TD is awesome and they never did die. It's not easy making a new album, especially when you're as busy as Jack Black is. Also PoD was still pretty good. Haven't gotten the new album yet, but I look forward to it.
I don't think I have a childhood hero, probably because i'm afraid that they would let me down.
But if I had to chose a childhood hero it would probably be Goku from Dragonball Z.