Grade 7 Up—Buzzing with action,Resurrectionwill appeal to Batman's fans, but it is not a good starting point for readers unfamiliar with the series history. Ra's Al Ghul has miraculously returned from what was thought to be a fiery demise. His features badly burned, Ra's needs a completely new host body to continue his evil ways. His candidate is bratty Damian-his grandson, who happens to be the child of Batman and Talia, Ra's Al Ghul's daughter. When Damian is eventually captured by his grandfather, Batman and Ra's face off to determine the boy's fate. The artwork varies with each chapter. Violence is depicted, and images of women may strike some as objectification. The exaggerated, comic-book-style illustrations are consistently well done, although characters are rendered differently by each artist, a fact that may throw off some readers. The writing also fluctuates with each chapter, from standard heroic platitudes to tongue-in-cheek sarcasm. This is not an essential purchase, but it will be welcomed by readers with knowledge of the characters and backstory.—Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI
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