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.