Trial of the Amazons #2 // Review
Doom’s Doorway has surfaced, revealing one of the greatest threats that has ever visited Themyscira: Chaos itself. It’s a good thing all of the surviving warriors are there to meet that threat in Trial of the Amazons #2. The seven-part multi-title crossover reaches its conclusion in an issue written by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Vita Ayala, Stephanie Williams, and Joëlle Jones with art by Elena Casagrande, Laura Braga, Skylar Patridge, Adriana Melo, and Joëlle Jones. When so many people work together on a single issue, the final product can feel like an awkward patchwork. Editors Brittany Holzherr and Chris Rosa have put together a conclusion that feels remarkably fluid from beginning to end.
Chaos has emerged from Doom’s Doorway. It’s angry. It’s ready to unleash an oily, viscous darkness all over everything as it takes over Amazon warriors who turn on their sisters with darkness in their eyes. The only way to defeat a god is with powerful magical artifacts. Thankfully, Themyscira has a very well-stocked enchanted armory. It may be enough to defeat the Chaos, but at what cost? And what of the woman who murdered Hippolyte? She’s one of the most distinguished Amazon warriors. Can they afford to battle Chaos itself without her?
The finale of the crossover is essentially an issue-length battle. There is a hell of a lot going on in the course of the battle, though. With so many writers involved, the rhythm of the issue narrowly avoids feeling WAY too cluttered. So much has happened since Diana’s last brush with Chaos that there really hasn’t been sufficient build-up to the climax in the issue. There isn’t enough tying it into the rest of the crossover to make it feel grounded. That being said, it’s really fun to see all three nations of Amazons fighting one big threat together in a conflict that can’t help but bring them together.
Not all of the artwork balances perfectly well with each other. Elena Casagrande’s stylish slashes and splashes are very sharp mirror shadow of Joëlle Jones’ very similar work. Chaos itself has a very cool, demonic Giger-esque xenomorph look about it in the hands of Casagrande and Jones. Some of the rest of the action works quite well. A large two-page spread near the middle of everything has nearly every major Amazon locked into an impressive tapestry of combat. Jones carries some fun moments at the end of the issue. A clever dialogue between Diana and Yara Flor is given brilliant comic nuance that lends the issue some deeply enjoyable levity.
Themyscira has been through a lot. Back in the Golden Age, Wonder Woman was forced to lift the entirety of the island right out of the ocean on more than one occasion. (Paradise Island had a decoy. It was weird.) Back in the 1990s, John Byrne had the entire island nearly decimated by Darkseid. Decades later, it emerges from a massive battle with Chaos itself. The smoke clears, and there’s only one Wonder Woman title left...and a big coronation issue that’s coming next month.
