Querida Liga da Justiça

Dear DC #1

by Michael Northrop

The greatest heroes in the DC Universe, the Justice League of America, answer mail from their biggest fans-kids!-courtesy of Michael Northrop, New York Times bestselling author of TombQuest, and artist Gustavo Duarte (BIZARRO).

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Middle Grade, Superheroes, Humor, Childrens, Dc Comics

168 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2019

About the author

Michael Northrop is the New York Times bestselling author of 13 books for kids and teens, including the middle-grade adventure series TombQuest and the hit graphic novel Dear Justice League. His first young adult novel, Gentlemen, earned him a Publishers Weekly Flying Start citation, and his second, Trapped, was an Indie Next List selection. His first middle-grade novel, Plunked, was named one of the best children's books of the year by the New York Public Library and was selected for NPR's Backseat Book Club. He is originally from Salisbury, Connecticut, a small town in the foothills of the Berkshire mountains, where he mastered the arts of BB gun shooting, tree climbing, and field goal kicking with only moderate injuries. After graduating from NYU, he worked at Sports Illustrated Kids magazine for 12 years, the last five of those as baseball editor.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dear Superman - You're super, right? I mean, it's right there in your name. But are you super ALL the time? What I mean is, have you ever messed up? I mean, big-time? Because I have . . . " -- 'non-super' fan Ben, on page 10

Charming and family-friendly little book with a simple concept -- fictional elementary-school age children send text messages and e-mails with questions to each member of DC's long-running team, and the JL responds in kind with life lesson answers. *Batman, however, is shown receiving an actual handwritten fan letter . . . and he then hunches over a desk and sharpens a no. 2 pencil to provide a response. While eating a grilled cheese sandwich. In the Batcave. :-) If nothing else it demonstrates that there's fallible flesh and blood - even if it's Kryptonian - under the masks and uniforms of these superhuman folks. A juvenile audience will enjoy the story, as will the parents who read it to them.

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming graphic novel is about Justice League members answering children's questions that they receive through email or text messaging (Batman only accepts physical letters or course). The questions deal with the insecurities that children have about life. The topics are presented in a light-hearted and fun way, and the characters show a lot of personality as they think back on the mistakes that they've made in their careers. This is a great book to give to kids, and I think adults would enjoy this too (especially adults who want to take a break from the current grim and dark DC universe).

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is superheros for kids done right. Each chapter follows around a different Justice Leaguer as they answer fan mail. It was a lot of fun. Gustavo Duarte's art is very expressive. His art reminded me of Mike Kunkel of Herobear and the Kid fame.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

With an Insectoid invasion looming in the background, the Justice Leaguers take the time to answer messages from their young fans...

The Dear Justice League special that came out for Free Comic Day was my favorite freebie this year so I pre-ordered this one immediately. Officially, it's for my newborn when he gets a little older but I had to preview it for him. Right? Isn't that what parents are supposed to do?

Anyway, this is a collection of short tales, each featuring a Justice League member responding to a message from one of his or her fans, culminating in a showdown with Insectoids in Washington DC.

The art is cute without being ridiculously so and the writing is clever and funny. Since it's a kid's comic, the characters aren't as nuanced as they normally are but Michael Northrop captures the essence of the characters.

Dear Justice League was a fun little read I'd recommend to parents of future comic readers. Now I'm chomping at the bit for Dear Super Villains, due out in the fall of 2020.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute, funny little graphic novel. Perfect for middle grade readers, but enjoyable for every age, it imagines that members of the Justice League are answering fanmail from kids! The results are funny and heartwarming, with a little adventure sideplot involving alien bugs. Very enjoyable! Thank you to DC comics for providing me with a copy for review. All opinions are my own.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, this is kind of cute and different ... and it's colorful and nicely packaged ... and it seems appropriately diverse (gender/race neutral), but I wasn't convinced that I saw or appreciated what all the hype was about.

Granted, it's been a few years since I bought and read pretty much everything in the comic-book-and-graphic novel market (from DC, Marvel, and the smaller publishing houses) for kids - it's what my little ones (that aren't so little any more) grew up with. The all-time family favorite was the iconic Herobear and the Kid, which I can't recommend enough, but we also loved Marvel's Gus Beezer (particularly the serial team-ups), Mini Marvels and Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius, Teen Titans Go! and, we read (and re-read) the entire run of Powerpuff Girls, and all of that is in addition to the Marvel and DC kid versions (often TV tie-ins) for most of the major superheroes (but, primarily, Spider-Man, Batman, and, to some extent, Superman).... But all of that seems long(er) and far(ther) away all the time... So maybe I've just lost my perspective....

But, hey, in the big picture: I do believe that kids reading comic books and graphic novels is a good thing ... and I do believe it helps build them into strong readers over time ... so, if this one works for your kids or your students or for you ... that's great.

[Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I just loved all the people, the superheroes and the kids." -Conley, age 4

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What kind of letter would you write to the Justice League?

I had my eyes on this graphic novel since forever and I finally FINALLY had the chance to read it. And boy it was just too much fun to read.

We see each of the Justice League superheroes get letters/mails and we see each of their responses to the mails but also see daily life or them kicking some mayor ass. I loved seeing all the various Justice League superheroes and how they went along with their days and how they acted. Each letter is for a different superheroes and so we get to meet each of them. I think one of my favourites was the Flash as I loved how he reacted to the letter and how sassy he was. My second favourite was definitely Wonder Woman. How sweet of her to just take time to go to birthday parties!

Plus, I loved that we got glimpses in the lives of these heroes. From a birthday party with too much cake to speed tickets for Superman to Cyborg having fun doing all sorts of things on his giant computers.

They came to life in this book, the way they were drawn, the way they talked and moved. It was amazingly done.

But there is also a main story that comes back in each of the chapters. Namely there are insect monsters that are making a mess of their world and it is up to the Justice League to save the world. I loved that this was added as it really bonded/connected the story together and gave it something extra.

The art was just freaking amazing. Really, I loved the style and loved how the characters were drawn. I definitely want to see what else this illustrator/artist has done, I want more.

All in all, definitely a big recommendation. This was just so much fun to read.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[catLin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely reach for middle-grade titles but I'm so glad I've read this one.
This was super adorable. All the little stories were fun in itself and the overarching plot was too. I'm sure young readers are going to love it.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Dear Justice League' by Michael Northrop with art by Gustavo Duarte is a fun collection of short stories about superheroes who get letters from children.

Each chapter features a different member of the Justice League, and there is a larger story going on loosely. Superman gets asked if he ever makes mistakes. Wonder Woman's letter reminds her of her 11th birthday. Cyborg is challenged to online video games.

I really loved this collection of fun stories that show a lighter side to the Justice League members. I loved the caricature style art that kept everything kind of light and silly. I think kids would get a kick out of this, and it might even pull in a reluctant reader or two. Great job!

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Zoom, DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Mefab ⋆˚✿˖° · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman's chapter was the best!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

DAAAAAWWWW!!! That was SUPER (pardon the pun) cute! The humor worked for me and the artwork was pleasing to look at.

4, I’m keeping this one for a blue day for a pick-me-up as needed, stars.

[Jammin Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Justice League and this was a nice summary of what we can expect to see. One of my favorite characters is WonderWoman so it was nice to see her included.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great primer in the DC universe for little ones; I’d say kids about 5-7. Each section begins with a couple-page breakdown of the character… physical traits and costume description. Then onto a little story that includes an answer to these burning questions.

I always like kid books that can be enjoyed by adults too. Puns, physical humor, and some awesome artwork kept me entertained as I read this to my daughter. There’s wisecracks and a bit of ribbing between the superheroes. And the art style is bright, fun, and is a perfect intro to the DC Universe.

Sure, a focus on the characters is great, but this book is especially good when we see elementary-age kids on the page interacting with these Justice Leaguers. Flash helps a little guy through a rough time. And then the last story features the whole crew in on the action.

Highly recommended for early elementary graders who love their superheroes!

For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/10/25/ya...

For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog

[Ada Seven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bu kitapta, Superman, Aguaman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg ve Wonder Woman'ın sırlarını öğreniyorsunuz. Mesela, Supermam hiç hata yapar mı ya da Aquman balık gibi mi kokuyor veya Wonder Woman ebeveyinlerinin sözünü hiç dinler mi gibi hayranlarının sorularını yanıtlıyorlar.
Aynı zamanda, sonuncu sayfalarda her birinin kimlikleri var ve çok gizli...
Bu dosylara JUSTİCE SALONUNUN ÇOK GİZLİ DOSYALARI deniyor. Her birinin güçleri, gizli kimlikleri (gerçek hayattaki adları) ve zayıf yanları yazıyor. Hatta bazılarının hayvanları bile var.
Çok eğlenceli bir kitaptı. Eğer süper kahramanları seviyorsanız bu kitap tam size göre.
Süper kahramanları sevenlere tavsiye ederim.
Sevgiler. ADA SEVEN🦸🏻‍♀️👍🦸🏻‍♂️👍🦸🏻‍♀️👍🦸🏻‍♂️👍🦸🏻‍♀️👍🦸🏻‍♂️👍

[Librarian Jessie (BibliophileRoses) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, just really not up my alley. The artstyle wasn't really one I personally enjoy (although it looked clean), and the storylines felt a bit inconclusive. Nonetheless, it was a read.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, you all know how so many favorite Superheroes were a mainstay for American youth during WWII, right? Back then, the Justice League was formed and called the Justice Society of America (JSA), but eventually, morphed into the Justice League of America (JLA). In 2011, the JLA was reintroduced as the Justice League (JL), and that's pretty much where it stands today.* The name may have been changed over time, but the members not so much - there's Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg.

All of this brings us to Dear Justice League. Here are America's great superheroes, seemingly perfect in every way, but haven't you ever wondered if their lives are really as perfect as they seem. Don't they have any faults, or screw up once in a while, maybe make a wrong decision, or perhaps even have some good advice for the rest of us?

Yes, they do and you can find it all between the covers of this delightfully silly, sometimes serious look at some of the Justice League's not so spectacular adventures as they answer emails from some of their fans.

One boy wants to know if Superman is super all the time, so Superman recounts a time he flew into a building because he was texting while flying (twf). This set off a series of hilarious events that he tries to handle all over Metropolis, ending in Superman getting a ticket for, what else, twf.

Does Wonder Woman have any advice for an 10-almost-11-year old? You bet she does, and it involves her 11th birthday and some cake.

Or how about Batman, always so brave, so fearless, has he ever been scared? asks a boy about to go to a new school and afraid he's going to be picked on the way he was at his old school.

Dear Justice League is divided into nine chapters, one for each Superheroes' story and a final chapter that ties it all together. There is a storyline running through each chapter that connects each story to the others involving a insectoid that escaped Hawkgirl's mighty mace. Insectoids are giant mantis-like alien bugs from the planet Molt-On and can replicate very quickly and easily so it's important for the Justice League to deal with them. But as insectoid's keep replicating exponentially, can they be stopped, even by Superheroes?

This is such a fun book to read, and I know young fans of the Justice League will love it. It has a very energetic, tongue-in-cheek text, but nothing really over the heads of young readers. And Duarte's colorful cartoon-like illustrations will no doubt appeal to kids. I liked that the Superheroes take the time to answer kid's email questions, and the way some of the stories circled back to the email writer to show how the advice they got helped them.

It seems that most kids go through a phase of being totally into Superheroes and this is geared perfectly for the age when that usually happens, a time when kids are out in the world because of school and activities and life is beginning to get more complicated and a little Superhero fantasy helps. I know my Kiddo went through a Superhero phase (and probably hasn't outgrown it yet, if truth be told).

Dear Justice League is a fun definite-must-read book for fans, and ideal for introducing kids to the Superhero realm, and might even hold appeal for reluctant readers.

This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was an EARC received from the publisher

[Cadee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I like how the superheros respond right back to the kids with being like them." -Cadee, age 7

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are the Justice League heroes always perfect? Or do they sometimes make mistakes, eat too much cake, smell like fish, make bad fashion choices, lose the video game, or leave a job half-done?
The Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Hawkgirl, Cyborg, and Aquaman answer all their fan mail from kids who wonder, "Are superheroes just like me?"

I loved the way the hilarious fan mail stories are woven into a bigger story as the Justice League battles an invasion of insectoid aliens. The writing is really clever to bring together so many different snippets of superhero life with little glimpses of the regular kids who are their most devoted fans.

I LOVED the artwork! It's clear and colorful, with beautiful panels that really show the action and enhance the comedy. The cartoony style is perfect for this type of graphic novel.

This book made me laugh, and I enjoyed every page!


Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

I really liked it up to the Batman part. I get real touchy when it comes to Batman portrayals. I am an ardent defender of Batman. So, I hate it when Batman is the butt of a joke. It seems like the story only really made fun of Aquaman and Batman. While the other Justice League member got some minor jokes thrown in about them, that didn’t seem like personal attacks.

I mean poor Aquaman was told he smelled like fish while Superman was just texting and flying. Different levels of humor in my opinion.

Also, Batman seemed a little too Adam West in this.

Other than that it was really cute. The art was amazing and the story tied together with a really cute concept.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute series of short stories that add up to one long story of an inset invasion that the justic league is trying to overcome. In between fighting the insets, they answer fan mail from kids, who want to know such things as if they have ever screwed up, if Aquaman smells like fish, and if they have ever been the new kid at school.

the superhero’s have changed slightly since I used to read them years ago, but this rendition is fun, and cute, and funny to read.

I think kids will enjoy the stories, as I did.

[Yaritza · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great comic novel. I loved the plot. Children email or mail a letter to each super hero, asking them random questions, like if they ever had a bad encounter or mishap. Each superhero thinks long and hard trying to rebut the truthfulness, until they put deep thought and see that they aren't perfect and mistakes are made by everyone. My favorite was Superman. He might have super on his name, but texting and flying have some serious consequences. Remember safety is first. I loved that each character was saving the world, while recounting their story and responding to the kid that reached out to each Justice League character. Children will get a kick out of this comic. I think it was pretty funny making superheroes, not so super. Children will learn that being strong, powerful, and a superhero, doesn't mean you don't make mistakes. The illustrations were so adorable and colorful.

[JT · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my three-year-old daughter and she absolutely loved it. She was very engaged and interactive with it. It was a joy to see her excited about Wonder Woman.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute!

[orangerful · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute if forgettable, with all of the superheroes reading their fan mail and responding. But it is hard to find Justice League comics that are appropriate for kids so this is a great book to have on hand when you get that 10 year old that wants to read about these superheroes

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Justice League is a graphic novel written by Michael Northrop and illustrated by Gustavo Duarte. It is an anthology of nine short stories where children text the heroes of the Justice League for advice akin to newsprint advice columnists.

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, and more correspond with their fans in multiple vignettes hanging on the premise of these heroes answering fan mail. Some are silly while others are a bit weightier.

Dear Justice League is written and constructed rather well. The graphic novel is separated into nine interconnecting humorous vignettes with eight of them centering on one member of the Justice League with the last one centering on the team itself. It also features another vignette that previews the next graphic novel in the series: Dear Super-Villains. Duarte penciling was a tad cartoonish, but is apropos to the target audience and pleasant to the eyes.

All in all, Dear Justice League is an interesting narrative about the Justice League connecting to their younger fans through various forms of correspondence and a great deal of humor.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel! A great introduction for young readers to the Justice League super heroes. I loved how each hero responded to fan mail in their own unique style and how they all came together for the larger story of invading aliens in the end!
Thank you to NetGalley and DC Entertainment for this ARC!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just delightful. Aquaman and Superman were my favorite chapters.

[Ivan Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Justice League is a little book for the youngest readers, it is beautifully and dynamically illustrated by the brazilian artist Gustavo Duarte (now I am his fan), it is extremely funny and I bought 10 copies to give as gifts for my nephews and to my best friend's kids ... I think this is the best way to summarize how wonderful is this book for me. (serious)



The plot is very simple (as it should be), children send emails to their favorite Justice League superheroes asking how to solve some problems, the nature of their powers, among many other things, but the brilliance of this book is how the creative team manage to portray superheroes in a more human way, we can all make mistakes, it's part of life, even Superman ...



From there we move on to the answers of each member of the League which are usually very funny and I insist, I cannot think of a better artist for this work than Duarte.



In the end, all the stories are mixed into one in which the League has to face a major meanance!



At least in my country this book has not succed to much and has extreme discount prices at the bookstores, I really don't understand why, it is a gem "when we talk about books for childrens of course!"

[Rolando Marono · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta línea de cómics para niños y jóvenes adultos que ha lanzando DC me ha parecido interesante. En la parte de jóvenes adultos tenemos títulos como Raven y Beast Boy o Harley breaking glass que ganó un Eisner este año. Y en la parte de niños leí Diana princesa de las Amazonas y este, querida liga de la justicia. Entre esos dos títulos disfruté más el de Diana, aunque se nota que es una lectura para niños, me entretuvo e introdujo giros interesantes a la infancia de Diana y detalles de mitología que seguro enganchan a los niños y los hacen investigar más información.
Este título lo sentí un poco más infantil, una lectura muy rápida y aunque creo que los niños podrían disfrutarlo, a mí como lector adulto me aportó muy poco. El tomo muestra a los distintos personajes de la liga de la justicia recibiendo una carta o un correo electrónico con una petición o una pregunta. De ese formato los que más me gustaron fue el de Superman, Wonder Woman y Batman, el resto de personajes sus historias son muy sosas, cortas o no sorprenden. En cambio la de los tres que menciono me parecieron bonitas e interesantes. Al final todas las historias se conectan y la liga de la justicia resume la gran lección que aprendieron, eso me gustó y creo que envía un mensaje positivo y necesario para los niños.
¿Quieres regalarle este título a un niño? Creo que es una buena idea si el niño tiene entre 6 y 8 años y le gustan los personajes, en ese caso esta podría ser una lectura entretenida para él que incluso podría llevarlo a escribir su propia carta para la liga.