DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 8 - Spaced Out

And thus we come to the final (at least, for me) DC Super Hero Girls graphic novel. It's been a good run, more or less, and while not every one of the eight graphic novels were exceptional, I'd say that more were good than were not.  It has been fun reading stories that were not continuity heavy, they weren't all doom and gloom, and the heroes, while less than perfect, were still - - well, heroes! With these young women (and the few young men), they may have doubted themselves and their abilities, but there was never any question of what was right and wrong.  The stories were lighthearted, the adventures time- and universe-spanning, and the villains ultimately vanquished as they should be in any good superhero comic.  But, alas, for reasons unknown to me, DC decided that these well-drawn characters and good-natured stories were just not good enough - so, they redesigned the Super Hero Girls (with art that I absolutely hate!) and changed the tone of the stories (from what was light-hearted and fun to what comes across as silly and childish) and introduced a whole new DC Super Hero Girls...but more on that later...

"Spaced Out" introduces Jessica Cruz Green Lantern to the DC Super Hero Girls universe.  As in the DC Universe proper, this Jessica Cruz is fearful and not overly confident with her power ring.  The story opens in Coach Wildcat's training class, where Jessica backs away from a fight with a monkey. Of course, she becomes even more afraid when Principal Waller informs her she must go to Oa, the planet of the Green Lanterns, for her official induction ceremony.  Of course, she's not going alone - Big Barda, Star Sapphire, and Supergirl are going with her (along with a stowaway, but I won't spoil that surprise!).  Thus, the girls' space adventure begins!

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Wonder Woman is supposed to be watching Krypto. But when Krypto takes off after Catwoman's cat, then gets loose in Metropolis and finds a stray dog with her litter, it takes Wonder Woman, Batgirl (along with Ace, the Bathound), Flash, and the whole DC Super Hero Girls crew to track down the missing dog.  As such, readers are treated to two adventures within this one graphic novel!

It is fun to watch Jessica Cruz not only learn more about herself and her power ring through this adventure, but to see how she grows in courage with the help of her friends.  The use of Zod, Non, and Faora as the villains was perfect, as it gave some simple conflict with Supergirl's desire to reconnect with people from her homeworld, while at the same time, utilizing villains with strength far above that of the other heroes - meaning that they have to work together to overcome the Kryptonian criminals.  Writer Shea Fontana provides a very satisfying story (or should I say stories), and Agnes Garbowska provides art that blends seamlessly into the series (kind of a shame this is the last one, as her art was beautiful).

The book does at least acknowledge it's finality in the series, as writer Sholly Fisch and artist Marcelo DiChiara provide a mini-back-up story that has Zatanna showing the Super Hero Girls an alternate reality, where Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman are criminals, the girls all have secret identities, and instead of Super Hero High, they are attending Metropolis High.  It is an introduction to the new art style for the series, as well as a first look at the changes in the characters.  I'm not a fan of this new direction, so rather than collecting it simply for the sake of completing a series, I've decided that this graphic novel will end my DC Super Hero Girls collection.  And such a shame, as it has been a real jewel in the DC Comics world, and it's a shame that DC felt the need to change it.

So, goodbye DC Super Hero Girls - it was  true pleasure reading your stories and sharing in your adventures, and know that this fan will miss the fun-loving stories that you've had along the way!

RATING:  9 bowls of Slurp-O-Slop ice cream out of 10 for giving the girls two fantastic stories as a fun-tabulous send off!

DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 7 - Search for Atlantis

DC Super Hero Girls
Search for Atlantis
Publisher:  DC Comics
Publication Date (October 2018)
ISBN 10 - 1401283535
ISBN 13 - 978-1401283537
115 pages of story

The girls (and boys) of Super Hero High are back for their seventh graphic novel in this series of DC Super Hero Girls comics. What I found to be unique about this book is that it not only follows the last direct-to-video cartoon film, but it also references events that took place in one of the prior DVD films. I can't recall any of the prior graphic novels actually making reference to the DVDs, so it's rather cool that they have now established that these books are in the same continuity and universe and the cartoon DVD films!  Yeah, I'm a nerd about these sort of things - sue me!

Search for Atlantis spotlights Mera, who is a new addition to the school (and to the DCSHG graphic novel universe). Taking place shortly after the recent DVD, this story finds Mera a new student at Super Hero High, and she is trying her best to fit in. It seems Wonder Woman and Mera have become best friends, but where does that leave Bumblebee, who thought she and Wonder Woman were besties? Of course, teen jealousies will have to wait, because when Atlantis goes missing and the villainous Braniac is found to be behind the disappearance, it's up to the DC Super Hero Girls to save the day!

Writer Shea Fontana and artist Yancey Labat turn out some of their best work yet with this story. It flows nicely from the DVD story, and the characterization is on point. I absolutely loved the grouping of Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy (I still want to call him Changeling, which is how I first met him in the Wolfman/Perez New Teen Titans series back in the '80s), and Starfire and the attempts of these four to figure out a name for themselves - - Teenage Group of Superheroes Who Work Together? Young Justice? Beast Boy and the Super Buddies? Super Friends? Super Acquaintances? Adolescent Adventurers? Or, how about - - dare I say it - - Teen Titans?!?!

It was also really nice to see Miss Martian take a bigger role in this book. Her character has always been portrayed in this series as super-shy, constantly turning invisible anytime someone spoke to her. But in this story, Fontana shows just how much the character has grown, giving Miss Martian not only a leadership role, but a chance to take on the bad guy directly. Plus, the cameos of Black Orchid and Mary Marvel on page 25, well that just made my day! I mean, it was only in one panel, but still - the costumes were fantastic, and hopefully that is a small hint that we may see more of these two in the future. I certainly hope so!

Overall, this was definitely one of the best books in the series, both story-wise and in the art department. If they continue in this positive direction, I think Fontana and Labat will have a successful series for many more books to come!

RATING:  9 shrunken cities out of 10 for continuity, characterization, and good, clean comic fun!

DC Super Hero Girls: Bumblebee at Super Hero High

I cannot lie - I am truly surprised this series of books has lasted as long as it has.  Now, don't get me wrong - I'm glad it is still going, as I have always been a fan of female superheroes, and the DC Super Hero Girls line of comics, books, and toys has totally caught my interest.  I just did not expect it to last.  Apparently, though, the brand with its comics and books seems to be doing well.  (The toys, though, seem to have fallen off, as there have been no new figures, dolls, or any other toys at the stores lately...)

That being said, the sixth book in the series, Bumblebee at Super Hero High, gives fans and readers a more in-depth look at the life of one of the B-list characters (get it?), Bumblebee.  Karen Andrena-Beecher is unlike a lot of the heroes at Super Hero High - her superpowers are not natural. It is her suit that gives her the power to shrink, the power to fly, and the power to shoot stinging blasts. A suit that was designed and built by Karen herself! But that does not make her any less a hero, even though she begins to doubt herself when her super-suit begins to short out, failing to keep a battery charge, and basically preventing her from being the hero she wants to be.

But what really makes a hero?  That's what this book is all about!

Author Lisa Yee writes another character-building story that provides Bumblebee a chance to truly shine - with and without her super-suit.  Readers not only learn more about Bumblebee's past, but we get to meet her parents, find out how and why she built her super-suit, and discover how she got into Super Hero High.  Then the mystery starts - her family home is destroyed when the giant tree in their back yard crashes down into the house, destroying both her family's home and her tree-house lab.  Bumblebee notices her original suit is missing, but assumes it is simply crushed amongst the debris.  Then, the supply of honey in the world begins to diminish.  Then, plants begin to wither and die without warning.  Then, a strange pollen fills the air, causing people to sneeze uncontrollably.  Then, Bumblebee's suit starts to lose its charge and seems unable to keep a charge to stay powered.

Something is definitely amiss, and Bumblebee and the rest of the heroes at Super Hero High are determined to discover the source of all these strange happenings!

Now, for me, it was fairly easy to guess who the villain was going to be for this book.  Not that Yee made it easy to figure out - she actually gave no clue whatsoever as to the identity of the villain.  Rather, I guessed the villain based upon simple deduction. Bumble"bee" is the hero highlighted in this book. The world's honey supply is diminishing.  Who likes honey?  I won't spoil it by revealing the answer, but let's just say that any major fan of DC Comics for any length of time will easily figure out who it is.

And, of course, the book ends with a bit of a teaser as to who is to come in the next DC Super Hero Girls book...a touch of ivy, a bit of poison, and the next book is bound to be good!

RATING:  9 giant mutant killer bees out of 10 for keeping the female heroes at the forefront and showing that they can hold their own as an ongoing series!

DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 6 - Out of the Bottle

The girls of the DC Universe return for their sixth graphic novel, still written by Shea Fontana - however, the art this time is by not one, not two, but THREE different artists - Marcelo DiChiara, Agens Garbowska, and Mirka Andolfo (none of whom I recognize). And if you're wondering why there are different artists for one graphic novel, well, it all has to do with the story...

This time around, the Super Hero Girls find themselves in art class, under the tutelage of June Moon, and they are each creating their very own comic. It is actually rather cute to see the different comic creations the girls come up with - Katana, of course, writes herself as the shining star of swordshmanship; Supergirl writes the innocent tale of best super-friends Supergirl and Batgirl; Wonder Woman has a difficult time with her story about herself splitting into different versions to save the day; and Harley Quinn - - well, poor Harley just comes up with the most bizarre version of herself that she can think of - H.Q. as a villain!  (Yeah, not quite the surprise for readers.)

Nothing too exciting about any of that, eh? Well, when Harley accidentally uses some of Ms. Moon's magic pain, suddenly all of their comic creations come to life, and the two-dimensional pests are out to create as much havoc as they can on the real world! Harley, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and Katana must stop these dopplegangers before they do too much damage to Metropolis.  Meanwhile, Ms. Moon does everything in her power to keep her cool, but eventually, she can't control her temper, and when she loses it - well, enter: the Enchantress!

It's a somewhat simple, straight-forward tale of mayhem and magic, and the girls get help from Cyborg, Beast Boy, Bumblebee, Starfire, Poison Ivy, Killer Frost, and even Black Canary makes an appearance! But ultimately, it is up to Harley Quinn, who created the havoc, to find a way to send the paper pests back into the comics where they belong (and, I'll admit, the solution was rather cute).

Shea Fontana tells another fun tale, and with six graphic novels under her belt now, she has a pretty firm grasp on all of the characters.  There is consistency and a bit of growth with them, as they learn from each experience, and it actually makes me smile to thing that DC is willing to put out light-hearted stories that, in some ways, remind me of the enjoyment I had reading Super Friends back in the '70s and early '80s. Which goes to prove that comic books do not have to be all dark and gritty for adults and super-dumbed down for kids - there is a happy medium!

Despite the regular artist, Yancey Labat, being absent from the book, the art is pretty spot on. Whichever artist did the main art for the story maintained the look for the characters and backgrounds. This is a pleasant surprise, as often when titles have fill-in or new artists, the artists will have a very different art style that can sometimes be jarring to the story, to see the characters drawn so differently.  DC made the right choice this time.

I hope this series is selling well enough to keep it going for a while - I think it is the type of comic the market needs, as some people like to actually smile when they are reading their comics!

RATING:  8 manifesting mights of maximum friendship out of 10 for good, clean, family fun!

DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 5 - Date with Disaster

Writer Shea Fontana takes the DC Super Hero Girls on a brand new adventures in the latest graphic novel in DC's series about the girls in the DC Universe as teenagers at Super Hero High.  The last two stories have been less than stellar, and I was worried that perhaps the books were being pushed out too fast for Fontana to provide well-written, fun tales.  This most recent book, however, proved me wrong.

Date with Disaster brings back not only a fun-filled story with a dastardly villain for the heroes to stop, but it's also filled with fun and some surprise appearances (including my favorite character, Captain Carrot, albeit as a screen-saver and poster, not an actual character in the story).  I won't say who, but let's just say that Fontana manages to weave them into the story pretty subtly and surprise the reader when they appear.

The main story is true super-hero fare - an explosion at Star Labs has the heroes investigating, but the Mayor insists there is nothing wrong, and to move on.  Poison Ivy becomes more than curious, as it turns out she has a secret connection to Star Labs, as well as Dr. Faulkner, who tells Supergirl to not tell Ivy as she is rushed to the hospital.  The super hero girls are on the case, alongside aspiring reporter Lois Lane, who smells a story herself.  But their investigation hits a pause when Batgirl discovers her father - - on a date!

Batgirl sets about to find her father a real date, while at the same time, the girls unexpectedly find their principal is also out on the dating scene.  Through an online dating ap, Batgirl finds who she believes could be the perfect match for her father - sadly, though, she couldn't be farther from the truth.

With big super hero vs. super villain battles, plenty of humor, lots of match-making (I mean, c'mon, there is the dance that Harley is putting together that has to be considered - who at Super Hero High will be taking who to the dance?), and several well-threaded plot lines all equal a great story.

Yancey Labat's is back on full art chores for this book, and his art remains consistent.  I could easily see him doing art for cartoons on a regular basis.  He provides exaggerated expressions without making them too much so, and he knows how to create a fantastic action sequence that jumps right of the page at you.

Overall, this fifth graphic novel in the series definitely reminds me why I enjoy these characters so much, and it definitely proves DC can have an all-ages series without dumbing it down to pre-school level antics.

RATING:  9 fist-fulls of electric sting out of 10 for good, clean, dramatic super-hero fun without all the unnecessary darkness and continuity!

DC Super Hero Girls: Harley Quinn at Super Hero High

Harley Quinn has come a long way since Paul Dini first introduced her in the Batman animated series way back when. She has gone through countless costume and personality changes over the years, but currently, she's sort of a crazed anti-hero, not quite a villain, but sometimes yes when the mood strikes her - and she has gone back and forth with her delusion of being the Joker's girlfriend.  She is not really a character I have ever cared for, although I do admit that Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti did make her somewhat readable in recent years.

Lisa Yee, however, with her latest DC Super Hero Girls novel, has actually made the character fun and likable for me!  Harley Quinn at Super Hero High introduces the world to an entirely different Harley Quinn - one who loves attention, one who can't seem to find time for her friends, but most surprising of all, one who is a hero at heart.

While the previous four books in the series all had a mystery element from pretty much the get-go, this one's mystery at the beginning turns out to be nothing more than a prank by Harley Quinn - something to get more ratings for her Harley Quinntessentials internet channel!  While she finds it amusing, particularly her friends' reactions, the other heroes at Super Hero High do not find it quite as humorous - particularly Principal Waller, who puts her in detention.  But does that deter everyone's favorite prankster?  Of course, not!  In fact, all it does it start Harley on her path to finding a way to garner even more viewers for her channel by hosting a Dance Contest!

Of course, true to Harley Quinn form, the Dance Contest doesn't quite turn out like she expected (although it does increase her viewership) - so she does the only thing she can - Harley creates the next big thing with a Battle of the Bands to take place at Capes & Cowls! The heroes, the villains, the surrounding communities, the other countries of the world - heck, even some bands from outer space all try to make the final cut so that they can be a part of this big event!  But, as can be expected, the battle doesn't finish, because all of the animals at the local zoo are suddenly on the loose, and it's up to the heroes to capture them and return them to the zoo.

As a final attempt to boost viewership beyond anything the world has ever seen, Harley decides to film live at the Krazy Karnival that is coming to Metropolis.  But something is not quite right about the Karnival, and it soon becomes obvious to Harley, as well as Miss Martian (the shyest of all the heroes) - and Harley finds herself in a real predicament:  help save her friends and the city, or push Harley Quinnessentials into the stratosphere with more viewers than any other website in all of the internet history!  Which will it be?

These DC Super Hero Girls stories are not the standard versions of the characters you will find running around DC Comics today.  They are younger.  They are not quite as experienced.  They are definitely not quite as dark and villainous.  But, most importantly, they are fun!  Sure, they do battle against villains wanting to take over the world.  Of course, they sometimes battle each other by mistake or out of misguided fear.  And certainly, they make mistakes and have to account for their actions.  But they are light-hearted and enjoyable reads, something I haven't seen in DC Comics (or Marvel Comics, for that matter) in a long, long time.

Author Lisa Yee has remained consistent, more or less, with her storytelling of these characters, and each book builds upon the last (and yes, in case your wondering, there is a sort-of cliffhanger at the end that provides the identity of the next DC Super Hero Girl to be spotlighted in the next book - but don't think I'm going to tell you here - you'll have to read the book to find out who it is!).  This is a series I would whole-heartedly recommend for comic fans of any age.

RATING: 9 uneaten pieces of lemon cake out of 10 for making me wish DC Comics would let Lisa Yee write their comics in the same manner as she does this book series!

DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 4 - Past Times at Super Hero High

The DC super hero girls are back in their fourth graphic novel - and sadly, this fourth venture into the realm where girls reign supreme does not fare any better than the third graphic novel did.  I'm not sure if the stories are just being rushed, or if writer Shea Fontana  was told to dumb down the stories a bit more - but the third and fourth graphic novels both feel as if they are being aimed at first grade readers rather than all-age readers (unlike the first and second graphic novels, which not only had strong stories and plots, but great dialogue and fun characters).

Past Times at Super Hero High (and yes, I will admit, I love the fact that the titles to these graphic novels are all puns, plays on either films, books, or other comic book tales) gave me some hope, as it deals with time travel, and that's always a favorite subject of mine.  Here, the students are taken on a field trip back in time by Liberty Belle (All-Star Squadron character - there's a plus right there!) to take a look at history in the making. However, that ever-so-dangerous butterfly effect comes into play when Harley Quinn steals a dinosaur egg and brings it back with her to the present.

Only to find that Super Hero High is now Savage High, and the principal is none other than the villainous Vandal Savage!  With Liberty Belle captive and the other students trying to figure out what exactly is going on, it falls on Batgirl and Harley Quinn to go back in time and set things right.  The overall plot actually makes for a fun adventure - or, it could have, had the dialogue been a bit less childish, and the characterization been a bit stronger (as it was in books one and two).  These girls do not whine near as much in the cartoon films, nor in the hardcover books by Lisa Yee.

Despite the weak characterization, there were some good points - seeing the Metal Men (three of them, at least), was a nice surprise, and Fontana's use of Beast Boy as more than just a prankster was a great switch.  Plus, the little bit of competition between Batgirl and Harley as to which knew more about dinosaurs was something I thought would develop into an ongoing rivalry - sort of a precursor to Harley's future hatred of the bat-family as an adult.  But, being an all-ages book, I suppose the animosity didn't fit, so the two girls make-up in the end (yet, there's always a certain tension between Cheetah and Wonder Woman, so why not between Harley and Batgirl?).  And the changing timelines, the realization that they have to leave an alternate version of one of their friends behind in this alternate timeline, and the simple act of Harley calling Principal Waller "Amanda" to her face - they gave the story a bit of depth and humor that I wish I could find throughout the entire story.

The art chores seem to be shared among Yancey Labat, Agnes Garbowska, and Marcelo DiChiara, with additional breakdowns by Carl Potts.  Yet, despite the number of artists, the art (at least, to my eye) pretty much maintains the same level of cartoon consistency as the prior graphic novels, so the changing artists have no impact on the story itself.

I still love the DC Super Hero Girls concept, and I hope DC continues to do more graphic novels and DVD cartoons (whether regular cartoons or animated Lego versions - I am fine with either) - I am just keeping my fingers crossed that they don't continue to dumb them down further.  I would hate to see these characters on the same level with Teen Titans Go or Tiny Titans - that would completely ruin the concept and the characters for me.

RATING:  6 kite-flying aviatrixes out of 10 for keeping time travel light-hearted and reminding readers that there always consequences for our actions.

DC Super Hero Girls: Katana at Super Hero High

So, after the disappointment of the recent DC SuperHero Girls graphic novel, I figured I may as well read Lisa Yee's most recent DC SuperHero Girls novel and see how it compares.  And honestly - it's almost as different as night and day!

Katana at Super Hero High is definitely a refreshingly good read.  In fact, I'd say this is the best DC SuperHero Girls book written to date.  Not only does it highlight some of DC's lesser known characters (and I'm not just talking about Katana, because Miss Martian also plays a larger role in the story, as does Big Barda), but it actually has a nicely plotted mystery to it that gives readers the opportunity to learn all about Katana's past, her family, and her heritage.  Instead of the normal teen angst or obvious super villain battles, Lee provides readers with a quest of sorts.

First, there's the sudden appearance of 100 mysterious swords in an underground tunnel.  Then there's the constant chittering sounds that suddenly appear throughout the school, with Katana as the focal point.  Then there's Liberty Belle's history project for the students to look into their heritage and report what they find.  Katana is surprised as she begins to learn that all three things are connected, and their impact will forever change her point of view about her life as a hero!

Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Batgirl - all of whom played large parts in the previous three books - have only supporting roles in this story, which really gives Katana and Miss Martian a chance to shine.  Yee may be writing these stories for the pre-teen age kids, but she treats the characters in this book with respect and does not dumb-down the story at all.  While Katana has some self-doubt and there is a bit of teen angst, it is not overplayed, and it flows nicely with the story.  There is a natural progression as Katana looks into the secret of the 100 swords, as she and Miss Martian learn how to deal with the ghost-crabs, and how she and her fellow super hero students must face off against a villain from Katana's past.

Something else I will mention, and not just about this book, but about the series as a whole, is the treatment of Harley Quinn.  Instead of the dark psychopath that DC has made her in recent years (with the exception of Palmiotti/Conner's take), Yee allows her to be a free-wheeling, high-spirited, fun-loving, hyper-active teen who simply seems to enjoy life.  And, of course, this is clearly a different reality, as these characters were not all teens at the same time, and most of them were not "heroes" in their teen years; however, it's nice to see the author really just having some fun with the characters.

As with the previous books, the epilogue in this books features the set up for the next book scheduled to come out - featuring, who else?  Harley Quinn!

RATING:  8 cryptic haikus out of 10 for combining female super heroes, the comic genre, and prose novels, and making it fun to read.

DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 3 - Summer Olympus

The DC SuperHero Girls are back in their third graphic novel - but sadly, this story does not quite hold up as well as the previous two did.  The concept is not so bad - it's summer vacation, and the heroes of Super Hero High School are all planning their vacation trips.  Wonder Woman gets an invite from her god-father, Zeus, to spend some time on Mount Olympus, and she is welcome to bring as many friends as she wants.  Sounds like a great set up for having these young heroes have a hey-day in the home of the Greek gods, right?

Unfortunately, that's not the direction it goes.  Rather, writer Shea Fontana, who has written two rather enjoyable stories prior to this one, instead chooses to have all of Wonder Woman's friends abandon her for other summer adventures, leaving only Bumblebee to accompany Wonder Woman on her journey to Olympus.  Summer Olympus becomes one of Wonder Woman feeling sorry for herself and upon arriving at Olympus, meeting her half-sister, Siracca, who, like her, is a half-god, half human.  They wallow in self-pity at being different and suffer through silly "dad jokes" from Zeus.  Yes, I realize these stories are aimed for younger readers, but this one felt a little too dumbed-down for my taste.

On the brighter side, Fontana and artist Yancey Labat provided brief snippets of the other students' summer hijinks, which include a summer tour in Europe with Batgirl, Katana, and Beast Boy.  The reason these interludes are more enjoyable is because the three young heroes find themselves following the theft of Greek artifacts from various museums throughout Europe.  With the help of Hawkgirl, they discover the connection the items have and what it could mean for their friend, Wonder Woman.  They head to Olympus to warn her, but it's too late...

And this is when the story actually gets good.  It seems two of the gods have some ideas of their own, and they intend to use the items they have gathered to cause strife and discourse throughout the world, beginning with Metropolis.  Once again, it's up to the DC SuperHero Girls to swoop in and save the day!  The last two chapters are what ultimately redeem the story, saving the graphic novel from being a complete disappointment.  I have really loved this entire DC SuperHero Girls line of books, toys, Legos, etc., so my standard is already set high.   Hopefully the next graphic novel will be back up to par.

RATING:  5 amulets of harmonia out of 10 for showing the comic world that female super heroes can stand on their own!

DC Super Hero Girls: Batgirl at Super Hero High

The series of books about DC's female super heroes continues with this third volume starring Batgirl.  Picking up at the exact point where the second book ended, Batgirl at Super Hero High tells the story of a hero without powers - a hero who uses her quick-thinking, super intelligence to outwit, out-maneuver, and out-smart her enemies.

Admittedly, the story starts off rather slowly - rather than a superhero battle or even a superhero origin tale, readers get more of a teen drama of "I'm not like all the other girls, I don't fit in, why won't my dad let me go with the other girls, etc, etc"  More than half of the book drones on this way, with only a tv show contest that Barbara (a/k/a Batgirl) wins to break the monotony.  It's not until Batgirl helps Harley Quinn create a three-dimensional HarleyGrams (instant messages that pop out of your computer in three dimensions!) that the battle comes into play.  Someone has tinkered with the HarleyGrams and turned them into HarleyWhams, bringing the messages to life so that they can not only cause damage to the individual computers, but ultimately bring down the entire internet!

The culprit is pretty easy to figure out, and it does provide a nice set up for the introduction of a new villain to the DC Super Hero Girls universe - one easily recognizable to the Barbara Gordon fans in her Oracle/Birds of Prey days.  (And speaking of which, Yee provides a nice nod to the BOP, as the "Birds of Prey" is a music group that Barbara listens to in her down time.)  The showdown between Batgirl and her arch-nemesis is fun to read, and I could easily picture it translated to comic book format as I was reading it.  While Yee does engage in some tech-savvy dialogue and such, she does not weigh down the book with so much technical blabber so as to bore the reader.  Plus, once Batgirl begins her campaign to defeat her nemesis, that is the time when we see the REAL Barbara Gordon / Batgirl come to life.  Prior to that, she's simply another whiny teenager.

While the story focuses on Batgirl, her friendship with Supergirl is a large part of the story (which is a nice throw-back to the pre-Crisis DC days when Supergirl and Batgirl were the best of friends in the comics) and Beast Boy actually gets some pretty good page time.  Wonder Woman takes a back seat, while lesser known character Katana sees more of the light (and well she should, since the epilogue would seem to indicate that she will be the star of the next book in this series).  If this series continues, I hope they will spotlight some of the lesser known characters - would love to see books on Starfire, Amethyst, Terra, Halo, Hawkgirl, and so on.  I suppose only time will tell.

RATING:  6 baby bats out of 10 for keeping the female super hero genre alive and for melding nicely Barbara Gordon's personas as both Oracle and Batgirl.

DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 2 - Hits and Myths

Those rambunctious little superhero girls from DC Comics are back in their second graphic novel - Hits and Myths.  I am thoroughly enjoying this whole DC Super Hero Girls line of stuff - cartoons, action figures and dolls, and the comics.  I personally love the fact that DC is not only showcasing their female characters (in an effort to reach out to more of their female audience), but providing them fun, easily accessible stories that are not bogged down with decades of continuity and history and are not all dark and gritty.  The stories are light-hearted, there's always humor here and there, and somewhere along the way, there's a bit of a moral to be found as well.  In a lot of ways, these stories remind me a lot of the old Super Friends comics and cartoons.

Writer Shea Fontana and artist Yancey Labat are back, and this time, they are giving the super hero girls a bit of history in mythology, as well as demonology!  Everyone's favorite rhyming demon, Etrigan, is the school's poetry teacher, and Wonder Woman is having a difficult time finding an opportunity to read the assigned story, The Odyssey.  But when a surprise birthday party for Etrigan causes a rather surprising reaction, the girls have to put on hold their plans for a sleep-over on Paradise Island and find their missing teacher!

Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Katana, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Bumblebee, Miss Martian, and Hawkgirl are all back, along with Flash and Beast Boy (and for me, the fun is always looking at the backgrounds in each and every panel to see what other little cameos Fontana and Labat throw in for good measure - from Blue Beetle to Killer Frost to Hawk and Dove to Elasti-Girl, and even a poster of my personal favorite, Captain Carrot!).  And there's a battle of the bands that brings together some rather odd, but honestly very fitting, combination of characters to see who can be the best band and win Batgirl's Batplane (which is another subplot within the tale).

Ultimately, the gang heads to the underworld and faces off against Trigon (and meets Raven, his daughter) in order to rescue their beloved teacher.  And along the way, Miss Martian has to face her fear of fire and shyness in order to save the day and free all of her friends who were captured by Trigon and his minions.

All in all, a very satisfying and enjoyable read - this is definitely one comic / graphic novel series that I would recommend to any and all comic fans, regardless of age.  Wonder when the third graphic novel will be solicited...

RATING:  10 keys to the invisible jet out of 10 for proving that comics can be fun and for everyone!  A definite, solid hit!

DC Super Hero Girls: Supergirl at Super Hero High

The second volume of this series of books for young readers aimed at fans of DC Comics' new "Super Hero Girls" product line follows the same pattern as the first book.  New super hero arrives at Super Hero High - - she is new to the world - - she is unsure of herself - - she is coping with new found powers and new friends - - she messes up multiple times before finally gaining the confidence she needs to ultimately save the day in the end.  Very formulaic, but it does work for the age level at which these books are aimed.

Supergirl at Super Hero High welcomes the arrival of Supergirl to the academy (and readers of the first book might recall that the epilogue of the previous book introduced Superman's cousin to the school).  Author Lisa Yee provides young Kara Zor-El's backstory, of her escape from the doomed planet of Krypton, of her delayed journey through space that put her on Earth years after her cousin's arrival, and of her stay with Jonathan and Martha Kent.  When her powers start to develop under the Earth's yellow sun, however, there's only one place she can go to learn how to use those powers - Super Hero High!

Yee brings back the entire cast of characters, including Wonder Woman, Bumblebee, Hawkgirl, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Principal Waller, Vice-Principal Grodd, Janitor Parasite, tech wizard Barbara Gordon, Flash, Beast Boy, and all the others, and introduces readers to the new librarian, Granny Goodness (hint!  hint!).  And with the introduction of Supergirl, Yee does something that I thought was a very nice homage to the pre-Crisis DC universe - throughout the story, Supergirl and Barbara Gordon become the best of friends (a nice nod to the "super" friendship that Supergirl and Batgirl had in the comics prior to 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths).

The story, while dealing with Supergirl adapting to her new-found powers and her place at Super Hero High, involves the mysterious locked room that contains Boom Tubes and Principal Waller's predictions that an invasion is coming.  At this point, it was pretty clear to me (and likely to any comic book fan) who the villain was going to be and what it would involve.  But it was fun watching the heroes gather clues and try to figure out exactly who was behind the attempts to break into the locked room (all clues point to Gorilla Grodd, but anyone who knows anything about Boom Tubes would know right away who the villain was).

What was disappointing about the book was the fact that Yee constantly had Supergirl bumbling around like an uncoordinated child, crashing into things, dropping things, accidentally knocking into people.  The author seemed obsessed with making Supergirl into the most morose young girl with absolutely no confidence whatsoever (I can definitely say I love the TV version on CW much better than the one presented here), and while I understand Yee likely wanted to show Supergirl growing into her powers and learning confidence, I think she overdid it with the constant whining, "woe is me" attitude throughout the book.

The epilogue gives readers a small preview of what's to come in the third book in the series (or better, "who's" to come in the third book), and I hope that given her characterization in this book, Batgirl at Super Hero High will tell a much better story of an already strong character.  With Wonder Woman and Supergirl, we've seen the insecurity - now let's show these young readers that it's okay to be strong and confident!

RATING:  6 crystal necklaces out of 10 for managing to sneak into the book a pretty cool little mystery and a great fight scene at the end!

DC Super Hero Girls, Graphic Novel No. 1 - Finals Crisis

The women (girls) of the DC Comics universe are back in their first graphic novel (after the preview issue on Free Comic Book Day back in May).  As a huge fan of the female characters in the DC universe, this new venture by DC Comics to spotlight the female heroes, albeit in a younger format, is exciting to see.  Not only has DC put out an online cartoon, dolls and action figures, but they have a series of young adult books and now a series of comic book tales.  Needless to say, I'm gobbling them all up!

"Finals Crisis" is the story of the girls facing one of their greatest challenges to date - final exams at the end of their first semester at Super Hero High!  These young super heroes prepare themselves for the last exam of the semester, where they will have to prove to their teachers and the principal, Amanda Waller, that they have learned and gained more control over their powers during the course of the semester.  There's only one problem - someone in the shadows is taking down the super hero girls, one by one, on some unknown thirst for revenge.

Shea Fontana, who is the writer for this graphic novel, is new to me.  I've never heard her name before, but based on her bio in the back of the story, she has also written some of the episodes of the DC Super Hero Girls animated shorts.  I give her props for being able to capture each character's personality and then take it down to the age-appropriate level for these young high school heroes.  Harley is fun without being psychotic; Poison Ivy loves her plants, but is somewhat insecure; Batgirl is a genius without being too assertive; Wonder Woman is innocent and powerful, yet still naive about other people; Supergirl is still new to Earth and learning as she goes; Katana is skilled with a sword but not as reserved as her older self; and Bumblebee - well, she's as fun and energetic as always.  The artist, Yancey Labat, provides an animated style of art without making the characters appear too cartoony.

I give DC props for going out on a limb with this series.  Today's comics seem less geared for kids and certainly do not show a lighter side of the characters (God-forbid every comic isn't all dark and gloomy with death and violence and depression).  This series hearkens back to the days when DC was publishing Super Friends, and you could watch them on TV every Saturday morning.  No concern with continuity and how the stories and/or characters fit in with the other 50 comics DC is publishing at the time, and no concern about ensuring that one story takes up 12 or more issues.  This graphic novel is a shining example of what comics can be - fun, not too heavy, and open to all ages.

I certainly hope DC has more of these in the works, as they have a life-long fan out of me!  DC Super Hero Girls rule!!!!

RATING:  10 bags of radioactively enhanced super-grow fertilizer out of 10 for proving that comics do not have to be dark and gritty and realistic in order to be enjoyed!

DC Super Hero Girls: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High

When DC Comics first announced this new marketing of female super heroes, I was excited.  I mean, for far too long, the female line of heroes at DC (and Marvel, for that matter), have had little attention.  While Superman and Batman have carried multiple monthly titles for decades, poor Wonder Woman has struggled with just one (only in recent years has Sensation Comics been revived, only to be quickly cancelled).  So the fact that DC was marketing a whole line of toys, books, etc. with the female heroes from the DC Universe, I was hyped.

First came the cartoon shorts online, featuring the female heroes as youngsters, going to school at Super Hero High, where Amanda Waller is the principal and the familiar faces of Supergirl, Hawkgirl, Stargirl, Katana, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Bumblebee, and more are students.

Then came the dolls and action figures.  They are a bit on the "kiddish" side, but then, they are aimed at a young audience - although, no doubt, there is a large market of adult collectors who are buying them as well.

Now comes this book.  I was hoping that it was just the first in an ongoing series of books based on these characters.  It is bound in a nice hard cover, and with 237 pages and 29 chapters, I thought it would have plenty of space to flesh out a great story.  Wonder Woman at Super Hero High - the Amazon princess comes to man's world as a young girl to join this prestigious school that trains the next generation of super heroes.  Only, the school is not quite as easy as she thinks.  She begins receiving messages telling her to leave the school and constantly harping on how un-heroic she is.  Then she makes one mistake after another, whether in class or social settings.  The harder she tries to fit in, the more of an outsider she feels. She finally gets the opportunity to prove herself, to her mother, her fellow students, and herself - at the 100th annual Super Triathalon, where a select group of students from SHH will complete against heroes from other schools in contests of strength and will.

The premise and plot are rather fun, and Lisa Yee's writing certainly makes for a smooth, easy read.  The characterization is pretty close - Barbara Gordon is a tech whiz; Poison Ivy is shy but has a passion for plants; Harley Quinn is simply bonkers; Killer Frost is one cold cookie; Katana is as sharp as she is serious; and Wonder Woman carries an air of innocence about her.  The thing that bothered me, though, throughout the entire story, is the fact that the characters have no names outside of their super hero names.  Wonder Woman is not Diana.  Ever.  Even her own mother called her Wonder Woman.  Hawkgirl is never Shayera.  Poison Ivy is never Pamela.  Bumblebee is never Karen.  It's as if they have no real names.  Which makes for some clunky dialogue at times, when a mother is talking to her daughter, or a teacher is talking to a student, and they repeatedly have to refer to her as "Wonder Woman."

That aside, however, it was a fun read, so who could ask for anything more.  Plus, with some cameos by Amethyst, Black Orchid, and other lesser-known heroes, it's a fan's Easter Egg special. And with the last page of the story bringing into the fold a certain Maid of Might with the tagline "To Be Continued..." one can only assume that a next book is planned.  Whether it actually sees the light of day remains to be seen.

RATING:  7 golden lassos out of 10 for spotlighting some of the greatest characters in the DC Universe who definitely deserve more limelight!