superhero book

Book Review: Shakespeare’s Avengers

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William Shakespeare's Avengers by Ian Doescher

William Shakespeare’s Avengers: The Complete Works
by Ian Doescher (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

The Avengers movies are retold in this Shakespearean format as if they were theater plays, complete with stage directions and Elizabethan language.

I got inspired to rewatch the movies, and watched each one right after reading the play! It was so fun to see how the book follows the movie scenes closely, but with little additions in the dialogue and aside comments to the audience. There is even a chorus that introduces scenes and explains the plot like Shakespeare’s plays would have.

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Comic Review: Arkhamaniacs

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Arkhamaniacs by Art Baltazar

Arkhamaniacs
by Art Baltazar, Franco Aureliani
4 out of 5 stars

Little Bruce Wayne meets some strange tenants in an apartment building owned by Wayne Enterprises. The Joker, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Penguin, and all the classic villains are young people and children, and Commissioner Gordon is the supervisor of the apartments. The villains only want to have fun and play games with little Brucie! But Alfred insists that they should follow the rules and not make trouble.

I liked the comedy in this comic! The Joker is always getting up to crazy hijinks, and dragging Bruce along. They get up an insane game of pirates at a pool party, and that is the perfect backdrop for some truly hilarious adventures.

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Comic Review: Teen Titans Go! Roll with It

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Teen Titans Go! Roll With It! by Heather Nuhfer

Teen Titans Go! Roll With It!
by Heather Nuhfer, P.C. Morissey, Agnes Garbowska, Sandy Jarrell
4 out of 5 stars

Robin has gathered the Teen Titans to play an exciting game of Basements and Basilisks. The friends just want to have fun, but Robin wants to force everyone to follow the rules and make the game difficult. Jinx puts them under a spell to stay in the game, and only Robin can save the day. That is… if he can let go of the rules.

I liked the comedy in this comic! Robin is always getting up to crazy hijinks and ruining everyone’s game experience with his insane determination to make the game impossibly difficult. He is always trying to prove that he is the fastest, smartest, biggest hero, and that is the perfect backdrop for some truly hilarious failures.

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Comic Book Review: Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge

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Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge by Grace Ellis

Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge
by Grace Ellis, Brittney L. Williams (Illustrations)

3 out of 5 stars

Lois and her best friend, Kristen, are entering the neighborhood bike race, but the fireworks for the big event have been stolen. Lois only wants to record the event for her online channel where she hopes to create a viral video. She’s so focused on her own project that she doesn’t understand how anxious Kristen is feeling about leaving for camp the day after the race. Can their friendship survive when Lois is so determined to be an internet star?

I loved the artwork and the cute designs! The story is vibrant and the plot is interesting. I really liked how Lois learns about the moral differences between journalism and detective work. “Journalism isn’t about justice. Journalism is about the truth.”

However, I didn’t really understand the characters in this book. Lois is up and down all the time.

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Comic Book Review: Teen Titans GO! to Camp!

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Teen Titans Go! to Camp by Sholly Fisch

Teen Titans Go! to Camp
by Sholly Fisch, Marcelo Dichiara (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars

The Teen Titans have been banned from superhero summer camp, so this year for camp they are going to Camp Apokolips. The evil Granny Goodness is looking for recruits and is trying to undermine the heroes’ friendships by getting them to compete against each other. No one is more competitive than Robin, and his enthusiasm sometimes overwhelms his better judgement, causing problems for the team.

I liked the comedy in this comic! Robin is always getting up to crazy highjinks and ruining everyone’s camp experience with his insane determination to win the “Best Camper” award. He is always trying to prove that he is the fastest, smartest, biggest hero in the entire camp, and that is the perfect backdrop for some truly hilarious failures.

The campers have to endure the disgusting food, the crazy counselors, and the ultimate obstacle-course race where the winner is the one who lives through it. But somehow they learn to rely on each other and trust their instincts, and their friendships become stronger than ever.

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Comic Review: Super Hero Girls Powerless

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DC Super Hero Girls by Amy Wolfram
DC Super Hero Girls: Powerless
by Amy Wolfram,  Agnes Garbowska (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars


When the SuperHero Girls are faced with a city-wide power outage, all electronics are dead and Batgirl especially suffers since none of her gadgets work and she is cut off from all her data and messaging. Only by working together can the girls solve the mystery of who stole all of Metropolis’ power!

The best part about this story is the adorable friendships between all the super girls! Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Zatanna, Batgirl, Green Lantern, and Bumblbee; they are all so different, with different powers, abilities, personalities, and interests, but they love and support each other through everything, and not just in their crime-fighting missions. They really come together to inspire and encourage one another, and I loved the caring dynamic they shared. Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: Batman Overdrive

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Batman by Shea Fontana
Batman: Overdrive
by Shea Fontana,  Marcelo Di Chiara (Illustrations)

4 out of 5 stars

Young Bruce Wayne is weeks away from getting his driver’s license, and decides to repair his father’s classic car, and maybe give it some upgrades, and maybe start calling it the Batmobile. Bruce is tracking a car theft ring, and hoping they will lead to clues about his parents’ murders. He is isolated and alone, but as he searches junkyards for replacement parts and tracks the car thefts, he befriends two teens that he is certain he can trust… until he can’t.

I loved this graphic novel! Batman has never been my favorite superhero- too dark for me- but I really enjoyed reading about a young Bruce who is just forming his identity as a hero and learning from his early mistakes. Bruce is charming and just so cool. He takes too many risks and has a lot of anger inside though. It was great to see his character growing and developing as he dealt with some of those issues. Continue reading →

Comic Review: Green Lantern Legacy

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Green Lantern by Minh Lê
Green Lantern: Legacy
by Minh Lê, Andie Tong (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars 

Tai discovers the power of the Green Lantern when his grandmother passes on her jade ring to him. With very little training from the other Green Lanterns, Tai tries to stop vandalism in his neighborhood. But there is an even bigger threat hiding right under his nose, and Tai will need his friends support while he learns to harness his new powers.

I loved this comic from start to finish!
Tai is such a deep and complex character. His close relationship with his family is at the heart of everything he does, and there is a huge emotional aspect to his story that really drew me in. Tai is Vietnamese-American, and his family heritage is important to him. I loved seeing the rich Vietnamese culture, and the traditions of kindness and generosity in his family. Continue reading →

Comic Review: Zatanna and the House of Secrets

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Zatanna & the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody
Zatanna & the House of Secrets
by Matthew Cody, Yoshi Yoshitani (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars


Zatanna is just trying to survive middle school. She and her stage-magician Dad live in a mysterious house with an adorable pet rabbit, Pocus. Zatanna believes that her father’s magic tricks are just illusions, until one fateful day when she encounters real magic. She realizes that the house holds more secrets than she ever knew, and she must navigate trick stairs, cold dungeons, and enigmatic doors to escape the clutches of a wicked sorceress and save her father.

I loved this comic from start to finish! Zatanna is a wonderful character, and she has some good personal development and teen angst that packs an emotional punch. The plot is enchanting and mystic with lots of wonderful surprises and twists. I loved the magical elements in the House of Secrets, and especially the magical characters and creatures that Zatanna meets as she discovers a new world of wizardy and spells. Continue reading →