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Bombshells: United
Bombshells: United, Vol. 1: American Soil
The DC Bombshells unite in this collection BOMBSHELLS UNITED VOL. 1, continuing the hit franchise!
Author Marguerite Bennett (DC BOMBSHELLS, BATWOMAN) unites the women of DC BOMBSHELLS in an alternate history tale with Wonder Woman on the front lines of battle.
The Bombshells are back in an all-new series! As our new tale begins, the year is 1943 during WWII, and Wonder Woman is called to Arizona for help by two young girls named Cassie Sandsmark and Donna Troy! The girls' friends and families are being displaced from their homes and forced into internment camps! To save them, can Wonder Woman fight against the same people she once fought alongside?
To make matters worse, Clayface has infiltrated the camp and is disguised as loved ones to throw Wonder Woman off. Collects issues #1-6.
Author Marguerite Bennett (DC BOMBSHELLS, BATWOMAN) unites the women of DC BOMBSHELLS in an alternate history tale with Wonder Woman on the front lines of battle.
The Bombshells are back in an all-new series! As our new tale begins, the year is 1943 during WWII, and Wonder Woman is called to Arizona for help by two young girls named Cassie Sandsmark and Donna Troy! The girls' friends and families are being displaced from their homes and forced into internment camps! To save them, can Wonder Woman fight against the same people she once fought alongside?
To make matters worse, Clayface has infiltrated the camp and is disguised as loved ones to throw Wonder Woman off. Collects issues #1-6.
144 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
January 27, 2022
Truly corny and unbelievable but I don’t care, I cried during pretty much all of it
July 5, 2018
I didn't care much for the art in here, but I like a lot that they told the story of internment. I'm very curious to see where this second "season" goes, even if I am also daunted by the prospect of even more characters. There are so many characters!!!!!
September 26, 2018
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
Thus, we being with the first collection of the final series of DC Bombshells. I’m still livid and bitter that this series was cancelled, but I’m going to see it through and enjoy it/support it until the very end. What I found most fascinating when I read about the “Bombshells United” series is that this one isn’t going to just look at the ills that foreign nations committed during WWII, but also the rotten things that happened on the home front, and in the country that The Bombshells swore to protect. To me, it’s refreshing that Marguerite Bennett decided to turn scrutiny on the United States for this next arc, because we did some absolutely shameful stuff during WWII. The big theme of “Bombshells United: American Soil” is that of Executive Order 9066: Japanese Internment. And given that we seem to have forgotten our own history, it’s an important reminder that we are not unfamiliar with grievous civil rights abuses. Especially since we seem to be on the path to repeating them.
We get to see Wonder Woman back at the forefront at the start of this new series, and it is always a breath of fresh air to see her. Diana Prince is truly one of the most pure and good DC Superheroes, and it felt fitting that she would be the Bombshell to be confronting the evils of the Japanese Internment. It allows us as a reader to measure up our very imperfect (and in this case horrendous) policies to Wonder Woman as the ideal we should strive for. But what makes it a bit more interesting is the introduction of Donna Troy and Cassie Sandsmark, two Wonder ladies in their own right (both of them filling the Wonder Girl role at different times). Cassie and Donna in this both have vested and personal interests against the Japanese internment, as they are both Japanese American (though Cassie is white passing, she still would have been imprisoned based on the law). You throw in Emily Sung and Yuri and Yuki, and you have a group of marginalized people who are participating in the dissent and the resistance, which in turn makes it so Wonder Woman doesn’t act solely as a white savior. It’s pretty well done, and I liked the dynamic that Bennett created between them and Wonder Woman (as they eventually form to become The Wonder Girls) that allows them to fight against heinous domestic policy. In fact, at the end of this arc in the collection, Bennett lists a great number of resources people can look up regarding the Japanese Interment (along with some additional resources about how Indigenous peoples were treated during this time; Dawnstar does show up, and while I liked how powerful and important she was I’m a LITTLE afraid that Bennett is kind of falling into the ‘magical Indian’ trope with her).
HOWEVER, there were a few stumbling moments in this series to me. The first involves the introduction of Clayface. He is the face of antagonism in this series, as he’s a former soldier who is very in favor of the internment. It all comes back to him seeing the American Ideal that must be protected at all costs, and he is obsessed with Wonder Woman because to him, that’s what she represents. This in and of itself is a very intriguing concept and metaphor for blind nationalism. But my problem is less to do with that and more to do with the pay off. For those who don’t want to know, we have our usual SPOILER ALERT:
Clayface, of course, sees the light through compassion, empathy, and the selfless sacrifice of Wonder Woman. This does two things: it makes it so the Wonder Girls get a little bit more to do in their own story (which is fine), but it also trades in one really well done and rounded character at this point for five new characters who are brand new to the story and not very complex as of yet. Donna is the exception, but the rest of the Wonder Girls as of now could VERY easily get lost in the crowd, which is a similar problem with the Bat Girls in previous issues. Speaking of the Bat Girls, the story of Harvey Dent going from villain to ally all through the power of love has basically been regurgitated with The Wonder Girls, as now Clayface is fighting on the side of good. We’ve seen this already! And I want to see more of that kind of thing with Harvey, if I’m being honest! Oh, and it happens with Baroness Paula van Gunther, as she ALSO shows up for about three seconds to say that SHE TOO has seen the error of her ways! WHY? In execution it’s because of Dawnstar, but in terms of why it has happened characterization wise, that remains to be seen. The good news is that Wonder Woman isn’t gone for good, as she has pretty much reappeared by the end of the collection (SORT OF, she’s kind of become a hybrid of Diana and Donna, it’s complicated), but it definitely feels like she may be stepping aside. Which I have a lot of feelings about.
On top of that, it has become very clear that even MORE Bombshells are going to be added to this universe. The heartening thing about that is that Bennett really wants to give all these awesome ladies their due, but the worrying aspect is we are getting VERY close to fantasy bloat territory here. I worry that by adding all these characters, they REALLY won’t be able to shine properly because they will always be competing for page time. Especially since the series was so unceremoniously cancelled before it could go as far as it wanted to. But hey, there is some good news in this slew, and I mean SLEW, of new faces: BLACK CANARY IS HERE!!!!!
So overall, BOMBSHELLS UNITED was an important collection with an important story, but I’m starting to worry that this series is getting overcome with the number of characters it has. I really don’t want it to get bogged down. But that said, I’m excited to see where it goes next!
Thus, we being with the first collection of the final series of DC Bombshells. I’m still livid and bitter that this series was cancelled, but I’m going to see it through and enjoy it/support it until the very end. What I found most fascinating when I read about the “Bombshells United” series is that this one isn’t going to just look at the ills that foreign nations committed during WWII, but also the rotten things that happened on the home front, and in the country that The Bombshells swore to protect. To me, it’s refreshing that Marguerite Bennett decided to turn scrutiny on the United States for this next arc, because we did some absolutely shameful stuff during WWII. The big theme of “Bombshells United: American Soil” is that of Executive Order 9066: Japanese Internment. And given that we seem to have forgotten our own history, it’s an important reminder that we are not unfamiliar with grievous civil rights abuses. Especially since we seem to be on the path to repeating them.
We get to see Wonder Woman back at the forefront at the start of this new series, and it is always a breath of fresh air to see her. Diana Prince is truly one of the most pure and good DC Superheroes, and it felt fitting that she would be the Bombshell to be confronting the evils of the Japanese Internment. It allows us as a reader to measure up our very imperfect (and in this case horrendous) policies to Wonder Woman as the ideal we should strive for. But what makes it a bit more interesting is the introduction of Donna Troy and Cassie Sandsmark, two Wonder ladies in their own right (both of them filling the Wonder Girl role at different times). Cassie and Donna in this both have vested and personal interests against the Japanese internment, as they are both Japanese American (though Cassie is white passing, she still would have been imprisoned based on the law). You throw in Emily Sung and Yuri and Yuki, and you have a group of marginalized people who are participating in the dissent and the resistance, which in turn makes it so Wonder Woman doesn’t act solely as a white savior. It’s pretty well done, and I liked the dynamic that Bennett created between them and Wonder Woman (as they eventually form to become The Wonder Girls) that allows them to fight against heinous domestic policy. In fact, at the end of this arc in the collection, Bennett lists a great number of resources people can look up regarding the Japanese Interment (along with some additional resources about how Indigenous peoples were treated during this time; Dawnstar does show up, and while I liked how powerful and important she was I’m a LITTLE afraid that Bennett is kind of falling into the ‘magical Indian’ trope with her).
HOWEVER, there were a few stumbling moments in this series to me. The first involves the introduction of Clayface. He is the face of antagonism in this series, as he’s a former soldier who is very in favor of the internment. It all comes back to him seeing the American Ideal that must be protected at all costs, and he is obsessed with Wonder Woman because to him, that’s what she represents. This in and of itself is a very intriguing concept and metaphor for blind nationalism. But my problem is less to do with that and more to do with the pay off. For those who don’t want to know, we have our usual SPOILER ALERT:
Clayface, of course, sees the light through compassion, empathy, and the selfless sacrifice of Wonder Woman. This does two things: it makes it so the Wonder Girls get a little bit more to do in their own story (which is fine), but it also trades in one really well done and rounded character at this point for five new characters who are brand new to the story and not very complex as of yet. Donna is the exception, but the rest of the Wonder Girls as of now could VERY easily get lost in the crowd, which is a similar problem with the Bat Girls in previous issues. Speaking of the Bat Girls, the story of Harvey Dent going from villain to ally all through the power of love has basically been regurgitated with The Wonder Girls, as now Clayface is fighting on the side of good. We’ve seen this already! And I want to see more of that kind of thing with Harvey, if I’m being honest! Oh, and it happens with Baroness Paula van Gunther, as she ALSO shows up for about three seconds to say that SHE TOO has seen the error of her ways! WHY? In execution it’s because of Dawnstar, but in terms of why it has happened characterization wise, that remains to be seen. The good news is that Wonder Woman isn’t gone for good, as she has pretty much reappeared by the end of the collection (SORT OF, she’s kind of become a hybrid of Diana and Donna, it’s complicated), but it definitely feels like she may be stepping aside. Which I have a lot of feelings about.
On top of that, it has become very clear that even MORE Bombshells are going to be added to this universe. The heartening thing about that is that Bennett really wants to give all these awesome ladies their due, but the worrying aspect is we are getting VERY close to fantasy bloat territory here. I worry that by adding all these characters, they REALLY won’t be able to shine properly because they will always be competing for page time. Especially since the series was so unceremoniously cancelled before it could go as far as it wanted to. But hey, there is some good news in this slew, and I mean SLEW, of new faces: BLACK CANARY IS HERE!!!!!
So overall, BOMBSHELLS UNITED was an important collection with an important story, but I’m starting to worry that this series is getting overcome with the number of characters it has. I really don’t want it to get bogged down. But that said, I’m excited to see where it goes next!
July 23, 2018
I love it, I love it, I love it.
The artwork is beautiful and while it is a little twee and all American, I really enjoyed the story and am excited to see where the storyarch goes.
The artwork is beautiful and while it is a little twee and all American, I really enjoyed the story and am excited to see where the storyarch goes.
June 17, 2019
In the early 1970, both Marvel and DC Comics challenged the Comics Code Authority (established after the publication of Seduction of the Innocent asserted that comic books were harmful to children) by running stories that featured drug addicts. The Marvel entry (at the behest of the precursor to U.S. Health and Human Services) drew the ire of the CCA, who would not approve the story, which Marvel published anyway without the approval of the CCA. DC upped the ante by allowing the creative team of Denny O' Neil and Neal Adams to run a story where Green Arrow's protege Speedy was addicted to heroin. The reality of the situation was that anyone could be addicted to drugs, even the heroes.
The point here is that superhero comics can transcend their fictional universes to make statements about the "real" world of readers. In the original iteration of DC Comics Bombshells, Marguerite Bennett presented a vision of the DC Universe during World War II that was an idealization of the world we live in--a world where women are at least the equal of the men (if not superior) and where the relationships that women enter into are not judged through the lens of men (or the male gaze, even though I argued that perhaps that was where Bombshells came from.) With her Bombshells universe firmly defined from the previous series, Bennett decided with the arc in this volume to address one of the darkest chapters of the American war effort--the internment of citizens of Japanese origin into camps.
The plot of American Soil presents a new group of Bombshells inspired (I'm not sure this is the right word--but I can't think of a better one without spoiling a major plot-point) by Wonder Woman to stop the Japanese internment. Dubbed "The Wonder Girls" (and including some of the traditional DC heroines named "Wonder Girl"), they fight the classic Batman villain Clayface in the process. Since the Bombshells universe already is only a reflection of our world (and it's racist, sexist, etc) attitudes, Bennett's version of DC's heroines can actively stop Japanese internment, while also making a comment at just how un-American these sorts of activities are. Yes, Japanese internment was a shameful chapter in our past, but I can't help think that Bennett is actually making a comment on the current shameful situation at the southern U.S. border at the behest of our racist, dog shit president. Bennett is kind enough to tell us at the end of the arc that this was a subject she felt she had to address in the pages of Bombshells if for no other reason than to point out that the United States wasn't as squeaky clean during World War II as history would like you to believe. But the truth of all of it is that America never was--our treatment of minorities in this country for the entirety of our existence and currently belies that view.
I have enjoyed reading Bombshells because Bennett casts the DC universe into the sort of world we all should want to live in. But she doesn't come at this from a position of naivety--there are certainly assholes in the Bombshells universe and they are on all sides. But the true heroes of Bombshells are on a quest to make the world a better place for everyone and isn't that all we should want from our heroes really?
The point here is that superhero comics can transcend their fictional universes to make statements about the "real" world of readers. In the original iteration of DC Comics Bombshells, Marguerite Bennett presented a vision of the DC Universe during World War II that was an idealization of the world we live in--a world where women are at least the equal of the men (if not superior) and where the relationships that women enter into are not judged through the lens of men (or the male gaze, even though I argued that perhaps that was where Bombshells came from.) With her Bombshells universe firmly defined from the previous series, Bennett decided with the arc in this volume to address one of the darkest chapters of the American war effort--the internment of citizens of Japanese origin into camps.
The plot of American Soil presents a new group of Bombshells inspired (I'm not sure this is the right word--but I can't think of a better one without spoiling a major plot-point) by Wonder Woman to stop the Japanese internment. Dubbed "The Wonder Girls" (and including some of the traditional DC heroines named "Wonder Girl"), they fight the classic Batman villain Clayface in the process. Since the Bombshells universe already is only a reflection of our world (and it's racist, sexist, etc) attitudes, Bennett's version of DC's heroines can actively stop Japanese internment, while also making a comment at just how un-American these sorts of activities are. Yes, Japanese internment was a shameful chapter in our past, but I can't help think that Bennett is actually making a comment on the current shameful situation at the southern U.S. border at the behest of our racist, dog shit president. Bennett is kind enough to tell us at the end of the arc that this was a subject she felt she had to address in the pages of Bombshells if for no other reason than to point out that the United States wasn't as squeaky clean during World War II as history would like you to believe. But the truth of all of it is that America never was--our treatment of minorities in this country for the entirety of our existence and currently belies that view.
I have enjoyed reading Bombshells because Bennett casts the DC universe into the sort of world we all should want to live in. But she doesn't come at this from a position of naivety--there are certainly assholes in the Bombshells universe and they are on all sides. But the true heroes of Bombshells are on a quest to make the world a better place for everyone and isn't that all we should want from our heroes really?
July 23, 2018
This volume was pretty disappointing for me. I really enjoyed the previous run of the Bombshell series, but this just didn't hold up. All of the conflicts were solved with the power of "love." *Gag* this was just too saccharine for me. I'm all for having compassion, but it's okay for some butt-kicking every now and again too. Here's hoping the next volume will be better.
June 22, 2020
3.5. Didn't love it as much as the first run, mostly because I'm missing some of my favorite heroines and because I didn't love the art as much, but just like the first series, this had a lot of great messages that are relevant to current events. I'll be picking up the second volume.
November 14, 2020
Strong continuation of Bombshells and introduces some new characters. The female Flash is pretty cute, and I do hope to see some more characters. I am enjoying this series a lot more than I thought I would.
May 23, 2023
this is such a cool story and heavy material to take on. i love dawnstar :’) also loved the art in the first part but wow some of the later art was very…. questionable
May 29, 2019
What a let down! I loved the DC Bombshells alternate universe when they set the story in Europe to fight the Nazis, so I had high expectations that when they set the spin-off story in the US to fight some of the war time prejudice and certain actions taken by the US government. I got crap is what I got. The story takes place in the forests of Washington state after Wonder Woman saved a train full of Japanese immigrants and Japanese-Americans from going to a concentration camp in the desert. The bad guy sent to find these "prisoners" is Clayface (and if you are thinking Who? you are in good company - I love WW comics and have no clue to this villain). WW sacrifices herself to save the prisoners and save the soul of Clayface - this leads to some of the young girls in this saved group to join forces with the now good Clayface to join together and become the Wonder Girls (again, no clue to who/what that group is). Just a waste of WW and a good premise; boring to boot. I am not continuing with this spin-off.
July 13, 2019
I definitely didn't like this as much as the original series. The big difference is that this one feels smaller, handling one single thing, while before we would see the entire field of the war, and I found more interesting to see what was happening everywhere from the US, to Europe and the USSR.
Also the Wonder Girls are not my superheroes of choice, especially since I didn't even know them before now...
And while I can't really recommend this one to everyone, the original Bombshells is excellent to anyone who loves History!!!!
Also the Wonder Girls are not my superheroes of choice, especially since I didn't even know them before now...
And while I can't really recommend this one to everyone, the original Bombshells is excellent to anyone who loves History!!!!
July 4, 2018
[Read as single issues]
The war is over, but the Bombshells’ work is never done. Wonder Woman attempts to rescue some POWs, but even with the aid of Donna Troy and Cassie Sandsmark, she may not be able to stand against the might of Clayface and the Mud Pack. Plus, who is the mysterious Dawnstar?
After the big conclusion of the previous series, we’re back to more intimate stories exploring individual characters rather than the sweeping narrative that Bombshells adopted near the end of its first run. This is a good thing, especially starting off with Wonder Woman, and reminds us exactly how different this world of Bombshells is from our own.
The conflict here resonates with the present day (as all of Bombshells does), and the idea of pitting Clayface against Wonder Woman is well executed (see also: Brian K. Vaughan’s False Faces story). The supporting characters are where this kind of falls apart, with most of the Wonder Girls being pretty flat, and Dawnstar coming across a little too aloof to be likeable.
The art is the usual Bombshells fare now; series favourite Marguerite Sauvage starts things off while Marcelo Di Chiara and Siya Oum bring up the rear with more conventional styles. Given the digital-first nature of the series, reading it all in one block highlights the differences between artists more than reading 10 pages weekly, but Bombshells has always had a consistent stable of artists.
The first arc of Bombshells United doesn’t exactly set the world aflame, but that’s not a bad thing. It reminds us of what these characters stand for, and why we read this series in the first place.
The war is over, but the Bombshells’ work is never done. Wonder Woman attempts to rescue some POWs, but even with the aid of Donna Troy and Cassie Sandsmark, she may not be able to stand against the might of Clayface and the Mud Pack. Plus, who is the mysterious Dawnstar?
After the big conclusion of the previous series, we’re back to more intimate stories exploring individual characters rather than the sweeping narrative that Bombshells adopted near the end of its first run. This is a good thing, especially starting off with Wonder Woman, and reminds us exactly how different this world of Bombshells is from our own.
The conflict here resonates with the present day (as all of Bombshells does), and the idea of pitting Clayface against Wonder Woman is well executed (see also: Brian K. Vaughan’s False Faces story). The supporting characters are where this kind of falls apart, with most of the Wonder Girls being pretty flat, and Dawnstar coming across a little too aloof to be likeable.
The art is the usual Bombshells fare now; series favourite Marguerite Sauvage starts things off while Marcelo Di Chiara and Siya Oum bring up the rear with more conventional styles. Given the digital-first nature of the series, reading it all in one block highlights the differences between artists more than reading 10 pages weekly, but Bombshells has always had a consistent stable of artists.
The first arc of Bombshells United doesn’t exactly set the world aflame, but that’s not a bad thing. It reminds us of what these characters stand for, and why we read this series in the first place.
January 2, 2022
I cannot understand how anyone can mark this as a bad read or similar... It just shows how shallowly those who read the United continuation of the Bombshells saga, had read it and understood it.
Instead of vol 6 of the original Bombshells this is the proper follow up. Shall we talk how the authors behind this project used WW2 and its aftermath to describe the pretty recent timeline of the USA shameful history of being lead by a monster of a being, to describe what the ona that should not be named almost turned the USA nation into a zombie nation, the Bombshell heroins are actually fighting in the Bombshells United, in a metaphoric way... And how through BUnited vol1 authors of the project also describe the current world we live in and send the righteous and justice and love filled message to humanity on how to fight the evil and injustice we encounter every day. Shall we talk about the authors of the Bombshells used the feminine nurturing power to base the project on in general and to show clearly to the world and remind the world, both men and more importantly women what power we women hold actually and how we can use it in a love fiulled and justice filled way to change the world around us for the better through offering understanding, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, love to everyone around us? One can write an essay or a novel about the Bombshells as a project .
And yes they are all lead by Diana, the first ever created female hero created by an awoken man, I wont use the term feminist as feminism turned ugly through history... who understood , at least from our point of perception, a female principle and respected it. THere might be strong female characters throughout human history embodied in goddesses humanity invented, but all those goddesses slowly either received male characteristics of war attitude, unforgiveness, rage, injustice, revenge to carry as their characteristics , like Athena and to her similar ones, or Aphodriety who cared about shallow aspects of love like sex and beauty.
Shell we then talk about this very volume of Bombshells also paying clear tribute to Wonder Woman who since the dawn of her creation inspired women around the world to understand that they are strong, capable, beautiful just the way they are, not the way patriarchy want them to be. Yes many authors after Marston tried to turn Diana into a domestic weak housewife obedient to patriarchal rules, but she persevered and endured and here she is again the goddess, the hero she always was. Yes another female hero to inspire generations of women, one may say even better heroin, is Xena, but she herself was created in Wonder Womans image and based upon her and carried the Wonder Woman legacy William Marston wanted for his creation to carry, until some other writers and comic creators took up again the MArstons mantle and gave the Wonder Woman everything that had been taken away from her through decades. So through all those women and girls inspired in Bombshells by Diana writers in a very proper and amazing way showed us what Diana/Wonder Woman had always been to the female population - an inspiration and someone to look up to, someone through her we, women , discovered our own strength, might...
So to say that one is disappointed by the United vol1 is to say I havent read it actually at all. As this is such a complex read actually, filled with symbolism, metaphor...
And although I might not like that all those female heroines throughout the Bombshell project, since the beginning, are drawn in a very sexy, pin up fashion, when you think clearly of why the authors decided to do that, it might be actually very clear that all of the authors wanted to give women their strength back and to show and send the message, we, women, utter every day, that we might be going around naked, we might go around not clothed from toe to head, it does not mean we get to be attacked, sexually assaulted, oppressed, nor RAPED. So... I hope humanity will finally receive that message.
I thank to the creators of Bombshells on creating the project.
All those stern feminists around the world might not agree with me, I dont care . Bombshells and Bombshells vol 1 are a very good project.
Instead of vol 6 of the original Bombshells this is the proper follow up. Shall we talk how the authors behind this project used WW2 and its aftermath to describe the pretty recent timeline of the USA shameful history of being lead by a monster of a being, to describe what the ona that should not be named almost turned the USA nation into a zombie nation, the Bombshell heroins are actually fighting in the Bombshells United, in a metaphoric way... And how through BUnited vol1 authors of the project also describe the current world we live in and send the righteous and justice and love filled message to humanity on how to fight the evil and injustice we encounter every day. Shall we talk about the authors of the Bombshells used the feminine nurturing power to base the project on in general and to show clearly to the world and remind the world, both men and more importantly women what power we women hold actually and how we can use it in a love fiulled and justice filled way to change the world around us for the better through offering understanding, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, love to everyone around us? One can write an essay or a novel about the Bombshells as a project .
And yes they are all lead by Diana, the first ever created female hero created by an awoken man, I wont use the term feminist as feminism turned ugly through history... who understood , at least from our point of perception, a female principle and respected it. THere might be strong female characters throughout human history embodied in goddesses humanity invented, but all those goddesses slowly either received male characteristics of war attitude, unforgiveness, rage, injustice, revenge to carry as their characteristics , like Athena and to her similar ones, or Aphodriety who cared about shallow aspects of love like sex and beauty.
Shell we then talk about this very volume of Bombshells also paying clear tribute to Wonder Woman who since the dawn of her creation inspired women around the world to understand that they are strong, capable, beautiful just the way they are, not the way patriarchy want them to be. Yes many authors after Marston tried to turn Diana into a domestic weak housewife obedient to patriarchal rules, but she persevered and endured and here she is again the goddess, the hero she always was. Yes another female hero to inspire generations of women, one may say even better heroin, is Xena, but she herself was created in Wonder Womans image and based upon her and carried the Wonder Woman legacy William Marston wanted for his creation to carry, until some other writers and comic creators took up again the MArstons mantle and gave the Wonder Woman everything that had been taken away from her through decades. So through all those women and girls inspired in Bombshells by Diana writers in a very proper and amazing way showed us what Diana/Wonder Woman had always been to the female population - an inspiration and someone to look up to, someone through her we, women , discovered our own strength, might...
So to say that one is disappointed by the United vol1 is to say I havent read it actually at all. As this is such a complex read actually, filled with symbolism, metaphor...
And although I might not like that all those female heroines throughout the Bombshell project, since the beginning, are drawn in a very sexy, pin up fashion, when you think clearly of why the authors decided to do that, it might be actually very clear that all of the authors wanted to give women their strength back and to show and send the message, we, women, utter every day, that we might be going around naked, we might go around not clothed from toe to head, it does not mean we get to be attacked, sexually assaulted, oppressed, nor RAPED. So... I hope humanity will finally receive that message.
I thank to the creators of Bombshells on creating the project.
All those stern feminists around the world might not agree with me, I dont care . Bombshells and Bombshells vol 1 are a very good project.
May 12, 2025
I wanted to like this way more than I did. I loved the DC Bombshells art that came out a few years ago (I’m guessing when these comics were published) and even have little models of Wonder Woman and Ivy but… I have no idea what this was.
I understand it was supposed to be about Wonder Woman saving Japanese-Americans (or anyone of East Asian descent for that matter, since one of them alluded to being 1/16th Korean) from internment, but the story felt like a mess. The individuals they save from internment seem like an afterthought (and add to that that the art wasn’t really helpful to distinguish characters - see below).
It’s apparently Volume 1 but it feels like we jumped into the story and are already supposed to know all the characters? They’re all interacting as if we’ve been following them for a while now, but I had no idea who anyone was.
(Edited to add: After reading other reviews people keep talking about the “previous run” - so even though this is listed as Volume 1, it isn’t actually? I see now that there’s whole “DC Bombshells” series that I guess came before this so maybe that’s on me for not realizing that and jumping in here but there really wasn’t anything to clarify what order they should be read in… So when I saw this is a “Volume 1” and was available at my work & picked it up. If it’s a Volume 1 of a new series they had to do way more to setup the story and characters and not assume we read the previous story. Or at least denote somewhere in it to read the others first.)
The beginning mentions all these well-known female DC heroes (and villains/anti-heroes) and instead it’s a book of a bunch of teens and is all about them becoming the “Wonder Girls”…? (The only one I’ve heard of is Donna Troy… and I was very confused, is she supposed to be Japanese in here? Why was every character drawn to look white then? The twins Yuri and Yuri clearly have Japanese names but you can’t even tell they’re supposed to be Japanese).
And then the story itself about Clayface coming after Wonder Woman because of some misguided obsession with her and being mad she’s helping the people in the internment camp? It all felt so slapped together and pointless…
The best thing about this comic is the cover. That’s about it. I didn’t enjoy it. Maybe it would’ve been better if I knew about the previous series first so I’ll give it 2 stars because I can admit it might just be me not liking it since I didn’t have the background knowledge of the other series.
I understand it was supposed to be about Wonder Woman saving Japanese-Americans (or anyone of East Asian descent for that matter, since one of them alluded to being 1/16th Korean) from internment, but the story felt like a mess. The individuals they save from internment seem like an afterthought (and add to that that the art wasn’t really helpful to distinguish characters - see below).
It’s apparently Volume 1 but it feels like we jumped into the story and are already supposed to know all the characters? They’re all interacting as if we’ve been following them for a while now, but I had no idea who anyone was.
(Edited to add: After reading other reviews people keep talking about the “previous run” - so even though this is listed as Volume 1, it isn’t actually? I see now that there’s whole “DC Bombshells” series that I guess came before this so maybe that’s on me for not realizing that and jumping in here but there really wasn’t anything to clarify what order they should be read in… So when I saw this is a “Volume 1” and was available at my work & picked it up. If it’s a Volume 1 of a new series they had to do way more to setup the story and characters and not assume we read the previous story. Or at least denote somewhere in it to read the others first.)
The beginning mentions all these well-known female DC heroes (and villains/anti-heroes) and instead it’s a book of a bunch of teens and is all about them becoming the “Wonder Girls”…? (The only one I’ve heard of is Donna Troy… and I was very confused, is she supposed to be Japanese in here? Why was every character drawn to look white then? The twins Yuri and Yuri clearly have Japanese names but you can’t even tell they’re supposed to be Japanese).
And then the story itself about Clayface coming after Wonder Woman because of some misguided obsession with her and being mad she’s helping the people in the internment camp? It all felt so slapped together and pointless…
The best thing about this comic is the cover. That’s about it. I didn’t enjoy it. Maybe it would’ve been better if I knew about the previous series first so I’ll give it 2 stars because I can admit it might just be me not liking it since I didn’t have the background knowledge of the other series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2019
I'd put my actual enjoyment of this around 2.5, but I'm rounding up for the nice artwork, representation, and subject matter.
American Soil is set in the US during WWII, specifically set around Executive Order 9066: Japanese Internment. This is a re-imagining of American history, in which superheroes like Wonder Woman, joined by a rebellious group of Japanese American women, stand up and fight against the American government's attempts to round people up and put them in camps. It is also a not-so-subtle reference to the U.S.'s current detainment of asylum-seeking immigrants on the southern border.
The intentions are lofty, but the result is patchy, saccharine, and a bit boring. This comic is clearly all about the message, rather than the characters or the plot. Which, maybe that's okay? But it's not what I was looking for from it. I wonder, actually, if this reads similarly to early comics, which I believe rested on idealistic sentiments rather than strong plot and character arcs.
As a result, this was a highly quotable comic, with some great moments of poignant symbolism (see: the title, "American Soil"). Otherwise, though, the story fell flat. The writers were so intent on getting the message across that the dialogue felt scripted and unnatural, with the characters reciting platitude after platitude. Basically, this was another case of fantastic premise, poor execution.
We are going to rewrite history.
American Soil is set in the US during WWII, specifically set around Executive Order 9066: Japanese Internment. This is a re-imagining of American history, in which superheroes like Wonder Woman, joined by a rebellious group of Japanese American women, stand up and fight against the American government's attempts to round people up and put them in camps. It is also a not-so-subtle reference to the U.S.'s current detainment of asylum-seeking immigrants on the southern border.
As a nation, or as a people, the things we want most to forget are the things that must be most remembered. The sorry truth of 'but it couldn't happen here!' is that it already has. And has for generations.
The intentions are lofty, but the result is patchy, saccharine, and a bit boring. This comic is clearly all about the message, rather than the characters or the plot. Which, maybe that's okay? But it's not what I was looking for from it. I wonder, actually, if this reads similarly to early comics, which I believe rested on idealistic sentiments rather than strong plot and character arcs.
What is the United States, but a history made and remade? ... This is part of your history, as Americans. One may benefit from an injustice, even if one did not commit it.
As a result, this was a highly quotable comic, with some great moments of poignant symbolism (see: the title, "American Soil"). Otherwise, though, the story fell flat. The writers were so intent on getting the message across that the dialogue felt scripted and unnatural, with the characters reciting platitude after platitude. Basically, this was another case of fantastic premise, poor execution.
'Never again,' we say, in the hours that follow. In the tolling of bells, in the lowering of flags. But the moment to act-- to make sure it is truly 'never again'-- that moment is always, and will always be right now.
October 18, 2018
I have a hard time rating this volume. I was confused to where it was picking off since it’s a continuation of the other main series. I didn’t like this volume as much. You will notice that I still gave it 5 stars however. I didn’t personally like the entire story was basically just Wonder Woman and the various wonder girls (I still didn’t recognize 3 of them but I’m guessing at one point in time they worked with or as wonder girl). I liked the introduced of Cassie and Donna. But the arc felt longer than it needed to be. I was getting impatient but then I read the letter that the main author wrote after that arc and it made more sense and I forgave the longer time spent. Also even though I have never heard of her, dawn star was really cool.
I really enjoyed the last bonus little issue where we finally get to meet some characters that have been promoted for so long (STARFIRE AND JESSIE QUICK AND BLACK CANARY)!!! I am so looking forward to seeing more of them. I prefer the issues where you get to jump from a couple of people’s stories and perspectives so you get a better picture of the whole universe. So I am hoping the next volume will do just that and do more than briefly mention these characters.
Also did the art style change like 3 or 4 times? Like at first it was definitely different, then it was like is this the same as the first series?, then it was like definitely different again, then it was like the original art style. It made me uncomfortable. I loved the original and hope it continues with that.
Either way, this was not my favorite volume in the bombshells universe, however I still love the thought and idea behind the entire thing. Hence the 5 stars.
I really enjoyed the last bonus little issue where we finally get to meet some characters that have been promoted for so long (STARFIRE AND JESSIE QUICK AND BLACK CANARY)!!! I am so looking forward to seeing more of them. I prefer the issues where you get to jump from a couple of people’s stories and perspectives so you get a better picture of the whole universe. So I am hoping the next volume will do just that and do more than briefly mention these characters.
Also did the art style change like 3 or 4 times? Like at first it was definitely different, then it was like is this the same as the first series?, then it was like definitely different again, then it was like the original art style. It made me uncomfortable. I loved the original and hope it continues with that.
Either way, this was not my favorite volume in the bombshells universe, however I still love the thought and idea behind the entire thing. Hence the 5 stars.
May 25, 2023
Récit dans un univers alternatif où ce sont les super-héroïnes qui sont au frond durant la deuxième guerre mondiale sans contrepartie masculine, on suit ici les traces d'une Wonder Woman qui libère des Japonais-Américains envoyé dans les camps de concentrations états-uniens. On souligne à la fin du comic les efforts de véritables personnes qui ont combattus et se efforcés d'arrêter ces camps.
J'avais pris ce comic pour voir un peu plus d'art de Marguerite Sauvage, elle ne signe que le quart des dessins de l'ouvrage, mais Marguerite Bennett effectue un très beau travail de création d'univers (qui apparemment est précédé par une autre lignée complète de comic que je n'ai pas lu), d'héroïsation de personnes du quotidien et de réflexion sur les choix que nous faisons. Criant d'actualité, malheureusement, ce comic offre un spin intéressant pour les personnages de Wonder Woman et de Supergirl . Le comic fait aussi figurer une équipe "diversifiée" de super-héroïnes qui reflète un peu plus adéquatement la réalité états-unienne.
Je suis aussi impressionné par la bibliographie sur l'histoire américaine qui parle de la colonisation et de l'internement des Japonais Américains, j'ai rarement vu autant de titres (une vingtaine) suggérés comme ça dans une bande-dessinée de super-héro·ïnes. [Et de bons titres en plus de ça]
J'avais pris ce comic pour voir un peu plus d'art de Marguerite Sauvage, elle ne signe que le quart des dessins de l'ouvrage, mais Marguerite Bennett effectue un très beau travail de création d'univers (qui apparemment est précédé par une autre lignée complète de comic que je n'ai pas lu), d'héroïsation de personnes du quotidien et de réflexion sur les choix que nous faisons. Criant d'actualité, malheureusement, ce comic offre un spin intéressant pour les personnages de Wonder Woman et de Supergirl . Le comic fait aussi figurer une équipe "diversifiée" de super-héroïnes qui reflète un peu plus adéquatement la réalité états-unienne.
Je suis aussi impressionné par la bibliographie sur l'histoire américaine qui parle de la colonisation et de l'internement des Japonais Américains, j'ai rarement vu autant de titres (une vingtaine) suggérés comme ça dans une bande-dessinée de super-héro·ïnes. [Et de bons titres en plus de ça]
August 18, 2018
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Telling the story of the Japanese internments during World War II is a key part of our American History that often gets overlooked. Unfortunately, the presentation of this story is just terrible. The dialogue is clunky, the action is weak, and the story is all over the place. There were several characters who I couldn't distinguish even by the end of the story. I think the format it was initially presented in did it no favors, and while it was nominally about rescuing the Japanese-Americans, they disappeared after the first issue and the rest of the story is facing down a very unpleasantly illustrated Clayface. The redemption arc is the reason it gets two stars - the story does try to go to some good places, but there's just no support there. At least it stays away from the cheesecake posing that inspired the series; that isn't necessary now that they've built these versions of the characters out so much (although most of my favorite characters from the earlier Bombshell books are missing, or show up only in the final section that serves basically as a teaser for the next volume). It had a lot of strong elements, but it just never came together.
August 8, 2018
The next series starring the Bombshells starts off with a deep dive into the ills that the American Government committed against it's citizens: The Japanese Internment Camps. I'm very pleased that Bennett tackled this theme with her first collection of BOMBSHELLS: UNITED, because it shows self awareness that while the Bombshells are absolutely fighting for good during WWII, our own Government had it's own horribly policies.
That said, I think that this was the weakest of the collections thus far. While I absolutely appreciate the themes that compassion is the utmost important thing a Bombshell can have, this time it was laid on PRETTY thick, and because of it Wonder Woman has been a little sidelined in favor of a team of girls carrying on her mantle and mission (led by Donna Troy, which is fine, but she's NO Diana). Plus, there's a whole arc with Clayface that just feels like a repeat of Harvey Dent and the Batgirls.
I am ABSOLUTELY going on because this is still a very fun series (AND BLACK CANARY SHOWED UP!). But I'm hoping that it doesn't get a bit muddled with the explosion of new characters we were introduced to.
That said, I think that this was the weakest of the collections thus far. While I absolutely appreciate the themes that compassion is the utmost important thing a Bombshell can have, this time it was laid on PRETTY thick, and because of it Wonder Woman has been a little sidelined in favor of a team of girls carrying on her mantle and mission (led by Donna Troy, which is fine, but she's NO Diana). Plus, there's a whole arc with Clayface that just feels like a repeat of Harvey Dent and the Batgirls.
I am ABSOLUTELY going on because this is still a very fun series (AND BLACK CANARY SHOWED UP!). But I'm hoping that it doesn't get a bit muddled with the explosion of new characters we were introduced to.
April 30, 2021
The beginning of the second and final entry in the DC Bombshell series is much the same as the first - ie it is hit and miss. The story was original involving Japanese Internment in America during WWII. The writing is strong but delves too often into the touchy/feely realm and the artwork is good but doesn't really work for me. This book is, essentially, a Wonder Woman book and it works very well for her character. In the story she is in charge of events and though she disappears half-way through she is always a factor. No problem there. The trouble comes from the other characters. Clayface is borrowed from Batmans gallery of rogues and adds nothing. The other characters are teenage girls from Wonder Womans' past including Donna Troy who are overly confident and annoying. Also, because the story is set around interment camps and forests I never got the retro 1940's feel that would have added to story and artwork. I gave this book 4 stars because it is a good WW story but could probably do with another rewrite and better villain but in truth it is probably more middling that my rating indicates.
August 16, 2018
I loved the first series, even with the mess that was the Russian battle. I had to give up on this one after the battle with Clayface. After the fight with Clayface, prepare for a galactic 'magic carpet' ride, courtesy of Dawnstar, to "unite the minds' of everyone.
The story line opens with the internment of the Japanese on the home front. Good topic.
However,
The art looks like it was photocopied from a watercolor sketchbook, and is very washed out. The continuity jumps back and forth, with the sequence of scenes being very confusing. Several new characters are introduced at normal speed (which, in this series) is the speed of light. Some have not appeared before, but you're still expected to know all about him.
There is a whole 'summoning' ritual to contact Wonder Woman which makes NO sense. (Apparently communications technology doesn't exist here.)
There is a handwave to the first series, showing the main characters off on missions. That's all you get.
The story line opens with the internment of the Japanese on the home front. Good topic.
However,
The art looks like it was photocopied from a watercolor sketchbook, and is very washed out. The continuity jumps back and forth, with the sequence of scenes being very confusing. Several new characters are introduced at normal speed (which, in this series) is the speed of light. Some have not appeared before, but you're still expected to know all about him.
There is a whole 'summoning' ritual to contact Wonder Woman which makes NO sense. (Apparently communications technology doesn't exist here.)
There is a handwave to the first series, showing the main characters off on missions. That's all you get.
November 15, 2018
The Bombshells take on the home front, with Wonder Woman coming to the aid of Japanese American citizens who have been sent to internment camps. DC Bombshells suffers from a continually expanding cast of characters that doesn't allow for much in the way of development of the ones who have already been introduced -- we get SO MANY new characters in this volume, most of them extremely obscure in the wider DC canon (and then the only one who's recurring besides Wonder Woman is Paula von Gunter? Uhhhh gonna pass on that Nazi redeemed by the power of love trope...) and it's a little frustrating because when there's six new main characters nobody gets much screen time. That said, the Japanese internment camps are an important episode in American history to highlight and I appreciate Bombshells devoting an entire arc to them, and to the ongoing oppression of Native Americans in the US. I would have liked more consistent art, but it's a losing battle, I guess.
May 6, 2019
A soft reboot/sequel to the Bombshells comics, this volume mostly focuses on a single story and location, rather than the more disparate approach of earlier Bombshells volumes.
This focus storyline takes place on the titular "American Soil," and refers to one of the sins of the US during WWII - interment of Japanese-Americans. The intervention of Wonder Woman and her fellow Bombshells does make a difference.
The downside of the narrow focus on one storyline is that it makes the final part of this volume that's setting up future events feel even more disconnected than usual, though it is nice to check in on the rest of the Bombshells we haven't seen for a while and it's a smart way to bring new players into the field.
This focus storyline takes place on the titular "American Soil," and refers to one of the sins of the US during WWII - interment of Japanese-Americans. The intervention of Wonder Woman and her fellow Bombshells does make a difference.
The downside of the narrow focus on one storyline is that it makes the final part of this volume that's setting up future events feel even more disconnected than usual, though it is nice to check in on the rest of the Bombshells we haven't seen for a while and it's a smart way to bring new players into the field.
September 21, 2019
An issue that the original Bombshells series had was that by the end, the cast was just so big the story felt a little bloated and it was sometimes just a few panels. This series seems to aim to start fresh. With the exception of Wonder Woman (), it's an all new cast of characters. This is a good idea except (as someone who's not super familiar with DC's catalog) now I'm a little lost. I don't really know any of these characters...
It's still a great issue and I love the idea of tackling the Japanese internment camps. I'm just going to have to do some quick Wikipedia research before I read the the next volume.
It's still a great issue and I love the idea of tackling the Japanese internment camps. I'm just going to have to do some quick Wikipedia research before I read the the next volume.
December 12, 2021
Another thoroughly okay volume in the DC Comics Bombshell comics. While the war rages in Europe, Wonder Woman is called to America to help some young women stop the Japanese internment.
Wonder Women ends up with a Gotham Batgirl-esque squad consisting of the two main Wonder Girls (Donna Troy/Toroya and Cassie Sandmark), and some relatively new supporting characters Emily Sung (Elementwoman in the main DC Comics) and Yuki and Yuri Katsura (who are apparently BatGirl villains in the main DC Comics). If you've read my previous reviews, you know I've ranted about how big the cast of Bombshells is, and Cassie, Yuki, Yuri, and Emily feel like padding characters most of whom were thrown into the mix because they're East Asian. I do not think I would be saying this if Bennett had taken the time to establish distinct personalities for the girls, but like the Batgirls, they kind of blur together. Wonder Woman has two more allies, Dawnstar a winged heroine who descended from the Tewa people of America, and another who I will get to later.
The main villain for many of the issues is Clayface, a Batman villain, who is actually used well to force the characters to experience (and rise above) the paranoia that was used to justify the Japanese Internment. His driving force is basically a nationalism so blind that he considers Diana of Themyscrira the embodiment of America.
There are a couple problems I have, but they are linked to some big spoilers.
The last issue in this trade paperback is a bit of a rollcall. It opens with several cameos going over major characters from the original run (Batwoman, Supergirl, Lois Lane, Mera, Arthur Curry, Vixen, Hawkgirl, and the Suicide Squad) as well as new characters Black Canary, Katana, Bumblebee, Starfire, The Flash, Black Cat, and Platinum (no idea who the last two, as well as the version of the Flash chosen, are by the way). Sandwiched in between all these cameos are the origins of Star Sapphire Carol Ferris and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz. It ends on Wonder Woman watching a mysterious space ship land.
Wonder Women ends up with a Gotham Batgirl-esque squad consisting of the two main Wonder Girls (Donna Troy/Toroya and Cassie Sandmark), and some relatively new supporting characters Emily Sung (Elementwoman in the main DC Comics) and Yuki and Yuri Katsura (who are apparently BatGirl villains in the main DC Comics). If you've read my previous reviews, you know I've ranted about how big the cast of Bombshells is, and Cassie, Yuki, Yuri, and Emily feel like padding characters most of whom were thrown into the mix because they're East Asian. I do not think I would be saying this if Bennett had taken the time to establish distinct personalities for the girls, but like the Batgirls, they kind of blur together. Wonder Woman has two more allies, Dawnstar a winged heroine who descended from the Tewa people of America, and another who I will get to later.
The main villain for many of the issues is Clayface, a Batman villain, who is actually used well to force the characters to experience (and rise above) the paranoia that was used to justify the Japanese Internment. His driving force is basically a nationalism so blind that he considers Diana of Themyscrira the embodiment of America.
There are a couple problems I have, but they are linked to some big spoilers.
The last issue in this trade paperback is a bit of a rollcall. It opens with several cameos going over major characters from the original run (Batwoman, Supergirl, Lois Lane, Mera, Arthur Curry, Vixen, Hawkgirl, and the Suicide Squad) as well as new characters Black Canary, Katana, Bumblebee, Starfire, The Flash, Black Cat, and Platinum (no idea who the last two, as well as the version of the Flash chosen, are by the way). Sandwiched in between all these cameos are the origins of Star Sapphire Carol Ferris and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz. It ends on Wonder Woman watching a mysterious space ship land.
October 21, 2018
3.5 stars. I wasn't too keen on the first half of this volume. I'm not a huge fan of Clay Face so I struggled to get into the story. I did however love the introduction of Dawnstar, and the art in this volume was amazing. The colours and backgrounds used with Dawnstar were stunning. The last volume was by far my favourite. So excited that we got to preview Green Lantern, The Flash, Starfire, and a few other new characters. Still by far my favourite series as it's so diverse and includes such an incredible range of female superheroes.
November 12, 2022
The creative team of Marguerite Bennett, (Batgirl, Earth 2: World’s End) and featuring artists including Marguerite Sauvage (Hinterkind), Laura Braga (Witchblade), Bilquis Evely (Doc Savage), Mirka Andolfo (Chaos) and Ming Doyle (Constantine: The Hellblazer) comes "Bombshells Vol. 1: Enlisted". It is a fascinating alternative history of Wonder Woman and the Wonder Girls fighting for justice in America during the darkest days of injustice of 1943. The writing an artwork are very good to delineate the times with appropriate costumes for the heroes. This is well worth reading.
April 14, 2020
Even though this says volume 1, I only now found out it's not the first in the series which probably explains why I was so confused about all the characters. I like the idea of the plot being about changing the history of the Japanese internment in the USA, but found the execution fell short. Even though Wonder Woman is on the cover, I felt a lot of the story wasn't really about Wonder Woman, but the next generation.
June 13, 2020
I actually like this new volume a lot better than the previous one so far. The fact that we had one story with everyone together just worked a lot better for me. The previous volume always felt super fractured, and it probably read a lot better in digital as it was intended. This one works well in trade, not sure if the next book in this run continues that pattern though with the way the last issue in here was set up.
August 28, 2018
This is a little bit of a let down after the first series. The story was good, just drawn out a bit too long. The first 5 issues they’re fighting Clayface, and it just felt very slow. It the 6th issue is anything to go by though, I think this series is going somewhere exciting. I’m hoping the art gets a bit better, because I loved the art of the first series.
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