The truth behind the war is revealed with simplicity and great artwork.
What They Say:
FLASH FACT! If she can’t have the world – no one will!
The Review:
While the core Flashpoint series has offered up a lot of interesting material about the state of the world with the war, the sinking of Western Europe and more, it’s only scratched lightly at the surface of the reasons behind it. Even the Emperor Aquaman book was more focused on that and events related to the war. With Wonder Woman and the Furies, we get a look at the events that lead up to it as it covers fourteen years in pretty quick form, but does it in a top level view that manages to work surprisingly well. The idea of a marriage being planned and going wrong between Aquaman and Wonder Woman definitely has its appeal and it shows a side of each character that offers plenty of potential, one that I’d admittedly like to see explored more in some post-Flashpoint way since it gives both characters a new way to deal with things.
The basic idea that both Themyscira and Atlantis continue to keep themselves out of view of the common world is explored here with a chance encounter between the two of them when Diana makes good her escape from the island to engage in adventure in the world of man. It doesn’t actually happen though, as she ends up caught up in an attack by a baby Kraken. This introduces her to Arthur, who helps her out as she’s been poisoned. Bringing her to Atlantis and healing her is all done off-panel for the most part, but that time was enough that both of them see the value in a marriage to bring both nations together to deal with introducing themselves to the outside world. An event that doesn’t happen until some ten plus years later and wows the world as they tie it to their actual wedding.
Unsurprisingly, there are elements on both sides of the marriage that don’t want this marriage to go off, and we know it goes badly due to events in the first issue of Flashpoint itself. Seeing how it unfolds, the behind the curtains trickery and plotting going on, gives it a little more impact though as the emotions and personalities involved helps to ratchet it up a bit. What works the best here though is that the characterizations for both Arthur and Diana, minimal that it may be overall, is very well done and you get that outsiders view of it and can see them both very much behind the idea. There may be a whole lot of political convenience and history to such unions, but it has that essence of there being something more to it as well. It’s definitely enough to carry the book since it’s doing the big picture view of things so that it doesn’t come off as a wholly unrealistic union.
Digital Notes:
This digital edition of Wonder Woman and the furies from Comixology features just the first printing cover of the issue with no additional extras included in the book.
In Summary:
The story for this book works pretty well in helping to shape the back story of Flashpoint while still standing strong enough on its own. What helps to make it even better though is Scott Clark’s artwork as he provides it with a really rich sense of self both for the characters and the backgrounds. Both Atlantis and Themyscira shine here overall without being overdone and the character artwork is just gorgeous to look at a lot of times with its rich look and the amount of detail to the outfits, hairpieces and so forth. He does a wonderful job of visualizing both of these worlds in brief form. With the story itself, it’s definitely one of the miniseries that said to me that I need to come back for more because it’s filled with a lot of plot points that have come to fruition elsewhere. There’s a lot to like here and the book is a very easy pick-up, standing on its own while enhancing the other books and the core series itself.
Grade: B+
