Wonder Woman #34 Review

 

Wonder Woman #34 Review

Writer: Tom King

Artists: Daniel Sampere & Bruno Redondo

Colorist: Alejandro Sánchez

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Inhyuk Lee; Annie Wu

DC Pride Cover Artist: Fatima Wajid

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

Discovering Steve Trevor on Themyscira should have overjoyed Diana. Yet she had battled and slain soldiers to reach the secret prison. Worse, the Matriarch's male soldiers guarded her sacred shores. So, while Elizabeth hugged the father she knew only from her Corgi-chasing trips through time, Diana held back. Then, defying the Gods that allowed the Matriarch to murder her friends and defile her homeland, Diana used Lex Luthor's God Killer sword to carve open a passage to the Underworld.

 

The Gods dislike it when their subjects defy their omnipotence. So, when Diana, Steve, and Elizabeth enter the Palace of the Moirai, the Fates invite another guest to the impromptu party. Can Elizabeth and Lyssa rediscover their childhood friendship? Or must Wonder Woman and the Matriarch fight to the death in Hades? Let’s leap into Wonder Woman #34 and see!

 

Story

The Matriarch smiles, not realizing that the sword stored in her White Palace is a copy. When Diana shatters her sword, the Matriarch is as surprised as when she went too far torturing Superman. But as the Fates debate the origins and meaning of myths, the Matriarch claims that there are more powerful things than gods and their swords. Then she uses her power ring to summon a hard light construct.

 

As the Matriarch confronts Diana in Wonder Woman #34, she recalls how she secured the power ring and what she has done to keep it. While the two warriors fight, Lyssa recognizes that she faces the pride of Themyscira. Diana defeated her mother to become her island's emissary to the world. So, after slaying other superheroes and becoming a world leader, Lyssa regards killing Diana as the final act in securing her domination.

 

While Tom King ponders how we relate to others, he focuses on how we judge our worth and determine what will make us happy. Lyssa may not clothe herself in chains to celebrate her victories. Yet she values strength. As the Matriarch, Lyssa has devoted her life to enduring pain to become the ultimate oppressor. Diana defines herself in different terms. Lyssa thinks she must have everything to be happy. But even amid her greatest trial, Diana protects others and takes only what she needs in Wonder Woman #34.

 

Art

Amid arid terrain, a Green Lantern corpse on the road evokes extraterrestrial events in another reality. As the power ring rises from the still hand in this ravaged future, the red surrounding her eyes defines what drives Tomar-Lyssa. Despite taking place two decades hence, Daniel Sampere and Bruno Redondo adorn the two Amazons in armor that recalls a brutal past, when the strong took whatever they wanted, and might equaled right.

 

As the absolute ruler of the United States wields her hard light sword, the Matriarch’s grayscale hair and armor contrast with Diana's red, white, and blue uniform. The Princess of Themyscira adorns her head, heart, and shoulders with gold in Wonder Woman #34. Yet the scarlet running down their faces defines their anger at what each other represents. While Alejandro Sánchez paints the God Killer sword brown, its organic shape and color link it with the Green, as Diana battles a leader who will destroy everything and everyone to get what she wants.  

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation and shrink for lowered voices. As block letters emphasizing diagonals locate us in time and space, offscreen dialogue in colored boxes provides divine commentary. Balloons become clouds with wavering arrows when a speaker digs deep to summon extraordinary willpower. Sound effects enhance a battle before disapproving gods who wonder how the combatants will determine their future. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Diana defied Zeus and the order of the Underworld to reach the Palace of the Moirai. Like Steve Trevor, Diana has sinned against the Fates. As she battles the daughter of a woman she sought to rescue, Diana must determine how she will face Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos' judgment in Wonder Woman #34.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Wonder Woman #34. 

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Wonder Woman #33. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Wonder Woman #32. 

For how The Wonder War story arc began, see my preview of Wonder Woman #31. 

 

Batman #10 Review

 

Batman #10 Review

Writer: Matt Fraction

Artist & Cover Artist: Jorge Jimenéz

Colorist: Tomeu Morey

Letterer: Clayton Cowles & Jorge Jimenéz

Variant Cover Artists: Dustin Nguyen, Jorge Molina, Ryan Sook, Jorge Jimenéz & David Aja

Editors: Jessica Berbey & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: June 3, 2026

 

After Mayor Isley gave Vandal Savage a free hand, Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon knew the police were coming after them. So as Duke Thomas and Stephanie Brown grabbed what they needed from the Batcaves and destroyed the rest, Bruce played backup while Barbara coordinated their efforts. And when Stephanie stepped into the trap Savage's Tactical Urban Combat Officers laid for her, Barbara sacrificed herself to help Stephanie escape. Now, Barbara is behind bars, and Wayne Manor is as unrecoverable as Barbara's hard drives.

 

As he watched his childhood home burn, Bruce told his son that none of his plans mattered before Damian came along. So, what are Batman's plans? And how will Bruce ensure they make a difference for Damian, Barbara, the rest of the Bat-family, and Gotham?

 

Story

As visions of Barbara Gordon in handcuffs fill TV screens, Commissioner Vandal Savage unveils a new initiative. Citizens can call in and report sightings of costumed vigilantes. The more consequential their intel, the more the informants earn.

 

The next time Bruce Wayne meets with his board, he discovers that they will monitor his movements more closely in Batman #10. After ninjas on motorcycles attacked him and Dr Annika Zeller, the board insists the new bodyguards are for Bruce’s own protection. But as Bruce studies the people around the table, he knows they do not share Miss Marjorie's concerns for Gotham and its inhabitants.

 

While Bruce Wayne’s dream of reforming Gotham via Wayne Enterprises is taking a hit, his Bat-family is scattered and fractured. Yet, as Barbara Gordon recently told Dick Grayson in Blüdhaven, it’s nothing Batman hasn’t suffered before. And although the hologram of his late friend counseled him to help his son Damian cope with failure, Bruce insists he’s not beaten. As Bruce Wayne confronts the problems brewing in his financial empire, Matt Fraction ponders the importance of family in our lives in Batman #10.

 

Art

As Vandal Savage watches Wayne Manor burn, he dominates the center of the page, pushing the Bat sidekicks to the edges. While Savage laughs, the cellphone-shaped panels framing him evoke Huston Gray filming the Police Commissioner planting a Batarang on a corpse. After Vandal Savage smiles for the cameras, Jorge Jimenéz uses silhouettes to show the Commissioner barking orders without facing his subordinates. And although Vandal Savage initiates a staring contest, he looks away first.

 

As Tomeu Morey lavishes a loaded palette on Batman #10, white, blue, black, and tan compare the lives of two men who seemingly have the world by the tail. After a night stained by red, men in black suits sit in red upholstered chairs, while Vandal Savage sits in the Gotham Gang’s red studio. And as Bruce contemplates how to resolve the problems afflicting Gotham amid gray and blue, Jim Gordon defends his city with a blue shirt and gray hair.

 

Clayton Cowles and Jorge Jimenéz enliven dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with a variety of background colors, colored letters, and symbols. Uppercase text grows bold with intonation and swells with raised voices, while shouts transform balloons into stars. Amid difficult times, Stephanie Brown seeks comfort, Duke Thomas offers support, and Damian Wayne embodies peace while sending colorful lowercase texts. While he rejoices, Vandal Savage's bold laughter hits speed bumps. Sound effects accompany Bruce Wayne’s war on misery, alarms and gunfire pierce the air. Yet Batman silently regards another assessing pair of eyes. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Batman has faced the worst that costumed criminals can throw at him. Yet the dangers facing his city are more centered around commerce and helping the rich get richer. Batman is less interested in interfering with the crime families than in protecting people. Still, he's happy to spread a little anarchy for the right reasons in Batman #10.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Batman #10.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batman #9.

To follow Barbara Gordon's journey, see my preview of Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1.

For Miss Marjorie and Huston Gray, see my review of Batman #3.

For Barbara's conversation with Dick Grayson, see my review of Nightwing #134. 

Batman #10 Preview

 

 

After Mayor Isley gave Vandal Savage a free hand, Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon knew the police commissioner was coming after them. So as Duke Thomas and Stephanie Brown grabbed what they needed and destroyed the rest, Bruce played backup, while Barbara coordinated their efforts. And when Stephanie stepped in the trap Savage's Tactical Urban Combat Officers laid for her, Barbara sacrificed herself to help Stephanie escape. Now, Barbara is behind bars and Wayne Manor is as unrecoverable as Barbara's hard drives. 

As he watched his old world burn, Bruce told Damian that none of his plans mattered before he came along. So what are Batman's plans? And how will Bruce ensure they make a difference for Damian, Barbara, the rest of the Bat-family, and Gotham?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Batman #10 Preview

Writer: Matt Fraction

Artist & Cover Artist: Jorge Jimenéz

Colorist: Tomeu Morey

Letterer: Clayton Cowles & Jorge Jimenéz

Variant Cover Artists: Dustin Nguyen, Jorge Molina & Ryan Sook

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Jorge Jimenéz

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: David Aja

Editors: Jessica Berbey & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US (Card Stock)

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Release Date: June 3, 2026

 

 

One Dark Night can’t keep the Batman down!

 

 

The GCPD’s “Operation Peregine” struck a deep blow to the heart of the Bat-Family. But while Savage and his TUCOs celebrate their victory, Batman is about to set the record straight. He knows how to take a punch. He knows how to get back up. And he’s about to show Vandal Savage, the Minotaur, and anyone else who threatens Gotham City exactly what they’re messing with.

 

Superstars Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez continue their triumphant run with the best character in comics!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batman #9.

For what happened before that, see my preview of Batman #8

For how this series started, see my review of Batman #1. 

Wonder Woman #32 Review

 

Wonder Woman #32 Review

Writer: Tom King

Artist: Daniel Sampere

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey; David Nakayama; Dike Ruan; Daniel Sampere, Tom King & Tomeu Morey

Things To Come Variant Cover Artist: Jorge Fornés

April Drools Variant Cover Artist: Gerald Parel

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: April 15, 2026

 

They grew up together. Even though they always fought, Lizzie and Lyssa loved each other. But Lizzie had a mother. In Damian Wayne and Jonathan Kent, she also had two treasured friends who shaped her life as surely as Diana sculpted her upon the shore of Themyscira. And they promised to protect her, regardless of the cost to themselves.

 

Just as life takes us in different directions from our family and friends, it can turn us against each other. As Amazons, Lizzie and Lyssa prize competition above almost all else. But how many people will die as their childhood battles lead to a Wonder War? And is the Matriarch destined to dominate the Earth as effectively as Darkseid? Let’s leap into Wonder Woman #32 and see!

 

Story

When Lex Luthor gazed out his office windows in Metropolis, he beheld a golden globe perched atop a nearby tower. But instead of the words Daily Planet, Matriarch orbits the globe. So when Lyssa addresses her subjects, she invites a reporter to the Oval Office. Tammy expresses her readers' confusion about whom they can trust. Lyssa reassures Tammy that, whatever situation afflicts their lives, Americans can rely on her to be their arbiter of truth.

 

As the interview transpires, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos discuss her Wonder War and how Lyssa grasped the reins of absolute power. Yet even as she sits in the White House, assuring Americans that she is omniscient and omnipotent, events occur beyond Lyssa's control. Like the Fates who narrate Wonder Woman #32, Diana and Lizzie interweave their narrative with Lyssa's, demonstrating that the Matriarch is neither all-knowing nor all-powerful.

 

Like the threads Clotho spins, Lechesis measures, and Atropos cuts, democracy is beautiful but fragile. Tom King draws on history, mythology, and conspiracy theories to muse on how the United States might follow Rome’s example. While hinting at the events that transformed Lyssa from Lizzie’s friend into a ruthless leader, he reveals the costs that Lyssa paid for the power to destroy Diana’s world in Wonder Woman #32.

 

Art

As Tammy conducts her interview, Daniel Sampere provides glimpses of how Lyssa founded her Imperium. While the White House sprouts castle-like structures, the sea erupts as the descending white outline of a jet sends bubbles upward. A meeting in the forest ends with silhouettes leaping through a red panel, while a cross adorned with an eagle's head symbolizes the Matriarch's dominance over church and state.

 

After Lyssa dons purple lipstick and a dress, she welcomes Tammy into a mansion topped with purple roofs and spires. Her red eyeshadow evokes her sword as Lyssa carves a path through anyone in her way. Adriano Lucas hints at the reason for Lyssa's affinity for purple. Yet Lyssa dons black and white armor when she roots out the opposition. As a result, Diana mourns as she confronts warriors who wear the same red, white, blue, and gold she and her daughter wear in Wonder Woman #32.

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation and shrink for lowered voices. Block letters emphasizing diagonals locate us in time and space. While two Fates argue over the origins of the Wonder War in colored boxes, one rues how it will end. Sound effects enhance a brutal battle and make a captive smile while giant yellow letters emphasize an Amazon's pain. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

The Amazons thrived on Themyscira. But when two warriors competed for the honor of venturing into the outside world, they upset the balance. Now, as Diana seeks to undo how Lyssa has changed the world, she worries about what her daughter will do with the power that sets her above Humans and Amazons in Wonder Woman #32. 

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside, see my preview of Wonder Woman #32.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Wonder Woman #31. 

Wonder Woman #30 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist & Colorist: Jeff Spokes

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Jeff Spokes, David Nakayama & Christian Ward

Valentine’s Day Variant Cover Artist: Chrissie Zullo-Uminga

Black History Month Variant Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: February 18, 2026

 

Diana has defended her Amazon sisters in the United States and across the globe. Every step along the way, her fellow Amazons offered to help. As the Themysciran who paved the way for Amazons to embrace their world, Diana felt responsible for turning things around. Yet Steve Trevor's death weighs on her soul.

 

Helping the inhabitants of Moray Island once again led Diana into conflict with the world community. Feeling overwhelmed, Diana hoped a respite in Themyscira’s Meditation Groves might help her see the forest for the trees. Instead, her fellow Amazons fight with each other. Worse, Diana's daughter, Elizabeth, seems a catalyst for the chaos spreading through Themyscira. Can her Amazon sisters root out the source of evil afflicting their sacred isle? Or will this evil spread to infect the world that Diana has devoted her life to safeguarding? Let’s grab our lassos, leap into Wonder Woman #30, and see!

 

Story

In Diana’s absence, her sisters fight to demonstrate their worth. Each Amazon senses that she is not good enough to protect Elizabeth from the dangers that will threaten her. Even Nubia, charged with caring for all the Amazons, worries that no one else can care for Diana's daughter. Perhaps Philippus senses best that someone is inflaming her sisters' fears. But she knows there is a difference between suspecting a problem and uprooting it.

 

While showing how the Amazons interact with each other, Stephanie Williams also reveals their thoughts. While worry, doubt, and insecurity plague them all, three of the women started this fight to ease Elizabeth's distress. When the world turned against the Amazons and made Wonder Woman their target, Yara, Donna, and Cassie sought to fight beside her. Diana didn’t want their help. Worse, she “created” Elizabeth, who will eventually replace them. So, in Wonder Woman #30, as the women who have carried the title of Wonder Girl fight, each seeks to demonstrate her superiority.

 

Stephanie Williams' story is a sequel to the 2023 "Amazons Attack" series. It forms a crucial bridge between America's war with the Amazons and the upcoming "Wonder War" storyline. Yet it is also a reminder of where doubt springs from, and how the double-edged sword cuts through our lives.

 

 

Art

While the Amazons stand together, most adopt a fighting stance. A few emulate a Klingon disowning a family member. As Eris lurks between cracked and broken columns, the roots surrounding her evoke a serpent in the garden. While Jeff Spokes occasionally works across pages, most pages follow a descent of panels with insets, or diagonal slashes from the Amazons’ weapons. Diana’s sisters leap toward and away from each other, their weapons clashing amid the damaged and broken fluted marble columns in Wonder Woman #30.

 

Adorned with robes, costumes, and gold and silver armor, the women battle amid serene surroundings. The white coliseum links with Bia’s dress, hinting at the purity of her protection, as the Amazon clutches Elizabeth to her chest. Yellow and orange light fills the sky, often crackling with white energy. While purple-skinned Eris seems a world apart, her gold necklace links her with the battling Amazons. When the god of discord savors a golden apple, storm clouds fill the air, casting the women into shadow. The Amazons' black, white, blue, and yellow-orange portraits evoke a film negative in Wonder Woman #30.

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation. Block letters emphasizing diagonals locate us in time and space. When Eris speaks to the women, her yellow words warp in black balloons. The Amazon’s yellow thoughts likewise roll on gentle waves in Old School black clouds. As the sounds of battle highlight the power of doubt to sow rivalry and hate, Elizabeth's large, purple cries point to the snake in the garden. Until their color changes, peace cannot return to Themyscira. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Navigating our way through doubts and using them to fuel our journey through life requires thought and determination. As Wonder Woman #30 takes us inside the minds of the Amazon community, we learn what troubles them and how their leaders face their fears.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Wonder Woman #30. 

Absolute Batman #17 Review

      

Writers: Scott Snyder

Artist: Eric Canete

Colorist: Frank Martin

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin; Clayton Crain; Dan Panosian; Eric Canete; Karl Kerschl

Editors: Sabrina Futch & Katie Kubert

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: February 18, 2026

 

Like Bane, Bruce Wayne has a beautifully resilient mind. But not all who escape Ark M are so fortunate. Most leave with their minds transformed, like their tortured bodies. When Bruce appeals to Diana on behalf of his friends, the Amazon fears her lasso of transmogrification will warp their minds further. Who else besides Waylon, Harvey, Ozzie, and Eddie has suffered from Ark M's cruel experiments? And after destroying the stadium, how much more of the city he loves will Batman's next battle destroy? Let’s leap onto our motorcycles, race into Absolute Batman #17, and see!

 

Story

In the center of Gotham, the Heart Building rises. People have often viewed it as a beacon of hope. Now, the Heart Building inspires fear. Mayor Hill has ordered the police to bar anyone within a five-block radius of the triangular tower. GCPD Commissioner Bullock has sent seven officers to find the source of the growing biohazard. When they fall silent. Batman straps a chainsaw to each arm, puts on a respirator and mask to filter out airborne bacteria, and pierces the quarantine zone.

 

As Batman investigates the transformed infrastructure of the Heart Building, he recalls a name he glimpsed in Ark M. Alfred Pennyworth, his man in the chair, studies the instrument readouts. He confirms that the interior of the building is a biological hazard. Alfred also tells Bruce what he learns about Pamela Isley in Absolute Batman #17.

 

While Batman braves the dangers of the Heart Building, Scott Snyder reveals Bruce's recent struggles. We see how his friends have rewarded Bruce's attempt to rectify the havoc Ark M's wreaked on them. But as much as Snyder's story covers Bruce's actions as Batman have transformed those around him, Absolute Batman #17 is also Poison Ivy's story. Snyder peers further into Pamela Isley's past than with Bruce. He reveals a defining moment in Pamela’s life, her determination to pursue her goals, and how her research and Ark M’s experimentation transformed Pamela Isley into Poison Ivy.

 

Art

From the street, snow swirls through the air surrounding the Heart Building. On the roof, Pamela and her mother stand before a wooden planting bench filled with potted plants. When her mother gives Pamela a dandelion, and the girl blows the seeds away, they transform into snow at a distance.

 

As a police officer shines a flashlight across a plant-covered floor, he distinguishes creatures incubating in the purple and pink bulbs that he mistook for flowers in Absolute Batman #17. Outside, a chainsaw rises above the foliage-choked street. Rising above Batman's head, the massive roots swarm across the street, climb the Heart Building, and sprout an urban forest. As Alfred studies a bank of glowing monitors, Eric Canete contrasts a close-up of Batman's eyes with Alfred crossing his arms on his chest.

 

Like Batman's suit and Bruce Wayne's hat and jacket, Frank Martin colors much of Gotham gray. Purple invades dimly lit rooms, while the yellow-green sunlight tinges beige crowds and buildings. Green glows underground when Bruce goes to meet Waylon. Batman's red chainsaw and air hose link him with Pamela's red hair, and the plants she has transformed while attempting to rectify the weaknesses in Human DNA.

 

While characters speak black uppercase letters into balloons, the letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Pamela Isley relays her memories in green narrative boxes, while lowercase cursive extracts from Bruce’s Batman Combat Journal appear in white paper scraps. Clayton Cowles’ sound effects enhance Batman’s struggle for survival in a realm where everything is out to change him. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Bruce Wayne has fought to protect Gotham from the forces that threaten it. But the harder he tries to protect Gotham, the more the things he relies on slip through his fingers. And as Bruce’s world shrinks, Batman’s grows. But when the Joker returns to Gotham, Poison Ivy emerges as a symbol of everything Bruce Wayne is struggling against in Absolute Batman #17.  

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Absolute Batman #17. 

Batman #6 Review

 

Writer: Matt Fraction

Artist: Jorge Jiménez

Colorist: Tomeu Morey

Letterer: Clayton Cowles & Jorge Jiménez

Cover Artists: Jorge Jiménez & Tomeu Morey; Jim Lee, Scott Williams & Alex Sinclair; Julian Totino Tedesco; Gerald Parel; Jorge Jiménez; David Aja; Chrissie Zullo-Uminga

Editors: Jessica Berbey & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/ $5.99 (Card Stock) / $7.99 (Foil)

Release Date: February 4, 2026

 

Dr Annika Zeller wants to help criminals reform. One day, she hopes her Crown of Storms will be as common as a Pacemaker. But it's been an uphill struggle. Dr Hugo Strange attacked her on the Gotham Gang TV show. Killer Croc escaped from Arkham Towers and mistook Gotham Zoo for a smorgasbord. The Riddler broke into her office after hours. And the board of Bruce Wayne’s company doesn’t want to fund her unprofitable experiments.

 

After surviving attacks from motorcycle ninjas and a samurai made of ravens, how will Annika respond to discovering Bruce Wayne's identity? And after learning that his city has become a labyrinth of crime, can Bruce free Gotham from the Minotaur’s control? Let’s don our armored capes, leap into Batman #6, and see!

 

Story

The Minotaur put his foot down. Each member of his Torus must work together or suffer the penalty. But as the crime bosses recover from the Minotaur's punishment, their unsanctioned attacks provoke enmity among Gotham's villains, which can only spell further trouble for the Torus.

 

Yet in Batman #6, Bruce Wayne is concerned with the people in his life. He realizes that fighting crime takes its toll on one's relationships. Like the Torus members' loved ones, discovering Batman and Robin's secret identities places a target on Dr Annika Zeller's attack. But the psychiatrist's immediate reaction is to remind Bruce that he not only has a responsibility to his city, but also to his sidekicks.

 

As Matt Fraction investigates life among Gotham’s villains and its protectors, he focuses on how strong leaders transform the government. By bending the law to meet his objectives, Commissioner Savage strips people of their voice and creates a climate of fear. Like a Hyrkanian warlord, Batman #6 asks what is best in life: the power to get things done, accumulate wealth, or protect the weak from the strong.

 

Art

Jorge Jiménez utilizes Old School layouts as characters respond to recent events. He employs a fixed camera position to cover Bruce and Annika's stilted conversation. As Bruce tries to move their relationship forward, Annika erects barriers. After sweeping Annika off her Crocs and announcing they would spend an evening together, the psychiatrist repulses Bruce's attempts at reconciliation. So he leaves her with a symbol of what she values most.

 

While Tomeu Morey paints scenes with a lavish mix of colors, red dominates the pages of Batman #6. As Bruce and Annika sit on the rear bumper of a yellow-and-red ambulance, police lightbars cast reflections across their silver shock blankets. Red invades the Torus members' limos, and nearly every one of Gotham's protectors exhibits cuts and bruises. The night glows red through a villain's windows as a hated face regards him from yellow-and-red monitors. Huston Gray's red hoodie sounds a warning bell about the costs of protecting Gotham.

 

Clayton Cowles and Jorge Jiménez fill dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black uppercase letters amid life-changing trauma. The letters grow bold for intonation and shrink for lowered voices as people process their pain. Large and small white letters in gray fields accompany icons identifying Batman’s tools of the trade as he looks out for those who value his protection. Sound effects heighten monster mayhem, and the hail of bullets that signals the storm building over Gotham. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Damian Wayne knows what he wants and expects the people in his life to honor his decision. When they don't see things his way, the troubled teen exemplifies Dr Annika's concerns about Bruce's parental skills and grows more dedicated than ever to his ideals in Batman #6.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Batman #6. 

Absolute Batman #16 Review

 

Writers: Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta

Artist: Nick Dragotta

Colorist: Frank Martin

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin; Frank Cho; Leirix; Michael Cho; Riccardo Federici

Editors: Sabrina Futch, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: January 28, 2026

 

Batman doesn't know Wonder Woman. But when Diana summons him with a magical apparition, he agrees to help her investigate four deaths. After facing all the nightmares modern science can devise, Bruce gains respect for Diana’s differing abilities as they face deadly magic in Slaughter Swamp. Can the two heroes unite again to make their world a better place? And how far will they go to support each other? Let’s leap onto our motorcycles, race into Absolute Batman #16, and see!

 

Story

Bruce Wayne had the opportunity to escape Gotham. Instead, he built his life around supporting and protecting his city. When he learned about the private prison, he snuck into Ark M, but Bane and Dr Arkham were waiting for him. And while they experimented on Bruce, they also transformed his friends. Eddie, a technology enthusiast, may like how they enhanced his brain. But the researchers broke every bone in Ozzie's body. They burned Harvey. And they did far worse to Bruce’s best friend, Waylon Jones.

 

Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta begin Absolute Batman #16 in the aftermath of Bruce’s brutal fight with Bane. It’s taken time for public perception to shift. But after seeing Bane’s spectacular abilities, and a giant crocodilian aid Batman, people begin to wonder if they can trust the vigilante more than the mayor who governs via martial law. As Bruce returns to work for Mr Fox, a sense of normalcy, or a return to the world he understands, beckons. But a visit to see Harvey and Ozzie reminds Bruce what Ark M did to his friends, and how their lives may never return to what they were before.

 

Bruce knows how to build and maintain his beloved city, but helping his friends recover from transformative surgeries lies outside Bruce's wheelhouse. In Absolute Batman #16, Bruce uses the talisman Diana gave him to summon her with a magical apparition. When he requests her aid, Diana grants it. But capturing a miracle is not the work of a moment.

 

Like the heroes of myths and legends, Batman and Wonder Woman’s quest will take them to a realm where they are foreigners, and everything is out to get them. While Diana serves as his guide, she admits to gaps in her knowledge. On this journey prompted by friendship, Diana and Bruce's relationship grows as each surprises the other.

 

Art

When workers arrive, they find Bruce sleeping in his truck. An excavator drops rubble like the flesh Batman carved from Bane’s skeleton. A glimpse of the grandstands evokes Waylon Jones' triumphs and how Gotham has rewarded him. When Bruce’s imposing form enters the tiny hospital room, Ozzie can’t move, although he seems to be regaining his Human structure. And bandages now cover only one side of Harvey’s face.

 

As Batman utilizes Wonder Woman’s talisman, Nick Dragotta surrounds him with symbols of Diana’s heritage in Absolute Batman #16. Marble stairs and a column mark the beginning of their journey through a fantastic landscape. Frank Martin enhances this gray realm with soft versions of beige, tan, brown, yellow, and orange. Awe-inspiring settings, such as a behemoth's bleached skeleton or a solar eclipse before a blue orb, fill small panels, until a locale awakens a cherished memory.

 

While characters speak black uppercase letters into balloons, Harvey's conversation inhabits clouds, and Waylon's white dialogue floats in green clouds. The letters grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered tones. As extreme emotion turns balloons spiky, a disapproving voice utilizes a diagonal-laced font. Clayton Cowles enlivens a battle for a boon with sound effects, while more annoying sounds seemingly invite disappointment. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Bruce Wayne grew up with Ozzie, Harvey, Eddie, and Waylon. He unintentionally endangered them when he invited them on his childhood visit to the zoo. But after Dr Arkham's staff experimented on them, Bruce wonders if he should have distanced himself from his lifelong friends when he became Gotham's protector. Absolute Batman #16 asks what matters more: the pain we undergo as friendships transform our lives, or helping others in need, regardless of the cost to those around us.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Absolute Batman #16.

 

To hear from the creative team, see Reinventing Batman with Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta.

Wonder Woman #29 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist & Colorist: Jeff Spokes

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Jeff Spokes; David Nakayama; David Aja; Ethan Young; Elizabeth Torque & Sabine Rich

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: January 21, 2026

 

The Mouse Man wanted people in the United States to live in equality. When Diana halted his insurrection, he brought his pets to Moray Island and protected its citizens from the lawlessness that developed. But his means of protection stripped his fellow citizens of their freedom. And as the Mouse Man reduced them to slavery, absolute power corrupted him absolutely.

 

When Diana defeated the Mouse Man, she freed all the inhabitants of Moray Island. Humans get a chance to rule themselves again. And mice can choose to live in peace, not force-grown into giants, trained to attack people, or be beasts of burden. Like the mice and people of Moray Island, Diana also wants to give her daughter the freedom to choose her future. As she returns to the island of her birth, what will she find? And how will her fellow Amazons greet Elizabeth Marston Prince? Let’s grab our lassos, leap into Wonder Woman #29, and see!

 

Story

Sometimes, we all need to revisit our roots. Diana may be older than Nubia. Still, when she returns home, the queen understands why Diana returned. Philippus also counsels Diana that her time away from Themyscira has drained her. Her Amazon sisters believe that a rest will help Diana see things in their proper perspective.

 

In The Village: Part One, Diana's battles and the emotional burden she carries have left her daughter unsettled. And, as often happens when a mother consigns her child to another’s care, Elizabeth refuses comfort and aid. But Elizabeth isn't just a young Amazon. A great destiny awaits her. Knowing that one day she will take up the mantle of Wonder Girl, three Amazons who have held that title take a personal interest in helping Diana's daughter. But calming Elizabeth proves a tall order in Wonder Woman #29.

 

Stephanie Williams’ story reminds us how overwork and obsession can create havoc in families and workplaces. In trying to build a perfect order, we instead invite chaos into our lives. But then, as Diana told the pink-haired mouse girl on Moray Island, being Human means making mistakes. And there's a difference between appreciating a poet's aspirations and living them.

 

Art

As Diana walks along the beach, she leaves a trail behind her in the sand. While she stands by broken columns, a decaying temple perches on a lonely cliff. Diana may have returned home. Yet she stares out to sea, and the world she left behind, while Elizabeth looks toward Themyscira. Nubia’s robes flutter, and she looks refreshed as she greets Diana. But the returning warrior cannot summon a smile, or even relax her facial muscles, as she stands before her queen on shaky legs in Wonder Woman #29.

 

Pink, orange, and yellow fill the sky, while turquoise waves lap at the beach. Orange highlights make characters glow, and blue adds a sheen to darker clothing. Blue links Nubia with Cassie, Yara, and the nearby cliffs, while a temple casts characters in gray shadow. Jeff Spokes portrays the bright sunlight by darkening the Amazons' skin and clothing in the shade. As Clio chronicles the day's events, the black shading of her sash links her with Donna, Cassie, Yara, and the warriors' weapons.

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Sound effects help us hear the wind blowing through Themyscira and the sounds of fighting. Yet, Elizabeth's large, colored cries demand everyone's attention in Wonder Woman #29. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Sometimes, we are so close to a problem that it’s easy to leap to conclusions. But when Diana's friends attack a problem, they discover that sometimes the best response is to watch and wait for clarity in Wonder Woman #29.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Wonder Woman #29.