The Meister of Decimen City

Starred review from January 9, 2023
Raney’s smart, silly, and surprisingly heartfelt debut introduces a genius scientist who could go either way in the ongoing conflict between superheroes and supervillains. Like any scientist, Rex, aka the Meister of Decimen City, has made mistakes, but hers end up being inadvertently dangerous, like the time she created a zombie virus or let a horde of dinosaurs rampage through town. She also cured cancer, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from labeling her a mad scientist. As such, she’s constantly monitored by Superbeings Oversight, a branch of the military. Meanwhile, her brother, the supervillain Last Dance, and her sister, the superhero Vivid Blue (both accidentally given their powers by Rex), prepare to face off in an epic battle. Rex tries to stay out of it and off Oversight’s radar, focusing instead on the rapidly increasing intelligence of her dinosaurs, but Last Dance reaches out for help and Vivid Blue demands that Rex spy on him. Amid all the comic book–style chaos, this is really the story of Rex’s self-discovery, aided by unlikely allies and some adorable talking dinosaurs. The result is thoroughly entertaining and utterly delightful.

Starred review from February 1, 2023
Rex Anderson, asexual female supergenius, is dealing with the ultimate case of sibling rivalry. An experiment gone bad turned her older sister, Viv, into a blue-skinned superhero. Her twin brother, Sam, decided he wanted superpowers too, and he attempted the same Rex-inspired experiment but ended up being cursed with the uncontrollable ability to read minds as well as superstrength. Sam has tried to use his powers to prevent thoughts from invading his head, but in ways that have cast him as a villain. Each scheme has brought Rex and Viv into the picture, leaving Rex looking suspicious and Viv, virtuous. That is the core of the conflicts arising in this delightful romp that includes sapient dinosaurs Rex created, the Oversight Committee that has put Rex under ever increasingly strict surveillance, the Protectors of the World (which include her sister as well as Cat Man, Manta, Jester, Pixie, and other superheroes), a villain who can detect if a person is lying, and a visit to the cat dimension. Raney's debut is a blast, inventive as all get out, and keeps just the right balance between camp and pretentious, the all-too-common pitfalls when rendering comic-book heroes in this format.

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Starred review from January 1, 2023

DEBUT Raney's delightful romp touches on deeper topics, such as how loving someone doesn't excuse them from being the villain in one's personal narrative even when everyone else says it is time to forgive and forget. Rex isn't a villain unless you put cheese (yuck!) on her food; then she might contemplate drastic measures. Yes, one of her experiments escaped from her laboratory again, but she helped wrangle the velociraptors before they caused too much damage to downtown Decimen City. Forced to endure governmental oversight of her projects to prevent her from slipping into super-villainy, Rex must decide if letting others define who is a villain and who is a hero is something she can live with or if she's going to define herself. VERDICT Zinging one-liners, familiar superhero tropes with hilarious twists, and defying the world's expectations to be your authentic self combine to make this an appealing tale for older teens and adults. Be prepared to giggle at dinosaur antics and get teary-eyed as Rex comes into her own.--Mary E. Butler

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