What is this book about?

Pre-Infinite Crisis, Matt Wagner re-invented the origin of the first meeting between Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman in the DC Comics universe.

The reason why this is significant is because, combined, these three are regarded as DC Comics iconic super heroes that are pretty much the center of the DC Comics universe where most events that happen revolve around them, occur because of them, or intentionally or unintentionally are caused because of them.

Why should you read this book?

Every hero that has been created since the 1940’s has in some way, shape or form been molded or inspired from these three.

The existence of the DC comics universe as well as so many other super heroes pretty much exist because of the popularity of these three characters.

So what I’m trying to say is this book is important because it depicts the first time they all meet which is a significant milestone in the fictional as well as non-fictional history of these characters.

When I first got into comics, the books I first bought were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then I got into the Amazing Spider-man, then I got into Superman. Specifically because right around this time The Death of Superman came out. Shortly after that I gave Batman a try, specifically because right around this time Knightfall came out. Superman stuck with me for a long time but I stopped collecting Batman very quickly. Eventually after a few years I stopped collecting Superman as well. Thinking back on it, the reason I had then for not collecting these books was because I just didn’t like the stories anymore. So from then on I would only collect a few books here and there from each title, not the entire series like I do with the Amazing Spider-man.

Reading those books today, I realize that it had very little to do with not enjoying the stories but more that I couldn’t relate to these characters and that I didn’t respect them.

However, in the early 21st century, I began finding interest in Wonder Woman. Not for any noble reasons at first. I only was getting the books because Adam Hughes was drawing the covers. And Hughes is known for his renditions of pinup-style female characters. But, the more Wonder Woman books I read, the more I began to really like the character and the more I actually respected the character.

I’ve been hooked ever since. But, that’s another review for another time…

But, my new found love for this character made me enjoy this book a lot more, since the story revolves around Batman and Superman’s first meeting with Wonder Woman. We see so many stories of Batman and Superman’s first meeting, but never really so many stories about the two’s first meeting with Wonder Woman. Which makes this book very unique.

This book was truly amazing. I went into this book expecting it to be another creator told masturbatory fantasy “first meeting” of childhood icons of his. That he completely changes around continuity and ignores actually history for the sake of being able to tell how HE wants to tell the story. Which he did do…but to his defense it takes place Post-Zero Hour and Pre-Infinite Crisis so it gave Wagner a chance to reinvent it. His use of certain guest appearances from other characters to pin point where in history this story takes place was really cool too. Such as, a young Artemis, an early in-training Robin, and pre-first visit to the surface world Aquaman, (which was really random, but very cool).

Seeing how a suburban farm boy alien and an urban billionaire play boy human relate and work with an amazonian warrior princess is spectacular. In the psychological metaphorical introspection of Batman and Superman they represent dark and light, colder and meaner heroism in contrast over warmer and nicer heroism. If Batman and Superman represent dark and light, then Wonder Woman represents the shades of gray in the middle. Her character is balance between the two. And that’s why I wasn’t able to continue reading Batman or Superman. In Batman, there was too much brooding and darkness. In Superman there was too much optimism and light heartedness. But in Wonder Woman, she the perfect balance of dark and light. She is an ambassador of peace from her country but she is also a warrior. Because of this she is easily relatable to either side, dark or light.

Much like another recent book review about the group dynamics between Batman and Superman; where because of their inability to work together in the series Batman & Superman: World’s Finest, they were not able to save a life. So every year they meet and work to improve their group dynamics. Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity is similar in that if they are to have any hope of stopping the villain of the book, they will first need to overcome their own biases and reconcile their differing philosophies. Which I’m sure if you know the characters at all, that the differences between Batman and Wonder Woman were certainly entertaining but I thought even that the differences between Superman and Wonder Woman were great too.

Anyway, buy it here.