Always one to bring you news of new superheroes on the scene, Sarcasmo and Irony Boy alert you to the latest addition to the pantheon of contemporary mythological heroes: the Flying Friar, a real life 16th-century monk who now has his own comic book. Joseph of Copertino, a Franciscan priest renowned for his ability to levitate, will star in a new graphic novel, published next week in Britain and America.

The Flying Friar, by Rich Johnston and Thomas Nachlik, is based on one of the Church’s most extraordinary saints, canonised for his extreme modesty and patience, who also possessed supernatural strength and an apparent ability to fly.

St Joseph was initially an outcast, born in 1603 in a shed. He seemed to be a simpleton and was nicknamed ‘The Gaper’ because of his habit of wandering around open mouthed. He was thrown out of his first monastery after eight months because of his vacant attitude and habit of dropping crockery. Only after being admitted as a novice to a Franciscan order in Grottella did he begin to display his powers, which were witnessed by people of unchallenged integrity, according to the Vatican.

Joseph’s most spectacular feats were his ability to soar high over the chapel’s altars and, on one occasion, to help workmen to erect a Calvary Cross 36ft high by levitating himself and lifting the heavy cross “as if it were straw???. Until now he has found fame as the patron saint of pilots and air stewards, but next week The Flying Friar will arrive in comic bookshops across Britain.

Mr Johnston, a British author of graphic novels, attempted to keep his character faithful to the saint, but has embellished his adventures by creating a fictional adversary in the style of Superman’s enemy, Lex Luthor. The story involves Joseph’s struggle with Lux Luther, a fictitious childhood friend and great nephew of Martin Luther, the founder of Protestant Reformation. In the final act, Joseph must use his special powers to avert Luther’s plan to rain fiery death on Copertino, his home town.

Whether the Flying Friar will emulate Batman’s penchant for using the word ‘holy’ as a prefix to any statement of awe, has not been confirmed.

Reported in The Times, 23rd January 2006