BATMAN CRACK THE CASE

The world’s greatest detective needs readers’ help.

Robin has gone missing, and Batman has enlisted his trusted ally the Solver to help solve the case. Who is the Solver? It’s “you,” the reader, given access to the Batcomputer and a direct line of communication to Batman as he searches Gotham City for his missing sidekick. The usual suspects are slowly rounded up: Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and, of course, the Joker. As Batman thwarts his enemies, the Solver collects clues and deciphers puzzles, slowly gathering evidence. This large picture book comes with inserts here and there: a case file, maps, and a sealed envelope that reveals who has Robin and what clues lead the Solver to this conclusion. It’s a nice presentation for a quick read, but unfortunately it isn’t the sort of puzzle that’s any fun to solve more than once. There are puzzles sprinkled throughout (what’s the password to this security system? What wire stops the Joker’s deadly machine?), but if any are too difficult for readers, all it takes is a glance at the next page for the solution. Batman’s world is a very white one.

A nifty exercise—once.