Review: This new graphic novel, of a pre-Batman Bruce Wayne as a kid, opens in a Gotham City already all but decimated by crime and corruption. But with all its horrors, the worst of them for the young, rich, highly-intelligent but otherwise nerdy Bruce Wayne, orphaned after the murders of his parents, is none other than the Gotham Preparatory School for the Really, Really Gifted - his middle school. Here, all the students have some form of super power or another (The Flash, Wonder Woman, Superman, Penguin, Catwoman, and more - all started off in middle grade here) ... except for Bruce, who only got into the school because his parents funded the building of it before their deaths, and remains a target for bullies for not having any powers of his own. But when fellow student Jack Napier, himself having no super powers except for conning his way into the school, begins bullying Bruce's friend, elementary student Dick Grayson, Bruce becomes determined to strike back - thus beginning his ascent to a career as a vigilante, even as his loyal butler Alfred and the school's vice-principal forbid it. But will Bruce get it together in time to foil Jack's plans for the Crime of the Semester? And what of Bane, Jack's new sidekick, who would be a formidable foe even for someone with superpowers?
Bruce Wayne: Not Super is terrific; a comedic look at the young, super-smart yet geeky Bruce completely out of his element as a young kid, formerly with the attention span of a goldfish, who may have finally found his calling. Also nice are the glimpses of a number of future DC superhero icons in their youth, but the story really does belong to the humor of Bruce wanting to save his city, agreeing to take a hyperactive Robin in tow as his sidekick, with no knowledge of how to fight and an arsenal of weapons thrown together in minutes - and potentially of harm more to the user than the bad guy - all while Alfred says no and remains in constant threat of sending the future Batman to his room. The poor kid, after all, can't even put a bat costume together; in it, he's mistaken for everything from a badger to a rat to even a prairie dog. Bruce pushes past it all, his pluck and determination to save Gotham City one villain at a time his true calling, and among writer Stuart Gibbs glib and funny humor and Berat Pekmezci's bursting-with-color art, the very basic but heartfelt beginnings of the boy who'd grow to become The Bat shines through. It's really good. So good, I already itch for a sequel. 4.5/5 stars
NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
