"Fort Solitude" (DC Comics Secret Hero Society Book 2) picks up the fantastic middle grade treatment of DC's most hallowed heroes, all depicted here as inquisitive kids stretching their super-hero muscles (and in some cases, their super-villainy too!)
We absolutely ate up the first book, which nailed Book of the Week a year ago. One year on we're back for more and this time the super-kids have all been mysteriously invited to a summer camp for high achievers.
Bruce (Batman), Clark (Superman) and Diana (Wonder Woman) join forces with a huge back-catalogue of other DC mainstays (including Aquaman, Green Arrow, Cyborg and The Flash - all in kid form!) and quite a few villains too (The Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy) in order to try and uncover why they have ended up at the camp, and why certain kids keep disappearing.
Uncovering the nefarious plot may take all their combined skills, and their new friends (and frenemies) are certainly going to come in handy too.
What we loved about Derek and Dustin's treatment of these hallowed icons is that it's razor-smart, doesn't condescend and yet serves as an utterly perfect introduction to kids who've yet to 'get' what DC's comic universe is all about. It's also fantastic fan service for folk like me who already know and love these characters, and are never too happy about them being 'mucked around with'. I have to say that this is about the only time I've ever seen 'young superhero' stuff actually work (it's certainly a lot less bonkers than Gotham, let's put it that way).
Brilliant, smart and hugely entertaining!
Charlotte's best bit: Poison Ivy's way with plants may come in VERY useful in this adventure!
Daddy's favourite bit: Whip-smart cool and funky treatment of DC characters we know and love, but a perfect introduction for kids (without all the punchy violence you'd see in other comics). Fantastic stuff!
"Secret Hero Society: Fort Solitude" is out now, published by Scholastic / DC Comics (kindly sent for review).