The Wonder Girl series kicked off with a strong debut for Yara Flor as the title character. While Yara still isn’t staking claim to the name Wonder Girl we got her start as she returned to Brazil for the first time as a young adult. In returning to her home country we got a glimpse as to her origin, the South American Amazons, and mythology. With Yara Flor on the road to becoming Wonder Girl how will the rest of the DC Universe deal with this? Let’s find out with Wonder Girl #2.
Writer: Joelle Jones
Artists: Joelle Jones and Adriana Melo
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: Under water Yara Flor is completely mesmerized by Iara. Yara learns that Iara was a great Brazilian warrior who Iara’s father held in high regard and dismissed her brothers. Because of this Iara’s brothers plotted to murder Iara but where instead killed by the Iara. Iara ran away when this happened and was chased by her father. Iara’s father eventually caught and tossed Iara into the water but instead of dying Iara became a sea creature.
Iara uses her powers to bestow on Yara with magical golden boleadoras to set Yara on her hero path.
Yara suddenly jumps out of the water of Iguacu Falls back onto the pier. People check on Yara and call for an ambulance as she passes out.
Over in Band-Mighdall, Egypt, the Prophetess of Ma’at tells Queen Faruka about the prophesy that speaks on a child whose direction can either spell the salvation or destruction of Bana-Mghdall. Queen Faruka tells Artemis that she has already sent assassins to take care of this possible threat. Artemis convinces Queen Faruka to reluctantly let her go after the prophesized child.
At Foz Do Iguasu, some paramedics have helped Yara recover. Joao promises to help Yara get a flight back to her hotel so she can get some rest.
At the Hall of Justice in Washington D.C., Queen Hippolyta tells Cassandra Sandsmark about the rise a new Amazon they all sensed. Cassandra volunteers to go find her and prevent harm from coming to her. Hippolyta tells Cassandra the Amazon is in Brazil but can’t give any more details on the exact location.
Somewhere over Brazil, Yara deals with some motion sickness on a plane but is able to calm done a bit by talking with Joao. The lights on the plane suddenly turn off. When they turn on an Amazon appears and calls out Yara. Yara stands up and punches the Amazon. To Yara’s surprise the one punch knocks out the Amazon.
Another Amazon appears and calls Yara a danger to all Amazons. Yara kicks the serving cart the Amazon was trying to use as a battering ram. Not realizing her own strength Yara kicks the serving cart through the side of the plane.
Due to the damage the pilots start to lose control of the plane.
Meanwhile it is shown the Cassandra and Artemis separately look for Yara in various Brazilian cities. Eventually they both end up in Ri De Janeiro.
Cassandra finds Kevin (the vlogger who was in Yara’s travel group). Before Cassandra can ask Kevin a question Artemis attacks her and they start fighting as they are both after the mysterious Amazon.
The two Amazons that attacked Yara earlier suddenly appear and tell both Artemis and Cassandra that they are no longer needed.
Elsewhere, the Olympian Gods’ Eros (whose arrows can make the person hit by them to fall in love with the first person they see) and Zephyros (God of the West Wind) save the plane Yara is on from crashing. When he sees Yara coming out of the plan Eros decides not to hit her with one of his arrows. End of issue.
The Good: Having Yara Flor slowing become part of the Wonder Woman mythology has made the beginning of Joelle Jones run on Wonder Girl a fun experience. Jones is capturing how we are on a journey with Yara Flor as a new character rising to importance within the DC Universe. This allows there to be an anticipation for when Yara finally becomes Wonder Girl to be a big moment for the character and series.
The big thing I appreciate about how Jones has started this Wonder Girl series is how immediately she is bringing in different forms of mythology into Yara’s journey. We’ve seen how closely tied the DC Universe’s Amazons have been tied to Greek Mythology. That continues with Wonder Girl #2 as we see that everyone has been alerted to Yara Flor returning to her roots and how she is part of a great prophecy. Seeing lesser-known Olympic Gods like Eros and Zephyros along with Queen Hippolyta helps keeps this series connected to Wonder Woman.
Along with that Yara is presenting Jones and DC Comics a chance to expand on the Wonder Woman franchise by going into South American, specifically Brazilian, mythology. The opening with Yara meeting and learning about Iara, who is a Lady of the Lake type mythic figure, was a good way to tap into what the Amazons of the Amazon bring to the table. Having Iara be the one that gave Yara her magical golden boleadoras a nice touch to show how Yara is tied to the various Brazilian myths just like Diana is tied with Greek myths.
At the same time not having Yara immediately transform into Wonder Girl when she got her magical golden boleadoras was the right choice. Having a slow build with Yara discovering her ties to the Amazons of the Amazon, Brazilian myths, and her own natural powers is all part of her hero journey. This makes her own surprise over how strong she is when taking on the two Amazons of the Amazon come across as a genuine shock to Yara. It places more questions as to where her hero journey will take her as destiny seems to be playing some role in what she is doing.
Bringing in the current Wonder Girl in Cassandra Sandsmark to be the one Queen Hippolyta assigns to find Yara was a good choice. It shows that at the very least Yara’s introduction does not mean that Cassie or Donna will be forgotten about. Having Cassie is the current Wonder Girl and actively trying to support Yara will do a lot for both characters. It also puts into question what Cassie’s own future is as she is going to be on her own journey that puts her against Artemis, other Amazons, and Gods.
Speaking of, Jones did a very good job juggling the amount of characters that are in Wonder Girl #2 while still making Yara the star of the show. Each character outside of Yara is given just enough screen time to make how Artemis and others are also looking for Yara. Jones is also making all these characters involvement be kept up in the air in terms of if they will be allies or antagonists for Yara to face in the future. There is enough there with all sides involved that you are left wondering how Yara will deal with everyone that is coming after her.
Jones artwork for all of the Yara Flor segments in Wonder Girl #2 continue to be stunning. She does a great job making Iara immediately appear as this great mythic figure with the way she moved in the water and around Yara. The sense of movement made the entire scene work. It all made the power that Yara felt when she got her magical golden boleadoras. The ending plane crash also worked to get over how terrifying it was when it was going down and how a God interference save it from crashing horribly.
The Bad: While Adriana Melo’s artwork is not bad by itself it does not mesh well at all with Jones distinct style. It made the scenes not involving Yara come across as not feeling part of the story going on in Wonder Girl #2. Since the scene with and without Yara were spread out going back and forth between Jones and Melo’s artwork hurt the overall flow of this issue.
Overall: Wonder Girl #2 does a good job continuing the heroes journey that Yara Flor has just begun to walk. Here we get her one step closer to her greater destiny. At the same time, we see how Yara getting closer to becoming Wonder Girl is causing a lot of attention from the different Amazon branches and Gods of different mythologies. It all comes together well to build anticipation for what plans Joelle Jones has next for Wonder Girl.
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