several different stories
The book opens up with a very intriguing story about Hippolyta. She's virtually all alone in her world save for a few that she has imprisoned. Her annual visits to them involve only asking a single question, "Do you repent?" to which all four of the captives refuse. Only one of the captives is identified but we aren't told about the rest of them nor the narrator of that section of the book. All the reader is told is that blood was shed by the sword of Hippolyta and now she has some of her own people imprisoned.
The captive that has bitter conversation with her queen is Alkyone. If we are to follow Greek mythology then Alkyone may be Alcyone, one of the Pleiades (a daughter of Atlas) who bore Poseidon several children. However, in the case of Themyscira, it is likely that she is simply named after that demigoddess.
The point of those first five pages seems to be that Hippolyta is keeping a secret from her daughter Diana as Alkyone urges her, "Then tell her. Let her decide. She deserves to know the truth!" Hippolyta refuses stating that whatever this secret is would only break her daughter's heart.
The book then jumps to Wonder Woman's battle with Grodd's superape army in Africa's Gorilla City.
Like everyone else, I was anxiously awaiting the pen of Gail Simone to see what this renowned female author could bring to the ultimate female superhero book. To be honest, it's not bad but it's not so magnificent that I jumped up and down for finally having a decent woman writing about Wonder Woman. I've gotten past the whole gender thing in this case. Jodi Picoult tried to steer the ship after Heinberg's mediocre start but the series has only stayed mediocre. There are awesome parts in the volume but they only seem to be tied in with Circe and the Amazons Attack story. The other interactions seem forced and Simone's new command is no different.
During a battle with a legion of super gorillas would Wonder Woman really pause to think about craving tropical fruit? It's absurd. After defeating the gorillas they become friends and Wonder Woman invites them back to her apartment - Agent Diana Prince's apartment - which just seems way too easy knowing how powerful Grodd is with mind control. The power of the magic lasso also seems to have gotten a major upgrade and later we see that there's a new invisible jet. Simone does give a couple of well placed humorous line such as when one of the primate warriors, Rhanda prophesies, "They will mate soon, if they haven't already," in regards to Nemesis and Diana.
The story breaks yet again as if there are three different tales to tell in 20 pages. Back at the DOMA offices, Agent Prince tries to blend in with the crowd as they throw her a birthday party. Sgt. Steel is colder than normal towards her. He has formed a new partnership with Lt. Colonel Candy somebody who is supposed to uncover any treason acts committed by Diana.
Meanwhile, Diana is still rather accepting of the "gift" from Circe which means that when she is Agent Prince, she's just a mortal woman and she can change into Wonder Woman at will. That leaves Diana quite vulnerable when she's partnered with Nemesis but her dialog doesn't indicate the fear that should naturally be there. Every time Nemesis makes a remark about protecting her, Diana's thoughts shrug if off. She is mortal! She knows she can't just spin in a circle to change into Wonder Woman once the bullets and punches start flying. She evens wants to step in and protect Nemesis from Captain Nazi which again seems absurd. She is incapable of that in human form unless readers are to believe that her human form is the a female equivalent to Batman.
I'm not sure where Gail Simone is taking this story. There seems to be too much going on at once which is either the fault of crossover madness by the editors or perhaps this is her style. I don't mean to come down hard on Simone but by issue #14, I expected this series to have a cohesive feel to it which other books usually find within the first three issues.
