Editor’s Note: This review unfortunately marks the last review for this series by Stella. If you currently read the series and are interested in reviewing the print issues as they release, please contact us at tbu@thebatmanuniverse.net. Reviews of this series will unfortunately cease until a replacement reviewer is found.
DC Comics Bombshells #10 collects the parts 28-30 of the digital-first series based on the popular DC Collectibles Bombshells statues. The tenth issue completes the ‘Allies and Enemies’ storyline. The story is written by Marguerite Bennett, and all three parts vary in artists.
THE STORY
Part 1: Artist: Lara Braga; Colorist: J. Nanjan; London, Peloponnese, Greece, 1940-The camp is surround by the Tenebrae, and while Wonder Woman attempts to gather all the living (Allied and Axis alike) in one place, the Allies let their hatred for their enemy overwhelm their desire for survival. After a rousing speech by Wonder Woman, she demands that the men submit to her and redeem themselves. There is a massive fight scene between living and dead, and the living win. Wonder Woman wants to make an alliance with Baroness, but the latter ends up leaving with a threat that she will destroy Themiscyra. Wonder Woman and Steve then fly off on a demonic flying horse and start a new mission.
Part 2: Artist: Marguerite Sauvage; Colorist: Jeremy Lawson; Berlin, Germany, 1940-Zatanna and Rabbit Constantine combine their magics and put their spirits into a giant dove. Elsewhere, Selina and Lex consider the current circumstances with Kate in Brother Night’s possession. There’s talk of trust, lots of flirting, and a discussion on pushing Kate to be the hero she is destined to be. Once Lex leaves, Helena pops out of the trunk of the car and threatens Selina so that they go to help Kate. And speaking of Kate, Brother Night tries to flatter her and use her position in Gotham. The Tenebrae aren’t concerned about race, religion, or sexual orientation. Kate creates a distraction, puts on her uniform and calls the families of Berlin to rise up and fight.
Part 3: Artist: Marguerite Sauvage; Colorist: Jeremy Lawson; Berlin, Germany, 1940-Selina and Helena leap into the fray with Selina’s car. The fight rages on with three Bombshells teaming up to fight the Tenebrae when suddenly the giant dove appears and attacks the Tenebrae and heals the injured. Brother Night escapes, threatening to do something terrible in London. After the fight, Helena stays in Berlin, while Selina boats Kate to London and Waller’s team. At the Cabaret of the Joker’s Daughter, the spirits of Zatanna and Rabbit Constantine return, but the Joker’s Daughter catches them and threatens to kill Constantine before Tenebrus arrives. Joker’s Daughter pleads with him not to kill Zatanna, but what he does may be even worse when he takes away the magic of both of them, returning John to his human form.
REVIEW
This issue wraps up another part of the Bombshell saga. Was it successful in doing so but leaving enough ends dangling to keep interest? There is no easy answer for that question. Because of the digital format the writer has freedom to have stories issued more frequently. This keeps the storylines fresh in readers’ minds and pushes the story forward more quickly. On the downside, Bombshells is blessed and cursed with many wonderful characters who each have varied storylines. Until those storylines all merge, there will not be ‘story arcs’ in the natural sense of the word. So while this ‘arc’ may have ended, there is not much of a sense of closure in any of the stories, rather just a lead-in to the next story. So really, these ‘arcs’ are just one part of a bigger story.
Let’s get into some of the details. Wonder Woman’s speech in the cave is an interesting one. Would this make sense in this particular time period? I know that there were occasionally ceasefires during the World Wars, especially for Christmas, but would the Allies and Axis choose survival over fighting? In this context, most likely. “Live together. Die alone.” right? Diana’s speech shows a different perspective on the war and Nazi hatred since it is coming from a third party not at all connected to either side before this time.
I was with Wonder Woman up to the point where she tells the soldiers to submit to her. Not the best choice of words here, given how Baroness has been speaking to Diana and others around her. Wouldn’t a sense of unity be more thoroughly gained if they fought with Diana, not under her? It gets even more out of character and strange when Wonder Woman tells Baroness that she would have an alliance with her. Even though we are on the flip side, with Wonder Woman having defeated the enemy, why offer an alliance when she turned it down before? The circumstances may have changed, but the person is the same.
I have problem with the over-sexualized characterization of Selina, something we saw the last time that she appeared in the book. The dynamic between her and Lex is sex tinged with a chess match, and it is still unclear what side each of them is on, and I don’t know if this is clever subterfuge by the writer or indecision. Selina’s bisexuality is flaunted in a way that gives it a negative appearance in the comic, and I’m afraid Kate is going to be a casualty in this battle.
The Zatanna/Constantine story takes an interesting turn, not only with the Dove – though I would like that explained – but also with those two characters losing their magic. Where do they go from there, and will they get their magic back? Joker’s Daughter’s desperation for Zatanna is puzzling, and I wonder why she is so possessive of her. Is this love? Or it is something darker?
Bombshells continues to be an entertaining story with an interesting twist on well-known characters, but until the characters start working together within the same vicinity, the book will continue to have unity problems and will feel disjointed.
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