ByBy the second page, it’s immediately obvious why Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons took over three years to make. The long-awaited title from DC’s Black Label imprint is a cup that runneth over, a series of page spreads that drop like the BWOMMM of a Hans Zimmer score, a masochistic commitment to decoration turned to decadence on paper.
But is it all too much?
(Spoiler: It isn’t. Or maybe it is, but it doesn’t matter. Or maybe it’s the thing that matters most.)
WHO IS MAKING WONDER WOMAN HISTORIA: THE AMAZONS?
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1 is written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and drawn by Phil Jimenez. Both are synonymous with depictions of feminine power.
Jimenez’s work is characterized by clear lines, impeccable anatomy, stunning detail, and mesmerizing layouts — he also has a long and beloved history with Wonder Woman. For DeConnick, the writer behind Bitch Planet and Captain Marvel, it’s almost shocking to say that this is her first work ever in the world of DC’s Amazons.
The book was colored by Hi-Fi, Arif Prianto, and Romulo Fajardo Jr. The subsequent two issues of the series will be drawn by Gene Ha and Nicola Scott.
WHY IS WONDER WOMAN HISTORIA: THE AMAZONS HAPPENING NOW?
Wonder Woman Historia was among the very first titles DC announced when it revealed the scope and theme of its new Black Label imprint in spring of 2018. The idea behind Black Label was to create a new place for the biggest creators in comics to make canon-optional DC Comics stories at a high production value — and even a (literally) bigger page — a role that the company’s Vertigo imprint had been struggling to perform for the modern market.
No corner of the American comics industry hasn’t suffered from delays since spring of 2020, whether because of the Diamond shutdown, the paper supply chain, or the simple uncertainty of the market. But Jimenez’s usual process and the larger size of of Black Label books are certainly unique factors here. Wonder Woman Historia is over two inches wider (going on an extra five inches for a double page spread) and more than half an inch taller than the standard, staple-bound American floppy.
IS THERE ANY REQUIRED READING?
None at all. After all, the whole point of Wonder Woman Historia is to start at the beginning. Wonder Woman fans will find a lot in here to go gaga over, but so will fans of Hades, or Neil Gaiman, or Greek mythology in general. Anyone who would enjoy a story of gods and mortals that’s been illustrated to within an inch of its life.
ONE PANEL THAT POPPED
DeConnick and Jimenez treat us to a regimented page spread of 10 Grecian urns depicting the crimes of patriarchy on people considered less than men. Then you turn the page...