Anyone who has ever imagined asking Batman for advice will appreciate Dear Justice League as an entertaining and thought-provoking read for all ages.
DC Comics has been hitting home runs with its DC Ink and DC Zoom graphic novels targeting middle grade and young adult readers. Dear Justice League is a grand slam, arriving just in time for the back-to-school season with lessons about responsibility and accountability along with Batman’s advice for dealing with being the new kid. This delightful graphic novel by Michael Northrop and Gustavo Duarte will be a great addition to reading lists this fall.
The premise of Dear Justice League is simple: Members of the Justice League receive letters from young fans. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, the Flash and Hawkgirl are forced to reflect on their pasts in order to craft responses, leaving readers with witty and insightful glimpses at the secret lives of superheroes.
Dear Justice League works so well because writer Michael Northrop’s questions are perfectly crafted to be relatable for kids of all ages. Of course, kids would want to know things like whether or not Aquaman smells like fish, or whether Superman is as perfect as he seems. While some of the stories are fun and lighthearted, there are lessons to be learned that kids can use in their daily lives. Teamwork, being new and dealing with bullies are all major themes across the book.
Northrop’s story is accessible to middle-grade readers, and it is also the kind of story that parents can enjoy along with their younger kids. There are plenty of gags and inside jokes to make the book entertaining for anyone who reads it, which is a valuable commodity when trying to get reluctant readers engaged in a story. The characters fly off the page thanks to Gustavo Duarte’s vibrant illustrations, and they’re expressive and full of life on every brightly colored page.
What’s more is that it’s a great introduction to the Justice League for youngsters, so parents hoping to introduce DC superheroes to their kids can definitely use the book as a gateway to the world of DC Comics.
Dear Justice League is available now in bookstores and comic shops everywhere. Northrop and Duarte will join forces once again with the follow-up to Dear Justice League. This time the tables are turned with Dear Super-Villains, coming in Fall 2020.