It’s such a pleasure to see Batman’s detective skills emphasized in Batman’s Mystery Casebook, a surprisingly educational graphic novel written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Christopher Uminga. Batman explains some basic crime-solving techniques to Batgirl and Robin, including brief history lessons. Fingerprints, footprints and other tracks, DNA, and eyewitness testimony, among others, are covered, then those techniques are used in mini-mysteries. The reader is told when to stop and figure things out, then they can see if they found […]

As noted at the end of my DC Super Hero Girls: Spaced Out review, DC Super Hero Girls: At Metropolis High is the first of a new run of the series that changes the concept, characters, and look to match the TV cartoon. It’s written by Amy Wolfram and illustrated by Yancey Labat. One of the key differences in this second phase of DC Super Hero Girls is that it’s much more conventional in its approach. Half the characters — […]

After a set of great stories in this franchise, DC Super Hero Girls: Spaced Out concludes writer Shea Fontana’s run with the characters. There are three major plot lines in this volume, all of which involve classic superhero premises and concepts. A group of Kryptonians have returned, and they kidnap Supergirl without her realizing it, as she’s thrilled to meet others like her. Their goal is to get a secret key to a magic device (in the sense of “advanced […]

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #7 is exactly what I want from a superhero comic — adventure, humor, and a refusal to take itself too seriously. (I understand that that is not a popular approach these days, but I know what I like.) It’s rare for me to laugh out loud at one, but there’s a joke on the first page that had me doing so — Daphne’s butler Jenkins has come to reminisce about his time in butler school […]

I don’t know why I believe any more that any superhero comic will be a good starting point. They’re all so invested in their universes that it’s nearly impossible to join in without a lot of work and investment. I haven’t read DC comics for a while — I have so many other things to read these days, with stories that are more inclusive and welcoming. (Plus, I feel as though I kind of filled up my lifetime quota for […]

The DC Super Hero Girls line launched in Fall 2015 with web content, dolls, Lego toys, graphic novels, and videos. Here’s a list of the comics, starting with the graphic novels: Finals Crisis written by Shea Fontana; art by Yancey Labat 2016 Hits and Myths written by Shea Fontana; art by Yancey Labat 2016 Summer Olympus written by Shea Fontana; art by Yancey Labat 2017 Past Times at Super Hero High written by Shea Fontana; art by Yancey Labat, Agnes […]

Minx was DC’s imprint aimed at teen girls, first announced in 2006. It ran for two years before being shuttered in fall 2008 due to distribution struggles (not reaching the bookstores they aimed for) and potentially, lack of interest. I thought I’d sum up its history and releases, now that it would have been old enough to have read itself. DC was somewhat late to the party, since Scholastic had already launched Graphix and there were tons of girls reading […]

DC Super Hero Girls: Search for Atlantis is the last of the graphic novel line by the original pair of creators, writer Shea Fontana and artist Yancey Labat. It’s also the first tie-in release, as the first few pages, introducing Mera to the school for superhero students, reference the animated movie DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis. (In short, Mera was a bad guy, manipulated by her sister Siren so she can obtain the magical Book of Legends.) In […]