It all began at the 1998 Taste of Veishea. A plethora of jazz tunes and ska covers sounded through a stage PA in the distance. Although some of the notes may have been off and the rhythms not entirely accurate, concertgoers were still been pleased with the band’s immense stage presence. After all, it has always been that way with Ames ska band the Mediocre Superheroes. “It’s definitely the high-energy show that separates us from the regular punk bands,” Superheroes frontman Dunar says. “I go to shows to see these bands and it’s like, `Are you gonna move? You’ve got this high energy music.'” The conception of the Mediocre Superheroes can be traced back to an ISU dormitory where Dunar met up with “Ed down the hall.” Dunar introduced Ed to bands such as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Less Than Jake, and suddenly the idea of being in a rock band made sense to Ed. “Ed came to me one day and said `I got all these ideas to make an awesome ska band. I know who we could get and everything,'” Dunar says. “I didn’t really take the whole idea seriously at first.” Things began to get serious when Ed rounded up members from ISU jazz bands and the band started practicing. Only a short time later, the band scored its first gig at the 1998 Taste of Veishea. Not long after, Mediocre Superheroes were opening for St. Louis ska punkers MU330 at the M-Shop, and playing at the MP3.com Music Festival in Iowa City. These days the band is one of the most praised ska/punk bands in the Ames scene. During the summers, the band has traveled throughout the Midwest, including Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. And when they can, the group also does their share of traveling on the weekends. However, with five of the six members still attending Iowa State, Dunar says the band is fairly busy. “It’s hard to find time for everything,” Dunar says. “As a band, school comes first, and we schedule around for shows and rehearsals.” Dunar, senior in management information systems, complains about the amount of group projects for his classes. Between classes, work and his commitment to the band, things tend to get a little hectic in the Mediocre Superheroes schedule. Practice doesn’t usually get started for the Superheroes until after 10 p.m., but, thanks to friendly neighbors, the band practices at Dunar’s duplex until late. The band often spends weekends on road trips to various Midwestern clubs. In late October, the band has weekend gigs in St. Louis, Mo. and Springfield, Ill., only to pray that the “Deathtrap” eventually takes them back to Ames in time for Monday classes. The “Deathtrap” is the nickname the band has given to the vehicle it rides around the Midwest. The band picked up the 1979 Chevy van in a fraternity parking lot for $50. “It needed some repairs. There were no back seats, and the one seat it did have wasn’t even bolted down,” Dunar explains. “A month ago we just got a new transmission for it, and now it has a TV and VCR in it too.” Covered with stickers and tugging a trailer behind it, the van garners plenty of attention, especially from law enforcement in the little towns the band drives through. “Officers will always pull us over telling us that we have a brake light out, or we’ve been driving a little too fast,” Dunar says. “And really they just want to see what’s going on.” The van has also given the band the inspiration for their debut full-length, “The Deathtrap Dilemma.” The new album contains nine new songs and re-recordings of songs from their first demo. The Superheroes recorded last December and finished up the recording in March. Dunar sums up the project of recording, pressing, and creating a CD as “a lot of work and very expensive.” The work has definitely paid off for the Superheroes, and they are using Friday’s show at the M-Shop to thank all the people who have come and seen them over the past couple years. “I definitely want to stress the words `CD release’ and `party,'” Dunar explains. “This is really a way to thank the people that have been with us from the beginning.” The Mediocre Superheroes show comes directly after two sold out and highly successful shows at the M-Shop by Ames bands Mr. Plow and Grubby Ernie. Dunar hopes that the Superheroes show will be just as successful. “I can’t think of a place with that kind of history,” Dunar explains. “They are doing a great service. It’s cool that they’re opening their doors to local bands.” With graduation nearing for Dunar and some of the other members of the Mediocre Superheroes, the future of the band is definitely in question, and the band has talked seriously about the consideration of taking the band on full-time. “Getting on an indie label where our records could be distributed nationwide – that would make it easier to do this full-time,” Dunar says. “It’s actually getting to be like a job, but a job that we love,” Dunar adds. “It’s a whole big world, and we’d like to play everywhere. Everyone’s dream is to be a rock star.”