At the conclusion of 2016’s “Darkseid War,” we learned that Wonder Woman has a twin brother. The Amazonian princess has finally come face-to-face with her brother in the wake of Hercules’ death. This reunion, however, turns sour as it is revealed that Jason teamed up with Grail, daughter of Darkseid, to take down Diana.
Despite there being a cliffhanger at the end of the last issue, this issue has us going back in time – dedicated to the secret origin of Jason. What was the childhood of the Amazonian brother like? Where Diana was raised as a mighty warrior, how was Jason raised? How did a boy from an island of women get raised by the last Argonaut, Glaucus?
**Some Spoilers Ahead**
Story:
The origin of Jason begins when he finds that he can lift a boat above his head as a child. While he is shocked, he goes to show his father, Glaucus, who reveals to him the truth of his birth. Glaucus explains to Jason that he is the son of Zeus, that he was asked to hide from Hera, Zeus’ wife.
Jason takes all of this news well…too well. It’s implied that he already had a happy childhood, but his reaction to learning his father is Zeus is not believable. Not just with Zeus either, but with other members of his godly heritage. Glaucus asks Hercules to train Jason how to fight and control his demigod powers. When Hercules reveals he is Jason’s brother, he doesn’t seem shaken by it at all. This issue is meant to give us insight into this new character, but I’m left wondering why this man was so willing to accept these facts.
Despite this distracting detail, I actually do like the origin that was presented. It’s almost a parallel to Wonder Woman’s with one distinct difference. Both were raised by legendary Greek heroes. Both were trained by Olympians to fight. The real difference is that when both parental figures tell them not to be a hero, only Jason listens. Diana disobeys her mother and goes off to become Wonder Woman, where Jason stays a fisherman. Now that the twins are together, we’ll just have to see if he becomes a hero.
Art:
The art is the best part of this issue. Emanuela Lupacchino, known for the first volume of the Starfire series, shows her skill in creating characters. They are unique enough to make them stand out from one another, yet still look human.
The colorwork also helps the issue feel more realistic. The different tints and shades in the character’s skin make the characters look more real. The more vibrant colors help capture the feel of the Mediterranean area that Jason grew up in. Together with the pencil work, we get a beautiful book to look at.
Conclusion:
This issue is a pleasant break from the heavy betrayal of the last issue. While the character of young Jason is a bit hard to believe, it’s fascinating to look at the parallels between his and Diana’s life. The book is beautiful to look at, with every turn being a colorful yet realistic take in this comic book world. It was nice to take this detour, but next time we head back to the war of the demigods.
