DC comics didn’t do themselves any favours by calling this prestige miniseries from 2022 Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons; it’s a tongue-twister of a title that doesn’t stick in the memory. What’s worse, it has connotations of a dry history lesson; a dreary textbook that is a chore to read. In truth, writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and her artist collaborators have crafted a spectacular, thrilling, poignant and utterly satisfying fantasy adventure that sits with the very best of recent superhero comics.
Through 3 over-sized issues, DeConnick tells the origin story of the mythical Amazon tribe of women warriors; how they formed, came into conflict with the all-powerful pantheon of ancient gods, and were ultimately banished to eternal life on the remote island paradise of Themyscira. It is an intricately plotted comic, and does a great job of introducing a large cast of gods and mortals, while interweaving the various conflicts between them. And in the middle of it all, Hippolyta, the woman who would one day become queen of the Amazons and mother to Wonder Woman, is an engaging heroine with a rich and poignant character arc.
DeConnick’s most impressive achievement is the balance struck between mature themes and a pacey adventure plot. It will be no surprise that the subjugation of women (both mortal and immortal) is a major driver of the story; but the historical setting, fantastical action and rich characterisation ensure that these themes never overpower the narrative. The struggle of impoverished underdog versus powerful elite is thrillingly relatable to all readers, and fans of movies such as Braveheart, 300 and Clash of The Titans will find a lot to like here.
The artwork for this series is amongst the most spectacular I’ve ever seen in a comic. The first issue by Phil Jiminez includes some truly stunning spreads, and does a great job of visually portraying much of the introductory exposition. The second issue by Gene Ha is more grounded, but serves the character development of the middle act very well. The best is saved for last; as Nicola Scott brings clean design and action-packed storytelling to the powerful climax.
In and off itself, Historia is a massively satisfying read, with much to chew over after it’s finished. No prior comics knowledge is required, so this is about as accessible as a mainstream comic can get; and with the strong themes, classically tragic plotting and blockbuster action, this will have a very broad appeal. The cherry on top is that Nicola Scott also provided the artwork for Wonder Woman Year One, the most recent comic retelling of Diana’s origin, which dovetails beautifully into the final pages. For more of Nicola’s work (including the chance to buy some!), check out her website here.