I’m gonna be real here for a minute. “Real talk”, as the kids say, if you will.
Bryan Q. Miller, you need to cut it out. I mean, seriously. If you keep this up, pretty soon people are going to start thinking that maybe telling a decent Wonder Woman origin story isn’t really that “tricky” at all. They may start asking for, demanding even, a proper live action Wonder Woman movie.
“Olympus” continues in Smallville Season 11 #58, digitally released today, and written by Bryan Q. Miller with artwork by Jorge Jimenez. So how does it stack up? Was my scathing caustic wit above impermeable? Then find out below!
The Good:
Everything. You want details, my faithful reader? Ok fine.
The issue opens in the past, whisking us back to Themyscira where adorable baby Steve Trevor and adorable baby Diana are playing pigskin adorably. Things quickly get a bit dour as we find out the fate of Steve’s parents, victims of the cruising incident depicted in issue #56. The early banter between the two is refreshing and cute. It gives the reader a basis for their future relationship – sure to be complicated by Trevor’s involvement in the D.E.O. and Diana’s newfound persona as the vigilante “woman in white”.
We’re introduced to the Smallville-universe equivalent of Queen Hippolyta but before we can discover the fate of the two the story jumps back to the present. Lois Lane has tracked down the mysterious “woman in white” responsible for saving Senator “Ma” Kent. The reader is thankfully saved the long, sure-to-have-been drawn out process of Lois following leads. Instead, Lois is shown to be savvy and competent in her reporter skills by deducing Diana’s location almost immediately. The two exchange pleasantries and we learn a little more about Diana’s adjustment to this new “world of men”.
Magical beasties show up and Diana and Lois are given some time to show their battle prowess before Truth, Justice, and The American Way shows up to kick butt. I like how Miller gives each character an opportunity to shine here. There is no “damsel in distress” in this crowd. Superman’s appearance merely expedites matters. Steve Trevor and the D.E.O. show up, looking almost Frank Castle-esque with their skull uniforms and finally, at the end, we get a glimpse into the plan of the Big Bad.
Miller is fantastic at writing character specific-dialogue and it shines especially when all the characters inhabit the same space. Diana’s dialect feels foreign, Lois is hip and speaks in slang, Steve Trevor is gruff and militaristic, and Clark is, well, Clark. The story is briskly told, as is befitting of the shorter “page length” of a digital issue and keeps the reader engaged and interested.
Jorge Jimenez really gets a chance to showcase his skill at drawing action scenes here. The colors are bright and grabbing and the action is clear and energetic. The characters have a real sense of movement and speed. And he deserves props for a complete lack of cheesecake. Imagine a comic where Wonder Woman wears pants! Blasphemy!
The Bad:
Though I am no fan of the “24 Hour News Cycle” either – some of the political commentary between Diana and Lois felt a bit editorialized. I understand that Diana is not from ’round here, but I couldn’t help but feel this was a case of the author putting his own ideals into the mouths of his characters.
Final Verdict:
(4/5)
Bryan Q. Miller and Jorge Jimenez deliver yet again with another action packed, exciting, and well written comic book. It is refreshing when an author “gets” a character through and through, as is the case here. If DC do ever seriously consider a Wonder Woman television show or live action film, here is a great example of an origin story done correctly. And for only $0.99, highly recommended.
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