The day has finally come to learn how Trinity was born and who the father is taking place in Wonder Woman #14. Tom King has been writing fun and funny backups with Belén Ortega to flesh her out, but how she was born has remained a mystery. Until this week. As King and artist Daniel Sampere told me, it’s an origin they take super seriously.
Wonder Woman #14 opens with Diana entering the sea. The new supervillain, The Sovereign, continues to narrate, and on the second page, the reveal is dropped: Steve Trevor is murdered. The Sovereign has been trying to break Wonder Woman for multiple issues, and it seems his final try is to kill the love of her life.
So begins an epic journey as Wonder Woman mourns for many days. As the story jumps around, we gather why Steve died, how he supported her till the bitter end, and what Wonder Woman does in response to his death. By jumping around in the story, we get to see apt moments like Diana connecting with Bruce and Clark or how the Wonder Girls are taking it. Her friends are worried about her, but she must go on this journey alone.
That journey gets a bit godlike, and while Trevor’s death will likely not be permanent, Sampere and King make it feel hugely impactful and important at this moment. By the end of the issue, you feel like the connection between Diana and Steve is strong and as close to true love as it gets. So close it spawns a child.
Death of a hero.
Credit: DC Comics
I won’t spoil the eventual reveal of how Trinity is born, but let’s say it’s apt for a Wonder Woman story. In the final touching moment, Sampere shows us Trinity is the culmination of total love and devotion, as well as a recourse to help recover from Steve’s loss. It’s a fitting and touching final moment that comes together nicely.
Speaking of Sampere’s art, there’s once again tons of great character acting which has been a staple of this run. When Sampere shows Wonder Woman at her weakest, she’s somehow still as valiant and stable as ever. Her tears and sorrow is natural and a part of the process of returning to her strongest form.
The colors by Tomeu Morey are also excellent. They have a level of depth and detail that lifts up Sampere’s art and makes it all the more realistic. For instance, a scene in a cemetery shows a nice variance in the grass and trees. The coloring of a t-shirt comes alive under Morey.
The plot structure of this issue works, although I do have my reservations. When a story jumps around so much, it sometimes hides holes or is used to keep your attention up. Could this story work linearly? Probably, but would it be filled with as many surprises as you turn the page? Probably not.
Wonder Woman #14 beautifully articulates the birth of Trinity is formed by true love and loss. This is an issue of mourning and seeing how a hero grieves so that she may rise back up stronger than ever. Based on the final page, the loss of her love has only made her stronger.
You must be logged in to post a comment.