Brother, Where art thou
The last issue of Wonder Woman’s series started an all-new storyline(Review for that issue here). This story will introduce readers to Diana’s long lost twin brother while combatting Grail, the daughter of Darkseid. While the first issue was not as spectacular as I first hoped, I’m still confident that this storyline will blow readers away.
So how does the second chapter hold up? Does it do something amazing or bore us to tears?
**SOME SPOILERS AHEAD**
Story:
This issue was a massive step up from the last.
After being approached by the lawyer of Hercules, Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor go to A.R.G.U.S. to look at the body. They learn that Hercules wasn’t the only child of Zeus to have died. A.R.G.U.S. has found out that each of the murder sites have residual Apokolipian energy coming from it. Diana deduces that Grail is the cause of these attacks and after getting coordinates from Hercules will, goes off to find her brother.
This issue was able to pick up the pace that the last issue lacked. With Diana now on the case of Hercules’ death, the issue feels more in line with the Wonder Woman stories that came before. We see her go through emotional turmoil, regretting she never had a chance to meet Hercules, as well as gain hope when she learns of her twin’s whereabouts. This makes the story more personal, and by extension, enjoyable.
Not only is this issue emotion-filled, but still has time for some sweet action. While it’s fun to watch two demigods take each other on, watching the Amazon princess take on a dozen parademons is even better. The writer even added a fun nod to the Wonder Woman movie with Steve Trevor’s team.
The only complaint I have with the story is that the pace goes a bit quick at times. For example, when Wonder Woman finds her brother, he instantly calls her his sister. No one would ever act like this unless he was told ahead of time. If he did know she was his sister, why did he not seek her out? This is more nitpicking than anything, but it’s something that bugs me even after finishing the issue.
Art:
The art was also a leap from the last issue. There are no inconsistencies and the pencil work of Sergio Davila makes the characters look amazing. I think the best example of it is when Wonder Woman is embroiled in a battle with Parademons. The details of the creatures’ faces are incredible, as well as the design of Wonder Woman’s uniform.
The coloring by Romulo Fajardo Jr. was also quite impressive this issue. The mixture of colors on the characters made their outfits pop and their faces more realistic.
Conclusion:
Overall, this issue was not only a massive step up from the last, but has reaffirmed my excitement for the arc. The story has grown to become something more emotionally driven while picking up the pace. The art is phenomenal, with expert pencil and color work dominating the pages. This is a fantastic chapter to this story and I can’t wait for the next installment.
