Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #1

Marvel

Release Date:  11/25/15

Words:  Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare

Pictures:  Natacha Bustos

The Sitch:

Lunella Lafayette is a preteen super genius who wants to change the world with her super brain. Her fear of the monstrous INHUMAN genes inside her drive her desire to be part of the science that makes the world a better place. Her life is turned upside down when a savage, red-scaled tyrant from the prehistoric past is teleported to a distant future we know as PRESENT DAY.  Together, the pair become not just the most inspiring Marvel Team-Up, but the cutest.

The Confession:

It’s not a secret that I love most anything with a relatable female protagonist, especially of the younger variety. Little girls need all the representation and diversity they can get. Lunella is the hero we both need and deserve. She is proof that the most powerful things can come from the smallest of packages. She is the awkward girl genius that is picked on for not quite fitting in. Her mind is constantly on the next big project, always striving for better despite rejections and facing people who don’t understand her goals. Her determination, bravery, and super brain are all she needs to be the hero all girls can look up to. Lunella is so freaking adorable and kick ass that I made my twelve year old daughter read it. My daughter is often a difficult one to please and she actually liked this one. She was smiling when she said it was “cool.” I knew that she related to Lunella perfectly when upon her returning it to me she immediately initiated her own discussion of evolution. (Yes, I’m shamelessly proud.) Those familiar with Jack Kirby’s Devil Dinosaur will know the other half of this new dynamic duo. There are a few pages that wrap up Moon Boy’s relationship with Devil Dinosaur before he crosses over to Lunella’s brave new world. With Reeder and Montclare writing together one should assume a good story is in good hands.

Bustos’ art fits nicely with the story. There is a grounding realism to her work while, at the same time, being super cute. Her action sequences are clear cut and at a level appropriate for younger readers, that can still be appreciated by adults. The colors are bright and colorful for all ages without taking away any of the validity of the story. I liked seeing how diverse Lunella’s world is, as seen in a realistic school room in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Also, big love to seeing a poster of Neil Degrasse Tyson over Lunella’s bed.

There is much promise in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur for all readers. If you are looking for something all ages to inspire that special little female in your life, this is the book to start her on. Pull list worthy all the way.