When Superman changed into his costume, all it took was a simple trip into the phone booth.

For Super Crazy, it’s a little more complicated.

Nine-year-old Quin Smith made the black shirt and hat, each sporting a red “S,” with black duct tape.

The “S” stands for “Super Crazy,” of course, who saves people from “super crazy” stuff like large falling rocks or troubles in the depths of the ocean.

A handful of young people spent last week using duct tape to create characters and design comics on computers about their taped masterpieces as part of the Promoting Enriching Activities for Kids program, or PEAK.

Teacher, Mike Aune, 18, said when he was little, duct tape wasn’t considered a toy for children.

But that’s all changed now, and the versatile MacGyver-cure-it-all adhesive has become quite the rage.

Aune said he enjoyed playing with a new medium of art with his students.

“It’s an innovative way to make super heroes,” he said.

When duct tape first came on the market, chances are super heroes weren’t on the minds of its inventors.

In fact, duct tape was first created and manufactured in 1942 by the Johnson & Johnson Co. as a way to keep moisture out of ammunition cases.

But its popularity as a creative medium in recent years has seen sales skyrocket, and some companies offer duct tape in as many as 25 different colors. There are Web sites available offering patterns for all types of clothing made out of it.

Grace Allen, who enters fourth grade at Rossiter in the fall, said duct tape isn’t just for boys and repairs.

Allen made a brown and white cowgirl hat, purple and pink pants, and a silver, white and purple shirt — all with duct tape.

One of her comic scenes features her sleeping under a tree with her hat pulled over her eyes. The caption bubble above her head says, “Until the cows come home.”

Working with the medium posed some challenges for Allen, though.

“It’s pretty complicated because it’s hard to tear the duct tape,” she said.

She didn’t have to worry too much or search for scissors because Aune came to her rescue, tearing each piece.

The exercise is one of many PEAK summer classes 10-year-old Hank Personette is taking, but it’s one of his favorites.

He didn’t realize duct tape could be used in so many ways.

“I’ve taped my shoes that have holes, and once my mom used it to repair the hole I put in the wall from skateboarding in the house,” Personette said.

This was the first time he’d ever made anything from one of the best sellers at the hardware store. He made a shirt with a pocket using pink, green and blue duct tape.

“I’ll wear it to Wal-Mart because I can carry stuff in it while I’m shopping,” he said.

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com