The second in a new series of original novels featuring established DC Comics superheroes, Devin Grayson’s DC UNIVERSE: INHERITANCE focuses on Batman, Green Arrow and Aquaman, reuniting and patching old wounds with their erstwhile, all-growed-up sidekicks Nightwing, Arsenal and Tempest (formerly known as Teen Titans Robin, Speedy and Aqualad, respectively).

This sextet assembles for a bit of non-Justice League business at Batman’s request, when the teenage son of a visiting Quarac (read: Iraq) politician to Gotham City is almost assassinated. The near-deadly deed is traced to Deathstroke (with a name like that, of course he’s a villain), who’s been hired to off the poor kid. Though all the heroes take part in the hunt, this is really Green Arrow and Nightwing’s game, as they take center stage.

Grayson – a comics scribe for NIGHTWING – has a workable plot that’s tailor-made for these heroes, but every time you get sucked in, the action keeps getting interrupted by lengthy backstory and origin tales of the three sidekicks. Likely, anyone inherently interested in reading INHERITANCE is going to know the background of these characters anyway, although it does allow for other characters like Green Lantern and Black Canary to put in cameos. INHERITANCE has the same strengths and weaknesses as the previous entry (DC UNIVERSE: LAST SONS by Alan Grant), which is to say it remains true to the characters as we know them, but can’t quite sustain momentum for its 325-odd pages. Still, it’s a hair better than LAST SONS, with more interesting players and better dialogue. While you’re waiting in line this summer for SUPERMAN RETURNS, this’ll certainly help pass the time enjoyably. –Rod Lott

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