GFT Retrospective #116: Wonderland #8

Article by Sean Wilkinson,

a.k.a. Destiny's Ticketmaster.

I can't consciously explain why, but out of nowhere, I've had "Jumpin' Jumpin'" by Destiny's Child stuck in my head for days now. Maybe it's because I've gone insane from my X-Men binge and lack of sleep finally catching up with me. Or maybe it's my brain reminding me to stop chasing waterfalls like a scrub (yes, I know those are TLC songs, so I'm gonna need you to get that monkey all the way off my back about it) and pay my bills (and my bills, and my bills), [insert all other Destiny's Child song references I forgot over the past twenty-plus years here], and get my crazy ass to writing this review because this is the issue where Violet and Harmony sneak out to hit up Club Excess like a pair of bootylicious independent women before Violet's survivor/soldier mother wakes up and says "no no no no no." I guess I'll just free my mind and see if the rest will follow, or if I have to push it real good.

Wonderland #8

As I mentioned in my Wonderland #6 review, this issue marks the beginning of Zenescope using Digital Edition covers, starting with the comically expressive bait cover on the left by Alfredo Reyes and Juan Fernandez. I also snapped the preview page from last week's issue to draw attention to how the font (which is available in one of the apps I use to make my banner images) makes the plot synopsis hard to parse because its punctuation is illegible, and because the cover art looks cool and I don't think I've mentioned the artists (Giuseppe Cafaro and Alessia Nocera) before.

After they knocked out Calie with some drugged ice cream in the previous issue, Violet and Harmony attempt to talk their way past the bouncer at Club Excess (who looks kind of like Malec's Legionnaire henchman, Volac, but it's probably not him because he gets eaten later), where the newest Flower Girl (presumably Erika from the beginning of issue six?) is being turned and...enjoying the process, prompting me into premature meme-jaculation because...

The scene transitions come fast and hard from there,

so I won't be using my Superfriends memes this time around. But just know that while the issue is switching focus every page or two, Spades and the Red Queen fight for the fate of the Temple Of Purity in Wonderland (only for the Suicide King to become a liability even though Red should keep fighting because Wonderland entities can regenerate from everything but inconsistent writing, magic Death knives, and D&D memes).

Justice for Lena the Cheshire Queen!

Maybe we're supposed to infer that, because of the symbolic connection to the Ebony Blade, Spades can nullify Wonderland's regeneration? Anyway, what's cool is how the issue explores her powers: apparently, even hyper-sane reality-warping monks have dark thoughts, and if darkness exists,

and, well...Scanners.

Yeah, I'm getting super topical and contemporary with the references (and my sarcasm) today because while the paneling and "editing" makes it look like there's a lot happening, there really isn't anything of substance here. We get small insights into Harmony's home life (hoarder chic decor, a self-medicating mother—like Sammy's—and deceased Marine father, completing the picture painted by her previously displayed exhibitionism and promiscuity) that barely matter because she took Dream (and shared it with Violet via a kiss that would have titilated Eric Bischoff in the early 2000s—topical references, remember?), and will shortly devolve into a mindless sex cannibal amidst a club-full of mindless sex cannibals, confirming that the hints to her being a Wonderland entity (a Flower Girl, a corrupted Melody, a Hat thrall, etc.) were all red herrings and her existence in the story was basically disposable and pointless. Thankfully, though, the issue ends with Calie at her best: arriving to save the day with gun in hand and a Ripley-worthy one-liner on her lips, ready to seemingly end this arc of the Wonderland Ongoing series in the next issue (I almost said "episode" because, again, X-Men fatigue).

This clearly wasn't my favorite issue to read or talk about, so I won't be surprised if my lack of passion is reflected in the traffic it receives (or doesn't receive). Just know that things will get better over the next two issues, Stay Tuned, and please remember to Become A Ticketholder if you haven't already, leave a comment at the bottom of this post and any others you have opinions about, help out my ad revenue as you read so I can keep on surviving with my pockets full-grown, and bug a boo on BlueSky, Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn to like what you see and receive the latest news on my wonderful content (including tomorrow's TBT '25 push of one of my HeroMachine heroes).

Here again is the release calendar for the rest of 2025, presented for your benefit, as well as my own SMART-ness and sanity:

• December 3: GFT Retrospective #117: Wonderland #9
• December 10: GFT Retrospective #118: Wonderland #10
• December 17: Zenescope - Omnibusted #37: Wonderland Volume Two
• December 24: Zenescope - Omnibusted #38: Madness Of Wonderland
• December 31: Zenescope - Omnibusted #39: Down the Rabbit Hole

Ticketmaster,

Jumpin' Out.