The Boy-Wonder #1
The Boy Wonder #1 from DC Comics
by Juni Ba
Of all the members of the Bat Family- Damian is one of them. No- I kid, but I am always excited to hear of a new story furthering the plot of Bruce Wayne's only biological child, because one of the only good characterizations of Damian that we’ve gotten is in DCeased which isn’t even the main canon so…
Anyway, this is not just a new Damian story, because it is also the artist highlight of Juni Ba who is an up and coming comic book artist known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Collectors Variants Marvel and DC cover work, and award winning independent graphic novels, which is always exciting to see someone really put their own personal style on these prolific legacy characters that are often confined to a certain perspective editorially by DC.
This first issue did not leave me disappointed, as in it we unfurl the beginnings of a lively, colorful, emotionally fraught epic that lays the groundwork for a soul searching journey for Damian, as he wrestles with his place within the Bat Family. The only thing I can compare this to is “Samurai Jack” which probably isn’t the most accurate comparison, but I mean it in a good way- it felt like I was watching a stylized action-centric animated cartoon rather than just flat images on a page. I also felt like both the thematic depiction of Gotham and visuals were reminiscent of the Batman Animated Series which is always a huge plus in my book.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
We work our way back through this story as a captured young man (presumably Damian) tells a fanciful story about a “prince from overseas who was given to his father after being raised by assassins and a demon king,” obviously retelling Damian Wayne’s origin story- with an exotic and innovative touch that honestly made me look at Damian’s whole story in a new light.
As Damian delves deeper into the story of this supposed “prince” he wakes poetically about how the Prince did not feel as if he had a place in his new family that his father felt that there was something wrong within him fundamentally that sets him apart from the rest emotionally.
Next we learn that as Batman left for a mission with the Justice League- Damian caught wind of an alleged “Demon” loose in Gotham city and determined to catch the creature and present it to his father as a form of penance or solidarity. However, as Nightwing and Batgirl corner the “Demon” with Damian pouncing from the shadows- they discover nothing but machinations of Clayface.
I love when Clayface shows up in Batman stories- I feel like he is one of the most underutilized characters so seeing him in this fresh new Batman take was an added highlight- though brief. This fight scene is so fluid and gorgeously rendered showing the best abilities and tactics of every member of the Batm family involved, with Nightwing and Batgirl teaming up to do a trapeze-esque tag team attack which was sick.
Damian slinks away from the scene, disappointed that there was no demon to be found. However, in a really poignant scene, Damian saves an old woman from a mugger and is able to share a genuine human moment of compassion with the woman he has saved- only for the scene to be twisted by the appearance of the headless corpse of the criminal Damian regretfully murdered to impress his father some time ago- and for the old woman to be hoisted into the air by an otherworldly bird creature and for Damian to give chase.
Though this first issue isn’t a complete tale, it is certainly one that I am compelled to follow with traces of really intriguing mythology and a psychologically touching angle that I think will make for another exciting character piece for Damian Wayne and the rest of the Bat family. It’s clear that Juni Ba is telling a thoughtful story that can appeal to fans of all facets of the Bat-mythos.
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
