Review by Ian Keogh

Over six collections, Future State is a look into possible futures for the DC universe, and the Wonder Woman selection is the slimmest volume. It’s also the volume with the greatest disconnect between the quality of the art and the writing.

While the object of Future State is to present different ideas, be warned going in that despite the cover, the traditional Diana Prince version of Wonder Woman only appears in one of four stories. New creation Yara Flor, an Amazonian version of Wonder Woman appears twice, and Nubia stars in the opener.

Whereas other Future State collections have been mixed bags, this is very much a case of very good art being paired with disappointing writing. Only Joëlle Jones bucks that trend when introducing Yara, and she draws her own script of Yara visiting the underworld exquisitely. The visit is prompted by a desire to rescue a friend taken before her time, and Jones not only establishes Yara rapidly, but surrounds her with an interesting supporting cast.

Unfortunately none of them are in evidence when Dan Watters has her partnering with Jonathan Kent when an ancient alien sun manifests, angering Solaris, the local sun god. It’s nicely drawn by Leila del Duca, her style distinctive and unusual for superhero comics, but in service of Wonder Woman being second banana, and the whimsical plot having little to offer. This could have been a 1970s story.

There are good moments to Nubia’s troubles, not least the idea that back in the dawn of time the gods hid some objects so powerful they couldn’t destroy them. However, there’s also a fair amount of marking time from L.L. McKinney, and readers are likely to pick up on both of the big reveals. It’s nicely drawn by Alitha Martinez, though, whose pictures of people are extremely attractive and accompanied by a strong talent for design.

The collection closes with the end of our universe’s existence imminent, so the writing team of Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad supply much hand-wringing and soul-searching in what’s made to seem far more interesting than it actually is by Jen Bartel (sample art right). Her melancholy Wonder Woman is featured in multiple portraits as Cloonan and Conrad provide her with so little else to draw.

Such good art will always be alluring, as is Yara’s first appearance, but anyone wanting to read a story rather than just soak in the beauty is likely to be disappointed.