ONE Wonder WomanThe Black Label-centric series revealed the Batsuit Batman would wear in his last stand, serving as a testament to the Dark Knight’s ‘true form’. This revelation brings Batman’s story full circle and profoundly influences Wonder Woman’s post-apocalyptic costume, resulting in one of her most hardcore and visually striking looks in comics.
Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer Wonder Woman: Dead Land #1 begins with Diana Prince awakening from a centuries-long slumber after her stasis pod in the Batcave is damaged. She soon discovers that her friends are long dead and Earth has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland during her absence.
With no memory of how or why she was placed in the capsule, Diana emerges to find Wayne Manor in ruins and Bruce’s skeletal corpse wearing his original Batsuit.. This emotionally devastating vision not only highlights his loss, but also reveals the Batsuit Batman chose for his last stand, a testament to his “true form.”
Batman chooses his original Batsuit to make his final stand
Wonder Woman: Dead Land #1 by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer
What makes this costume distinct as Batman’s first costume are the purple gloves and elongated ears, two of the most recognizable elements of the original costume, which first debuted in Detective comics #27, created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger in May 1939. More evidence that Bruce chose to make his last stand in his first suitrather than a replica, it’s that it lacks the armor seen in Batman’s more modern costumes. The suit’s state of disarray also suggests that it was made from a fabric-like material, rather than the Kevlar that defines Bruce’s more current costumes.
The revelation that Batman is wearing the older version of his costume raises an intriguing question: why? Why would Bruce make his final stand in one of his less advanced suits? Have the other suits been destroyed or beyond repair, leaving you no other option? Or is the reason rooted in sentimentalism? Normally, this would seem strange to Batman, but the fact that his body was found sitting on a couch in the mansion rather than on the streets suggests a strong possibility of sentimentality. Maybe he chose to die in the process that started it all.
Batman’s first Batsuit marks the end of his comic journey
…and the beginning of Wonder Woman
In addition to the full-circle moment created by Bruce donning his first costume to fulfill his end, this costume also marks a new beginning for Wonder Woman. Diana wakes up to find her old life over, without even a proper Wonder Woman costume to wear. In need of a new outfit, she gently removes Bruce’s iconic utility belt from his corpse. That Batman accessory is the first thing she chooses for her new suit, adding practicality and emotional depth to her post-apocalyptic style. Wonder Woman costume, making it one of her most notable and memorable costumes.
Wonder Woman: Dead Earth #1 is now available from DC Comics!