Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Christian Duce
Colorist: Allan Passalaqua
Letterer: Josh Reed
Cover: Paul Renaud
Publisher: DC Comics
A review by Nico Sprezzatura.
In a post Wonder Woman world, there’s an embarrassment of riches related to the character hitting shelves worldwide. Toys, fashion items, and comic books, all featuring Diana, are everywhere you look. Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor is another opportunity for DC to capitalize on the success of the film, focusing on Diana’s stalwart boyfriend. For older fans of the character, or those introduced to him in Wonder Woman, this one’s for them.
Steve Trevor is an interesting character in the vein of Marvel’s Peggy Carter, the romantic partner of a classic superhero who only really exists in relation to their beloved. That’s not to say they’re uninteresting characters, but as far as I’m aware, neither have ever previously headlined an ongoing title. It makes sense to keep them out of the spotlight —brand dilution is enough of an issue at the Big Two – but that’s not to say they don’t deserve a chance to strike out on their own. Peggy Carter’s S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary special was a fun adventure, so why not give Steve one of his own?
Written by Nightwing’s Tim Seeley, Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor sends our titular hero on an Indiana Jones-esque trek to rural Turkey, where a mysterious threat requires his special expertise as a spy. Along the way, we’re reintroduced to Steve’s ragtag crew of mates, all of whom appear in the Wonder Woman as well (because cross-platform synergy). We even get a few glimpses of the Wonder Woman herself — emphasis on “few.”
Though she’s named in the title and appears on its cover, Diana barely shows up in this issue. While she bookends the story with her presence, she’s not the star. This isn’t a knock on Seeley’s script, but anybody with the slightest bit of interest in reading this should know as much. Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor is reminiscent of Seely’s run on Grayson, telling a breezy spy story with lots of action. I’d actually recommend this comic not to fans of Wonder Woman herself, but the aforementioned comic instead.
Christian Duce and and Allan Passalaqua’s art isn’t the most remarkable I’ve seen in a comic this year, but they get the job done. Action scenes are well-drawn, with simple, unobtrusive layouts. Characters look unique and distinct from one another. Passalaqua’s coloring pops throughout, switching from blue-tinted nighttime scenes to morning sequences bathed in warm colors.
One problem with Steve, though? His lack of a distinctive visual identity. Duce draws him as a bearded, blandly handsome white guy with blond hair. As much as I enjoy that aesthetic – hey, Green Arrow! – it’s not much to work with. To be fair, that’s not an issue with Duce’s art specifically. Steve Trevor is surprisingly word-heavy, but letterer Josh Reed does a good job of translating Seeley’s script to page. We get a number of fun onomatopoeias throughout, and verbal depictions of things blowing up are always fun.
The Verdict
Buy It! Whether you’re a longtime fan of Steve Trevor or a newbie introduced to him by his debut film appearance, Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor is a fast-paced, standalone tale anybody can pick up and enjoy.
