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red_cat9's review against another edition
4.0
Amazing, unique artwork that I would love to see more of. The character is much different than we have come to know more recently.
themyskira's review against another edition
2.0
oh my god, Jill Thompson, why?
This is... 120-odd pages of utterly gorgeous, magical, expressive watercolour art, wasted on a deeply unpleasant perversion of Wonder Woman's origins. Thompson takes the classic elements of Diana's heroic origin - the contest, the masked girl who emerges as victor, the tiara, the costume, the bracelets and lasso, the journey forth into Man's World - and transform them into sources of shame and disgust, symbols of Diana's revolting self-absorption and failure. It's not a heroic origin; it's the story of a complete monster-child getting her comeuppance.
There's merit in the idea of exploring Wonder Woman's childhood failings and hard-learned lessons, but Thompson takes the concept to such an extreme, her Diana zooms straight past "relatable" territory and headlong into "despicable". She's a greedy, petty, selfish, vain, cruel, pampered bully who "[delights] in tormenting those who [serve] her" and gleefully murders monsters for loot and glory.
And while, again, there's nothing wrong in theory with a story about a thoroughly unlikeable and selfish character who, through disgrace and exile, learns what it is to be a true hero... That's not Wonder Woman. That's never been Wonder Woman.
1.5 stars.
This is... 120-odd pages of utterly gorgeous, magical, expressive watercolour art, wasted on a deeply unpleasant perversion of Wonder Woman's origins. Thompson takes the classic elements of Diana's heroic origin - the contest, the masked girl who emerges as victor, the tiara, the costume, the bracelets and lasso, the journey forth into Man's World - and transform them into sources of shame and disgust, symbols of Diana's revolting self-absorption and failure. It's not a heroic origin; it's the story of a complete monster-child getting her comeuppance.
There's merit in the idea of exploring Wonder Woman's childhood failings and hard-learned lessons, but Thompson takes the concept to such an extreme, her Diana zooms straight past "relatable" territory and headlong into "despicable". She's a greedy, petty, selfish, vain, cruel, pampered bully who "[delights] in tormenting those who [serve] her" and gleefully murders monsters for loot and glory.
And while, again, there's nothing wrong in theory with a story about a thoroughly unlikeable and selfish character who, through disgrace and exile, learns what it is to be a true hero... That's not Wonder Woman. That's never been Wonder Woman.
1.5 stars.
saraubs's review against another edition
3.0
I have a hard time reading comic books, especially when they sit somewhere in the middle. This undoubtedly comes from a lack of experience - both in reading and critically evaluating. I'm no art-critic (though I do appreciate art and try my best to wrap my head around what artists are trying to accomplish whenever the occasion arises) and it's hard to deconstruct something when you're woefully short on comparative material. That being said, even if I don't always know *why* I like something, I can at least express an opinion ;)
The most of I can say about this story is that I liked it; I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. It was "good". Not heaping praise, I know, and definitely not what I was hoping for, but I'm glad that I got to read it. The artwork was gorgeous and I just really like Wonder Woman and the band of completely badass women from Themyscira - I could read about them in a thousand permutations. For me, the story line was predictable and required very little thought, but those kinds of stories are not always *bad*. Reading this was a nice way to pass some time over my Christmas holiday, and sometimes that's all you need.
The most of I can say about this story is that I liked it; I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. It was "good". Not heaping praise, I know, and definitely not what I was hoping for, but I'm glad that I got to read it. The artwork was gorgeous and I just really like Wonder Woman and the band of completely badass women from Themyscira - I could read about them in a thousand permutations. For me, the story line was predictable and required very little thought, but those kinds of stories are not always *bad*. Reading this was a nice way to pass some time over my Christmas holiday, and sometimes that's all you need.
jelundberg's review against another edition
5.0
Phenomenally written and illustrated, with a story so heartbreaking that it literally brought me to tears. DC should just go ahead and give the title of Most Definitive Wonder Woman Origin Story to Jill Thompson right now.
anttirask's review against another edition
4.0
Jill Thompson is no stranger to big titles, having illustrated issues of The Invisibles (written by [a: Grant Morrison|12732|Grant Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1311378308p2/12732.jpg]), Swamp Thing (written by [a: Mark Millar|12736|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1266561940p2/12736.jpg]), The Sandman (written by [a: Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg]) and yes, Wonder Woman (written by [a: George Pérez|1425345|George Pérez|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] (among others)). Now with this book (that she is also the writer of) she had the opportunity to retell the origin story of Wonder Woman. This book was released some months before the Wonder Woman movie premiere and although I read it after a year or so after seeing the movie, I couldn't help but compare/contrast these different portrayals of Wonder Woman.
Without giving too much away plot-wise, I liked the way Thompson combines greek mythology and a classic structure of a coming-of-age story. Also this feels like an interesting study of how an only child - a concept taken to the extreme, because Diana is the only child on the whole island of Themyscira - with an exceptional background and gifts can/has to come to grips with the fact that actions have consequences.
Thompson draws the story in a way that evokes feelings of reading a (good) illustrated children's book. All in all the book is a coherent whole and is as good of an origin story for Wonder Woman as any that I've seen so far.
Without giving too much away plot-wise, I liked the way Thompson combines greek mythology and a classic structure of a coming-of-age story. Also this feels like an interesting study of how an only child - a concept taken to the extreme, because Diana is the only child on the whole island of Themyscira - with an exceptional background and gifts can/has to come to grips with the fact that actions have consequences.
Thompson draws the story in a way that evokes feelings of reading a (good) illustrated children's book. All in all the book is a coherent whole and is as good of an origin story for Wonder Woman as any that I've seen so far.
alya_in_storybrooke's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the book but there could've been more to the story.
And SPOILER** the Author killed off the character I liked. WHY!?.
And SPOILER** the Author killed off the character I liked. WHY!?.
shoggoth_roof's review against another edition
4.0
Esta historia nos cuenta cómo nació y creció Diana y el porqué de su partida de Themiscira hacia el mundo de los mortales. Me gusta cómo dota de personalidad a las amazonas, cada una con sus inquietudes y carácter y como tanto el dibujo como el color te evoca esa isla mágica.
Una historia muy agradable que refuerza las motivaciones de Wonder Woman para ser así.
Una historia muy agradable que refuerza las motivaciones de Wonder Woman para ser así.
mymessytbr's review against another edition
2.0
It’s a different take on WW’s origin story. Nothing too special other than Diana being an absolute dick of a child, not sure I like that.
fionak's review against another edition
3.0
A quick read. I'm bored by all these re-imaginings at this point.