Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia Review

Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia Review

Wonder Woman The Hiketeia review by deffinition

Wonder Woman The Hiketeia review by deffinition

Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia, has an intriguing name for more than one reason. Cited on several lists of stories in which Batman was defeated, Hiketeia tells the tale of The Dark Knight and Comic’s Golden Girl going head to head.

I’ve heard many positive things about the story but also some mixed opinions and the high price tag that comes with the graphic novel has always put me off.

However, DC have released a new collection similar to their JLA run which binds together several stories in The Greg Rucka Run and now seems like the perfect time to pick it up.

Throughout this review, I will be giving my opinion on The Hiketeia to let you know whether it’s worth picking up this reprint or if it should be left as a fond memory of the time that the bat was beaten.

There will be spoilers so it may be worth skipping to the score for now if you want to read it with fresh eyes.

With that out the way let’s dive into Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia!

Cold Tonight


When an ancient ritual, known as The Hiketeia, forces Wonder Woman to protect a murderous young girl from anyone who threatens her, it pits the Amazonian against her ally, Batman. Awash with Greek Mythology and an atmosphere that this is a tale of epic proportions, The Hiketeia will instantly sweep you up in it’s lore and subtext.

What Hiketeia excels at is that it makes you completely invested in the battle between the two members of The Justice League. Both have an unshakable sense of honour and justice that the graphic novel really hammers home early on.

This subtly lets you know that there will be no compromise in the battle that follows and the introductory chapter does the perfect job of setting the stage for the showdown.

Dangerous Danielle Wellys


What’s great about the book is that the newly introduced Danielle (who is under Wonder Woman’s protection) is just as interesting as it’s two main stars. She really seems like a troubled youth, who’s fear is completely relatable due to the extreme circumstances that she finds herself in. This is really her story and she brings an air of mystique to the proceeding that means you will be turning page after page, desperate to learn more of her back-story.

She grounds the book with innocence and it’s difficult not to get swept up in her story of survival. Even a diehard Dark Knight fan such as myself wanted to see him at a loss in his attempts to arrest her and this is a credit to Rucka’s writing. He really sets up the stakes and makes it so that you are completely invested in the graphic novel early on.

Whilst some may scratch their head at why Diana remains loyal to her even when discovering that she is a murderer, readers must understand that Diana is a thousand-year-old Goddess that sees beyond the conflicts of mere mortals and she is a true champion of right and wrong. It may be a make or break moment for some readers but I found myself swept up in the lore even more and this is due to the exceptional artwork and dialogue by the creative team.

The Final Showdown


Whilst the final battle isn’t as epic a showdown as say The Dark Knight Returns, it still adds a cerebral level of conflict that makes the proceedings enjoyable.

Ending in Tragedy, Hiketeia has a mature conclusion that will stick with you long after putting it down. It may not be the final battle that we needed but it’s the one we deserved.

Batman Fights Wonder Woman and Graphic Novels That Batman Was Beaten In

The Verdict


The Hiketeia, though short in length is still a really enjoyable read that stretches far beyond it’s finite number of pages. The battle between Batman and Wonder Woman May disappoint some but I found it to be a fitting affair that adds a wealth of character development to both fighters.

It’s a great read whether you’re a Diehard Dark Knighter or a Warrior for The Wonder Woman and you should definitely pick this up, especially now that it is available in the new reprinted collection.

Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia gets an…

8/10

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