By Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by Victoria Ying with Lark Pien, Dave Sharpe & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-91422-406-5 (TPB/Digital edition)
Win’s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Myth Making Gift Giving… 9/10
In recent years DC opened up its shared superhero universe to generate Original Graphic Novels featuring its stars in stand-alone adventures for the demographic inappropriately dubbed Young Adult. To date, results have been rather hit or miss, but when they’re good, they are very good indeed.
They’ve been especially scrupulous producing material catering to girls and other previously neglected comics minorities, tapping into the communal history and mystique of the DCU and always visiting aspects of youthful rebellion and growing independence.
Here – crafted by Shannon Hale (Rapunzel’s Revenge, The Princess in Black, Squirrel Girl, Princess Academy, Ever After High, Real Friends) & Dean Hale (Rapunzel’s Revenge, The Princess in Black, Squirrel Girl), illustrator, author and animator Victoria Ying (Big Hero 6, Moana, Meow!, Not Quite Black and White) colourist Lark Pien and letterer Dave Sharpe – is a tale of the earliest icon women in comics ever had: Earth’s most recognisable Female Heroic Ideal.
Wonder Woman is the acme of female role models. Since her premier she has permeated every aspect of global consciousness, becoming not only a paradigm of comics’ very fabric but an affirming symbol to women everywhere. In whatever era you observe, the Amazing Amazon epitomises a perfect balance between Brains and Brawn and, over decades, has become one of a rarefied pantheon of literary creations achieving meta-reality.
Her origins have been common cultural currency for so long and assimilated by so many generations that it’s a given the story can now be massaged and reinvented to accommodate and address any readership – just like all the best fairy tales.
Diana: Princess of the Amazons opens on the paradisical island of Themyscira: home of immortal Hellenic warriors called Amazons. They are mighty and wise and each is millennia old, happily ruled by their Queen Hippolyta. A few years prior to this tale she was blessed with a daughter. Diana is smart, courageous and inquisitive, spending her days learning from her thousands of “aunties”, playing with the vast number of animals inhabiting the land, exploring and having fun. Of course, as the only child on an isolated island, there’s no one to have all that fun with…
When she little everybody paid her attention and sought to share Diana’s life, but now that she’s nearly a teenager she often feels in the way of grown up stuff. It’s like she’s always in trouble… too old and simultaneous still too young for anything…
Then one day, Auntie Lyssa reminds Diana how Hippolyta moulded a baby out of clay and the gods and goddesses breathed life into it. More out of boredom than anything else, Diana heads to the beach and using clay, sand and surf tries ‘Making a Friend’ She isn’t surprised that it doesn’t work, but a little later meets the almost-breathing fruits of her labours when someone follows her…
The sand creature calls herself Mona and wants to be friends but refuses to let adults see her. Slowly, Mona becomes a covert but constant presence in Diana’s life, but that comes at a cost. There’s a flaw in her and an exciting wildness, leading to ‘Cutting Class on Themyscira’ and even wilful mischief. The princess should be ashamed of herself – but increasingly isn’t…
When one prank goes awry, Diana desperately wants to make amends and earn back her mother’s respect, and Mona hints that she should demonstrate her warrior prowess…
Of course the island is a paradise and no heroic deeds are possible there. All the Amazons’ martial training is because they are tasked with guarding Doom’s Doorway: the entrance to a hell dimension where the gods have imprisoned all the monsters of mythology. Thankfully ‘Only an Amazon’ can even turn the key holding the horrors in check.
With the incessant cajoling voice of her only friend in her ears, Diana makes the biggest mistake of her life…
However, with Hell unleashed and her aunties losing a savage battle against unholy terrors, she soon proves why she is ‘The Best of Us’: making hard decisions, exposing the truth of Mona and ultimately facing death to make things right again…
A superb example of a beloved character living up to her full potential, this is a sublime and rousing romp proving heroism comes in all manner of packages and affirming everyone can be the hero.
If further proof were required, this book also contains an enchanting extended excerpt from Zatanna and the House of Secrets to hammer home the point by entertaining the heck out of you and leaving you wanting more…
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