DC reveals Queen Hippolyta's killer in Artemis Wanted #1 preview
Wonder Woman and Wondergirl are tracking their fellow Amazonian warrior through the midwestern U.S.
DC just revealed who killed Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons and Wonder Woman's mother, in the preview for the Artemis Wanted #1 one-shot.
Written by Vita Ayala, illustrated by Skylar Patridge, colored by Romulo Fajardo Jr., and lettered by Pat Brosseau, Artemis Wanted #1 follows Diana's rival and former replacement as Wonder Woman, Artemis of the Bana-Mighdall, as she flees Themyscira and makes her way to a small town in the midwestern U.S. She's having persistent dreams about an unknown young girl, and her reception in the town of Hither is frosty at best – but not just from the winter air.
As Artemis travels and deals with her dreams, the issue also shows the status of Wonder Woman and Wondergirl. Diana and Cassie are following Artemis's trail so they can bring her to justice. Why?
Diana reveals that Artemis killed Hippolyta.
But while Wonder Woman assumes her mother died because Artemis was "consorting with the enemy," Cassie isn't so sure.
Check out the preview below.
Artemis Wanted #1 seems to conclude the major mystery of March's Trial of the Amazons #1, in which Artemis apparently murdered Hippolyta. While Diana's assertion may be incorrect, what seems more likely is that there's more to the story, per Cassie's hesitation.
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It's unlike an Amazon to kill her queen, and even more unlike an Amazon to work with anyone in the world of men to endanger her fellow warriors and their home. But whatever Artemis's reasons for poisoning the queen, she's going to have to explain herself when Diana and Cassie catch up.
The solicitation for Artemis: Wanted #1 suggests the disgraced hero may actually double down on the Amazons' connection to the gods, turning to them for help in her fall from grace.
As a former replacement for Diana as Wonder Woman, Artemis is one of the most highly skilled warriors among the Amazons, meaning that if the gods need a new agent on Earth, she may just be the exact right candidate.
That said, we know Hippolyta ascends to godhood in August's Olympus: Rebirth #1, and some of the Greek pantheon aren't pleased with her vision of the future. Could they tap in Artemis to finish what she started with Hippolyta's murder?
Artemis Wanted #1 is available July 19.
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I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)
- Samantha PucEditor, Newsarama