Oh Well...
Written by: Kevin Grevioux
Art by: Ryan Benjamin, Don Ho, Tony Washington and Saida Temofonte
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 15, 2017
I really think this book was doomed from the start. No Wonder Woman, a twelve issue series condensed to six...yea, Kevin Grevioux was running uphill from the start and it really does show. Everything has felt rushed...the story, the characterizations and even the dialogue. On top of all of that, this story is just too gritty and grim for me, especially during a time when the word "hope" is being used to describe the new direction of DC's books. I understand if you disagree with me and love the hell out of this book and I'd love to hear why, but right now I'm here to review the latest issue. Here we go...
Before going on, I am not writing this review to hate for hate's sake. I almost didn't review it because of that, but we have our "review everything" policy that I proudly stick to. Forgive me if this review is a bit on the short side, but my mom always told me, "If you don't have anything nice to say..." This one's for you, mom!
I hated this issue! I really, really, really hated it! We start in the Black Forest (I'm not even sure how we got there) and spend most of the issue watching the Amazons bicker and fight with the Valkyries. Kevin Grevioux continues not giving us any true character work so when names are thrown about and things happen, it has no impact. Someone dies, oh well, That person doesn't like that other person, okay...
We do continue having infighting with the Amazons, but even that feels silly as they are trying to rescue their captured sisters...who I can't name. The thing is, the Valkyries are trying to do the same thing, but still fight the Amazons because they think they are responsible. Then they kind of are. Then they fight again. While all this is going on, we get to see the evil plan of the Jotuns and I am officially out. I just don't care anymore.
There are parts when I thought Grevioux was going in the right direction. Early on, the Amazons and the Valkyries team up to fight the trolls which seemed to be a way for the sides to come together...nope! It just leads to the Amazonians being hunted "like dogs" minutes after it is said that the Valkyries don't take life, they restore it. Holy mixed messages!
The issue ends with a little Amazon-Ewok vengeance against the Valkyries and some major deaths at the hands of arriving Jotuns. But as I said earlier, someone dies, oh well.
Guess what? I didn't like this issue and I pretty much hate this series. Like I said, I'd love to hear from people who do like it and beg you to convince me to do so as well.
Bits and Pieces:
I haven't liked this series and this issue didn't change my mind one bit. Fans of grim and gritty fantasy may find something to like here, but I can't get invested in such a forced story that lacks almost any semblance of characterization.
2.5/10
This book is a hot mess without rhyme or reason. The story is willy nilly and has no proper introduction or main theme. Oh wait maybe the theme is that independent strong women always are at each other's throats and feminism is an effigy burnt at Women's Day. The Amazons flock looks more like a cosplay caravan than a warrior clan. The writer doesn't bother to do some mythological research into the place of amazonian origin. According to Homer in Iliad they were residents of north and central Asia Minor in Phrygia and Lycia but before that they were natives of the area around the modern Russian river Don. That contradicts the southron slur hurled against the Amazons by Valkyries. Lore that certifies this is the following;
ReplyDelete''Themiscyra is said to have been founded by the queen of the Amazons Lysippi in honor of the goddess Artemis, to whom she dedicated all temples. The queen had a son, named Tanais, who, as a very belligerent man despised love and was punished by Aphrodite to fall in love with his own mother. Disgraced, he fell into a river (Don) and drowned and since this river is named after him. Queen Lysippi founded the capital of the Amazons and conquered all peoples up to the river Tanais' estuary in the Sea of Azov. Then moved on south to conquer Asia Minor.''
Reference - Plinius the Elder, Book VI, 3.10
DeleteAeschylus, "Prometheus Bound", verse 721-26
Herodotus, ''Historiae'', Book D, verse 86
Strabo's ''Geography'', Book XII verse 3.15
Richard Talbert, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, Map 87 & notes
Pseudo-Plutarch ''Moralia'' De Fluviorum et Montium Nominibus
There is just so much wrong with this book...history, storytelling, etc.
DeleteJim, for your own sanity, let this one go...I PROMISE no one that comes to this site or listens to the podcast will be upset. Whenever I see Kevin Grevioux writing a comic book it brings out the Tommy Torrets out in me....fuck, shit, ball licker. If this dudes writing was a person I wouldn't give it the sweat off my balls if it was dying of thirst in the desert. It's ok if it's a mini and blows to just walk away....we don't mind :)
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Thank You so much Jose! I am probably going to go threw it this last time on the podcast and then I'm out!!!
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