Batman/Wonder Woman: Truth #1 is written by Jeph Loeb and published by DC Comics. Artwork is by Jim Cheung, colours by Jay David Ramos and letters by Richard Starkings. Main cover art (left) is by Cheung and Ramos.
Batman/Wonder Woman: Truth #1 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
Batman and Wonder Woman team up for a classic caper brought to you by superstar talent writer Jeph Loeb (Batman, Superman/Batman) and artist Jim Cheung (Justice League)! The Lasso of Truth has been stolen, and the Caped Crusader and Amazon Princess race to ensure a safe return before it falls into the wrong hands. You won’t want to miss the aftermath of Batman: HUSH featuring the devious duo foolish enough to steal from Wonder Woman…The Joker and Harley Quinn!
Review
Whilst we patiently await the next chapter of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s H2SH storyline Loeb has been busy pairing the Dark Knight with another of DC’s Trinity for a brand new one-shot. Batman/Wonder Woman: Truth arrives in comic book stores today and takes a closer look at their relationship with each other as well as the outside world.
The book is framed around a very simple incident: the Lasso of Truth is stolen. How does Diana react to losing an artifact from her home on Paradise Island? How does Bruce react when the theft occurs in his city, under his watch and when we discover who it was who took it? That’s the real story that Loeb and artist Jim Cheung are diving into here.
What sounds like a fun crime caper, featuring guest appearances by Catwoman, Joker and Harley Quinn, is actually masquerading as a psychological check in for two legendary heroes. Taking the form of a breakup story for Bruce and Diana, Loeb explores how a post-breakup vigilante and his morally ambiguous former flame conduct themselves, especially knowing what she does about his alter-ego.
Wonder Woman is the perfect character to pair Bruce with for this story. Whilst there is passing mention of Clark, his dynamic with Bruce wouldn’t allow for the same kind of deep dive into his emotional state. Diana’s empathy, but also her ability to ask probing questions, is what poses the right challenge to the walls Bruce usually puts up.
Loeb is adept at characterisation, that was never under question. So Batman/Wonder Woman: Truth gets down to business swiftly and effectively. The entire story is neatly balanced between fast moving action as the two heroes traverse the city and therapy session as Diana continues to question Bruce’s decision to open up to Catwoman about his secret identity. But Bruce being Bruce his feeling fall into second place when it comes to the business of keeping Gotham safe and so of course Catwoman is mixed up in the theft of the lasso.
The results of Loeb’s nimble storytelling is a briskly paced adventure which actually affords the reader a worthwhile insight into its characters. The framing of the lasso crime works as the perfect backdrop, granting Diana the permission to storm across the city, leaving no stone unturned. Where plenty of one-shot stories can feel like an unnecessary side mission, Batman/Wonder Woman: Truth proves itself a deserving subject of our time.
Jim Cheung adds to all of the above with an energy which perfectly matches Loeb’s story. Bruce and Diana really do zip across the city and Cheung keeps up with the pair by bringing a kinetic buzz to proceedings. It’s always fun to see Diana visiting Gotham with the colours of her costume standing in stark contrast to the city’s shadowy corners. This book is another prime example of that. Richard Starking’s sharp reds and golds easily cut through the murky blues to create something truly dynamic on the page.
Verdict
Batman/Wonder Woman: Truth #1 is a fun side mission which goes above and beyond the call of duty to tell a story with real emotional connection and consequence. I went in expecting a fun crime caper and came away feeling like I had a better understanding of who these characters are to each other.
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