Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Amazons Attack #6

The last issue which made all readers scream foul when they came to the surprise ending.

SPOILERS AHEAD


Hippolyta screams like a mad woman for her daughter while Diana confronts Circe. Naturally they have to mention Batman and despite knowing Circe is depowered she merely hits her. Instead of using the lasso. She still talks to Circe bragging about how she'd die faster without powers. Yeah, that's not Wonder Woman. Sure she killed Max Lord when he was helpless but that was because he told her the only way to free Superman was to kill him. She's not someone that loves killing.

Hippolyta attacks Diana which doesn't make sense if Diana is correct and Circe's hold is gone with her magic. (Although Diana could have attempted to free her mother before with her lasso that can remove mind control.) She reasons with her mother and Batman has the sense to make sure Superman doesn't interfere this time. Poly drops her sword then Circe instantly gets her powers back. Gee, if only Diana had restrained her. Anyway because Circe loves explaining herself she complains that this whole thing was about her. Ares took their daughter which I recall him doing because he suspected something was coming (Infinite Crisis?) and wanting to make sure they survived. I'm pretty sure Circe left by his side. But she's claiming that didn't happen here. She also talks about giving up a fraction of her soul to bring Polly back but doesn't that mess with her origin with Hercate?

She raves about how Poly is like her which doesn't fit with anything we've seen. Poly acted like she was brainwashed or kill crazy. Then she stopped when she came to her senses thanks to Diana, that's not Circe like. I did get a kick out of Batman trying to sneak up on her again then getting zapped. "Athena" arrives, Circe mocks her for allowing everything to happen. Something happens to Circe, "Athena" claims she's in Hades (that's a God not a place in the afterlife. Maybe she means she gave Circe to him?) She calls out the Amazons for their behavior: Phillipus and Artemis for conspiring to stop Poly but not doing anything. Claiming their not human and acted wrong. Which they did but the other part is bull.

The island is taken away and all the Amazons except Diana and maybe Cassie are scattered over the world. "Athena" gives more B.S. lectures to the crowd before giving the heroes a scolding. For their recklessness (Cassie/Kara). Sarge Steel even though we barely saw him in this. Batman for being obsessed with fighting instead of figuring out how to not fight. Which I only agree with because of him ignoring Diana and having Clark take her out of the earlier right with her mother. We get silent panels, one with the league giving Diana judgemental looks after "Athena" leaves.

"Athena" sees the Amazons in normal lives with no idea of their identity while Poly sits alone on the island. Which is a concept that could work...in theory.  Amazons feeling conflicted over what life to live would be great. But this whole series was just a set up for another series. "Athena" is really Granny Goodness and this is to spring board into Countdown.



Overall: You know there was potential in the idea of Amazons fighting America. From what I remember hearing about this series I believed it was pitched by Rucka around Infinite Crisis. I don't know how it would have come about but you can bet the Amazons wouldn't have be portrayed so horribly. During Rucka's run Diana was an ambassador for her people. The U.S. did have some mistrust of the Amazons and the conflict would have felt more natural. This series depends on you knowing nothing of canon and believing everyone is an idiot for it to work.

Using continuity could have worked wonders for adding depth. The JSA for example are shown in the background with the superheroes. Hippolyta was Wonder Woman during War World 2 thanks to time travel and was a member of the team. Yet it's never brought up when having a scene with Alan or the other older members trying to reason with her would have added another POV for her character besides the bloodthirsty woman we see here.

Amazons don't act like Amazons and it's not clear why. Circe controls Hippolyta but she doesn't have a hold on Phillipus or Artemis. Yet every solider we see is all aboard never questioning the choices they make. They treat Circe like she's their ally despite their history with her. They murder innocents even children (who many Amazons are protective of and long for their own children.)

Wonder Woman barely factors into most of this story except for the end while male characters solve most of the conflicts and even hindering Diana from ending the war as if they know better. Linkara made this series look more entertaining than it is. Needless to say it's not a good series and made worse if you know Wonder Woman lore and the characters involved.

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