"Trinity" is DC's latest Wonder Girl/Wonder Woman successor, created by Tom King in the backups of his current Wonder Woman run. Those who have come before her tend to have a bad habit of fading into obscurity, but Trinity has a special status that sets her apart: Her name is Elizabeth Marston Prince, and she's Wonder Woman's daughter.

We still don't know how that happened or where exactly she came from, but this collection of stories gives anyone interested in the character a look into her past and how she became the new Wonder Woman. Taking place over the course of her life, the stories begin with her as a toddler at some point in the near future and progress up to her as a young adult. Along the way are Jon and Damian, watching over her and eventually evolving from babysitters to teammates.

All but one of these stories (which is only six pages long) are reprints from stories already told in Wonder Woman, so anyone who's been keeping up with that title will find little new here, but at the very least it's all collected in one place for the first time.

World's Finest

"World's Finest" is actually broken up into three parts (each from a separate issue of Wonder Woman), but it largely tells one overarching narrative with years of interim in between. The first of these vignettes takes place when "Lizzie" is only a toddler, being watched by Damian and Jon while the Justice League is away.  This is followed by a story with her as a young teenager, and finally a young adult. Each step of the way Damian and Jon are still there, even if their roles change. It does a good job building up this new, next-generation trinity as something that grew organically as a family.

From the very first page it's clear what kind of story this is. Damian and Jon bicker over how to take care of a little girl neither is prepared to handle, while Lizzie learns a new swear word from Damian. It's a fun, lighthearted misadventure that will be familiar to anyone who was ever a teenager babysitting for the first time. That tone persists throughout the three stories, making them a joy to read. Lizzie's naivete and innocence, mixed with her determined and boisterous attitude is incredibly endearing. This is all bolstered by Belén Ortega's expressive art and Alejandro Sánchez' vibrant colors. The cartoonish style keeps the energy high and the tone light.

While it's Lizzie's name and picture on the cover of the collection, these stories actually focus more on Jon and Damian. After all, they are the next generation's titular "World's Finest". It's kept a bit vague how far into the future this is meant to be, but I believe we're meant to read them as being in their late teens. While the classic Super Sons dynamic might be gone, this goes a long way in proving that there's still plenty of material for an older Jon and Damian.

Damian's newfound maturity is especially impressive. He's still clearly the same person we've come to know, but he no longer feels so much like a kid. Damian's stories have a habit of revisiting the same character growth arcs only to reset for the next writer, but this feels like a natural progression beyond that.

This is best exemplified during a scene where Damian is teaching Lizzie how to tie her shoes. It's somewhat played for comedy seeing Damian lower himself by using the bunny-in-the-hole rhyme to help her, but at the same time the fact that he's willing to show this level of patience and understanding for someone less knowledgeable than him is a big deal. It shows that he's grown, and is willing to be humble. It's especially telling when he talks about how he would be abused as a child for making mistakes, and we can see how far he's grown beyond that.

That being said, there's definitely diminishing returns in this regard as the stories continue. The same personalities that worked great as teenagers become less believable as they age into their 30s. There's almost a sense of arrested development where we got so much initial growth early on, only for it to stop there. By the last story Jon and Damian are about the same age as we typically see their fathers portrayed, but still making childish jabs at one another and seem just as inexperienced as when they first babysat.

While Jon and Damian stay relatively static through each of the three stories, the same can certainly not be said for Lizzie. Her progression over the three stories is arguably the highlight of the story, and does an excellent job of earning her place as Wonder Woman's successor. As a child she's excitable and innocent, but already we see the seeds of her confident personality. She wants to be a hero, even if she's not quite ready.

In the second story where she's infected by the Black Mercy flower, we get to see her innermost desires. She views herself as a warrior queen, to whom Jon and Damian show deference and respect. It's a typical power fantasy that a teenager might have, but it shows just how important it is to her to be strong. She wants to be seen as just as powerful as her "brothers", and it's clear that she feels a lot of pressure to live up to the expectations set before her.

The collection wraps up with Lizzie finally in her superhero "Trinity" persona, standing as equals with Jon and Damian while they try to figure out what to call their team. She's lost none of her youthful energy as they decide to race for the privilege of deciding. I'd say it's the weakest of the three, but only because it gives us less insight into her character as the other two. Instead, we get a hopeful look towards the future for the next generation of superheroes.

Score: 8.5/10

Mothers and Daughters

As the only new material in the collection, "Mothers and Daughters" has a lot to live up to with its mere six pages. Thankfully, it knocks it out of the park. Taking place at the final test for Lizzie in her quest to become Wonder Woman, it draws clear and explicit parallels to when Diana endured that same test years ago. Panels will alternate between Lizzie confronting Diana about her readiness, and flashbacks to Diana confronting her mother Hippolyta about the same. The dialog is structured such that one conversation flows into the next, showing that they're almost, if not completely, identical.

At one point the switch becomes so rapid that it becomes the elder Diana talking to her younger self. The passion and indignant fury shown in their faces by Daniel Sampere's art makes for a striking sequence that highlights the emotional stakes for each woman. It may not be subtle, but it's an incredibly powerful way of portraying the cycle of parents fearing what may happen to their children as they grow. You'll never feel completely ready, and there will always be dangers that can't be controlled, but it's a necessary part of growing up. If "World's Finest" stopped short of showing the completion of Lizzie's coming of age, this more than makes up for it. I can't think of a better way to symbolically pass the torch and show that she's ready.

Score: 9/10

Trinity

Ironically the first published of all the stories, this takes place chronologically last. It's strange reading this again after having gotten to know Trinity as she grew up. "Trinity" makes sure to give you a quick rundown of who this new character is and what her personality is like, which makes sense for a debut, but feels unnecessary immediately after seeing those concepts explored at length. If anything, this story lays it on a bit thick compared to the others. We get multiple instances of Trinity speaking down to Jon and Damian to show that she's headstrong, which almost feel out of place after we just watched her mature from her childish self.

Again, all of this makes more sense when the story is taken in the context it was created. This is less a story unto itself and more a prologue for the ongoing arc in Wonder Woman. That's why Jon and Damian are so quickly set aside for an extended conversation with The Sovereign that ends with a "To be continued!" However, the character interactions between the three heroes is still enjoyable, and continues the fun dynamic found in "World's Finest", even if the narrative ends up feeling incomplete.

Score: 7/10

Recommended If

• You want to learn about the latest Wonder Woman protégé
• Jon and Damian being forced to babysit a little girl is a fun time
• Trinity's coming of age makes for a compelling character

Overall

Trinity Special #1 is mostly a recollection of stories that were already printed in Wonder Woman, but that doesn't change that the stories are a joy to read. So far Trinity, AKA Elizabeth Prince, is a great new character whose character dynamics with Jon and Damian makes for fun hijinks and a welcome status quo. The only new material, "Mothers and Daughters", is actually the strongest of the bunch, telling a short but powerful story of how Trinity steps into her own as the new Wonder Woman.

Overall score: 8.5/10

DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.