SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

April 17, 2010 by Katherine Dacey

Review: Wonder Woman: Trial of the Amazons

April 17, 2010 by Katherine Dacey   Leave a Comment

Though Wonder Woman was originally created as a role model for young girls, it’s been a long time since DC produced Wonder Woman comics for that demographic. Recognizing the character’s enduring appeal as a symbol of female strength, however, DC has been making a concerted effort to develop more age-appropriate stories for Wonder Woman’s youngest fans. DC recently teamed up with Capstone Publishing to produce a series of four Wonder Woman chapter books, the first of which is Trial of the Amazons.

Wonder Woman: Trial of the Amazons
Written by Michael Dahl, Illustrated by Dan Schoening, Created by William Moulton Marston
Ages: 6 – 9
Stone Arch Books, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-4342-1883-4
56 pp., $18.99

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Trial of the Amazons covers familiar territory, telling the story of how Diana, Princess of Themyscira, became Wonder Woman. When a military plane crashes into the ocean near the Amazons’ homeworld, Diana rescues its unconscious male pilot, creating a scandal. (Legends foretell Themyscira’s demise if any man sets foot on its shores.) Diana seeks permission to return the pilot home, a request that her mother, Queen Hippolyta, denies. Recognizing the important role an Amazon could play in ending human conflict, however, Hippolyta organizes a contest to determine which warrior will be tasked with escorting the pilot back to "man’s world" and joining the fight for truth and justice. Diana, eager for a chance to distinguish herself, dons a disguise and enters the trials.

Parents hoping for a girl-friendly Wonder Woman comic should keep in mind that Trial of the Amazons is a traditional chapter book with a handful of full-color illustrations. The story has been divided into five short chapters, with a glossary of terms and an appendix that illuminates the Amazons’ classical roots. To make the text look a little more attractive — and remind readers of Wonder Woman’s comic-book origins — sound effects punctuate the text, rendered in bright, eye-catching letters. The story itself is told in a straightforward, if somewhat pedestrian manner, that’s appropriate for readers making the transition from picture books to straight prose.

Illustrator Dan Schoening has gone to great pains to match the style that DC has been using for its animated Justice League properties, giving Wonder Woman a lean, angular look that emphasizes her athleticism and beauty without overly sexualizing her. His artwork is competent, but, like Michael Dahl’s prose, not inspired. Schoening provides next to no background detail for each illustration, giving them appearance of cells from an animated TV show. Though he favors dramatic perspective to draw viewers into the frame, too often, Schoening applies a soft-focus filter to background objects that makes them look blurry, rather than farther away. It’s a shame that these illustrations aren’t more captivating, as the book’s packaging — its cover, leaves, and appendix — suggest a dynamic, exciting approach to telling Wonder Woman’s story.

I wished I liked Trial of the Amazons better, as I think DC has been neglecting Wonder Woman’s original fanbase for too long, offering girls plenty of Wonder Woman merchandise but very little in the way of age-appropriate stories. This book, however, seems calculated to appeal to parents more than kids; it’s both earnest and dull, making Wonder Woman seem like more a Girl Scout than a superhero. It’s not terrible by any means, but it lacks the humor and energy of DC’s most recent kid-friendly efforts (i.e. Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade, Tiny Titans). Recommended only for Wonder Woman fanatics or reluctant readers with a superhero fixation.

Review copy provider by the publisher.

Filed under: Reviews, Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Katherine Dacey

Katherine Dacey has been reviewing comics since 2006. From 2007 to 2008, she was the Senior Manga Editor at PopCultureShock, a site covering all aspects of the entertainment industry from comics to video games. In 2009, she launched The Manga Critic, where she focuses primarily on Japanese comics and novels in translation. Katherine lives and works in the Greater Boston area, and is a musicologist by training.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

October 2022

Review: Parachute Kids

by Katherine Dacey

July 2011

Review: Drawing From Memory

by Katherine Dacey

May 2011

Review: The Zabime Sisters

by Katherine Dacey

May 2011

First Second Reviews

by Katherine Dacey

March 2011

Review: Skullkickers, vol 1

by Katherine Dacey

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Books on Film: Jason Reynolds on CBS Mornings

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

“The nature of healing is unpredictable.” An Andrew Knapp Interview About Find Momo

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

The Boy from Clearwater | Excerpt

by Brigid Alverson

Heavy Medal

Poetry Round-Up: Newbery possibilities featuring wordplay, wit, and poetic insights for kids

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Be That Way: Art as Play, a guest post by Hope Larson

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Peter Brown Visits The Yarn to talk about The Wild Robot Protects

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

A Woman’s Place Is in a Graphic Novel: Outstanding Works for Young Readers Center Women in History

Graphic Novels Extend Their Frontiers

SPONSORED

4 Adult Crossover Titles for Teens to Read This Summer | We Are Kid Lit Collective

Nine Funny Graphic Novels About Talking Animals | Stellar Panels

Sneak Peek: SLJ Best Books 2020

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023