Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1 – Kelly Sue DeConnick, Writer; Phil Jimenez, Artist; Hi-Fi, Romulo Fajardo Jr, Arif Prianto, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Can a book be a complete mess, and also be one of the most fascinating books on the stands? That’s the question that seems to be posed by this new Black Label miniseries, which will be releasing massive issues quarterly. Kelly Sue DeConnick’s recent Aquaman run was incredibly ambitious, involving an elaborate pantheon of lost sea gods. This takes that basic idea and expands on it, casting the creation of the Amazons as a game of chess between angry gods. In fact, the Amazons’ role in this first issue is kind of limited—the main players are the Gods of Olympus, or more specifically the Goddesses. They’ve been watching the carnage men visit on women for centuries—and they’re not happy.
When they make a move to demand justice from Zeus and are rebuffed—especially once Hera fails to back them up—they take matters into their own hands. What they do exactly can be a little hard to follow, but it provides some stunning visuals as they take the souls of the fallen and create something new out of them—the first Amazons. Phil Jimenez, responsible for the brilliant visuals here, has always valued diversity in his work in a way few artists do. Both the Gods and the Amazons look very different than they usually do, not just with some impressive body diversity but with some surreal touches that make them representations of each of the Goddesses who created them.
Readers will notice some familiar names in the early Amazons, but one is missing. Hippolyta isn’t among them, and her story also begins this issue in a much more humble way. Hers is a tale of human weakness in an era that has no time for strong women. It’s a tragedy, but also one that seems to be leading her towards redemption. Like everything else about this book, it’s not really a retelling. It’s a reinvention, and a wildly radical one that completely upends the concept of the Amazons. It’s one of the most ambitious Elseworlds DC has ever done, with a concept that seems designed to challenge and art that pulls you in from minute one. I have no clue where it’s going, but I’m excited to find out in three months.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
