DC COMICS
WRITER: Mark Andreyko
ARTISTS: Cliff Richards, Art Thibert
COVER: Christian Alamy

This is the last chapter in a miniseries where various heroes try out for membership in the new Outsiders. But it also serves as postscript of sorts to the AMAZONS ATTACK miniseries as Grace, who has just discovered that she may be of Amazon descent, gets to know Wonder Woman a little better as she searches for her roots. The story is nothing special but it is amusing enough. The dialogue is a little too forced but it helps flesh the characters a little more, showing the contrast between the two superwomen. Amazingly, the creative team actually give the story a measure of suspense without using any villain-- just an impersonal threat that the two heroines have to overcome. However both characters sound rather light-hearted for a story where numerous innocent people are killed. It actually makes the superheroes look rather callous and self-obsessed. The art is also surprisingly good. While the art team could improve their lay-outs a bit, they have a good grasp of how to make their human figures look dynamic. They also know how to make their backgrounds look detailed and realistic without making the panels look like a confusing mess. One problem that remains is, that despite their best efforts, Grace still isn't a very engaging character. She actually seems rather superfluous in a world where Wonder Woman and the Martian Manhunter are around, capable of lifting weights and battering down walls that she can barely handle. Sometimes, it seems like DC is desperately trying to change her to make her more than the stereotypical "tough chick." So now, she is a bisexual-- and an Amazon. Wasn't she suppose to be Korean too? Well, this issue gets three stars out of five for me-- but not because of Grace.