Wonder Woman #31: The War Commences

Wonder Woman #31 picks up the main ongoing narrative after the primary creative team took a couple of issues off. This issue unfolds in the aftermath of DC K.O. while also building upon everything that writer Tom King and artist Daniel Sampere have been developing since the start of their run. While the narrative itself mainly takes place in the future, the issue frequently pauses to catch readers up on the events in Trinity and the Matriarch’s lives as they grew up during the twenty years between the present day and this point in time. All of this culminates in the beginning of what feels like a dramatic conclusion to this run… although there has been no indication that this story arc is meant to serve as an ending.

The main reason this issue feels like the beginning of the end for King and Sampere’s run is that it truly feels like the culmination of everything that came before. The run essentially began in Wonder Woman #800, which featured a story set entirely in the future that now almost feels like a moment taking place shortly before this issue. It was later revealed that the events of that issue were the story the Sovereign was telling Lizzie throughout the first dozen or so issues. The arc that followed centered on Diana tracking down a missing Amazon and her daughter, Lyssa, while frequent flashes to the future showcased Lyssa’s eventual transformation into the evil Matriarch. All of that now seems to have been building toward this arc, the Wonder War, which is why it feels so much like a conclusion rather than simply another chapter.

The main plot of this issue revolves around how the Wonder War truly begins. It is quickly revealed that the story takes place after the glimpses of this future that were shown previously, where the Matriarch has already killed the Justice League and taken over the world. While King and Sampere do a great job portraying Trinity and the Matriarch’s relationship during their adolescence, the larger concept of this dystopian future seems somewhat pushed to the background. This may be something that gets explored further down the road, but for now it raises several burning questions, such as how Jon Kent’s Superman and Damian Wayne’s Batman allowed the world to reach this point, and why they are only now willing to abandon their morals to take it back.

The sense that this is the beginning of a grand finale, combined with how the story begins, makes the issue feel a bit rushed. Perhaps not this specific issue itself, but rather the events that are now unfolding. This feels like a natural destination for the story; however, it also feels like there should have been a few more arcs bridging the gap. Even the events of the excellent Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman miniseries feel somewhat pushed aside in favor of jumping headfirst into this dystopian future, rather than gradually building toward it.

If you set that baggage aside, the issue does read very strongly. By the end, the story twists and turns in ways that few readers will expect, resulting in a satisfying start to this arc that sets the stakes very high and promises big developments moving forward. But we’re in an era where comic book issues are often treated as parts of a larger whole. Sometimes that whole is a one- or two-issue arc, while other times it encompasses an entire run. Regardless, it is impossible to look at Wonder Woman #31 without viewing it as another chapter in this run. And while it may be strong in isolation, when viewed as part of the whole, it raises some concerns.