Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed

Gr 8 Up–Anderson and del Duca offer a grounded take on Wonder Woman, depicting her as a young woman finding herself and learning how to effect change in the world. Though being the only daughter of the queen of Themyscira Island’s Amazon warriors and coming of age in a society composed solely of strong, capable adult warriors are challenging, Diana awakens on her 16th birthday finally feeling ready to become a full-fledged Amazon. But when the barrier hiding Themyscira is breached by fleeing refugees, Diana is carried away from her secluded home into the world beyond. Now, she must reckon with previously unfamiliar problems such as poverty, the human cost of war, and systemic injustice. Anderson’s fish-out-of-water narrative, combined with del Duca’s endearingly expressive character art, results in a likable, relatable Diana. The story touches on troubling social issues such as homelessness and human trafficking and even gestures toward some concrete responses, both individual and collective. However, rather than being a story about a superhero solving the world’s problems, this is the tale of a young woman undergoing personal change and a social awakening, shaping and testing her values in an unjust society.