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This issue sees the return of Jason, the “long lost” twin brother of Diana, whose existence had been eluded to at the end of Justice League 50 during the New 52 era.
His absence from the DC Rebirth relaunch was interpreted by some fans that this unwelcome sibling had simply been quietly forgotten about and ret-conned out of existence. However, this story not only re-introduces him but leads to him becoming a regular member of the book’s cast right up until Wonder Woman #50.
Interestingly, this issue also sees a reappearance of the “Oddfellows”, who are the three friends of Steve that were featured in the “Wonder Woman” movie set in World War One. However, in the comic universe the Oddfellows exist in the present day.
Synopsis
The issue opens with Wonder Woman, Steve and The Oddfellows in the Catacombs of Paris fighting a group of Parademons. We flashback to A.R.G.U.S. headquarters four hours earlier as Doctor Peril removes a sheet to reveal the corpse of Hercules. He asks Wonder Woman is she had ever know him and she replies only be reputation.
She then asks if they have any idea what killed him and Peril replies that since the attack on Earth by Darkseid they have been monitoring Apokolips energy as an early warning of any future attack. Hercules body is rife with such energy. Steve wonders what the link is between Greek legends and Apokolips and Wonder Woman tells him it is obvious that this is the work of Grail. But what her motives are she is not sure.
Peril then says that he has something to show them that might help. He continues that Hercules wasn’t the first victim of such attacks as he reveals to Wonder Woman and Steve a chamber full of over a dozen corpses. It was only because they had intel on Hercules that they were able to identify him and make the connection to Wonder Woman, whereas these others are still unidentified. Wonder Woman replies that she has an appointment with Hercules lawyer, Blake Hooper, later and that he maybe has some answers.
Just then they receive an alert of another energy spike and Paris and Wonder Woman and Steve set off to investigate.
Back in the present time Wonder Woman together with her friends finally mop up the rest of the Parademons. She says that this certainly doesn’t contradict the idea that Grail is somehow involved but Steve adds that there is no obvious link between this Parademon Hive and the death of Hercules. The Amazon Princess replies that hopefully Mr. Hooper may have the answers she is looking for…
Several hours later Diana is riding in a car with the lawyer heading to Hercules home in Oregon. As they arrive and he shows her inside she seems sad. When he asks why she replies that seeing Hercules home, his life here and now, he was more than just a legend..he was her brother. She had heard troubling stories about him in the past, ranging from him being a hero to a violent maniac. But that fact is they both shared the same father, Zeus.
Hooper says that he is aware that Zeus was a great lover and produced many children but Diana replies that “love” is not the right word as she doubts it had much to do with her father’s actions. The God had sired many offspring, some uniquely empowered, many were immortal, but equally some lived and died never knowing the truth of their own existence. “He may have been a great god but he was a terrible father” she adds.
Hooper then hands her a letter that Hercules had left for her and which was to be given to her after his death. She reads it and discovers that he had been a true admirer of her love and compassion and had often wanted to reach out, but had been so ashamed of some of his actions in the dim and distant past that he had thought better of it. He wanted nothing to do with the past and that version of himself and so had hidden away here in Oregon living a simple life.
He bequeaths his possessions to her though he recognises that material items mean little. Which is why is also wants her to have knowledge of something he had sworn to Glaucus, whom he had served with on the Argo along with the original Jason, to keep secret. An immortal like Hercules, Glaucus had been given a child to raise – a boy named after the Argonauts leader. Jason. And he is Diana’s twin brother.
Diana is stunned by this news and remembers that Myrina, Grail’s mother, had alluded to such as she lay dying and although Diana had tried to search for this mysterious brother she had been unsuccessful. Hercules has however left the coordinates of Jason’s home and soon Diana and Blake are flying to the Aegean Coast.
They enquire at a local cafe and are told that Jason has gone for the day out fishing and will be back later that evening as he always does. Blake says it seems they will have to wait but Diana is impatient and transforms into Wonder Woman before flying out to the boat.
As she touches down on deck she tells the initially surprised and handsome man that he has no need to fear and that nothing is wrong. She then introduces herself as his sister but before she can finish he breaks out into a huge smile and finishes her sentence.
“My sister! I know…I can feel it too…you’ve found me..”
