I told her it was more likely to be the
enormous hole in the bottom of the sandpit. They’ve been digging it for
weeks to try and escape. She’s going to look into it. I didn’t stick around
for a “thank-you”. There’s no point.
There is some positive news. The outbreak of chickenpox in the top year
has meant that incidents of graffiti on the monkey bars have dropped
significantly. Some children are still insisting on carving their name into
the seesaw despite my warnings. I have vowed to catch these villains next
week.
It is the end of term disco on Thursday. I bet you can imagine just how
excited I am about that. Two-hundred children all running around
pretending to dance and then sliding around on their knees when
they get bored. It’s a perfect opportunity for the return of the
all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
dreaded Fizzy Drink Fizzer.

We’ve not seen her around for a few months now. The Fizzy Drink Fizzer is one of the worst villains
in school history. She turns up wherever there are fizzy drinks and over-excited children. The first
sign that she’s been around is the horrifying shriek when an unfortunate soul opens a can of pop.
They usually escape with just a wet face if they’re lucky. I’ve seen children get so wet, they’ve had
to be collected by their parents. This is just the type of event she loves. I’ll be on the lookout.

That’s it for today. Hopefully, tomorrow will be much easier. If not, maybe somebody will at least
say thank you.

Captain Apparatus

INFERENCE FOCUS
1. How does the author feel about being a superhero? How do you know?

2. Does Mrs Crossly normally thank the author? How do you know?

3. What do you think has helped stop the graffiti problem?

4. Does the author agree with Mrs Crossly about children disappearing from the sandpit?

5. Why is the author going to keep an eye on Professor Pants?

VIPERS QUESTIONS
R What is Professor Pants’ main method of attack?

V If an idea is “hair-brained”, what does that mean?

E Why has the author chosen to write this in the first person?

V Find a word that means the author has promised to do something.

S What do children normally do at the disco?

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
Unit focus: Angry Earth
Text focus: Information Text History of Comic Books STAGE 3
Comic books have been around for more than a hundred years. The first comic is
thought to be The Yellow Kid in McFadden’s Flats which was published in 1897. The
first comic book to introduce a well-known superhero was Ac�on Comics. The first
issue introduced Superman in 1938. Batman turned up less than a year later.

Sales of
T he Go
comics lden
the Uni have alw Age
ted Stat
es ays b e en
Age of c
omics w than anywher a lot higher in
is when a e
they so s between 193 else. The Gold
rose in ld 8 and 1 e
popular more copies 956. Th n
popular ity tha is
superhe the most. Man n ever and the
Golden r y y
Age of c oes today owe of the most
omics. their fa
me to t
he T op five
These are the top
five selling comics
The year each one of all �me.
was first published
is in brackets.
The X-Men (19
63)
270 million cop
ies
One Piece (199
7)
345 million cop
Did you know? ies
an in 1963. He Spiderman (19
62)
Stan Lee created Iron M
acter, who children 360 million co
pies
wanted to create a char
as a dare. He
at the �me mightn’t like, Batman (1939)
ake the character 460 million co
challenged himself to m pies
presented one
likeable even though it re
e 1960s hated, Superman (19
38)
thing most children in th 600 million co
which was war. pies

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
 RETRIEVAL FOCUS
1. When was Iron Man created?

2. When was the Golden Age of comics?

3. Which character was first introduced in 1938?

4. Which comic introduced Superman?

5. In what year was the comic that has sold 345 million copies first published?

VIPERS QUESTIONS
S Which comics have sold more copies than Spiderman?

I Why was it called the Golden Age for comics?

I Why do you think Stan Lee dared himself to create an unlikeable character?

V Find a word or phrase that means “arrived”.

V What does the phrase “owe their fame” mean?

 STAGE 3
Unit focus: Heroes and Villains
Text focus: Instructions

How To Be A Superhero
So you want to be a superhero? I don’t blame you. It’s a fantastic
career. You get to travel the world, meet lots of interesting people and
thwart their dastardly plans. I feel I must warn you, though. It’s not
all fun and games. Villains nowadays are cunning. They love nothing
more than to see a superhero sliced into smithereens by a laser beam
or catapulted into a volcano. It’s not for the weak-hearted.
There are a few steps on the road to heroism. Ideally, you will already
know who your arch-nemesis is going to be. If you are struggling to find a devious villain, look for
large public items being stolen. Something like the Queen, Stonehenge or the moon would be a
clue that somebody is up to no good. Make a point of contacting your nemesis as soon as you can
to let them know you’re onto them.
Your media personality is vital. Make sure you spend as much time in front of the news cameras
as possible. You need to ensure that you are always on television. Remember, it doesn’t count as a
superhero good deed if you don’t tell people about it!
So you’ve got your nemesis, and you know what your first mission is going to be. What next? Now
it’s time to act. I don’t mean actually get the thing back. That will be later. You need to actually act
now. You might not care that much about the moon, but you need to act as though the villain has
stolen your favourite birthday present. People love it if you can cry on TV. A cute doggy sidekick will
win you even more points.
Only once you’ve annoyed your enemy and boasted about how you’ll destroy them on TV (all while
crying) can you start your mission. You might find that somebody else has solved the problem by
this point. That’s a great outcome. You’ve had all the media without having to fight off angry laser-
sharks or evade a series of frustrating booby traps.
Things get dangerous if you still have to carry out a mission. Try to minimise the danger by giving
up when things get too tough. Even scientists aren’t allowed to play around enormous rockets
hidden in the middle of volcanoes, so why should you?
Sometimes things are a bit easier. Villains aren’t always the sharpest tools in the box and like to
tell everyone where they are hiding. Secret lair? More like a conspicuous mansion on a deserted
island! You will inevitably get caught at some point. When this happens, just keep asking them
questions. Villains seem incapable of carrying out punishments until they have talked about it for

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
hours and held an in-depth question-and-answer session. This can buy you valuable time.
Even if you do manage to complete your mission, you must let the villain go free. Once you put the
villains in jail, you’ll be out of a job. Make sure there’s always a regular supply of villainy by always
letting them go.

RETRIEVAL FOCUS
1. Find one thing that villains like to do to superheroes.

2. What will win you more points with a TV audience?

3. What can you avoid if somebody else solves the problem first?

4. If you catch the villain, what must you do?

5. What is one good thing about being a superhero?

VIPERS QUESTIONS
I What does the author seem to think is the most important part of being a superhero?

V What does the phrase “sharpest tools in the box” mean?

V Write a definition for “conspicuous”.

S What must you do before carrying out a mission?

I Why do you think the author doesn’t want to carry out any missions?

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
 STAGE 3
Unit focus: Heroes and Villains
Text focus: Narrative

The Decider
“It’s over, Doctor Magnetor.”
A scrawny man dressed head to toe in purple spandex turned his
head slowly. One of his hands was tightly gripping the overhanging
rock above his head. The other was inching slowly towards his utility
belt.
“Don’t do it, Doctor. I’ve got you surrounded.” A tall, brawny man stood on the damp floor of
the vaulted cave. One hand was resting on his hips in a classic superhero pose. The other held a
flaming torch that bathed both of them in a flickering pool of light. A gentle breeze played with his
long, golden hair.
Doctor Magnetor looked around, from the ground to the ceiling far above them. “There’s nobody
else here, Professor Amazing,” he said through gritted teeth.
“It’s a figure of speech!” Professor Amazing shouted angrily.
“You’ll never catch me!” Doctor Magnetor swung on the ledge and grabbed hold of what turned
out to be an angry bat. He shrieked and tumbled to the ground. Shadows engulfed him.
A purple flash sprang out of the darkness and darted towards the professor. He’d been expecting
it though and swivelled out of the way. There was a heavy thud. Professor Amazing shook his head
sadly as he watched Doctor Magnetor dust himself off and rub his head where he’d crashed into
the wall.
“This is ge�ng ridiculous,” Professor Amazing said. “You’ve been evading me for three years now.”
“And I’ve been ge�ng away with it!” Doctor Magnetor said proudly.
“Until now. You do know there’s only one way we can settle this forever, don’t you?”
Doctor Magnetor took a deep breath. He nodded slightly.
“If I win,” Professor Amazing continued, “it will all be over for you. You understand that?” Another
nod. “If you win, you’ll be able to continue your plans for world domination, and I’ll leave you
alone.”
Doctor Magnetor stepped forward suddenly. Professor Amazing flinched but realised his nemesis
was holding out his hand. He shook it firmly. “It’s been an honour,” said the evil doctor.

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
“Any last words?” asked the professor.
“You need a better catch-phrase.”
“What’s wrong with ‘You’ve been caught by Professor Amazing’?”
“It sounds too much like a TV advert.” The doctor thought for a moment. “Maybe something like
‘There’s only room for one Amazing’.” He thought again for a second and said, “Maybe not. But
work on it. It’s pretty terrible.”
“Fair enough. Is that it?”
“Will you pass on a message to my dear old mum?” Professor Amazing nodded, and Doctor
Magnetor continued, “Tell her to send me my sonic blaster hidden in a birthday cake. It will help
me escape.”
“No,” said Professor Amazing, flatly. “Let’s get this over and done with. I don’t want to drag it out
any longer.”
The two men cautiously approached each other. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Professor
Amazing asked.
“Get on with it.”
“Okay.” Both men held out their right hand in a tensely curled fist. They raised them together three
times and muttered under their breath, “Rock, paper, scissors…” Each of them opened their hand
at precisely the same time.

VOCABULARY FOCUS
1. What is a pose?

2. What does “Shadows engulfed him” mean?

3. Find a word that has a definition closest to “trying to avoid or not be found”.

4. Which word tells you how Professor Amazing shook Doctor Magnetor’s hand?

5. What does the word “cautiously” tell you about how they felt as they approached each other?

VIPERS QUESTIONS
I Why does the purple man talk through gritted teeth near the beginning?

R What did Doctor Magnetor grab hold of?

S What did Doctor Magnetor do after he raced towards Professor Amazing?

I How do you think they settled their argument?

P Write the next paragraph in the story. Think about what might happen.

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
 STAGE 3
Unit focus: Heroes and Villains
Text focus: Narrative

Lonely Hearts
Name: Professor Grumpus

Occupa�on: Evil villain

Age: 55 years old

Profile:

Hi, where do I start? I suppose I should tell you about

myself. I’ve known I was evil ever since I could walk.
My first steps were towards my mother’s ray-gun. I
didn’t get there, of course, but from that point, I was
destined for greatness. Let’s just say, the family cat
didn’t stick around once I could run!

One summer, I decided I’d had enough of my parents. It was only a matter of time before they
found out my evil schemes, so I hatched a plan to destroy them. When I think back to the hours I
spent in my hidden lair, under my cot, plotting their doom, I always smile. On some level, I suppose
my mother must have known. She was always cleaning and tidying and saying what a little monster
I was. My father even called me his partner-in-crime. The clues were there when I think about it.

I didn’t destroy them in the end. They still live happily in a small cottage in Norfolk. I pop in
whenever work allows. They are rather harmless in their old age, and my mother makes a cream
tea as devilish as any of my schemes!

I really started my campaign to bring misery to the world in 2010 when I cancelled pancake day.
Well, I say cancel. My arch-nemesis Captain Flabbypants was there to save the day, just like he
always was. It was a close-run thing for a while. Those were the days.

Over the years, I’ve attempted many more fiendish campaigns. Each one has been designed
to cause unhappiness around the world. Or to get rich. That’s always good. Ever since Captain
Flabbypants retired last year, things haven’t been the same.

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
Maybe I’m jealous? He gets to spend his days sitting on the beach in Cornwall while I’m here trying
to run an evil empire. Perhaps I just miss the chaos we would cause as we rampaged through the
streets on one of our epic battles. It didn’t matter that he won every time.

So, this is where you come in. I need somebody to step in and fill the Captain Flabbypants shaped
void. Are you a virtuous, caring soul who’d sooner do the right thing than have fun? Do you know
how to operate a standard-issue Light-Blast FreezeRay 3000? Can you fit into a size 60 cape (or do
you know a good tailor)?

If you think you are worthy enough to take on one of the greatest criminal masterminds of all time
(me), then get in touch. I can’t wait to defeat you!

VOCABULARY FOCUS
1. What does the word virtuous mean?

2. What does the word fiendish tell you about Professor Grumpus’s plans?

3. Complete the sentence: Void is another word for ______ .

4. Find a word that has a meaning closest to “moved without control”

5. Which word tells you that Professor Grumpus came up with a plan?

VIPERS QUESTIONS
I Why did the cat run away?

S What was the first evil thing he tried to do?

R How old is Professor Grumpus?

S Why can’t he fight Captain Flabbypants any more?

I Why might they need a tailor?

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
Answers - Captain Apparatus:

1. The author is tired. They see it as important work but tiring and underappreciated.

2. No. The author said there wasn’t any point waiting for a thank you.

3. The children doing it are off ill with chicken pox

4. No. The author thinks they are trying to escape.

5. In case he keeps pulling Mega-Wedgies

R: The Mega-Wedgy

V: It is ridiculous/unlikely to work

E: It is a diary and the thoughts are those of the author. The author wants to express how they are
feeling.

V: Vowed

S: Run around pretending to dance and then slide around on their knees

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
Answers - History of Comic Books:
1. 1963
2. 1938 - 1956
3. Superman
4. Action Comics
5. 1996

S: Batman and Superman

I: They sold more copies than before and grew in popularity
I: To see if he could make it likeable and have people still buy it/as a challenge to himself
V: Turned up
V: They are famous because of

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
Answers - How To Be A Superhero:

1. Slice them into smithereens with a laser or catapult them into a volcano

2. A cute doggy sidekick

3. Fighting laser-sharks and booby traps

4. Let them go

5. Travel the world, meet interesting people and thwart their plans

I: Being on TV and getting attention

V: They aren’t very clever

V: Obvious/standing out

S: Annoy your enemy and boast about how you’ll catch them

I: They are dangerous

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
Answers - Lonely Hearts:

1. Good/honourable/does the right thing

2. They were evil/unimaginable

3. Hole/empty space

4. Rampaged

5. Hatched

I: It was scared of Professor Grumpus’s pans

S: Grab his mother’s ray-gun

R: 55 years old

S: Captain Flabbypants has retired

I: To alter the cape to fit themselves

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com
Answers - The Decider:

1. A position that somebody is holding

2. He was swallowed by the shadows/they covered him completely

3. Evading

4. Firmly

5. They didn’t trust each other not to do something

I: He is holding on to the ledge tightly

R: An angry bat

S: He bumped his head on the wall

I: Rock, paper, scissors

P: Any suitable prediction that links back to the game.

all resources ©2019 Literacy Shed

http://www.literacyshedplus.com