Trial of the Amazons: Wonder Girl #1 – Joelle Jones, Writer/Artist; Jordie Bellaire, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: Yara Flor’s solo series came to an abrupt end for this event, so this miniseries by Joelle Jones has to pull double duty. Not only does it have to advance Yara’s story, but it also has to push the main narrative of the event forward. It does both, but not without some hiccups. The narration of this issue is split, with Yara taking over some of the issue as she explores Themyscira and fills us in a little bit on her origin. We hadn’t seen much of her since she rejoined the Esquecida—the tribe her mother belonged to—and this issue does a fine job of showing how she settled into Amazon life. Much of it takes place before the events of the kickoff issue, which can make the pacing feel a little muddled, but it also gives us the opportunity to see Yara interact with Hippolyta. Overall, while Yara’s purpose in the DCU still seems a little vague, this issue accomplishes something important—it makes us like her.
Cassie Sandsmark takes over the other half of the issue, as the youngest Amazon and the only one not tied to a specific tribe has a monumental task—to solve Hippolyta’s murder. I was intrigued when she was given this task a few issues back, but unfortunately—she’s not very good at it. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not fun to watch her try, though. She’s not a natural detective, and while she collects the evidence effectively, her interrogation techniques with Artemis leave something to be desired. By the end of the issue, she’s ready to crack the case—but it may be too late. The tournament is kicking off, the three tribes are ready to go to war, and something evil has escaped from Doom’s Doorway. Overall, this chapter doesn’t advance the story too much, but it does well by the two leads. Hopefully with Yara likely getting a promotion soon, Cassie will be able to shine solo in future stories too.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
