A fight for Wonderland and a battle for her daughter … which one is more important?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Erica J. Heflin
Art: Giorgia Sposito
What They Say:
After years of torment at the hands of Wonderland and its many psychopathic denizens, Calie Liddle finally claimed a victory. By defeating the Queen of Spades, Calie assumed leadership of Wonderland. And now she cares for the realm that once existed to torment her family. With the White Rabbit and a newly reformed Cheshire Cat by her side, Calie seeks to transform the tainted realm to its former glory … But it will not be an easy task.
This is the story of Calie Liddle … White Queen of Wonderland.
Content (please note that portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Calie and the Hatter continue to struggle for Violet’s sanity, but who will prevail in the end? Will the love for a daughter be able to overcome whatever is controlling the beloved child she now sees before her being torn apart? Blow for blow the two women exchange punches, the Queen holding back to protect her child while the madness of the torturer prevails and lands concussive attacks for the sheer pleasure of watching her parent suffer. How can she ever hope to stop the insanity if Calie will not prove her devotion to her own child? A truer testament for tough love has never fought and a braver mother will ever be proven through her actions.
However, this contest for Wonderland is not to be decided on a single conflict, for the battle continues in that endangered realm with the Ace of Spades spreading his influence like a plague. The Squire must defend herself against the Terror and Jack will defend the castle from all invaders; but without Calie to lead them, how can they hope to succeed in their hopeless campaigns? No one will dare to oppose him by siding with the Queen for his forces dominate the landscape, a river of death purging the territory by fire and force. The fields are littered with the corpses of those would stand against his tyranny, their lifeless bodies keep notice for any who would question his right to rule. There is only one who may challenge him, but can the White Queen muster any threat when she sees what lays before her feet. All of her allies have fallen, including her beloved Cheshire, and now the final insult will rip her own sanity apart as she learns that she was never in control. All hail the White Queen … the Ace of Spades now rules Wonderland.
In Summary:
Writer Erica Heflin has been building this conflict for Wonderland for quite some time and I am glad to say that the wait was worth it! To think that Ace’s machinations would be this diabolical and twisted is an understatement; with his temperament and patience, he bided his forces and built upon Calie’s most vulnerable point – her daughter, revealing that he wanted to do more than just take over, but to utterly break her. But at the same time, after we now see the sadistic plan in fruition, I am surprised that Ace did not try to humiliate her into complete surrender. Perhaps that is for the next issue?
And yet this gradual intensification of the action is what made this issue a pleasure to read. Giorgia Sposito was able to take Helfin’s complex story and broke it down into acts which made the ending all the more of a pleasurable surprise. The fiendish smile on Violet’s face as she hunted her mother was enough to break anyone’s heart and Calie’s change in attitude made the tragedy all the more touching as we realise that she must conquer her child to make the madness stop. Squire and Jack fighting valiantly to protect Wonderland and that end panel with Ace on the throne and a broken Cheshire at his feet … never was a takeover so beautifully told. To think that this just the beginning of a new arc makes me shake in excitement.
A new king in Wonderland with the old one fallen, what more misery can Helfin and Sposito create for the next issue? Maybe Calie should have taken Sela up on her offer to help? It is a shame that we need to wait another month to find out what happens next!
Grade: A
Rating: 16+
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: November 18th, 2015
MSRP: $3.99