DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories: 11 Tales You Never Expected to See!
Grade 5 Up–Because each selection in this collection is an imaginary offshoot of a comic classic story line, readers need to be familiar with the original to appreciate the variations. The ideas–what if Superman married a mermaid?–are entertaining, and the covers of various uncollected imaginary issues are reproduced throughout, providing enjoyable whimsy. But the tales themselves are not grounded, leaving casual readers without a touchstone. Today's kids will likely find the expository dialogue corny and the vintage situations to be beyond their experience. The best tale opens the volume–a reprint of a Captain Marvel story in which boy reporter Billy Batson describes the destruction of an atomic war. Visually and emotionally effective, it alone is able to surpass the datedness of its presentation. Otherwise, the fine details of plot mechanics and the cultural interest in comparing the more romance-oriented reprints of Lois Lane's imaginary tales with Superman's action and science what-ifs will escape the majority of the general audience.–Benjamin Russell, The Derryfield School, Manchester, NHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.