Wonder Woman Graphic Novel - Diana: Princess of the Amazons

What would Princess Diana have been like as a young child?  That is the very question that writers Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator Victoria Ying answer in one of DC's recent graphic novels for young readers, Diana: Princess of the Amazons.  I really enjoyed the Hales' Squirrel Girl novels written for Marvel, so I pretty much assumed that this story about a young Wonder Woman (before she ever assumed that mantel) would be just as good - and I was right!

Diana: Princess of the Amazons is the story of the Amazon princess facing her greatest challenge as a young person - finding herself too old to be coddled by the adults around her, but too young to be treated as an equal to them.  So, what is a young Amazon to do? Well, Diana knows the story of her own birth: how her mother desired a child, so she formed one out of clay on the beach, and it was given life by the gods and goddesses - so, if it worked for her mother, then surely it would work for Diana so she could have a playmate, right?  Thus, Mona is "born"!

I think we can all agree as children, we were bored when we were the only child surrounded by adults, who were talking about adult subjects or working on adult things - and the moment another child our age showed up, it was immediate friendship!  Such is what happens to Diana when Mona is brought to life - or partial life, may be more appropriate, as Diana's new friend is still clay in nature, but she can talk and think and act like a child.  Diana is thrilled to have someone her own age to play with and talk to about her problems as a solitary child on an island filled with adults.  They begin to explore and to play games, and eventually, Mona starts to open Diana's eyes to how she is being treated by the adults who claim to love her.  She is ignored, she is placated, and she is talked down to - but Mona sees her as an equal and encourages her to strike out on her own; to do things she would have never dreamed of doing before...

Which, of course, leads to trouble!

Diana wants to prove she is an Amazon, an equal to all of the women on the island.  Mona knows exactly how she can prove it - unlock the door to Tartarus, as only a true Amazon can unlock the door that holds back all of the magical and dangerous beasts within.  Diana is unsure, but Mona convinces her that unlocking the door is not actually opening the door, so there is no real danger.  Yeah, I think we all know what happens next!  And, of course, there is the ultimate reveal of who Mona really is and how she came to life that may or may not come as a surprise to long-time Wonder Woman fans.   Overall, this is  sweet tale of not-quite-growing-up and learning that sometimes we really don't have to prove ourselves - we just have to be ourselves!  The story moves quickly, and the art is simple, clear and not overly cartoony (although the art is definitely aimed at the younger audience).  That doesn't mean us older comic fans can't enjoy the book, because I certainly did.

DC is finally starting to get it right with these graphic novels for young readers - there is no reason to dumb down stories and just offer silliness in order to appeal to the younger generation of readers.  This graphic novel is absolute proof that a well-written story about DC's popular characters can be fresh and appealing, yet be open for all-ages without all the dark grittiness of today's standard comics.  Well done, DC - hope to see more like this in the future!

RATING:  9 adorable fluffy animals out of 10 for revealing a very human side of Princess Diana of the Amazons in a format open to comic readers of any age!