Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 (2017)

Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 (2017)

Authors: Marc Andreyko / Jeff Parker | Illustrators: David Hahn / Karl Kesel / Bill Williams | Page Count: 144

"In the brightest flash of light my young eyes had ever seen...Wonder Woman appeared!"

Holy logical team-ups! Gotham's Caped Crusader pairs with Themyscira's most famous daughter in a heavenly crossover that's even better than I hoped it would be.

The two distinct eras aren't ignored or glossed over; they're an essential part of the structure. If you're familiar with each hero's respective TV show, you'll know that Season 01 of Wonder Woman is set in 1940s America, making it not inconceivable that Diana Prince could've visited Bruce Wayne's home town before her return to Paradise Island and her Season 02 adventures.

Being in Wo Wo Season 01 era means there's Nazis to deal with; they're hunting for two rare books that are more important than even their rich owner knows.

It could've been a standard 'two heroes fight side by side' pairing and it probably still would've sold well enough, but authors Andreyko and Parker crafted something that manages to span eras while respecting each hero's individual concerns - all while playing to their own strengths in a very satisfying way. The first couple of issues are more Wonder Woman centric than Batman, but he's certainly not absent for any of it. It even adds some Batman universe villains into the mix and they too feel right at home.

The balance between camp, comedy and crucial dramatic storytelling is pretty solid, with Batman being more of the former and less of the latter, and vice versa. The primary villain is someone who never appeared in either TV series but who's nevertheless a well-established part of the DC world and could've fitted easily into either hero's TV world; the person in question was a fine choice. Parts of the book move the action to another place and time and it too works in context.

I'm more fond of the TV version of Wonder Woman than I am of the TV Batman, but I honestly think that anyone who feels the opposite inclination will be equally happy with the level of attention that each of the two main characters get. For me, it might just be my favourite team-up of the modern era, which is kind of ironic given that the heroes are from a much earlier one.

The book collects together Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #1-6.

Individual covers. Click for full size.