Title: Gotham Academy Vol. 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy

Author: Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschl

Publisher: DC 2015

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Welcome to Gotham Academy, the most prestigious school in Gotham City. Only the best and brightest students may enter its halls, study in its classrooms, explore its secret passages, summon its terrifying spirits…

Okay, so Gotham Academy isn’t like other schools. But Olive Silverlock isn’t like other students. After a mysterious incident over summer break, she’s back at school with a bad case of amnesia, an even worse attitude… and an unexplained fear of bats.

Olive’s supposed to show new student Maps Mizoguchi the ropes. Problem: Maps is kid sister of Kyle, Olive’s ex. Then there’s the ghost haunting the campus…the secret society conducting bizarre rituals…and Bruce Wayne, the weirdo billionaire who funds the Academy - and may know the secret to Olive’s big mystery.

Find out in GOTHAM ACADEMY VOL. 1, the acclaimed new series from co-writers Becky Cloonan (DEMO) and Brendan Fletcher (BATGIRL) and artist Karl Kerschl (TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE)! Collects GOTHAM ACADEMY #1-6.

I’ve never read much of the DC Universe, but I picked up this series because there is a crossover with Lumberjanes. I loved the mix of Nancy Drew-esque mystery solving and actual supernatural events. I want to know more about Olive and Tristan and the various teachers. There are definitely mysteries in abundance at Gotham Academy. I am completely on board for the ride.

Title: Gotham Academy Vol. 2: Calamity

Author: Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschl, Mingjue Helen Chen

Publisher: DC 2016

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 144

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Gotham Academy is haunted!

At the beginning of the term, Olive Silverlock returned to Gotham Academy a shadow of her former self. But thanks to her new friendships and their Detective Club sleuthing, Olive was finally starting to feel whole again.

Then, abruptly, Olive’s mother died—or, she seemed to. In the weeks after the funeral, Olive begins seeing her mother around the school. An Arkham Asylum patient with a deadly dark side, Sybil Silverlock was a powerful and complicated woman. Could her spirit be reaching out from beyond the grave? And if so, is it motherly Sybil who haunts Olive—or her deadly alter ego Calamity?

Plus, the kids hunt a werewolf on campus and Maps teams up with the Academy’s newest transfer, Damian Wayne!

Writers Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher team with artists Karl Kerschl and Mingjue Helen Chen for GOTHAM ACADEMY VOL. 2: CALAMITY. Collects GOTHAM ACADEMY #7-12 and DC SNEAK PEEK: GOTHAM ACADEMY #1.

I still really enjoyed this volume of stories, although it wasn’t quite as interesting as the first one. The mysteries continue to deepen, but we don’t get many answers to all our questions. I do love the addition of Damian Wayne. Wonder where that’s story is going to go?

Title: Gotham Academy Vol. 3: Yearbook

Author: Brenden Fletcher, Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyen, Rafael Albuquerque

Publisher: DC 2016

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 176

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Life grabs you by the wrist..." and hands you this year's Gotham Academy yearbook!

The students of Gotham's most prestigious prep school are back and they've just survived one heck of a year within the walls of Gotham Academy. Now it's time for everyone to look back and experience some of the lost adventures from the school year that was. Featuring stories and art by some of comics' best and brightest creators including Dustin Nguyen (BATMAN: L'IL GOTHAM), Derek Fridolfs (BATMAN: L'IL GOTHAM) and Rafael Albuquerque (AMERICAN VAMPIRE), as well as from regular series writer Brenden Fletcher (BATGIRL)!

Collects GOTHAM ACADEMY #13-17.

This was more of a compilation of vignettes than a big story arc. I did love the glimpses into the Robins and the larger problems with Batman.