An art class assignment goes haywire when Harley uses some magic paint on her comics project that brings her alter ego doodle of herself scrawled in black, white, and splashes of red and blue nacingly to life. Doodle-Harley animates all the other comics projects, including a bubbly Supergirl and Batgirl and a trio of Wonder Women, all of whom turn out to be villainous. Paper-based foes seem like they'd be easy to defeat, but the superhero girls imbued their fictional selves with the strength and powers they wish they had, and soon the battle between Super Hero High and the evil drawings has taken over all Metropolis. The series' typical artwork is nicely broken up by the varied art styles of the girls' projects, which range from childlike crayon figures to Harley's maniacal scribbles. Toward the end, a subplot about emotional health and the value of visiting a therapist is a bit heavy-handed, but it's refreshing to see such an earnest message in a seemingly fluffy story. No knowledge of previous series installments necessary.

Art class for a group of iconic superhero girls goes awry when their creations come alive.In their fifth brightly depicted episodic adventure, the heroines of Super Hero High—namely the teenage Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, and Katana—are working on their graphic-novel art projects for their teacher, meek bohemian June Moone. The girls are warned to stay away from Ms. Moone's paints, but troublemaker Harley cannot help herself. Before long, the girls' drawings have come to life as tiny, evil doppelgängers. Much as in the previous volumes, teamwork is emphasized in order to save the day. While the plot is largely action-based and the feel tends toward predictable and cloying, Fontana has woven in some redeeming scenes. A girl of color who uses a wheelchair helps the team save the day, and later, Harley, Wonder Woman, and Supergirl all openly discuss going to therapy and the benefits they receive from talking out their problems. The art, rendered by the trifecta of DiChiara, Garbowska, and Andolfo, is vibrant and kinetic, employing an eye-catching mix of neatly paneled contemporary styles. Although some side characters are girls of color and/or disabled, the depictions of the spandex-clad heroines themselves—mostly white and wasp-waisted, with almond-shaped eyes, pouty mouths, and full manes of flowing hair—keep this series rooted in the old sexualized tropes.An uneven offering that totters between empowerment and stereotypes. (Graphic fantasy. 6-10)