Dear Justice League A graphic novel

In our all-superhero, all-the-time media culture, it's nice to find a new twist every now and then, and Northrop (Tombquest) supplies an enjoyable one for DC's Zoom imprint for young readers. As the Justice League answers fan mail, we catch the heroes in unexpected moments. Aquaman worries he might smell like fish. Wonder Woman remembers when she overdid it on birthday cake. Batman recalls when he was the new kid in town. Superman texts while he's flying, unleashing a slapstick chain of disasters (curiously reminiscent of Superman III) that he must rush to undo. Northrop's freewheeling tenor captures the fun in each situation but allows them to humanize the heroes as well, poking humorous holes in the likes of Batman's foreboding manner and Aquaman's swaggering braggadocio. Duarte matches this sensibility with heroically gleaming figures whose characteristics are amusingly exaggerated just enough to pull them a little closer to earth. He also tones down the action from DC's occasionally brutal cinematics to a more comfortable level.--Jesse Karp Copyright 2019 Booklist

Gr 3--6--In this engaging book, kids write to the Justice League superheroes, asking questions that many readers have probably wondered: Has Superman ever been less than perfect? Does Green Lantern get tired of wearing the same colors all the time? Does Aquaman smell like fish? The heroes thoughtfully consider these big and small queries, reflect on their experiences, and come up with answers that are sometimes honest and sometimes diplomatic. In several instances, the kids' lives change for the better after the exchange with their hero. Wonder Woman attends her fan's birthday party, while a boy is overprepared for his first day in a new school after taking Batman's advice. This fun premise is taken to a whole new level by Duarte's colorful, adorable artwork, which buzzes with humor and energy. VERDICT "Dear Abby" meets the DC universe. Young superhero fans and reluctant readers will devour this sweet and funny graphic novel.--Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

The World's Finest answer emails from middle schoolers.Superman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, and more correspond with their fans in this middle-grade graphic novel, multiple vignettes hanging on the throughline of heroes answering fan mail. Some are silly while others are a bit more weighty; all are illustrated amicably by Duarte. There's a hazy, muted quality to the colors that ground the Justice League and their foes in an approximation of the real world. This grounding compliments the novel well: The transition from Arthur "Aquaman" Curry's thwarting Black Manta to chatting with his fish and typing away at a laptop would be jarring without this unified color palette. Unfortunately, the coloring's flatness chips away at the book's pacing, and the text gets a bit repetitive after a while. It's all well and good for kids to see bits of themselves in their favorite heroes, but when that's the book's only move it gets old quickly. Even at a slim 132 pages, the novel feels overlong. Young fans of the DC characters will be attracted to the cover, but there's little here to keep them engaged, and few will rank this as a favorite. There's little exposition regarding the heroes' background, so those unfamiliar with the characters will feel as though they're on the outside looking in.A gently illustrated text that will appeal to die-hard completists. (Graphic fantasy. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.