Comic book spoilers are a curious thing. Often the last page of a book will be revealed on the cover. Or solicits will explain what happens in a cliffhanger, three months in advance. That’s sort of what seemed to be happening with Wonder Woman #14 from DC Comics. Except the major plot beats revealed in solicits and previews pale in comparison to the powerfully emotional story writer Tom King and artist Daniel Sampere are telling in this issue.
I’m going to get into those spoilers here, so fair warning. Yes, Steve Trevor, the love of Wonder Woman’s life is killed by The Sovereign, the King of America, who WW has been fighting since issue one of this volume. And yes, Trinity, the daughter of Wonder Woman, is born by the end of this issue. But the point of the comic, pointedly titled “What Is The Point Of Steve Trevor?” is to prove why the two characters mean so much to each other, and why characters like Steve Trevor are important to the DC Universe as a whole.
Sure, there’s a fair bit of trolling here, and at times it can seem like Tom King is writing this purposefully to poke the bear on internet message boards. And the eventual conclusion about Steve Trevor will likely be as hotly debated as some of the choices here (don’t worry, there are plenty of surprises in between those two major plot points).
But the structure of the issue leans into Diana’s emotional journey as she tries to prevent Steve’s death, and then deals — or not — with the outcome. Sampere is an incredible asset in these latter scenes. Moments of quiet grief are given the space they need in this oversized issue — it’s 30 pages, without the usual backup story — and hit like a punch to the gut.
What’s most laudable though is the idea King plays with that grief, the loss of a loved one, is a universal feeling. This is not about knocking Wonder Woman down to a human level… For the past 13 issues, The Sovereign has been aiming to do that, and failing at every turn. Diana is not human, Steve Trevor is, and there’s still very much a contrast there. But even gods can rage and cry, and that’s what we see as Wonder Woman goes through every possible stage of grief in a mystical way that only a descendant of Greek Gods can.
The other laudable part of this? Despite having the same team on the book, and continuing a story that began over a year ago, this DC All In issue really does feel like a fresh start. It’s deeply tied to continuity, both in terms of the greater DC Universe and the Wonder Woman title. But it’s impressive how accessible it is, despite all that. The Sovereign story will continue, but at times this feels like a tour of the DCU post-Absolute Power. You get plenty of cameos and Easter eggs, and it’s setting up big things going forward.
But again, what makes this work is that the issue is about Diana and Steve, Steve and Diana. It’s a romance that’s been baked into the DC Universe nearly since the beginning. And while we know it’s likely not the end — we’ve all been reading comics for too long to think Steve is gone forever — it is the end, for now. Though when it comes to this title, it’s a new beginning. So yes, things were “spoiled” in advance. But what wasn’t spoiled is the most important part, the emotional journey our title character goes through… The same one you will, while reading this issue.
Wonder Woman #14 Rating:
Wonder Woman #14 Official Synopsis:
STEVE TREVOR’S LAST STAND AND THE BIRTH OF A HERO! With the tide of the war against the Sovereign turning, Wonder Woman’s greatest love takes matters into his own hands with deadly consequences. Could Steve’s end be the beginning of Diana’s greatest adventure yet? Behold the birth of Trinity!
Comic Book Club Live Info:
Discover more from Comic Book Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.