Writer: Liam Sharp
Artist: Liam Sharp
Cover: Liam Sharp
Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Publisher: DC Comics
Spoilers
Another stunning issue in an engrossing mini-series, The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman brings together two of the best characters in the DC Universe and throws the duo into a comic book Celtic landscape of gods, kings, fairies, and monsters. The usual brilliant art and well-paced storytelling of one of the biggest titles on the shelves shines in all its supernatural glory here, as it does in previous issues of the series. A little more action and a more involved Wonder Woman would have given the book the push it needed for the gold.
The cover is gorgeous but a tease. It displays our heroes in battle, but there was no such scene that fulfilled the promise. Rather, there seemed to be a lot of scenes of characters just standing there, muscles bulging, and engaging in monologues. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I was waiting for a fight or even just some more action sequences.
Wonder Woman’s depiction in this issue was somewhat bland for me. She had a great opening on the first page, but every time she cropped up beyond that, it was more as an aid to Batman instead of being a hero in her own right. A few well-placed lines would have helped showcase her abilities and individuality. The rest of the characters were well fleshed out and believable. Sincere emotions seeped right off the pages and I could almost feel their fear, anxiety, and grief. Both the text and the art worked so well to create a mood of myth and magic.
While I was thrilled with all of the mythological references such as the Sidhe and Tir na Nog, I can see how it would put off some readers. However, the characterization of Cernunnos and company is so well crafted, one could just pick up this book to marvel at the amazing outfits and detailed drawings, without having to possess much background in Celtic myth. The designs of the panels were fabulous. I wasn’t even bothered by all of the full page spreads, particularly those that were so close together. The borders of many of the pages really added to that ancient feel, but I do want to point out that the font for some of the speech bubbles was difficult to read. It was a neat creative decision and I liked the Celtic-looking text, but I think it could have benefitted from being made slightly bigger.
Inclusively, the fifth issue is just as alluring and captivating as the rest of its fellows. If you haven’t yet come aboard this wild Celtic ride, you would be glad to do so now. Just make sure you catch up in the story before the upcoming conclusion.
Overall: 9/10
Tee LaFrance Todd writes, edits, reads, explores, and creates whenever she can find the time. When she’s not engaged in some form of storytelling, you can find Tee traversing the world with her husband and her dog, making things, reading tarot cards, and generally striving to live a life beyond anything she can imagine.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeeLaFranceTodd
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeeLaFranceTodd
