Nubia and the Amazons #1 – Stephanie Williams/Vita Ayala, Writers; Alitha Martinez, Penciller; Mark Morales, Inker; Emilio Lopez, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Nubia has been a major part of Wonder Woman mythology for a long time, but this is one of her first big spotlights in ages—and in many ways, that lets the creative team reinvent her and her origin. We begin with a flashback to her origin, which is a fascinating callback to a rather obscure part of WW mythology. She crawled out of the well of souls, a part of Themyscira that allows women who died by violence in man’s world to be reborn as Amazons. Who Nubia was before, we don’t know, but shortly after she was reborn and around the time Diana was reborn, the well mysteriously sealed up. And it’s been sealed ever since—until the events of this first issue, shortly after Nubia becomes queen.
In many ways, this series feels as much like a sequel to the Young Diana backup recently, with characters like Clio getting a bigger role. Nubia is still struggling to find her footing as queen, and the reopening of the well throws a new wrinkle into it—Themyscira is going to get new citizens for the first time in eons. As these mysterious women, all without the memories of who they were in their old lives, emerge into the island, they’re put through a series of challenges to determine what they’re best suited for on Themyscira. Most fit in smoothly, but one displays a unique aptitude for puzzles that hints at something more for her. This is the first most people will know about this part of Themysciran lore, so we’re sort of as confused as the new arrivals.
But when this book hits, it hits on all cylinders. A welcoming dinner where the new arrivals pick their Amazon names is one of the most emotional scenes I’ve read in a DC comic in a while. But lurking in the background are some serious issues. Nubia has to pick a new guardian of the door to the underworld—a harsh task she had to bear in the past. Additionally, no one is sure why the well reopened again, and another Amazon returns from a mission oddly troubled. This is the most time we’ve spent on Themyscira in a long time, and the island has so much more to it than we usually see. It’s a slightly disjointed first issue, but one that has a lot of good elements. It’s great to see an underrated figure from Diana’s past get the spotlight.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
