REVIEW: The Brave and The Bold, Batman and Wonder Woman #3

At some point in this The Brave and The Bold adventure, I fully expect Batman to wish to return to simpler times, like when he teamed up with Bwana Brawler. Instead, he is stuck in Tir Na Nog with Wonder Woman. They have the seemingly hopeless task of figuring out who killed the king of the monsters and avert a war.

The difficulty lies in Tir Na Nog itself, a land of Celtic gods and monsters where illusions are piled high atop one another and even the beings who made them have fallen under their spell. Batman and Wonder Woman face the dilemma of figuring out what is really going on in a place where no one knows what is real. Batman also has to figure out how this ties into the magical crimes he encountered in Gotham. Good thing young master Bruce had an Irish nanny, at some point, who taught him all about Celtic stories.

It is slightly alarming that we are halfway through this series and we just now get a book where Batman and Wonder Woman work together. And I use that rather loosely, as Wonder Woman is given very little to do until a fight breaks out near the end of the issue and she has to save Batman (or at least take on twice as many creatures as Bats). As Watsons go, she makes a fine one, but in a magical place she should have the advantage over Batman.

Liam Sharp“s (Testament, Justice League, Red Sonja) writing is holding the story together at this point, but is dialogue is slipping. There are some places where Batman“s dialogue seems more like one of the magical creatures than Bruce Wayne. He needs to work on his plotting a bit. Batman uncovered several important clues, but at a slow clip-clop pace. I am hoping that things with pick up as we enter the second half of the series.

But that art”¦

Sharp“s real strength throughout this series has clearly been the art. I was afraid that once he got to Tir Na Nog, Batman wouldn“t fit in to the story anymore. Batman tends to stick out, but in a way that seems strangely perfect for the setting. The best part is just letting yourself get lost in all the little touches he puts in each panel.

Romulo Fajardo Jr.“s (Blue Beetle, X-Men Red, Wonder Woman 77) color work really is amazing in this book and highlights Sharp“s work in all the best ways. Each location has a distinct color palette that lets the reader know precisely where they are in this unmappable magic land. Fajardo brings a real vibrancy to Sharps line and ink work.

I am mostly recommending this book based on the art. Wonder Woman clearly needs more to do and the plotting is still a little slow. But the art is on target. It is one of those books you will pull from your collection just to follow all the detail work. Let“s hope the pace picks up with the next issue.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Writer: Liam Sharp
Artist: Liam Sharp
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Leterer: Troy Peteri

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Andy Hall

Sent from the future by our Robot Ape overlords to preserve the timeline. Reading and writing about comics until the revolution comes. All hail the Orangutan Android Solar King!