Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure

Gr 3 Up—Heroes and villains known throughout the DC Comics universe collide in this comic, a companion to the popular video game by the same name. Maxwell has the power to call to life anything he can imagine by writing down the word in his magic notebook. Similarly, Maxwell's sister Lily can transport herself and company anywhere in the world through the use of her magic globe. Maxwell and the DC superheroes battle against Braniac, who controls an army of DC supervillains, including Maxwell's evil doppelganger. Now differences must be put aside as a greater evil named Anti-Monitor threatens to enact widespread chaos in order to take over the universe. The plot moves quickly and readers will benefit from a background knowledge of the DC friend and foe pairings as new faces are introduced in an almost-constant stream. The dialogue is full of puns and jokes to keep the mood light. The plot continually outdoes itself, becoming more battle-heavy and more out-of-control with each page turn. The large-paneled art matches the style of the video game and because none of the DC characters are drawn with mouths, all of the expression is communicated through the character's eyes and physical presence. Overall, the story is dialogue-heavy, but never so much that it detracts from the pacing. Younger readers and pre-readers will be able to understand most of the plot through the story's illustrations, and older readers will appreciate the appreciate the constant tension between heroes, villains, and their shared enemy.