Review by Frank Plowright

Batman’s Mystery Casebook is such a great idea for a young readers’ graphic novel. Batman is the world’s greatest detective, so having him pass on his crime-solving tips to a young audience is a thrilling concept. Sholly Fisch alternates short adventures where readers have the opportunity to solve the crime and reveal the culprit before Batman (or Batgirl or Robin) reveals all, with a few pages at a time explaining the methods detectives use. These include observation, fingerprints, DNA, car tracks and footprints and others, each coherently explained at a level the projected audience will understand.

Christopher Uminga keeps the art deceptively simple via young-looking avatars of Batman, Batgirl and Robin, almost the Lego versions, but the pages are packed with the detail necessary for readers to study in solving the crimes. Some of Batman’s foes appear, but ordinary people are needed alongside them, and they’re designed to be different looking from case to case.

There’s a feeling that sometimes Fisch has pitched the level of knowledge needed a little higher than the intended audience. One case hinges on an inscribed medal supposedly given to a pilot to commemorate heroic action during World War I. Would the average ten year old be aware that until a second global war began in 1939 the first was always referred to as The Great War? Perhaps the brief was not to restrict the education to the explanatory chapters, but one suspects young readers won’t be able to solve all nine crimes. Those cottoning on early to the limited number of people featuring in each story will instantly reduce the suspect list.

The explanations, though, are clear and concise, packing considerable information into a few pages at a time, ensuring readers discover both why and how something is used.

Batman’s Mystery Casebook is a lot of fun.