Wonder Woman finds herself transported into a planet somewhere across that multiverse that once hoarded fire and brimstone. She discovers a familiar face in an unfamiliar space that has often been the symbol of all evil, a figure known as Darkseid! But is this a Darkseid that is similar to her earth, or a different kind of Darkseid? What does this Darkseid intend to do with Wonder Woman? And how can Wonder Woman return home to her own world within the multiverse?
Comics veteran J.M. Dematteis and James Tucker deliver a story that is full of surprises, yet feels consistent to the original series. Given accessibility to the multiverse, the writers get to play around with concepts that the animated series didn’t get to fully explore despite some conceptual exploration in a few episodes. The storytelling is great, full of humor and action that makes this series a worthy successor of the animated series. There are some elements of the story that feel reminiscent to episodes such as “Hereafter”, and “The Once and Future Thing” where familiar iterations of characters appear but aren’t what readers expect of them due to the circumstances that occurred in a vacuum of time and space.
Wonder Woman’s revelations to what she discovers on the barren planet of Apokolips is a very fun plot that never has a dull moment, and the subplots that run concurrently to the main plot is just as engaging, making it more enjoyable than some of the mainline books that are published at DC, which is a testament to how enjoyable this book is. The writing is tight, characters feel consistent, developed and offer potential to be more than what they are, which is something a reader would want in a story.
Ethen Beavers delivers great art that visually compliments and cohesively preserves the style of the original DCAU series. The art is dynamic, full of energy and simplicity that made the original show what it is, providing a fun reading experience that is simple yet effective for narrative storytelling as it should. There’s something to be said about the art complimenting the writing with visual clarity, making it easy to follow for the reader. Very often with highly detailed art in comics, sometimes the story gets lost in the shuffle due to the excessive detail, which can detract from a story, causing confusion and sometimes frustration.
Beaver’s pencils and layouts are tight, and lively, giving the comic a dynamic style that feels as energetic as the classic animated series. Coupled with Beaver’s linework, Nick Filardi compliments the art with vibrant colorwork, giving the book a flair that is worthwhile to study from in regards to color choices. The lettering by DC Hopkins is great, never detracting from the visual narrative, delivering a fun reading experience from beginning to end.
It’s safe to say that I truly enjoyed this issue and book, and it continues to be a delight that feels consistent in its DNA as a series that succeeds its animated predecessor. Dematteis, Tucker, and the rest of the team provide a fun multiversal installment that will make readers eager to read the next issue. The League is in good hands with this team, and this series continues to explore the world of the DCAU that is enjoyable and justified as a continuation. I definitely recommend adding this book to your pull list.
Newsdesk