Review: Wonder Girl #7 (Final Issue)
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Joelle Jones
Art: Leila Del Duca
Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
The pieces of the puzzle come together for Yara Flor as she learns who killed her mother and why. Plus, Cassie Sandsmark steps up to forge Yara’s future path.
Positives
With Wonder Girl #7 we get the final chapter of what is essentially Yara Flor’s origin story. As the issue culminates and the emotional beats of the story play out, it lands as a very good origin for a Wonder Woman. We know that Yara was originally conceived of as the next Wonder Woman for the abandoned 5G initiative only to become the Wonder Woman of Future State. It’s very easy to imagine Yara becoming the main Wonder Woman of the DC Universe at some point.
Once again, Leila Del Duca’s style is similar enough to that of Joelle Jones that there isn’t a jarring visual change throughout the series. Jordie Bellaire’s colors tie everything together to maintain that visual look and atmosphere of the book.
Seeing Cassie step up at the end to intervene on Yara’s behalf with Zeus is an interesting choice. It solidifies the idea that all the Wonder Girls are family. Cassie and Donna Troy have bonded over the years, but Yara is new to both of them. Cassie sees a kindred spirit in Yara and lots of similarities in their respective situations as demigoddesses. There’s a huge amount of potential for Donna, Cassie and Yara to bond and form a sisterhood of sorts, the potential is limitless.
Negatives
It’s disappointing to see that this is the last issue of this Wonder Girl series. While these seven issues have been enjoyable, there’s even more potential that we are missing out on because of the cancellation. The most obvious of these are the relationship to be forged with Cassie and Donna and the further exploration of her Brazilian heritage and the Brazilian Amazons.
This series was plagued with delays, that seem to have either rushed or chopped up the story. The shift from Brazilian folklore in issue #3 to her sudden abduction to Olympus changed the tone of the series quite drastically, leaving the resolution in Wonder Girl #7 feeling like we’ve missed part of Yara’s background, despite the incidentals of the issue creating a solid motivation and development of her from seeker of her own truth to Wonder Girl.
And, while not being the fault of the creative team, DC included the major reveal of Yara’s mother’s killer in the previews of the issue. You may’ve already learned the killer’s identity. I’ve not spoiled it in case you haven’t seen it, but it really lessens the impact in the issue. It seems incredibly unfair to the creative team. It doesn’t make any sense why they would do this.
Verdict
Wonder Girl #7 provides some satisfying moments for Yara Flor’s origin, but leaves additional threads open for exploration that may or may not be seen due to the cancellation of the series. If this issue doesn’t quite land, I think a reread of the entire series in one sitting will prove helpful, though it won’t flesh out all of Yara and the Esquecida’s history.
