The Boy Wonder #1 is written and drawn by Juni Ba and published by DC. Colours are by Chris O’Halloran and letters by Aditya Bidikar. Main cover art (left) is also by Juni Ba.
The Boy Wonder #1 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon ComiXology UK right here.
Synopsis
The young prince Damian Wayne was raised to be the heir to the fearsome League of Assassins—to follow in the footsteps of his deadly mother, Talia, and the Demon’s Head himself, his grandfather Ra’s al Ghul. But everything changed when his father, the Batman, reclaimed him and brought him back to Gotham City. As Robin, young Damian suddenly discovered he was merely one of a number of princes, preceded in the role by his “brothers” Nightwing, Red Hood, and Red Robin…and Damian doesn’t care to be merely anything. But when his father is forced to leave the city on urgent business, and a rash of abductions is accompanied by whispers of a demon stalking Gotham’s dark alleys, Damian will find himself battling alongside his adoptive brothers—and in the process, learning what the mantle of Robin really means! Visionary writer/artist Juni Ba makes his mark on the timeless story of Batman and Robin, synthesizing the characters’ complex history into an accessible and heartrending fairy tale!
Review
Young Damian Wayne has had to deal with a lot in his short lifetime. It’s not even two decades since he was first introduced in the pages of Batman #655 and yet in that time he’s led his own series, teamed with multiple other heroes and been both killed and resurrected. But starting today, the current Robin and heir to the League of Assassins takes on a new challenge. His first DC Black Label series.
Writer and artist Juni Ba begins a quirky five-issue series which is part fairytale, part exploration of what it means to be titular Boy Wonder. The Boy Wonder doesn’t feel like a typical Black Label project. Rather than using Black Label to signifying something which is altogether darker and more adult, this series – or at least this issue – feels like an honest approach to exploring Damian’s psyche.
The book opens on a typical night in Gotham. As the rich party above, below a run of the mill kidnapping is taking place only to be stopped by Damian’s Robin. In many ways Ba reflects the opening of the classic Batman ‘89, first presenting our hero as a figure hiding in the shadows. It gives The Boy Wonder a cool sense of familiarity before it begins to experiment with the classic formula. Once the words “once upon a time…” appear on screen then Ba begins toying with the storytelling approach in really fun and entertaining ways.
Whilst the visuals are also often playful, it’s the language used in the series’ narration which elevates the story to fairytale status. With Batman often presented as a “king who protects his kingdom with his three adopted sons”. Those sons are, of course, Dick aka Nightwing, Jason aka Red Hood and Tim aka Red Robin. Each appears with costumes based on classic designs and give a touch of Ba’s signature styling. In this narration Damian is presented as the blood relative son who does not fit with the family. Ripped from his upbringing under the tutelage of Ra’s al Ghul and forced to fight crime in Gotham.
Ba quickly moves through Damian’s origin, hinting at the darkness which often lies just beneath the surface. Bringing us to the moment when Bruce is called away on business, just as a mystery is beginning to unravel closer to home. Damian uses the rumours of a demon on the streets of Gotham as the chance to show his father he’s a willing successor to the Robin name and sets out to solve the case, quickly running in to Nightwing and Batgirl – the Barbara Gordon variety – on the mean streets.
It takes no time at all for Ba to get to grips with Damian. The Boy Wonder perfectly encapsulates his boisterous nature but with enough room to explore the cracks in that facade. As he crashes in to the middle of Night and Batgirl’s fight the energy is electric and his excitement palpable. The naïveté of his experience shines through as does his unspoken search for acceptance from his peers. It’s actually incredible how much Ba is able to communicate through minimal dialogue alongside the super cool visuals.
Visually the book packs a real punch. Landing somewhere between looking like frames from an animated series mixed with something much more pulpy. Whilst characters like Clayface have a more heavily stylised appearance, the heroes of Gotham are wearing classic and instantly recognisable costume designs. Robin’s classic red, yellow and green colours really pop on the page giving characters a real pride of place feeling amongst the murky streets of Gotham.
Verdict
The Boy Wonder #1 is a true deep dive in to one of the Bat-Family’s most angsty and beloved characters. Juni Ba wastes no time in tapping in to what makes Damian a fan-favourite character. An engaging story with beautiful visuals.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
