Dear DC Super-Villains (Dear... #2)

Gr 3-6--Northrop follows up his acclaimed Dear Justice League, a volume comprised of letters from fictional children asking advice from superheroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. It turns out that children of the DC universe have as many questions for the Legion of Doom as they did for the Justice League--like how can Catwoman be bested by Batman when he has no superpowers? Has the hilarious Harley Quinn ever considered trying her hand at stand-up comedy? And why hasn't Lex Luthor managed to discover a cure for baldness? The first eight chapters each feature a short story starring a DC supervillain, each of whom also responds to a fan letter. The story lines converge after Black Manta naively replies to his fan "Artie Fishman" (actually Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman) with details about the Legion's plan to liberate Lex Luthor from prison. In the final chapter, justice is served and the villains are incarcerated. While the DC supervillains are undeniably bad, their responses to the fan letters (and to readers) encourage kids to be confident and embrace their individuality. Both protagonists and background characters are diverse. The stylized, dynamic artwork features visual gags that will have children giggling, with creative panel work that will introduce readers to the language of comics. VERDICT Fans of Northrop's earlier edition will adore this clever and funny sequel. Recommended for juvenile collections; a strong gateway read to get kids interested in both comics and the DC universe.--Tammy Ivins, Univ. of North Carolina at Wilmington