THE HEIST AGE

The Dinomighty crew works together to protect the Dino Lisa portrait from their nemeses.

Dinomighties Teri-Dactyl, Dave, T-Lex, and the chicken, Bach, leverage their strengths to outwit the bad guys led by Bully Mammoth. The Mayor of Dinotown charges the Dinomighties with protecting the priceless painting the Dino Lisa, but former baddies the Diplos are hot on their trail. They team up with Bully Mammoth, who is at the top of the nemesis list to try to steal the Dino Lisa and stop the Dinomighties. There’s plenty of content in this graphic novel with high appeal for kids: dinozombies, scatological humor, and fight scenes. The all-star, most fun character is the brainiac Bach, who only ever says, Bok! and who often swoops in to save the day with a hack or some chemistry. While the characters are all very likable and fun on the page, the plot is a little thin. There’s no clear motivation for the bad guys (why steal the Dino Lisa?) other than that they are bad guys who therefore do bad things. Blecha’s illustrations, however, add plenty. From little details, like the Diplos eavesdropping on the mayor, to the creative perspective in a scene where the dinozombies close in on the Dinomighties, the art helps buoy the story. The end sets up the next book in the series.

Plenty for kids to enjoy, even if the storyline falls flat.