Study Hall of Justice (DC Comics: Secret Hero Society #1)

Gr 3-5--Aspiring young detective Bruce Wayne has been recruited for Ducard Academy and soon realizes that something fishy is going on. His fellow classmates are a bunch of clowns and bullies who have no desire to better their formal education; they are more interested in petty crimes and world domination. Luckily, Bruce finds two classmates who similarly are not fitting in at the Academy. Clark is a strange boy from a farm in Smallville. Diana Prince comes from a small exotic island on the other side of the world. If the three of them can work together, they might be able to figure out who is really running Ducard Academy and why the curriculum is so bizarre. They just have to watch out for the school's vigilant central computer system/librarian and the ninjas who always seem to be in the shadows. This graphic novel hybrid will likely find an engaged audience with young Marvel superhero fans who, perhaps, are not quite ready for more involved comics. Die-hard fans, however, will have trouble reconciling this alternate history with the traditional backstories of the famous grown-up superheroes they have come to know. Reluctant readers will appreciate the spare text, graphic novel panels, and varied ephemera including chat scripts, school evaluation reports, maps, and emails. Though jam-packed with visual and text elements, the story is easy to follow. VERDICT A supplemental purchase for collections in need of high-interest hybrid format titles.--Carol Hirsche, Barnett Elementary, Payson, UT