Wonder Woman #12: Not The Team-Up You Would Expect

Wonder Woman #12 is the perfect example of what a tie-in should be. Is this issue required to get a complete understanding of the Absolute Power event? No. Does anything happen in this issue that has a huge impact on the rest of the event? Not at all. Is this a very fun issue that uses the main event as a backdrop to help understand the titular character in a higher capacity? Absolutely.

The premise of Wonder Woman #12 is simple. Wonder Woman teams up with Robin to attempt to get the location of Amanda Waller’s prison. What ensues is a hilarious back and forth between the two characters as Robin attempts to use fear and aggression in his turns and Wonder Woman attempts to use love and compassion in hers. This intense battle of ideologies is the crux of the issue, with King breaking down some of the core traits of these characters, continuing one of the core aspects of the main series: defining the parts of Wonder Woman that make her so unique when compared to Batman and Superman.

Those familiar with King’s work on other characters may not realize how much comedy he can bring to books. This issue feels way more akin to the backups he has been writing featuring Trinity. The interplay between Wonder Woman and Robin feels very on brand for the two characters, especially since these two are not often known to interact. King has used Robin a lot in the backups and it is great to see him used here as well, especially with the drastic differences between him and Wonder Woman. Robin is unique and aggressive like he normally is, but King is quick to distinguish him from Batman. Wonder Woman is shown as fallible, often comparing him to his father, learning quickly that they are not the same at all. This is just a great character study of these two, encapsulated within a tie in issue that keeps the stakes low.

The backup here from King and Belen Ortega sees a tongue and cheek peek into the future of the DC universe as Superman, Batman, and Trinity travel across the cosmos to take on a multiverse powered Mongul. The core of the story is the relationship between Trinity and her brothers as they travel through space for over two months en route to the villain. This, much like the core story, is a very comedic offering that helps establish these characters and their relationships in a fun way. Both of these stories utilize Damien, and it is great to see how he grows in some ways, and in some ways not over the years. Overall, these back ups are some of the best work that King is currently putting out.