Young Justice #19: The Pantheon Trials of Wonder Girl

Young Justice #19 is about Cassandra Sandsmark, the granddaughter of Zeus and protégé of Wonder Woman, known on earth on Wonder Girl. She’s a tough teen with a mind of her own who looks to Young Justice for help with a family problem.

The opening scene establishes her as a teen shirking responsibilities as she experiences disappointment from an adult for being a no-show on the job and seeking an opportunity for redemption.

Immediately afterward, her grandfather seeks her out in human form and expresses further disappointments about owning up to what he feels are her responsibilities. The dialogue with her grandfather shows a very human relationship with the pressure expected from being part of a “certain family.” The close-up shots support the tension filled conversation. Superhero or not, we see typical teenage rebellion with her snarky responses during their talk.

Without spoiling what comes next, their talk sets up the emergence of a new conflict where Cassie has the opportunity to prove herself to Zeus and to acknowledge things she’d rather leave hidden.

She seeks out support from her friends who agree that her “gramps is a supreme pain.” The struggle about her identity and with her family relationships is clear as wants to make the best decisions for herself.

The full-page action scene that follows introduces a new conflict is filled with amazing graphics and use of color that says so much about her reality and struggle without a single word.

Young Justice #19 shows that as Cassie’s gotten older, she’s grappling with who she wants to be and what she wants to stand for. The ending is ripe for a sequel with the implications of the choice she makes.