Will Supervillains Be on the Final?

March 7, 2011
The first in a proposed Liberty Vocational series mixes a familiar concept—the superhero school, as seen in the film Sky High and the Web comic PS238—with manga-styled art and character types of those found in countless high school manga. Leah's atom-manipulation powers are significant enough to get her sent away to a private college for kid heroes, where she's confronted with ethical choices both in and out of the classroom. The cast will seem familiar if you've read any of the recent graphic novel book spinoffs of superhero comics. They've got that generic manga look and expected personalities: snooty older girl, mysterious boyfriend material, older crush, snarky roommate. Leah's ability to do almost anything is too convenient, and exactly what she's doing isn't always clear to the reader, unless the text explains it. The big secret plot is set up for a future volume to resolve, which leaves the motives of some characters unclear. Novik is already a bestseller for her Temeraire novels, and some of that audience will hopefully follow her to a likable book with lots of hooks and entertainment, especially for girls.

April 15, 2011
Grades 9-12 The first day of school is always difficult, even for superheroes-in-training. Fantasy author Noviks first graphic novel introduces readers to Leah Taymore, who is thrilled but anxious about being the youngest student ever admitted to Liberty Vocational, the prestigious private college for aspiring superheroes. Unfortunately, Leahs first day is full of mishaps, from being embarrassed by her fawning parents and arriving late to orientation to accidentally trapping everyone in concrete. Only adding to the pressure are the problems caused by her budding powers of atom manipulation and the moral issues she encounters both in and out of her Superhero Ethics class. While Leah tries to balance class workloads, a new environment, and a crush on a cute classmate, we get glimpses of sinister events developing in the background, offering a promising start to the series. The quick pacing, humorous dialogue, thoughtful plot, and manga-inspired art will appeal to fans of Western comics that play with manga tropes, such as Raina Telgemeier and Dave Romans X-Men: Misfits and Brian K. Vaughns Runaways.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)