Review by Frank Plowright

New writer Amy Wolfram immediately makes a mark by introducing Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen to DC Super-Hero High, naturally enough working for the school newspaper. However, their top story at the start isn’t how the Super Hero Girls save the day, but the considerable damage caused as they did so. There’s no denying the truth, so Wonder Woman sets up extra training, which is a special hardship for Bumblebee who feels she also needs extra cramming for her exams, and she hasn’t the time to do both.

Regular artist Yancey Labat is in place to supply his usual appealing cast and clear storytelling, along with the occasional smart visual joke. Lois with pencils sticking from her hair is a great touch, and there are plenty of joyful character studies from Batgirl on her scooter to Harley Quinn being pied.

Provided they know the cast from the cartoons, even the youngest readers are going to realise quickly who’s sabotaging everyone’s best efforts, and the story morphs into different types of tests from those organised by the teacher or Diana. Wolfram keeps the jokes coming, and as drawn by Labat the central sequence in the school library flows like a cartoon story, figures moving and gleeful. As with earlier DC Super-Hero Girls stories, younger readers may be able to figure out other solutions to what’s happening, and perhaps empowering them in this way is part of the package.

This is a step up from the DC Super Hero Girls graphic novels that came before, something all ages can enjoy.