Metropolis Grove
(Graphic Novel)

Alex and Duncan welcome the newly arrived Sophia to their isolated suburb of Metropolis with an invitation to build a fort in the woods. What they find there, though, is a mysterious hideout, which the Superman-obsessed Sophia insists belongs to her hero. In fact, it belongs to none other than Superman's cracked mirror twin, the well-intentioned but inadvertently destructive Bizarro. While Sophia trains the lumbering monster into a true hero, Alex struggles but fails to keep their secret from classmates, leading them all into a situation that calls for a super-save in the nick of time. The initial mystery surrounding the hideout will pull readers right along and the inclusive group of friends have disarmingly exuberant personalities and believable disagreements. One such argument involves Duncan's refusal to believe that Superman even exists, which proves particularly interesting as an age-appropriate take on what a fake news, alternate facts era might look like in the DC Universe. The art treads a welcome line between realistic tone and hyperbolic cartooning, no better exemplified than in the monstrous-yet-lovable Frankensteinian Bizarro.

When middle schooler Sonia moves from urban Metropolis City to suburban Metropolis Grove, she makes fast friends with longtime neighbors Duncan and Alex. As a Metropolis City kid, Sonia's a huge Superman fan--she swears he winked at her once--but Duncan doesn't believe that he exists. As the ethnically varied friend group adventures in the nearby woods, building a fort, reading comics, and building fires unattended, Sonia hopes that she can persuade Alex of Superman's authenticity, especially when the friends discover a hideout, plastered in Superman posters, that she's convinced belongs to the famed hero. But when Sonia realizes that he's a destruction-prone version of the hero with similar powers, she struggles to admit her mistake. Using earthy pastel colors, Creator Brockington (the CatStronauts series) brings Metropolis Grove to life with a keen sense of suburban place and middle school dynamics. Though a reliance on straightforward shots creates visual repetition, the tension between Sonia's desire for friendship and her fear of rejection propels the plot along. Ages 8--12. (May)

Gr 3--7--Summer has arrived in the peaceful suburb of Metropolis Grove, and best friends Alex and Duncan are all set to build a fort in the woods. Their duo unexpectedly becomes a trio when a new friend appears: Sonia, who's just moved from the big city of Metropolis. They all become fast friends, but tension arises: Sonia is obsessed with Superman and even saw him once, but Duncan doesn't believe he exists. Sonia decides to prove that Superman is real, and a mysterious cave discovered deep in the woods inhabited by a very strong man with a blue suit and red cape does the trick. But Sonia's got a secret--the man is actually Bizarro, the giant clone of Superman, who doesn't know how to control his own strength. Can Sonia help Bizarro become the hero he wants to be and keep her secret from getting out? This adventure is funny, fast-paced, and engaging, with details from the DC world sprinkled throughout. Bright, full-color illustrations have a friendly, cartoonish charm. Duncan, who is white; Alex, who is Asian; and Sonia, who is South Asian, offer a great example of how to deal with conflict in a friend group. VERDICT Superhero lovers will be enthralled. Purchase where superhero comics are in demand.--Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Lib. Syst., Bellport, NY

Best friends Duncan and Alex are the only two kids living on their block in the small town of Metropolis Grove. So when fellow middle schooler Sonia moves in down the street, they are thrilled to make a new friend. At first, everything goes well. Sonia is full of energy and enthusiasm, which Alex and Duncan appreciate. But conflict brews when Sonia claims that when she lived in the actual Metropolis, she saw Superman fly past her window. But Duncan says that he doesn't believe in Superman. When the three friends stumble upon a fort in the woods that's full of Superman-related paraphernalia, Sonia is convinced that this must be Superman's suburban hideout, but Alex and Duncan are not so sure. Sonia decides to investigate on her own and discovers a secret that, when she reveals it to Alex and Duncan, becomes a true test of their brand-new friendship. The three protagonists represent a diverse group of friends: Sonia has brown skin, and her sari-wearing maternal grandmother suggests South Asian heritage; the illustrations of Alex imply that she is probably Asian American; Duncan presents White. As is typical of a superhero tale, the storyline is predictable if fast-paced, and while the characters are likable, they are drawn in broad strokes. Abetted by Broome's colors, Brockington's clean panels effectively communicate both action and humor as the plot progresses. Should appeal to readers looking for a different kind of superhero story. (Graphic adventure. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Alex and Duncan welcome the newly arrived Sophia to their isolated suburb of Metropolis with an invitation to build a fort in the woods. What they find there, though, is a mysterious hideout, which the Superman-obsessed Sophia insists belongs to her hero. In fact, it belongs to none other than Superman's cracked mirror twin, the well-intentioned but inadvertently destructive Bizarro. While Sophia trains the lumbering monster into a true hero, Alex struggles but fails to keep their secret from classmates, leading them all into a situation that calls for a super-save in the nick of time. The initial mystery surrounding the hideout will pull readers right along and the inclusive group of friends have disarmingly exuberant personalities and believable disagreements. One such argument involves Duncan's refusal to believe that Superman even exists, which proves particularly interesting as an age-appropriate take on what a fake news, alternate facts era might look like in the DC Universe. The art treads a welcome line between realistic tone and hyperbolic cartooning, no better exemplified than in the monstrous-yet-lovable Frankensteinian Bizarro. Grades 3-6. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

When middle schooler Sonia moves from urban Metropolis City to suburban Metropolis Grove, she makes fast friends with longtime neighbors Duncan and Alex. As a Metropolis City kid, Sonia's a huge Superman fan—she swears he winked at her once—but Duncan doesn't believe that he exists. As the ethnically varied friend group adventures in the nearby woods, building a fort, reading comics, and building fires unattended, Sonia hopes that she can persuade Alex of Superman's authenticity, especially when the friends discover a hideout, plastered in Superman posters, that she's convinced belongs to the famed hero. But when Sonia realizes that he's a destruction-prone version of the hero with similar powers, she struggles to admit her mistake. Using earthy pastel colors, Creator Brockington (the CatStronauts series) brings Metropolis Grove to life with a keen sense of suburban place and middle school dynamics. Though a reliance on straightforward shots creates visual repetition, the tension between Sonia's desire for friendship and her fear of rejection propels the plot along. Ages 8–12. (May)

Gr 3–7—Summer has arrived in the peaceful suburb of Metropolis Grove, and best friends Alex and Duncan are all set to build a fort in the woods. Their duo unexpectedly becomes a trio when a new friend appears: Sonia, who's just moved from the big city of Metropolis. They all become fast friends, but tension arises: Sonia is obsessed with Superman and even saw him once, but Duncan doesn't believe he exists. Sonia decides to prove that Superman is real, and a mysterious cave discovered deep in the woods inhabited by a very strong man with a blue suit and red cape does the trick. But Sonia's got a secret—the man is actually Bizarro, the giant clone of Superman, who doesn't know how to control his own strength. Can Sonia help Bizarro become the hero he wants to be and keep her secret from getting out? This adventure is funny, fast-paced, and engaging, with details from the DC world sprinkled throughout. Bright, full-color illustrations have a friendly, cartoonish charm. Duncan, who is white; Alex, who is Asian; and Sonia, who is South Asian, offer a great example of how to deal with conflict in a friend group. VERDICT Superhero lovers will be enthralled. Purchase where superhero comics are in demand.—Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Lib. Syst., Bellport, NY