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Wonder Twins #7-12

Wonder Twins Vol. 2: The Fall and Rise of the Wonder Twins

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The adventures of Jayna and Zan continue in Mark Russell's zany Wonder Twins Vol. 2!

The world is saved! Or is it? Jayna and Zan are heroes, but they still have to go to high school and live in the same real world as the rest of us. When the bad guys get beaten and sent to jail, does it really end the problem? Mark Russell brings his signature humor and satire to the continuing adventures of the out-of-this-world Wonder Twins Vol. 2!

Collects Wonder Twins #7-12.

152 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 2020

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About the author

Mark Russell

435 books384 followers
Mark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

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5 stars
79 (24%)
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130 (41%)
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81 (25%)
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23 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Profile Image for Anne.
4,747 reviews71.3k followers
August 15, 2020
I was really excited when I saw this one popped up on my radar because I thought the 1st volume was a lot of fun. But this one didn't have the same charm for me and I quickly tired of the storyline.

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I may just have read it at the wrong time, but it felt like one too many satirical pokes at an already sore bruise. There's nothing wrong with what was said, I agreed with most of it, but I'm just bone-weary right now.
The art is great, and at another time or maybe another place in my life, I would have found this fantastic.
Profile Image for Chad.
10.4k reviews1,060 followers
September 2, 2020
Wonder Twin powers activate! This wasn't as tightly written as the first volume. Yes, there's still plenty of satire and digs at modern society. It just lacked focus some. Stephen Byrne's art is still sublime.
Profile Image for Dan.
3,214 reviews10.8k followers
August 15, 2020
Wonder Twins: The Fall and Rise of the Wonder Twins collects issues #7-12 of The Wonder Twins. WONDER!

In this collection, the Wonder Twins take on Colonel 86, a computer with artificial intelligence from the 1980s, bust Polly Math out of prison, bust Filo Math out of the Phantom Zone, and serve as tour guides at the Hall of Justice, among other things.

Stephen Byrne's art is slick and while it evokes memories of the Superfriends, it's still fresh and modern. His coloring perfectly complements his art. More artists should probably color their own work, honestly.

Mark Russell's writing is as it always is: he constantly poops the party and pulls back the curtain, skewering modern life on a shish kabob of cynicism. There are so many hilarious downers in this book. Even while the Wonder Twins save the world, you have to wonder if it deserves saving.

Wonder Twins: The Fall and Rise of the Wonder Twins is a fun and depressing satire of modern American life focused through the Wonder Twins lens. Five out of five space monkeys.
Profile Image for Diz.
1,864 reviews137 followers
February 28, 2024
I felt that this volume was not a strong as the first one. There are large sections of the book of Jayna being mopey, which really slowed down the story and made the story less funny overall. The ending picks up a bit, though.
Profile Image for Chris Lemmerman.
Author 7 books123 followers
August 7, 2020
The second half of the Wonder Twins maxi-series pits Zan and Jayna against the consequences of their actions, as the League Of Annoyance and Polly Math come back swinging. Add in a killer computer from the late eighties, and a possible mass body swap, and the Twins have their work cut out for them.

This half of the story is a bit more action oriented than the first, mostly because that false finish we got in volume 1 leads into everything that happens here, and gears itself up for the big climactic ending. And yet Mark Russell never forgets the character work and poignant storytelling that singles his comics out from all the others on the stands.

Stephen Byrne, who drew the first six issues, pencils and colours all but one issue here, which is ably handled by Mike Norton, who I believe did a fill-in on Dial H, another Young Animal series, so he knows what he's doing, and fits the aesthetic of the book well.

I'd say Wonder Twins goes out on a high, but the entire run is a high point, so I'd be selling the rest of it short. Suffice to say, it's really good.
Profile Image for Shannon Appelcline.
Author 30 books168 followers
August 23, 2020
This first volume of this felt somewhat special, this one is more mundane.

Oh, we've still got the high-school drama, and we've still got the super-hero hijinx, but in many ways this feels like a very long coda to volume one, resolving its remaining plot lines rather than breaking any new ground.

It's perfectly OK, and would probably read pretty well when combined with the previous volume, but on its own it feels shallow.
Profile Image for Alan.
2,050 reviews15 followers
February 24, 2020
The last couple of issues collected in this TPB asked a very important question. Why do the heroes only address the symptoms, and not really try to society's ills. I mean you can sort of say Alan Moore with Watchmen and Mark Gruenwald with Squadron Supreme tried to do that, but Russell outright has his characters ask that question.

And, it is a good question. I mean it's obvious from my read list here that I have a guilty pleasure for American comics. here though, Jan and Zanya end up having to reverse a "villain's" plot even though that plot would have seemed like a Bernie Sanders dream come true.

The Twins did wonder if they were doing the right thing when the stopped the villain's plans. Especially the one that might have created worldwide income equality and been the start of a Green New Deal.

This does mean that by the end the Twins do go up against their establishment mentors. The resolution was not great, but served the story well because even the Twins are split as to how far they should go to solve problem by disobeying the law.

Plus,I'll debate anyone who cannot enjoy the Math father/daughter relationship and the Scrambler by the time they hit the last page.
Profile Image for Idan  Luisa Sanchez.
54 reviews
November 14, 2020
This was fun. It did not blow my mind, but it made me smile, and I was always intrigued to see where it would lead me. The characters of Jayna and Zan continue their romp through modern DC and they pick up many plot threads left dangling since the last volume.

I found the quality similar to the first volume, but I got a different feeling out of this volume because it already has almost all the pieces set up, and then we get to see the consequences play out in thoughtful fashion. No spoilers!

The art by Stephen Byrne is pretty clean looking and is always expressive, and it could probably be animated and adapted to a kid-friendly cartoon without much difficulty.

It is not quite as action-packed as some other superhero comics—there’s lots of action in this volume, but something about the nature of the action always felt like a kid’s tv show rather than a grueling death match with lots of gore and bleeding wounds and the possibility that the heroes won’t win. No one does satire quite like this writer, so if you are a fan of Mark Russell’s previous work, and you want a comic that looks and pokes fun at the fundamental problems that build our society, with a hopeful resolution for a mostly unseen future of collaboration and problem solving, Wonder Twins Volume 2 is a fine read.
Profile Image for Christian Zamora-Dahmen.
Author 1 book31 followers
March 14, 2020
Read in single issues. I think the first volume was more surprising than the second one, which was kind of left with just the dangling plots, but still the joy of this series was right there (that's why I'm keeping the 5-star grade).
I adored the reasoning behind Jayna's moves and how she always wanted to make things right, even when it was the system what was wrong, even if this put them at odds with the Justice League.
And Zan is so loyal to his sister that there's a deep sense of awe in all of it. He's like the perfect partner. Not extremely brilliant, but not dumb either, and he completely trusts her. That's nice for a change in a male/female partnership.
While this books seems quite lighthearted, it is also very deep in the way it points a lot of things that are wrong in the world we live, even if they seem to be in the side of the law. It is very revolutionary considering most super-hero books don't defy the machine. Well, the Wonder Twins do, and that's why I loved this series so much. I hope there's an encore!
5,870 reviews146 followers
July 15, 2020
Wonder Twins: The Fall and Rise of the Wonder Twins is a trade paperback that collects the last six issues (Wonder Twins #7–12) of the 2019 series and collects one-issue storylines that are more or less interconnected.

Zan and Jayna, twin shape-shifters, from the planet Exxor, continue their exile on Earth, while trying to balance being an alien adolescent and a superhero. Together, they go against villains such as Polly Math, The Scrambler, Scarlet Fever, June Cleaver, Cell Phone Sylvia, Raylon, Colonel 86, Ringmaster, and Lex Luthor with help and various cameos from the Justice League.

Mark Russell penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written rather well. It continues the adventures of Zan and Jayna, extra-terrestrial biological entities from the planet Exxor exiled to Earth as they fight crime, find meaning in life, and survive adolescence.

With the exception of one issue (Wonder Twins #8), which was penciled by Mike Norton, the rest of the trade paperback was penciled by Stephen Byrne. Since he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. His penciling style is wonderful and is apropos and accentuates the series rather well.

Overall, the Wonder Twins series is a wonderfully written series written by one author – Mark Russell and for the most part one penciler in Stephen Byrne. Together, in a short dozen issues, they have reintroduced two characters from their humble beginnings in the seventies and brought them into the modern era. It tells an unoriginal tale about adolescents trying to survive in a changing world with a twist being that they are not from Earth (as most adolescents are viewed) and part-time superheroes. While it is regrettable that the run was rather short, what was presented was done rather well. Hopefully, we will see these remarkable characters again.

All in all, Wonder Twins: The Fall and Rise of the Wonder Twins is a good and satisfying conclusion to an equally wonderful series.
Profile Image for Rachel.
1,920 reviews39 followers
June 30, 2022
This one seemed more scattered than the first volume. Even already knowing the previous plotline, it was harder to follow. And it has the twins going against the League in favor of imprisoned identified bad guys, the Math father and daughter. Who, yes, weren't really bad guys, and yes, the twins had something to do with them getting imprisoned in the first place, but still. I'm not all for law and order or the prison system, but it....let's say, it didn't read well. The sense of humor from the first book was still there (I love how Lex Luthor's news reporters, male and female, shave their heads to look like him, or at least for the sake of the brand), but didn't resonate with me as much as it did in the first volume. Still worth reading.
Profile Image for John.
Author 35 books41 followers
August 21, 2020
Thoughtful satire. With a space monkey.
Profile Image for Dakota Morgan.
3,417 reviews54 followers
March 1, 2021
The second Wonder Twins volume is a bit more goofball, lacking the depth of the first outing, but it's still a heaping dose of fun and artistic quality. You know you're in for a humor-focused affair when a primary character has the power of unrelenting stench. That said, The Fall and Rise of the Wonder Twins does manage to say some interesting things about forgiveness and redemption. It is a Mark Russell book after all. There can't not be a deeper meaning.
Profile Image for David.
2,565 reviews87 followers
March 20, 2021
Believe it or not this is one of DCs best series of the recent vintage. Totally charming.
Profile Image for Kara Nevle.
95 reviews18 followers
November 1, 2020
One of my favorite ongoing comics, if you need a pick-me-up then this is a perfect read
Profile Image for Ondřej Halíř.
387 reviews18 followers
March 11, 2022
Druhé volumko už není tak silné co se týče humoru, satiry a i příběhu. Pořád je to ale fajn počtení u kterého se zasmějete a oddechnete, bohužel už to není ale takový granát jak jednička!
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,746 reviews35 followers
July 17, 2021
While not wrong in its themes by any means, this book definitely felt very on-the-nose and relied on stereotypes when it came to varying viewpoints. I expected a bit more fun from a modern Wonder Twins... and while it definitely delivered that--such as when Zan took running a school casino waaaay too seriously--most of it felt like a soapbox. Again, the points made were very valid... it would have just had more traction if the opposing viewpoints weren't so obviously stereotyped. Perhaps this is made more obvious by the fact that I recently read "Champions: Outlawed," which deftly handled an, admittedly fictional controversy--but what is fiction if not a mirror for reality? It managed to show both viewpoints, without making either seem evil or imbecilic. I can't say this graphic novel managed such a delicate balance, made all the more frustrating since the topics addressed were very real and very not fictional. Life is made of shades of gray, and there was none of that in this comic. That all said... I actually did enjoy much of the messages in this story: That our world is the product of what we choose to keep and what we choose to change, and that the world is in constant flux and we must evolve with it or stagnate. Nice ideas, but the way it was handled, especially in something I was hoping to be a more fun read, was very my-way-or-the-highway. It probably sounds like I didn't like the book much, but I did enjoy seeing Lex Luthor be outsmarted by two teens, and I actually laughed out loud during the aforementioned casino bit. Add in some inspiring Superman quotes and Batman saying that a meeting was called "on account of hugging," plus the Justice League's compromise to a difficult issue, and... yeah, there was a lot to enjoy in this comic. I just wish there had been a lot more subtilty in a lot of places. I mean, you have a character whose superpower is that he smells bad... Maybe don't take yourself too seriously? I've read comics that balance goofy with serious, but they do that by having balance in their message as well as in their story and characters. I never quite got this here. And I honestly wish the book would have had more Zan. In fact, that character is a perfect metaphor for what I was expecting from the book as a whole: Fun, but with just enough superhero-ness to make you look at the world with a new and even questioning lens. But that's not what we got... Oh well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Scratch.
1,442 reviews51 followers
March 5, 2020
I understand that the writers are trying to appeal to a younger generation. But it's almost like whoever wrote this HATES comic books.

The Wonder Twins express their regret about ever coming to earth in the first place, bemoaning the wretched state of the prison industrial complex, corporate interference in the criminal justice system, etc. Weirdly, they direct their ire at Superman and the rest of the Justice League. The absolute pillars of superheroism. Because the Wonder Twins *assume* that the heroes are too judgmental to help out the Maths. (The Maths are a brilliant pair, father and daughter, with some supervillain-y tendencies.)

The writer is trying for a lot of political statements about the state of the U.S. While he's not wrong, he's also completely abandoning the idea that conventional superheroism has a place in this world. The adults are stupid, only the teens know how to fix the world, etc.

Odd choice to have a silly comic book address weighty issues of criminal justice reform. Whatevs.
Profile Image for Robby.
515 reviews4 followers
December 21, 2021
"It's sometimes easier to see the world as the epilogue to the mistakes of our ancestors rather than the prologue to our resilience."
"At some point a man lives with his mistakes for so long, they become part of him. Like a transplant. Maybe that's all I am now . . . just some sad old baboon's heart."
Once again, Mark Russell brings on the social satire while keeping things relatively light. In here you will find:
-A riot-dispersing hero whose power is smell.
-A principal terrified of seeing his school's librarian at their mutual class reunion.
-A 1980s computer AI bent on returning the world to the past.
All while Jayna and Zan continue to learn about systemic oppression (and in one case being a casino owner).
As with many of Russell's creations, this run ends after a mere 12 issues, long enough to engage without the humor growing stale. I continue to look forward to what Mark brings to the medium.
Profile Image for Sesana.
6,287 reviews329 followers
September 20, 2020
I genuinely loved this series. The combination of social commentary, humor, irony, and sincerity hit just right. I love that this is a book that can have characters honestly accuse the Justice League of not caring enough about small problems without it feeling like a gotcha moment, and I love that the reaction was evidently honest reflection and a commitment to do more. It's really hard to balance criticism of the JL's macro view of of problem solving with a deep conviction that they're doing their best for the best of reasons, and Russell hit that balance perfectly. Superman is very effective in this series. He's the honest, caring, wise mentor he should be to Zan and Jayna, and it's really nice to read. This is the end of the series, which is fine. It's a complete story, with a few side trips, and I'm very satisfied with the ending.
3,035 reviews14 followers
January 9, 2022
Okay, so this volume did wrap up some of the loose plot threads from the first one, including the source of the Kryptonian device, but certainly didn't feel right in the story of how it got lost from Jayna in the first place. That said, it's true that the cell phone villain got what she deserved, in terms of at least a temporary punishment.
The long term plan of the Super Friends was an interesting conclusion to this limited series, and I wish it had been in the mainstream DC universe, which has always needed a component like that.
I was a little disappointed that Gleek didn't really get to do anything this time, and that the Twins really only got to do a couple of interesting things with their powers, but even so, seeing Jayna turn into a pug was just to bizarrely cute for words...seeing a villain get taken out by a pug was priceless.
Profile Image for Alex Sarll.
7,071 reviews363 followers
Read
January 26, 2024
"Do you know what an adult is, Jayna? A walking accumulation of regret. [...] Everything we do, every mistake we make, goes on our permanent record. And I would know. I'm a principal."
A second volume I don't think anyone thought they were going to get, so it concentrates on aftermaths and consequences, Superman offering a typically optimistic assessment of the possibilities of resilience and looking forward, while everyone else is increasingly caught up in the awful legacy of the past.

But also, jokes! I particularly enjoyed the casino subplot.
Profile Image for Douglas Gibson.
910 reviews51 followers
May 5, 2021
Another great volume! I am really disappointed that we only get 12 issues of this story under this creative team- there are lots more fun stories to be mined here. I love the way Russell uses key members of the JLA as secondary characters in these issues- especially Superman being a mentor to the twins. Again, as I stated in my review of volume 1, laugh out loud funny at times, while still having a timely point of view and sense of social commentary.
Profile Image for Braddy Buns.
170 reviews7 followers
August 22, 2022
Not as solid as the first book, although still quite fun and loaded with pointed commentary - exactly what you’d expect from Mark Russell.

Probably the most impressive aspect of the story is the way Russell and Byrne portray the big heroes - especially Superman - criticizing them while keeping them both in character and likable.

Ending is surprisingly strong. This is kinda the perfect book for a new cynical age.
Profile Image for Sean.
4,179 reviews25 followers
February 16, 2023
Mark Russell & Stephen Byrne's fun Wonder Twins series ends here with fun and adventure. The twins are still dealing with the aftermath from the last volume. The series is silly, fun, and heartfelt. It won't be for everyone but I enjoyed it. I liked last volume better but the Colonel 86 issue alone was glorious. Byrne's art was wonderful. Overall, the book seemed a little less important but was still satisfying.
Profile Image for Dash Steele.
159 reviews
September 17, 2025
A fine enough follow-up and conclusion to Russell’s run. I’ll be honest in saying I had higher hopes- I felt that the episodic nature of the first half of the run is far more interesting than just one grand arc. Russell still does a fine job in wrapping everything up, even if some plot points seem a bit obtuse. Glad to see Sylvia get what’s hers, but I really wish she hadn’t been the final antagonist.

That all said. Lex Luthor stuck in space is hilarious.
519 reviews
June 21, 2020
Smart and insightful with a healthy dose of optimism, I'm sad to see this limited series end. Mark Russell took weird, minor characters and wrote a timely but timeless story which was graced with Stephen Byrne's art; art that was full of character. This was an excellent series and I can't recommend it enough.
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