The enlistment is over – it’s time to meet the enemy.
Creative Staff:
Story: Marguerite Bennett
Art: Laura Braga
What They Say:
Wonder Woman and Mera arrive in Europe and immediately find themselves in the middle of a battle between Axis and Allied forces.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Bombshells concludes its Enlistment arc here with this installment and it brings some aspects full circle in a pretty good way. While it may take a bit longer in digital form to get there in a sense than the print book, the end result is one that works exceptionally well. Across the nine installments so far we’ve met an array of characters, dabbled in the dark evils that are afoot a bit, and we’ve gotten to see some great interpretations of the familiar cast in a new light. With this piece, the focus returns to that of Diana once again and it works to show her coming into the world at large. That desire has always been a part of her character, to be out there amid the rest of the world and all its wonders, both to help protect and nurture but also in her own way to be a symbol of all she represents.
Which is hard to do when she’s done what she’s done in breaking Trevor out of the prison, taking some of the armaments that mean so much to her people, and then fleeing with the aid of Mera. Can you really represent when you abandon in order to save someone? Of course, there’s more to it than that and I expect it to change, but what we get is a good nod towards the differences in cultures and the hope that she has towards the future, all while mixing in a touch of sadness here and there about what she’s done. The sequence with her and Trevor talking about the different interpretations of naming the stars works well to grow a bond between them that the reader can really see, even if Mera reinforces it by speaking it out loud. Yet it’s completely within her character to nudge her friend in this way, making it a good bit of fun while also making sure those bonds are clear.
Where things escalate is when they make their approach to Greece and get caught up in the war at hand there. While the Amazons have been exposed to elements of the war, it’s been aerial based one suspects. So her first impressions – after being blown out of the water – is with a series of tanks, flamethrowers and general ground Nazi troops. Though she sees the sickness in it all and has an interesting interpretation of the symbolism, there’s also a sense of excitement that’s just under the surface. She doesn’t fill it with witty repartee, she doesn’t grin or howl in joy with it all, but she makes quick actions and provides a sense that she feels alive in a very different form one. It has a lot of impact, as do the results of her actions, and it sets the stage for the coming together of the Bombshells.
In Summary:
The end of the Enlistment arc works well with what it brings together here and it puts it in an interesting place. While the opening salvo for Diana’s arc felt very familiar and hewed close to the origins in a general sense from what we’ve always had, it’s expanded upon it well, utilized Mera in a decent way that has me hopeful for a bigger role for her, and it’s gotten her out into the world with a strong sense of motivations. This issue works very well in firming up the bond with Trevor and it sets into motion her becoming one of the Bombshells under Waller. Bennett continues to largely nail the script here in both big and small ways and the return of Laura Braga is quite welcome as she really captures a great sense of all three main characters here, giving them all more than enough to be well realized and interesting visually as they move through this world.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: September 19th, 2015
MSRP: $0.99
