(Future State Spoiler Ahead)
At long last, the much anticipated Future state has arrived for DC Comics. The event of Dark Knight Death Metal has concluded, but their after-effects ripple on. One of the largest is the fate of Diana Prince. She is gone – for now, but in Wonder Woman 1, a new Wonder Woman has arisen. She is Yara Flor.
The nice thing about death in the greek world is that it’s only as permanent as a trip to the underworld, and to the underworld is where Yara heads. Determined to do anything to bring Diana back, Yara plunges into the Amazon jungle to take down a Hydra. Killing the Hydra proves little effort for Yara, but dealing with a Brazilian Spirit may not be so easy. Caipora takes exception to Yara’s poaching, but Yara refuses to back down. After some verbal jabs back and forth it becomes clear Yara and Caipora have a history. The two travel to Hades together and in the process have quite the journey.
Wonder Woman 1 – The Best of the Best
Of the Future State titles I read so far, Wonder Woman 1 stands out above them all. Let’s start with Yara’s design. I love this take on the Wonder Woman costume. The chest piece doesn’t quite match with the rest of the outfit, but it does reflect traditional Amazon armor. The outfit as a whole looks like Wonder Woman yet gives it a fresh new look, far different than any other outfit we have seen.
Next up the story is the tightest, most focused so far. We know the mission, the purpose, and what the characters must accomplish. On top of Yara, which I will come back to in a second, Wonder Woman 1 surrounds Yara with the most colorful and entertaining supporting cast. They do not just give her a pegasus to ride. They give her a pegasus she can communicate with and it’s obvious both have minds of their own, regardless of what the other thinks. Their back and forth remind me of an R2-D2/C-3PO companionship. Caipora plays right into Yara’s personality and their banter really sheds light on their past history and lightens the whole comic. Even the little Hades desk clerk plays into the humor as Caipora distracts him.
Wonder Woman 1 – Keep Yara Going!
The Future State comics are meant to be an intermission for the DC universe. They give a quick side trip in either time or character as Death Metal concludes. DC might choose to keep some characters around, but most will likely fade into obscurity or return as younger characters who grow into what we see now.
Yara needs to stay! The thing I love most about Wonder Woman 1 is Yara. She is quick-witted, a bit of smart ass, and determined as hell. In many ways, she provides a breath of fresh air. I have not enjoyed the Wonder Woman title as of late. The writing gets very boring, stale, and lifeless. Yara provides an amazing counter to all of that. Her back and forth with pretty much everything in the book made me at least smile if not laugh. It truly feels like this is a character the writers are having fun with, and it shows. I can’t wait for the second issue.
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