DC Comics Won't Let Mom Sell Superhero Book About Disabled Son

ROMEOVILLE, IL — A Romeoville mom who self-published a comic book about her disabled son, Manny, was told by DC Comics that she was unable to use the trademark due to its similarity to Superman and was ordered to stop selling the book.

“The Adventures of Supermanny” tells the story of a 3-year-old boy suffering from cerebral palsy. He can’t speak or walk, but he can dream.

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“Supermanny sees daily activities very differently than we do. He does not let his disability cloud his ability to create an exciting and positive version of life in his own mind. That is his super power,” said the book’s description on Amazon.

Holly Bueno, Manny’s mother and undoubtedly a superwoman if there ever was one, wrote the book while in a hospital room watching her son sleep after a major surgery.

“Not many books are out there with the main character in a wheelchair,” Bueno said.

An email sent to DC seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Bueno is currently involved in litigation regarding the trademark and was unable to say much about it, but her real mission is to help raise money not only for her son but for others with disabilities. Proceeds from the book would have done just that.

The real Manny is a 4-year-old boy suffering from cerebral palsy. When he was born, doctors said he would live just three days, but Manny surprised them all and kept fighting. That’s when a different Manny emerged - Supermanny.

Manny was born at 36 weeks, about four weeks premature. The placenta had detached in the womb and an emergency C-section was performed. Doctors believed his was deprived of oxygen. He could not eat by mouth, nor could he coordinate sucking, swallowing or breathing. He didn’t cry and he didn’t feel any pain. He also didn’t have a gag reflex and he couldn’t see.

An MRI showed Manny had total brain damage and his EEG was highly abnormal. He was also at a high risk for seizures and had to be put on medication.

He was in the intensive care unit for 40 days before he could be brought home.

His mom was distraught. She didn’t know what to do and confided in her chiropractor, who told her that if Manny was deprived of oxygen then he should be getting it.

So that’s what Bueno did. Manny was given hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Bueno described it as looking like a giant MRI chamber or a tanning bed. Manny rests in the chamber and 100 percent oxygen is pressurized into it.

“I spent $180 a day for 40 days (for Manny) to go into this hyperbaric chamber in Bolingbrook,” Bueno said.

After three weeks of going inside the chamber, Manny began to improve. He began seeing his mom and then he started to cry and smile and feel.

Bueno knew she had to keep the oxygen therapy going, so she created a 5K to raise money to buy a chamber. Then she decided to do a second one.

Now, a third 5K will be held in Romeoville. Manny’s Mission 5K, formerly known as the Supermanny Shuffle and the Supermanny Mission, will be held Sunday May 1. There will also be a SuperKids one mile race for the kids. The name change was due to the situation involving DC Comics.

Registration for the event will be accepted online until 5 p.m. April 29. However, people can register the day of the event, but only cash will be accepted. For more information on registering, visit the website. If you can’t make the 5K, you can still donate online.

The 5K is a little different, though. Participants are encouraged to dress up like superheroes. Also this year half of the proceeds will go to other kids with disabilities while the other half will go to Manny.

Bueno said she will be continuing the 5Ks for as long as she can, not just for Manny, but for other kids, as well.

"The community has been so great giving to me that it's time to give back," she said.

With Sunday's race, Bueno is hoping to raise enough money to buy a $25,000 wheelchair lift for her van.

For more information on Manny, visit his website.