Diana has often been considered an ideal for others to aspire to. One would think that this might qualify her to be an example of the best of humanity. She is plucked from a state of uncertainty and brought to be a champion for all of humanity in Wonder Woman - Evolution #1. Writer Stephanie Phillips opens her eight-part mini-series with a glimpse into the psyche of one of the most beloved characters in pop fiction. Conjuring the visual reality of the story are penciler Mike Hawthorne, inker Adriano Di Benedetto, and colorist Jordie Bellaire. The series open on an appealingly deep thematic note that mixes action with deeper intellectual drama.

Vanessa Kapatelis is hanging out in the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. She’s waiting for Diana. Diana and Vanessa once lived under the same roof in a different life on a different earth. Now Vaness is the Silver Swan. She’s waiting for Wonder Woman. She’s looking for victory over an old friend. She’s not going to get it, but the conflict will shake Diana, who is next seen hanging out with her old friend Clark in the Himalayas. Clark’s from another planet, but he grew up on a farm in the rural midwest. Diana is shaken. Clark tries to reassure her, but he’s got other places to be, and Diana is being dragged elsewhere to serve as the champion of the human race on some alien planet. 

Phillips has a very clear thematic line about evolution that’s running through the script. The process of evolution by means of natural selection is probably one of the most misunderstood concepts in all of science, but Phillips seems to be guiding the narrative in a direction that might make some respectable use of it. The intricate interplay between drama and action feels strong enough in the opening issue of the series.

Hawthorne and DiBenedetto’s art is rigid and harsh. All of the edges seem sharp and over-defined. The texturing in DiBenedetto’s inks considerably softens the rigidity of the anatomy, but that doesn’t keep everything from feeling unnecessarily...angular. Bellaire’s colors do a remarkable job of instilling a sense of fantasy to the page, whether on the craggy green surface of an exoplanet or the cold, unforgiving wastes of the Himalayas. Bellaire manages to soften the harshness of Hawthorne and DiBenedetto enough to make the visual world of Evolution feel a bit more engaging.

The first of eight issues establishes the theme and hauls its title character off into the conflict, which will dominate the remainder of the series. Phillips is establishing a very thoughtful series that has great potential to be a bit heavier than the average superhero series. Lofty themes that seem to be hinting themselves into existence in this issue do run the risk of failing a bit bigger than a series of more limited scope. Still, it will be interesting to see where Phillips and company take the story throughout the first half of 2022. 

Grade: B