By Alex Batts — We’re back with another installment in The Wicked + The Divine Re-Read Project, and today we’re taking a look at The Wicked + The Divine #24, the second installment in The Imperial Phase Part 1. Things get back to business as usual, whatever business as usual is for the Patheon in a post-Ananke world. This issue also puts a big focus on Persephone, with her gracing the cover. Speaking of covers…let’s get to and through the solicit so we can talk about that gorgeous cover from Jamie McKelvie and Matthew Wilson.

The Wicked + The Divine #24

Here’s the official solicitation text for The Wicked + The Divine #24 from December 7th, 2016:

“IMPERIAL PHASE (I),” Part Two It's January 1st. Happy New Year. For a WicDiv-ian value of happy.”

Short, dry, and to the point. Though it doesn’t need much else, does it? Why wouldn’t you want to read about the New Years' revels and revelations of the Pantheon? I know my curiosity is piqued.

The Cover: Another entry in the series of “off-center” covers, this time featuring Persephone in a dazzlingly detailed outfit with her tendril-like neon powers on display in the rectangle behind her. This look for her is one of my personal favorites of the series, and though it’s a shame it’s not featured on any interior pages (that I can remember off the top of my head) I can understand not wanting to recreate all the intricate patterns on both her main bodysuit and jacket in various action scenes.

Jamie McKelvie continues to be the gift that keeps giving and delivers a beautiful image of the underworld goddess that’s deceptively inviting and oozes confidence. Persephone’s entire outfit not only looks killer but speaks to her character, from her skull necklace to her floral patterns and pomegranate earring everything has a purpose. Then Matthew Wilson comes in and as usual elevates the image to another level, delivering a cool palette across the image with vibrant highlights and a sprinkle of warm tones to pull you in and achieve contrast.

The First Page: Opening with three horizontal panels of not quite equal size executing an effective “pull back” shot with the camera, we see a party raging on inside the 3 floors belonging to the Pantheon in the Shard skyscraper in London. The partygoers count down from 4 as they announce and celebrate a Happy New Year, while Persephone is revealed on a ledge outside the party by herself as the first firework goes off.

There are a few things I love about this page. The first is the inverted 1-2-3-4 motif that is a nice flip of what we generally see in the series when those numbers appear in sequential order but also it of course makes total sense and almost has to be there in context considering it’s a New Year’s celebration. The camera pullback is another element I adore just being a sucker for cinematic movements in any media, and the way it reveals Persephone on the edge is a big plus.

That final panel is also striking and I’m so glad is left textless. The background that fades not abruptly, but quickly to pure black by the halfway point of the image highlights the height of the building Persephone is on but also the feeling of loneliness. And the one lone and initial firework trailing along the right side is the perfect pop of contrasting color and movement.

On-Page Action: Though it isn’t the first page, the initial page turn after the first page opens to a brilliant double-page spread of a variety of spectacular fireworks celebrating the New Year with the faces of the fallen Pantheon appearing in the patterns of some of the explosions. It’s a grand cacophony of color and had to be mentioned.

Wicked + Divine #24 Fireworks Spread.jpg

Following that, we get a genuine, reflective, and eventually comforting conversation between Amaterasu and Persephone. Persephone talks about the weirdness of everything starting a year ago, and how much she wanted to be a god. Then, wanting to have fun and “not be the boring one” Amaterasu shares a New Years' kiss with Persephone, and the following scene further emphasizes what Urdr would later refer to as Persephone’s “general hedonism” as she wakes up in bed with Sakhmet. Minerva, who begins acting a lot more like an adult, wakes her up to tell her not to hurt Baal.

Minerva goes on to say that though Baal agreed to an open relationship Persephone still needs to consider his feelings more, and that Baal also views her as the last connection to Inanna. The goddess of wisdom side of Minerva is starting to flourish as she tells Persephone to be kind. Though it looks like she might be having a breakthrough at first Persephone quickly turns to anger and tells Minerva not to judge her. From here we get a few pages of Persephone being as nonchalantly badass as she can, engaging with a few of her fans and asking to be referred to as “The Destroyer” before tearing down the London streets on her motorcycle. It’s badass in basses most distilled form.

We then see her arrive at Valhalla with a wide shot showcasing the wreckage left in the wake of the Pantheon’s battle. Persephone smirks as she remembers Ananke’s death, then seems to feel nothing about it. Earlier in the issue, there’s a design page with the date and title “Once Again” and now as Persephone enters Valhalla, we get another page with the date and title “We Return” and I just absolutely love narrative and design choices like that. It’s a stand-up and clap moment for me.

We learn that Urdr and Persephone are going through the detritus of the murder machine Woden “unknowingly” constructed as they plan to prosecute him for his compliance and assistance in Ananke’s machinations. Woden then appears, and the trio gets into a spat as Urdr and Persephone layout the fact that Woden knowingly helped Ananke try to murder Persephone, though Woden attempts to defend his actions.

As the duo begin to escalate the situation Woden reveals he has footage of Persephone murdering Ananke and the entire Pantheon being complicit in covering it up. Naturally, if anything happens to him, the footage is released. “Your move,” he says to Persephone. “I’m The Destroyer. You know my move.” Responds the underworld goddess as she moves to snap her fingers and the issue ends.

Deeper Meaning: Persephone is such an interesting character study in being careful what you wish for and also continuously internally fighting to be better while acting wildly apathetic and reckless. You can constantly see hints of her deep sadness, reflection, and confusion with how she feels and what she genuinely wants to do, but since gaining godhood she presents herself with such an air of authority and powerful assertion.

Her battles with depression didn’t diminish with godhood and her eventual death was moved up expeditiously once she joined the ranks of the Pantheon. She’s always struggling with all these factors and it makes for a compelling tale throughout the series.

The Art: I praised them both while talking about the cover but McKelvie and Wilson continue to shine across the pages of this issue. I don’t think I’ve mentioned this particular detail in a while but the consistently strong and varied page layouts help keep the flow of the issue engaging and dynamic. The use of motion, deliberate pacing, pauses and emphasis on facial expressions, and more all hit exactly as they’re intended.

Wilson brings deep, smooth, and consistent colors to the pages and ties everything together. The atmosphere of each panel feels perfect for the scene and setting, and the vibrancy needed any time a power is on display is always hit right on the mark. This pair simply do not disappoint.

The Wicked + The Divine #24

The Wicked + The Divine #24
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artists: Jamie McKelvie
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
"IMPERIAL PHASE (I)," Part Two It's January 1st. Happy New Year. For a WicDiv-ian value of happy.
Release Date: December 7, 2016
Buy It Here: The Wicked + The Divine #24

Click here to read past installments of the Wic + Div Re-Read.

Alex Batts is from Texas. A lifelong comic book enthusiast and movie lover, if he’s not talking about comics, he’s probably not talking. You can find him on Twitter by following @BatmanFiles