Wonder Twins #12

DC Comics

Writer: Mark Russel

Artist: Stephen Byrne

Just like that, Wonder Twins leaves us as quickly as it came. Mark Russel and Stephen Byrne in just twelve issues have crafted one of the most joyful and fun books DC has put out in recent years. They did so with little fanfare, as they were just quietly working in their own corner without bothering anyone. The book has the bombast we expect from a superhero title, but like with all of Russel’s work, it isn’t really about that. Wonder Twins has something to say and does so in a manner that’s compelling on multiple levels.

Russel is known for his subtle satire that hides behind a veil of unsubtle satire. Wonder Twins is no exception, in fact, it’s probably the best example of it (excluding the GOAT that is Flinstones). My favorite thing about it, which is especially prevalent in this issue, is that while it takes a critical look at superheroes, it ultimately has a positive outlook on them. Even though they’re often criticized for humor and/or the story’s sake, it doesn’t demean their importance. Russel and Byrne handle most of the book’s themes this way. Whenever they point out something horrible or disappointing about humanity, it’s always spun in a positive direction in the end. It prevents the upbeat tone from clashing with the seriousness of the issues it pokes fun at. On top of that, it never ends up just feeling like a bummer.

This issue serves mostly as an epilogue. There are loose ends to tie up here and there, but it’s mostly a story of how the twins make peace with their time on earth. It features the return of one of my favorite new characters, as well as majorly featuring the Justice League. I’ve had this thought before, but this issue cemented the idea that this creative team could actually do wonders on a Superman book.  An off the beaten path Superman book, I grant you, but this issue proves that they’ve got the stuff for it. Their optimism in the face of adversity is the #1 most important trait to understand for Superman. There’s no reason to pigeonhole these creators into doing the whacky satirical books, they have far more range than that. What I’m getting at is; these guys do a very good Superman.

With as much praise as I’ve thrown Russel’s way, Stephen Byrne deserves every bit of it as well. His look is unique and perfectly suits the tone of this book. More than that, he has that rare gift that most interior artists only dream of. That being the ability to perfectly convey comedy through sequential art. It’s tough, and it requires a specific artist to pull it off on a book like this and Byrne never misses a step. His contributions are what had me genuinely laughing out loud so much in this particular issue. Every issue is a riot, and that cannot be the case without Byrne’s art.

Wonder Twins #12 beautifully wraps up one of my favorite books of the last few years. It not only manages to thematically tie the entire series together but also to deliver a genuinely touching send-off for these characters. Russel and Byrne do in this issue what they’ve always done on this book. They absolutely crush it.

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