"Revenge of Wonderland #6" Comic Review

Calie Liddle can never quite escape the madness of Wonderland. She once again finds herself in this tortured world, fighting for her life. This time, she's joined by her daughter Violet as she squares off against the Duchess and her army of faceless children. Did I mention that Wonderland thrives on insanity?

The Duchess is one of the most horrifying villains this place has ever cranked out. Wonderland twists and contorts to match the needs of those in dire straits. That's what happened in this case as it sucked in this poor woman shortly after she lost her son, turning her into this monster.

Artist Allan Otero makes the Duchess look frightening in both of her forms, whether it's the sweet, conniving mother or the hulking beast. The latter is definitely a bit scarier, between the razor sharp teeth and the claws that could easily palm a human head. She seems to be able to manipulate the area around her and in this case, materialize weapons out of thin air. There's a great shot where she creates a hammer and we see it just as it finishes forming, so the top part is made of dust and ash, like a fallen warrior in Avengers: Infinity War.

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I don't entirely understand the dynamic between the two versions of the Duchess, so I must have missed something during the series. In any case, it's cool to see how the two sides fight for control, each with their own goals and methods. We get a glimpse as to how the transformation happens and it's like something out of An American Werewolf in London.

The two versions are differentiated not just by their appearance, but in the overall tone of the book when they show up. Colorists Grostieta and Maxflan Araujo set these moods well. The normal Duchess has a warmth to her. Although she's doing a horrible thing by kidnapping children and imprisoning them in Wonderland, she's doing it out of love. Conversely, the monster Duchess is just that. She's this dark, hulking beast that would rip your throat out if you looked at her the wrong way.

Letterer Taylor Esposito uses a different font for each too, with a more jagged and bolder version for the bigger Duchess. It's a nice effect that makes her appear more like a supernatural entity than a person.

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What's interesting is that Calie and Violent don't win this fight with brute strength. Sure, they can hold their own against this monster, but something else tackles the Duchess and it's their humanity that can ultimately see them through. Writer Raven Gregory puts a touching spin on this tale that grounds Revenge of Wonderland even among all the insane elements at work.

It's clear that Revenge of Wonderland is the beginning of something big. Since Raven Gregory was instrumental in putting Wonderland on the map with the initial trilogy of stories, I'm excited to see where he takes these characters and this world next. The final pages are one helluva cliffhanger that will surely please new and old fans alike.