Reading: NANCY DREW & THE HARDY BOYS: THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING ADULTS - Scott Bryan Wilson (writer), Bob Solanovicz (illustrator)

If you grew up watching animated TV series from the 1990's to the present, the "Saturday morning cartoon"-style artwork of this mashup of a graphic novel will appeal to the eye. Indeed, some of the images/art could be screen-shot from TV. If you grew up, however, reading and loving the classic Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mystery novels, this volume may we be a huge let-down. Here, Nancy's the new gal at Bayport High where - soon after meeting the "great detectives" Frank and Joe Hardy - finds herself pulled into a mystery with the guys when all the adults in town disappear on the eve of a major science fair/contest Bayport has with its rival school. Could there be a connection? The road to finding out is a rather silly one, Frank and Joe Hardy (especially Joe) often doing or saying something that makes neither of them come off too bright - even to the boys physically fighting in a Wile E. Coyote ball of dust whenever Frank teasingly calls Joe "Joseph". Nancy comes across as the smart (mature) one, though all do contribute to solving the mystery ... but sadly, the characters you loved from the original novels are just dumbed-down and unrecognizable here. The story - even book - is fine on its own, and would have actually worked better with original characters in the leads. As a vehicle for iconic characters like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, it simply falls flat on the page.  2/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.