Winick, Judd. Outsiders: looking for trouble.

DC Comics. illus. c2003. 1-40120211-X. $12.95. S

Superhero teams Teen Titans and Young Justice have both disbanded after the needless death of former Wonder Girl. Troia. Arsenal, formerly Green Lantern's sidekick, decides he has had enough of mourning and forms a new team of crime fighters. He calls in the original Robin, now Nightwing, to lead the team. The rest of the group is comprised of superheroes new and old, including the cybernetic being that inadvertently caused Troia's death. Nightwing dubs the group "The Outsiders," because of their efforts to not merely fight the enemy but to become hunters of evil. The Outsiders wear spandex uniforms and battle familiar comic book foes like The Joker. However, don't be fooled, this is not your father's comic book! Projectile vomiting gorillas, graphic battle scenes, implied sexual situations, and foul language make this a gritty read.

While readers who have never before picked up a comic book might not understand some of the more intricate relationships, background information is given to alleviate most confusion. This compelling graphic novel will be popular with comic book aficionados familiar with the DC universe and could also find an audience with newcomers to the genre who have been introduced to superheroes through recent movies. Heather Lisowski, YA Libn., Castle Rock, CO