From its very first issue, The Boy Wonder has been a series about legacy. Damian Wayne has struggled with his legacy as Batman’s son, as Ra’s al Ghul’s grandson, and the latest to hold the mantle of Robin. In The Boy Wonder #5, he finally comes to a decision about who he is – but not before having one final fight with his grandfather.
Juni Ba has done an amazing job peeling back the layers that make up Damian Wayne, and now he puts them all back together…with a healthy dollop of introspection. The conversation toward the end between Batman and Damian is not only a highly emotional one, but a well-earned conclusion to Damian’s own journey. “From the moment I took on this mantle, I wanted nothing more than to please you,” Damian tells his father. ” I thought if I didn’t, you’d abandon me too.”
The Dark Knight doesn’t abandon his son; in fact, he swoops in to save him during a high pitched battle against Ra’s. This is just one of many splash pages scattered within The Boy Wonder #5; Ba is not holding back in showcasing how skilled Ra’s, Damian, Talia and Batman are in combat. Punches are thrown and/or parried, swords ring out when their blades meet, and there are blows powerful enough to send someone flying.
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But Ba also packs a lot of emotion into his artwork. Ra’s moves like the demon that he’s named after, his face contorted in an unholy grimace. Damian’s face shifts from worry, to fear, and then to determination by issue’s end. As for Batman, when he first enters the scene he uppercuts Ra’s with a mighty blow and a growl of “Don’t touch my son.” This is the page that stands out in the book, not only for how Ba illustrates it, but how Chris O’Halloran’s color work makes him the standout in a nearly white page while Aditya Bidikar spells out his words with bright red, blocky letters. A pissed off Batman is a dangerous thing, and this comic sells it.
The ending of The Boy Wonder #5 brings the fairy tale motif full circle, as Damian’s found his place in Gotham. It also closes the book on one of the best Black Label books DC has put out, bar none. Ba used the freedom of Black Label to fully explore who Damian Wayne is, and it’s an approach that more creators can benefit from. The Boy Wonder is a beautifully illustrated, beautifully crafted story that is going to leap to the top of a lot of comic book lists – and it’s well deserved.
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