Black Canary Ignite by Meg Cabot & Cara McGee

Series: N/A
# of Pages: 144
Publication: October 29, 2019
Source: Publisher Copy
Genre: Middle Grade Comic
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Thirteen-year-old Dinah Lance knows exactly what she wants, who she is, and where she's going. First, she'll win the battle of the bands with her two best friends, then she'll join the Gotham City Junior Police Academy so she can solve crimes just like her dad. Who knows, her rock star group of friends may even save the world, but first they'll need to agree on a band name. When a mysterious figure keeps getting in the way of Dinah's goals and threatens her friends and family, she'll learn more about herself, her mother's secret past, and navigating the various power chords of life.

DC Zoom does it again with a phenomenal addition to their middle grade novels based on well-known DC Comic characters. Black Canary Ignite focuses on Dinah and her two middle school friends as they navigate the quirks of middle school. While developing material for their bands performance at school, Dinah begins to exhibit the strange ability to destroy things with her voice. Combined with a shadowy figure who continues to follow Dinah and a secret that her mother harbors, Cabot and McGee take readers on a world wind adventure.

"The Gothom City Junior Police Academy is having sign-ups this week Dad. And I'm going."

Having read two other additions to the DC Zoom line, I found this one to be my favorite. The sheer idea of seeing so much girl power and female empowerment in a middle grade comic book was truly fascinating. The trio of friends: Dinah, Kat, & Vee are truly different from each other giving every reader the opportunity to relate to at least one of the main characters. They, like all people, go through the ups and downs related to friendship, yet maintain that confidence in and appreciation of each other. The friendship is not the only positive relationship in this book. I truly enjoyed the dynamic between Dinah and her parents especially the relationship that she builds with her mother. As a new mother myself, I understand why Dinah's mother was so hesitant in revealing parts of her past. She, like most mothers and parents in general, felt the need to protect her daughter from harm. Although it took her a while, Dinah eventually did grow to find new value and respect for her mother's decisions. In all, the relationships in this comic felt true to life. These are relationships I could see my own daughter developing with me or friends of her own.

"Next time you want to accuse our daughter of something as absurd as blowing things up with her mind, please contact our lawyer, Janet Van Dorn." 

In terms of plot, the comic was a quick read that definitely left me wanting more. Prior to reading this installment, I had no prior knowledge of Black Canary; however, Cabot does such a phenomenal job of creating a story where the reader does not need any prior knowledge. In doing this, Cabot makes the comic accessible to all readers and fun and nostalgic for those who are already fully immersed in the DC Universe. I also commend Cabot for doing a wonderful job of creating a story line that middle grade characters can relate to. Not only does Dinah face issues related to the superheroes of the DC Universe, but she also faces every day issues that middle school students would typically see.

"Never call your gift dumb, Dinah. Just because it's different from other people's doesn't mean it isn't special."

In addition to amazing characters and plot, Cara McGee does a wonderful job with beautiful and colorful illustrations. Some of the panels that she created were simply amazing and aesthetically appealing to my eyes. They seemed to fit perfectly with the context of the text with vivid and vibrant colors. Check out an image below for reference:

If you're looking for new middle grade graphic novels to check out, I would definitely recommend checking out these new ones that are being published by DC Zoom. I've reviewed another: The Secret Spiral of Swamp Kid. Be sure to check that out as well as others that will be coming out in the future.