THE MISSING BATMOBILE

The superfriends battle the Joker.

The Joker has stolen the Batmobile, and Batman needs the Justice League to help him find it. Page by page readers are introduced to the world’s finest, each using their own special set of skills to help Batman. Superman uses his X-ray vision to look for the Clown Prince of Crime, Aquaman searches the ocean’s floor, and Wonder Woman chases down a possible lead. Each page has a tab on the end with a portrait of an individual DC Comics’ hero, so little readers can flip right to their favorites. The book also boasts many flaps that lift and enhance the scene. Villains and heroes hide beneath these flaps, and the last two pages fold out for a massive spread with all the heroes in one sweeping shot. It is regrettably notable that the only black hero, Cyborg, is hidden beneath a flap and not given his own page. It is also worth noting that this book includes the boring white Hal Jordan Green Lantern instead of the dynamic black John Stewart Green Lantern. The male-to-female ratio fares much better: Batgirl, Supergirl, and Hawkgirl join Wonder Woman to balance the scales a bit. The colors are bright, the compositions are on point, and the action pops.

A pretty good start for little readers dipping their toes into the world of DC Comics.