WHISTLE: A NEW GOTHAM CITY HERO
“Empowering and unforgettable, E. Lockhart gives us a heroine worth rooting for.”
— Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Teen Titans Raven and Beast Boy
From New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart (Genuine Fraud, We Were Liars) and artist Manuel Preitano (The Oracle Code) comes a new Gotham City superhero in this exciting YA graphic novel, winner of a Sydney Taylor honor from the Association of Jewish Libraries.
Sixteen-year-old Willow Zimmerman has something to say. When she’s not on the streets protesting City Hall’s neglect of her run-down Gotham neighborhood, she’s working nights at the local dog shelter. But despite how much she does for the world around her, she’s struggling to take care of her sick mother at home. She’s got no time for boys (though there’s one she really likes), and no means to adopt the amazingly loyal stray Great Dane, Lebowitz, that follows her around.
Without health insurance and with money running out, a desperate Willow reconnects with an estranged family friend E. Nigma–party promoter, and real estate tycoon. Nigma opens the door to an easier life, offering Willow a new job hosting his glamorous private poker nights with Gotham City’s elites. Now Willow is able to afford critical medical treatments for her mother and get a taste of the high life she’s never had.
Then everything changes: Willow and Lebowitz are attacked by one of Gotham’s most horrific villains, the monstrous Killer Croc. When they wake after the fight, they can understand each other. And Willow has powers she never dreamed of.
When Willow discovers that Nigma and his poker buddies are actually some of Gotham’s most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who saved her mother’s life, or use her new powers to save her community.
"Affectionate, sassy, funny, and a perfect blend of superhero and youthful angst…A big thumbs up, this character and this creative team tick all the boxes for me."
— Nerdly
"Whistle is my new favorite hero of the year… if I got to choose, she’d immediately become a superstar of the genre."
— Women Write About Comics
"I found myself aching from my unmoving grin."
— CG Mag online
"A fun, intense joyride of a comic that takes us into Gotham in a way we rarely see. Long live Willow Zimmerman and Lebowitz."
— Geek Dad
"Willow is the most visibly, obviously, and wholeheartedly Jewish superhero I have ever seen. It’s incredible….Whistle is not only a great graphic novel; it’s also a great Jewish representation."
— But Why Tho? podcast
"With fantastic illustrations and a heartfelt storyline, WHISTLE: A NEW GOTHAM CITY HERO is a graphic novel to lose yourself in."
— YA Books Central
"Amazing and insightful… Being immersed in this world was so worth it. Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero is a book full of hard decisions, real-life scenarios, and a new hero with a heart of gold. The story has so much heart and is a wonderful journey of self-discovery in Gotham City. Read it. 10/10."
— Dark Knight News
"One of DC's most relatable and realistic young adult titles, with a hero who brings a complicated and community-driven approach to Gotham."
— Comic Book Reviews
"Lockhart does an amazing job…It’s a story that truly makes you think."
— Geekiary
"Detailed, atmospheric, accessible and fun."
— Starburst
"I loved Whistle…It’s a story about being a teenager, about growing into your beliefs, standing for and with your community. About doing small mitzvahs – good deeds — even when the police say it’s too big for you."
— Gate Crashers
"This is so fantastic. I can’t tell you how much I loved it."
— Unorthodox podcast
"I love Willow Zimmerman. She is only sixteen years old and a force to be reckoned with….This girl is brave, and her Gotham is beautiful - crackling with detail and bathed in a rosy sienna."
— Comics Bookcase
