Wonder Woman has spent the last few years reclaiming her crown as one of DC’s flagship heroes, with a whole line of spin-off titles and characters now joining her on the page.
A significant portion of Wonder Woman's rise to glory has centered on her home of Themiscyra and Wonder Woman’s fellow Amazons. Now, all that is about to come to a head in Trial of the Amazons, a Wonder Woman-centric crossover encompassing the titles Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, Wonder Woman: The Adventures of Young Diana, and Nubia & the Amazons, as well as a Trial of the Amazons limited series.
'Trial of the Amazons' promises to redefine the roles of characters such as Yara Flor/Wonder Girl, the former queen of the Amazons Hippolyta, the current queen of the Amazons Nubia, and of course, Diana of Themiscyra herself.
The event begins with Trial of the Amazons #1, written by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Joelle Jones, Vita Ayala, and Stephanie Williams, with art by Joëlle Jones, Elena Casagrande, Laura Braga, and Skylar Patridge.
All the Amazonian Warriors return Themyscira to decide their fate will the dangers of Doom's Doorway spill out into Man's World.
Newsarama spoke with Wonder Woman writers Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad, and Nubia & the Amazons co-writer Stephanie Williams, three of the architects of the crossover shortly after the event was announced in last Fall's DC Fabdome, to find out what the 'trial' at the heart of the story is all about, and how Wonder Woman's first big modern crossover will play out going forward.
But first, check out these new unlettered preview pages from Trial of the Amazons #1 along with an event checklist and variant covers to the issue below.
Newsarama: Hey gang. First of all, we've heard DC's pretty basic description at Fandome, but can one or all of you tell readers what you think 'Trial of the Amazons' is all about?
And maybe most importantly, what's the "trial" in the title?
Becky Cloonan: I'm so excited about this event!! We’re going to take you on a trip through unexplored parts of Themyscira, meeting characters you maybe haven't seen in a while! I know a lot of crossovers make the promise, "After this, things will never be the same," but I promise you, with 'Trial of the Amazons,' it’s for real.
The Trial affects everything - from events in Wonder Woman, Nubia and the Amazons, Wonder Girl, 'What Lies Beneath' - the Bana-Mighdall backups that began in Wonder Woman #781! Even Young Diana! I know, you're thinking, "But Becky, how in Hades does Young Diana connect to the Trial of the Amazons?" I reply with a smile and a knowing wink.
Michael Conrad: Things are changing on Themyscira, culturally, politically, interpersonal, and beyond. The time has come for the Tribes to meet and reorganize, but with this comes the threat of further rupturing the tenuous bonds between the groups. This story definitely does stand to have a long-lasting impact on all of the Amazons, including Wonder Woman and her ever-growing family.
Stephanie Williams: Are you familiar with the Jay-Z feat. Beyoncé song "Family Feud"? The premise of that song is what I'd describe as the energy of 'Trial of the Amazons.' Now while there isn’t an unfaithful man involved in this, the themes of transgressions against loved ones and realizing how those same transgressions have hindered the trust and growth of a relationship/family unit are present. In this series, you’ll see the different Amazon tribes put it all out on the table while a greater threat looms.
Nobody wins when the family feuds.
Nrama: How long has this storyline been in the plans? The addition of Wonder Girl and Nubia titles is a relatively recent development - did you all know all along that a crossover storyline would be coming when Wonder Girl and Nubia were launched alongside Wonder Woman?
Conrad: We started talking about this in spring of 2021. This story wouldn't have happened without Nubia, and Yara, they were part of the plans from the beginning.
Cloonan: Our biweekly meetings consist of our editor Brittany Holzherr (our fearless guide, who we'll erect a marble statue of after this is over, for keeping us on track), Vita Ayala (our hero and champion), Stephanie Williams (the team's high priestess), Joëlle Jones (a fierce battlemage), and Jordie Bellaire (the mysterious ranger). Michael of course is the wildcard, which makes him the group’s bard.
We've planned out everything, finding ways to support each other's books in the pages of our own! It’s all come together so naturally, and in a way where if you don't read all of the stories you'll still understand what's going on - but if you do? It's going to be a wild experience!
Nrama: Stephanie, Nubia & the Amazons #1 was billed as a prelude to the story. I have to admit I'm not too up on the DC history of the Well of Souls and Doom's Doorway but can we assume they'll play a role in the crossover?
And is the dark imagery of the final pages (including Diana crying blood) a preview of the storyline?
Williams: Ah, the Well of Souls. The answer is yes, but not in the way you might be thinking.
Nrama: Wonder Woman and the concept of the all-women Amazons of Themyscira has always been interesting given the male-dominated nature of superhero comic books and the evolution of society in general from the late 30s until now.
It's only been a couple of years since Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel being the first female-fronted superhero movies was a thing.
But given comic books are becoming increasingly more inclusive, is the way you see the all-female Amazons evolving as a storytelling tool?
Williams: Absolutely! There is so much untapped potential for these fierce warriors. My hope is that both old and new Amazons will be just as memorable and integral to the bigger DCU. When one of them shows up outside of Themyscira fans will know what time it is.
Conrad: I've seen comments and read articles about how the 'Wonderfamily' hasn't gotten the kind of shine it deserves. Everyone working on these books wants to build out that mythology and further incorporate new and old faces alike.
We hope that this crossover goes well and that we can carve out a space to further explore some of the Amazons who don't currently have their own titles.
Cloonan: Yeah, I have no doubt that the 'Trial' is going to cement Themyscira as a travel destination for readers, up there with Gotham and Metropolis. It's all of our hope that this event opens up the doors for a lot more Amazon books - it's such an exciting spot, there's so much to explore and the time is right!
Nrama: Can you give readers some overview of how your individual titles will play in the storyline?
Williams: Nubia & the Amazons is your gateway into this world. This series is meant to not only reintroduce Nubia to the DCU with a definitive story but to also reintroduce the Amazons and what life on Themyscira means.
It's important to get readers invested in the well-being of these women so that when things start going left they have a reason to care about the outcome and what it will mean moving forward.
Nrama: From the limited description DC has offered, it looks like we're only seeing the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to 'Trial of the Amazons.' What do you want readers to know about the story at this early stage, while it's still on the horizon?
Conrad: One of the beautiful things about Wonder Woman, is everyone kind of knows the basics. With that information alone, I believe 'Trial' is a great place to jump in. It'll be clear in the story, but the overview one might wish to keep in mind going in is as follows: There are three quite different but ultimately related tribes of Amazons.
Each can make a reasonable claim that the island of Themyscira is their rightful ancestral home. How these Tribes deal with this is… well… you'll see very soon!
Cloonan: Oh, and you'll have to check your weapons at the door. Tensions are high right now, and we wouldn't want to start an international Amazonian incident…
Williams: Readers should know that everyone in the Wonder Woman office is just as invested in these characters as they are, if not more. We want readers to get prepared to see the Amazons like they never have before.
'Trial of the Amazons' is the next big Wonder Woman epic. How will it stack up to the best Wonder Woman stories of all time?
