Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman #2: Jason Todd Was Killed By Joker’s Bomb, Not The Crowbar

Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman #2 shifts the focus from the child version of Trinity to her teenage counterpart, where she encounters everyone’s favorite and most memorable Robin, Jason Todd. While the first issue saw Trinity explore a universe besieged by the Anti-Monitor’s destruction during Crisis on Infinite Earths, this issue focuses on a time before another well-known DC story event, A Death in the Family. Paired with the same lighthearted storytelling that disguises a much more emotional and thought-provoking book, Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman #2 continues to make the case for this being Tom King’s biggest sleeper hit of the year.

Much like the first issue, Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman #2 pairs the lead character with a narrative that speaks to her current stage in life. In the case of teenage Trinity, this places her in a situation that is chock-full of teenage angst and surrounded by a ten-minute love story. Many of us older readers will have to think back to middle school or junior high to remember how often those day-long love affairs would blossom—when you’d see someone you absolutely fell for and then totally move on from a week later. So is the case for teenage Trinity, with Jason Todd being that boy. In many ways, you can tell that King is writing from experience as he raises his daughter and sees this kind of thing occur. Because of this, the narrative feels relevant and relatable.

The characterization of Jason Todd is spot-on, with King recalling all the boy’s arrogance and naïveté that made him so different from Dick. In a world where the most famous thing Jason Todd ever did was die, it’s nice to see a modern take on him that isn’t all about hating Batman for not killing the Joker. Jason has a very complex history in DC, and fans often forget that he was a genuine Robin for a while before becoming just a plot point. Notably, he was the Robin featured in Alan Moore’s “For the Man Who Has Everything.” Additionally, Belen Ortega does a good job drawing him with that cocky attitude and spunk that make him feel visually distinct from Dick. Ironically, the creatives back in the day wanted Jason to feel identical to Dick, so seeing that separation here genuinely retroactively adds so much to the character.

Yet, in as many ways as this issue showcases a version of Jason we rarely get to see, it is ultimately all about how that arrogance and cocky attitude led to his death. This is where the emotional throughline comes reeling us back in. If you recall from the first issue, the whole reason this adventure is happening is because the youngest Trinity wanted to meet and see her father rejoin her life. The main crux of Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman #2 is that no matter what connection Trinity forms with Robin, he is still destined to die at the hands of the Joker’s bomb (not the crowbar). While the issue never says it outright, it’s clear that this creative team is comparing his destiny to that of Steve Trevor, all in an attempt to show the youngest Trinity that all actions have consequences, and that bringing her father back is not as easy as comic book fans would think. As a tidbit, readers of the main ongoing Wonder Woman series will know that Trinity was born out of the strands of life from both Diana and the recently deceased Steve Trevor during Diana’s mourning period. So, by reversing his fate, Trinity would cease to exist.