Batman: City Of Bane by Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, and Janin King

The Cape Crusader is missing and Gotham is being ruled by one of its worst enemies… Bane. With Batman gone the city has descended into chaos under the greatly feared Bane.  But all is not lost, Batman’s sidekicks are still around biding their time and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Will they come to Gotham’s rescue? Who will lead them against Bane’s army of supervillains? Batman and DC fans will enjoy reading this one. --Claudio Leon

World War Hulk by Greg Pak, illustrated by John Romita Jr.

When the Illuminati (Iron Man, Namor, Mr. Fantastic, Black Bolt, Professor X and Dr. Strange) decided to send the Hulk into deep space, they had no idea of the repercussions their action would have. It was only a matter of time before the Incredible Hulk found his way back home and he’s returned with a vengeance. Shortly following the events of Planet Hulk, this direct sequel follows Bruce Banner’s return to planet Earth seeking revenge on those who deep-sixed him. The Hulk returns under the impression that the Illuminati wanted to make sure he stayed away permanently by bombing the planet where the Hulk had made his new home. Little did the perpetrators know that the Hulk would survive both his wife and son. The Illuminati become the Hulk’s primary target as he wages war on some of Earth’s most intellectual heroes. Can they survive the full might of an angry Hulk? This all-out brawl between the smartest and the toughest will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. --Claudio Leon

Pak, Greg. World War Hulk. New York: Marvel Entertainment, 2014. Print.

DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide

Can you tell the difference between The Green Lantern and The Green Arrow, or Mister Terrific and Mister Mxyzptlk?  You may be in need of DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide.  This handy volume is extremely popular at our Belmont site where teens and adults alike are eager to expand their DC comics lexicon.  Prefaced by the shortest of introductions and a table of contents, over 200 heroes and villains from “the DC Universe” are listed and then presented in alphabetical order, beginning with Adam Strange and ending with Zoom.  Each character or group receives its own page.  Layout consistently features the character’s name, a one to three sentence summary of the character, vital stats (real name, occupation, height, weight, base, allies and foes), and boxed text describing the character’s powers.  The best-loved element are the accompanying illustrations, although they are only credited in the back as part of a mass “artists credits,” which is, in fact, the only backmatter.  Perfect for comic book fans, developing readers, and developing schema, this book may also be of interest to educators looking for a hi-lo non-fiction text for an introductory lesson on features of informational text and the sub-genre of visually busy non-fiction that DK practically invented. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Snider, Brandon T.   DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide.  New York:  DK Publishing, 2011.  Print.

Planet Hulk By Greg Pak

When Namor, Dr. Strange, Dr. Xavier, Reed Richards and Tony Stark decide to ship the Hulk to a faraway planet, their plan fails. The Hulk's shuttle enters a wormhole and lands in a completely different place than intended.  Planet Skaar is ruled by the Red King who captures the Hulk and makes him fight in the gladiator arena.  The Incredible Hulk will have to muster all of his strength, of which he has plenty, to fight his way to freedom and escape the grasp of the Red King, who rules Skaar with an iron fist. The story depicts a more human side of the Hulk, leaving Bruce Banner, the Hulk’s alter ego, completely out of the story.  It allows the reader to see, and perhaps understand, that there is more to the green beast than we’re usually led to believe.  Comic book fans will not be disappointed here.  Anyone who likes comics, especially Hulk fans, should pick this one up.  If the ending leaves you wanting more, make sure to follow up with the action packed World War Hulk. -- Claudio Leon

Greg Pak. Hulk: Planet Hulk. New York: Marvel Worldwide Inc, 2011. Print.

Batman Hush story by Jeph Loeb

The world’s greatest detective is back, trying to solve one of the greatest mysteries of his life.  Who is Hush? How is he always one step ahead of the Caped Crusader? After rescuing a kidnapped boy and discovering Catwoman in the process of stealing the ransom money, Batman gives chase to the feline thief above and below the streets of Gotham City.  The chase leads them both to a larger mystery that will force the long time frenemies to join forces and investigate what connects all of Batman’s greatest villains to the mysterious figure named Hush.  With every one of his well-honed skills put to the test, Batman will prove why he’s the world’s greatest detective.  But as he gets closer to the truth the Caped Crusader will have to figure out how Jason Todd’s (Robin) death is connected to Hush.

Batman fans will not be disappointed by Batman: Hush.  Students will love seeing the Joker, Two-Face, the Penguin, Nightwing and plenty of other guest appearances in the book.  I would recommend this book to any comic book reader who likes their mysteries mixed with action. --Claudio Leon

Loeb, Joseph. Batman: Hush. New York, 2003. Print

Hulk Vs Wolverine by Damon Lindelof, art by Leinil Francis Yu & Dave McCaig

Two of Marvel’s biggest names come together to create a story fueled by love, betrayal and vengeance.  Told from the viewpoints of Bruce Banner, Betty Ross, Jennifer Walters and one relentless hunter, Wolverine, this story is full of twists, turns and surprises.  Bruce Banner, better known as the Incredible Hulk, has been sentenced to death but he (not surprisingly) survives the death sentence and goes into hiding.  In comes Wolverine who is ordered by Nick Fury to find and eliminate the Hulk.  The entire story plays out as a high octane action film with an underlying love story between Betty Ross and Bruce Banner.  Can Wolverine really bring an end to one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes?  And why would Nick Fury select Wolverine for this task out of all the other heroes?  Those aware of Jennifer’s true identity will be surprised at the turn of events.  This is a must read for any comic book fan. --Claudio Leon

Wolverine: Prodigal Son by Antony Johnston, art by Wilson Tortosa

This is a refreshing and interesting new take on the story of Logan, better known as Wolverine.  Wilson Tortosa, the artist, uses manga style art with black and white graphics to re-write Wolverine’s origin.  The story takes place before Wolverine joins the X-Men, and introduces Logan as a 16 year old living in a martial arts monastery.  Logan, who was abandoned in the forest, was taken in by the master of the monastery.  Readers learn how Logan obtained his nickname “Wolverine” and his unique fighting skills.  When the monastery comes under attack, Logan is left full of questions and yearning for answers.  Prodigal Son is a never before seen take on Logan’s origins because the Marvel Universe has always kept Wolverine’s past a tightly guarded secret, including his actual age, birth place and family background.   In addition to this new revelation about Wolverine’s past, readers may particularly enjoy the manga format of this volume. --Claudio Leon

Superman: the Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel by Scott Beatty

Many people love Superman, but I think most people, even big fans, will find a lot of new information in this oversized guide to one of the original superheroes. Its format is almost like a visual encyclopedia; each double-page spread is dedicated to one Superman theme, and there are captions and little informative blurbs scattered around vivid, full-color drawings against a full-color background. While these themes are not arranged alphabetically, there is a sense of order -- the book is grouped into five main areas of focus: Birth of Superman, City of Tomorrow, Secrets of the Man of Steel, Supervillainy, and Superman’s Career. The back of the book features a detailed timeline of Superman through the years, both his story and the commercial development of the product. There is also a table of contents and an index. This book is very popular with students and adults; everyone likes to point out their favorite characters and story lines.

Beatty, Scott. Superman: The Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel. New York: DK Publishing, 2002.