Words: Leigh Bardugo (original novel) Louise Simonson (graphic novel adaptation)
Art: Kit Seaton
Colors: Sara Woolley
Letters: Deron Bennett
Publisher: DC
Warbringer shows Diana at her finest: compassionate, creative, and… well, willing to break the rules. But always for good. The Warbringer World is set in modern times, but Diana is young and unfamiliar with the World of Men. Her first encounter comes as a burning boat, a wicked storm, and a young woman who may be the harbinger of the end of the world. Diana is merciful and tries to save her, but at what cost? The island shakes and breaks and Diana has to choose between her people or this young woman. Or does she!?
Alia comes from a cursed bloodline. She is descended from Helen of Troy, the woman whose face launched a thousand ships. But not in this universe! It was the power of Nemesis, whose blood ran through Helen’s veins. Alia is one of a long line of Helen’s descendants, known as Warbringers. They have powers that, if left unchecked, sow chaos and dissonance. Warbringers caused the World Wars, and the Amazon’s Oracle warns Diana that Alia must be killed.
“Screw you Oracle!” Diana shouts, challenging her and to loosely paraphrase her. “I’m going to do what I want! AND save the world AND not kill Alia!” So Diana takes off to save the day and embrace this new origin story!
Diana comes in fully fantastic as soon as she steps off the island. She meets the World of Man and greets it wisely, boldly, with mercy, and with a mean left hook (if needed). She and the other misfits of her entourage encourage and grow with each other. They become more than wealthy kids with strong fashion senses, but brave heroes with the powers of computer hacking and driving. It’s amazing what you can get done with those two skills!
Aside from the characters, Warbringer brings a level of compassion that always pulls me to Wonder Woman stories. Diana shares her wisdom with the crew, and this is where Warbringer thrives. Instead of glorifying the warriors of lore, Diana’s stories empathize with the victims and the losers. By reframing these myths, Diana honors those who were forgotten. Might also provide a warning against men with too much power…..
Wonder Woman: Warbringer is both a prose and graphic novel. Find it at your local comic store or locally owned-bookstore. It’s considered a DC Graphic Novel for Young Adults with a 16.99USD price point.
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