Thanks to a trove of vintage comic books and a few forensic tips, Stink becomes a super sleuth in this episode honoring classic superheroes and mystery-solving. At a Moody family yard sale, Stink uncovers a box of old comics about a superhero he’s never heard of: Super Gecko. What could be more fantastic than a part-man, part-lizard with superpowers? Hello, fun! Even better, Super Gecko just happens to be making a super comeback. And just as Stink becomes Super Gecko’s number one fan, the impossible happens: Stink starts receiving mysterious notes signed by Super Gecko himself. But Super Gecko isn’t real , is he? Using his newly acquired superpowers of science and deduction—all the cool stuff he’s learning at Saturday Science Club—Stink puts himself to the test. Can he figure out who is writing the letters? Megan McDonald is the author of the popular Judy Moody and Stink series for older readers. She has also written many other books for children, including two beginning readers featuring Ant and Honey Bee. Megan McDonald lives in California. Peter H. Reynolds is the illustrator of the Judy Moody and Stink books and the author-illustrator of The Dot , Ish , Sky Color , So Few of Me , The North Star , Rose’s Garden , The Smallest Gift of Christmas , Playing from the Heart , and Make Your Mark Gallery. Born in Canada, he now lives in Dedham, Massachusetts. aboom! Ka-tang! Ka-pow! Stink Moody was a real-life crime fighter. For a day, that is. Stink and Riley Rottenberger were at Saturday Science Club. They were learning about forensic science from Mrs. Rottenberger, their teacher and Riley’s mother. Stink got to use a pocket microscope. Stink got to track footprints. Stink got to dust for fingerprints. Stink and Riley spent all morning finding clues, adding them up, and solving a mystery. “We’re out of time for today,” said Mrs. Rottenberger. “Too bad,” said Riley. “I love puzzles and mysteries.” “Forensic science is cool,” said Stink. “I liked when we got to spot the difference between photos. And when we compared handwriting in those notes.” “Next Saturday, everybody, we’re going to explore superhero science,” said Mrs. Rottenberger. “Could the Flash really run across water? Could my favorite superhero, Elastigirl, aka Mrs. Incredible, stretch herself to be as tall as the Statue of Liberty? We’ll have water-drop races and make superhero slime to find out.” Stink couldn’t believe his not-supersonic ears! Stink was cuckoo for superheroes. “Superhero science!” said Stink. “ Shazam! That sounds even better than crime-fighting science!” “Thanks,” said Riley. “It was my idea.” Stink imagined himself in a cape that said stink: superhero superfan. “What superhero powers you would like to know more about?” asked Mrs. Rottenberger. “X-ray vision? Invisibility? Speed? For next Saturday, choose one superpower that you’d like to explore, and we’ll find out the science behind it.” All the way home, Stink thought about superheroes and their superpowers. Wonder Woman flew on air currents. Maybe they could measure wind speed. Cool! Superman had X-ray vision. Spider-Man had his spidey sense. And he could shoot webs from his fingers. Black Panther’s suit could make him invisible, and he could see in the dark. The Flash was super speedy and traveled through time. Wait! What about Green Lantern’s power ring? Could science explain how it created a force field around him? When Stink got home, his whole family was cleaning out the garage. Dad was dusting off old records. Mom was painting an old chair. Judy was making a sign with squeaky markers. Stink used his super powers of observation and deduction. This could mean . . . They were moving? Getting a new car? Having a yard sale? Judy held up her sign. “Check it out, Stink.” yard sale! cool stuff! “Yard sale! BAM! I knew it!” said Stink. “Can I sell stuff, too?” “Maybe you can sell some of the action figures and toys that you don’t play with anymore, Stink,” Mom said. “Okay, but not my Batmobile or Green Lantern power ring,” said Stink. “Hey! Maybe I can make enough to get a Black Panther vibranium power-claw bank.” “A whosie whatsit?” asked Judy. “Stink, you have superheroes on the brain.” “Yeah, I do!” said Stink. “Because I have to come up with a superhero power to explore next week at Saturday Science Club.” “Pick Squirrel Girl! She has a rhyming name like me,” said Judy. “Doreen Green. And she has the superpowers of a squirrel. She can jump between trees and chew through wood with her teeth. Or pick the Flash. He can speed-read.” “How about Black Panther?” said Stink. “He can see in the dark. Or what about Spider-Man’s spidey sense? He senses danger from miles away.” “I can sense that you’re in danger of not making any money if you don’t get a move on,” said Mom. Stink ran upstairs lightning-bolt-fast like the Flash. He