Girls Night Out for Wonder Woman, Zatanna, and Batgirl?
Normally I don't read The Brave and the Bold. However, when I saw the cover for this issue the Wondy/Bat Babs/Zatanna fan in me couldn't resist.
The art in this issue is simple yet elegant. I couldn't help but loosely associate it with Batman TAS as I read through it the first time. By no means was this in Timm's style, but the simple use of lines and curves did give a similar feel. There was one thing that did bother me with Chiang's art. In several panels it seemed as if the three main characters (usually Diana and Zatanna) had very similar faces. With that said, if this story didn't have any words then I could still follow it with just the art. Chiang's use of body and facial expression throughout is worth noting, as well as Mulvihill's coloring.
Straczynski's writing falls flat. I wish I could say it was fantastic, I really do, but this story just wasn't his best work. The characters felt ... out of character, especially Wonder Woman, and the plot felt awkward considering its spot in the DC timeline. I haven't read many bronze age comics as of late, but if memory serves I don't feel that the situation the characters were placed in would have naturally occurred. The revelation in the last few pages doesn't really change my mind either.
Overall, this issue has great potential to be something special, but drops the ball before it can even get in the air. It's always fun to read an issue where Babs is still sporting the cowl but not one that feels forced.
