Warning! Spoilers for Batman Beyond #50
Wonder Woman has avoided a comic book cliche in her first encounter with Batman Beyond, Terry McGinnis. Usually, it would take some time for heroes to trust each other. However, the Amazonian knows Terry must be trustworthy given that Bruce Wayne has chosen him as the Batman of the future.
While Inque continues her rampage, Diana Prince makes her way to Gotham in Batman Beyond #50. The finale issue is written by Dan Jurgens with art by penciler Sean Chen, inker Sean Parsons, and colorist Chris Sotomayor. While readers are aware of McGinnis’ future in the Justice League, alongside heroes like Superman and a Green Lantern, he hasn’t teamed up with Wonder Woman before. In this concluding issue, the young Batman finally crosses paths with the Amazon princess.
As the shapeshifting villain Inque impersonates Batman, a cloaked Wonder Woman watches from surveillance video. Despite seeing the alleged Dark Knight kill someone, Diana knows something is up, and that the new Batman must be worth her trust because Bruce has entrusted him with the suit. In a typical superhero team-up story, it takes a prolonged amount of time for one hero to trust the other, especially when they have a few big differences in their approach to fighting crime. Batman Beyond #50 successfully subverts reader expectations in the first meeting of Batman Beyond and Wonder Woman, even despite Inque’s attempted framing. In this alternate type of team-up, Diana’s wisdom is emphasized as she’s slow to anger and doesn’t jump immediately to conclusions.
The dynamic between the next generation’s non-caped crusader and the iconic Wonder Woman is a refreshing one. Without a forced confrontation between them, they’re able to get quickly to work in pursuing Inque, ultimately closing out the series with a bittersweet ending. As Wonder Woman sees what Bruce had first seen in Terry, she essentially tells him that he’s on his way to joining the League, and he can begin immediately. Jurgens’ run on Batman Beyond feels like a complete coming of age story, as Terry McGinnis has gone from an impulsive kid into a man, who is about to become a key member of the Justice League.
The issue’s final panel which features text saying “definitely not… the end!” might not mean a literal continuation anytime soon for Terry’s adventures as Batman. However, this space in time from Wonder Woman’s involvement with the Justice League into the future iteration of the team as seen in other issues would be a fascinating setting for a new story. It only seems natural based on his avoided confrontation with Wonder Woman that he would make a smooth transition coming onto the League. Batman Beyond #50 is available for purchase now.
