Imagine this: Wonder Woman’s daughter Lizzie is on a time travel adventure to grab the Supersons, Damien Wayne and John Kent. Lizzie consults two older selves to keep her timeline intact and triple her chances of avoiding a crisis.
This premise sounds like something straight from Bill and Ted’s amazing adventures. And it’s not too far. In this issue, Lizzie, with her Domino’s mask and a Monica’s Wonder Robin, finds herself in Wayne Manor at a key moment in history. This is the halfway point of Tom King’s Batman Run.
DC
Readers who have not read King’s infamous output have no problem understanding what’s going on. This issue is because it does a good job of explaining important details and giving people of knowledge a nod.
Readers who were there when Batman and Catwoman’s “Wedding” were released will get an astonishing amount of nostalgia. At least it comes from Alfred’s notable here. As long as he plays a big role in this issue, he is a character with a perspective that speaks to the whole ordeal.
King’s usual eloquent prose really suits Alfred’s voice. I always thought he would be at home with the woman who wrote tomorrow rather than regular dialogue. And it really shows up in comedy. When he uses panels and art for panels and art rather than his own words, King feels more of a hit than a miss. The latter is where his jokes are flattened for me.
But Belem Ortega’s art never fades. She makes Lizzie so adorable, her expressions are more emotional than the Pixar characters. She transforms refreshing energy into joy in every panel.
I can offer King’s credit, but I would lie if I said that the particular moment shared between Lizzie and Alfred didn’t have tears in my eyes. When everything is said and done, he is better at providing emotional interaction than most people. Here is the melancholy between the Corgis and the cheesy jokes. It ensures I don’t miss his Batman run, flaws and everything.
The cast of Wonder Woman and her characters is rare in the daughter’s own series, but it’s funny to see King having his own mini DC universe, with a self-referential callback. As if Kiteman reappeared in Wonder Woman’s backup, this Trinity is neatly tied to King’s Batman running above all else.
The problem arises when the story not only tries to become a fun tour of King’s past, but also moves forward a key plot on the main Wonder Woman line. It’s particularly jarring to see Steve Trevor in a comic about Batman walking into a dog poop, causing such a significant and inevitable event.
Trinity: The daughter of Wonder Woman #4 is mostly fun, except for nasty jokes and sometimes robust dialogue. What surprised me the most was how moving it was. Revisit Alfred and King’s Batman: Rebirth reminds us of how much time has passed, what the characters have been lost and what has changed. It’s just as an ode to the past as celebrating the future.
“Trinity: Wonder Woman’s Daughter” #4 revisits Batman’s controversial wedding
Trinity: The Daughter of Wonder Woman #4
Trinity: The daughter of Wonder Woman #4 is mostly fun, except for nasty jokes and sometimes robust dialogue. What surprised me the most was how moving it was. Revisit Alfred and King’s Batman: Rebirth reminds us of how much time has passed, what the characters have been lost and what has changed. It’s just as an ode to the past as celebrating the future.
Alfred is the main player and it’s nostalgic to see him written by Tom King
Beyond Belem Ortega’s adorable art that elevates every panel
Not all jokes land, and certain comedic beats sound nasty
The comic is at a crisis of identity between being Batman and being the dominant story of Wonder Woman
