WARNING: Comprises potential spoilers for Surprise Lady #17!
Tom King broke the hearts of Surprise Lady and Steve Trevor shippers when he killed off Diana Prince's most iconic love curiosity in Surprise Lady #14. Nevertheless, King doesn't seem like executed piling on the grief for this legendary couple, as proven within the newest Surprise Lady launch subject.
Tom King and Daniel Sampere Surprise Lady #17 continues its twin narrative, alternating between Diana and the new child Lizzie, and the Surprise Women – Donna Troy, Yara Flor and Cassie Sandsmark – who're dealing with off in opposition to the Sovereign.
Whereas the Surprise Women aspect of the story is filled with motion and unimaginable moments, the calmer, extra melancholic half specializing in Diana and Lizzie stands out. It brings to gentle probably the most poignant and emotional moments concerning Diana and Steve since their dyingand is bound to carry tears to quite a lot of readers.
“I simply can’t cease telling you… how lovable he was.” –Diana Príncipe in Surprise Lady #17 (2025)
Come comedian panel Surprise Lady #17 (2025) – Artwork by Daniel Sampere
The half centered on Diana Surprise Lady #17 follows Diana as she tells little one Lizzie the story of how she met Steve. Whereas Surprise Lady followers are aware of this story, what makes this retelling stand out is the truth that whereas Diana is telling the story, she can also be carving a mysterious work out of a large rock. Solely on the finish of the difficulty is the topic of the sculpture revealed—a practical reproduction of Steve Trevor, Lizzie's father and the good love of Surprise Lady's life.
Whereas Diana bringing her misplaced like to life by artwork is sufficient to tug on the heartstrings, it's her self-reflective dialogue, mixed with the imagery, that makes this second actually transferring. Whereas admiring her work and looking out on the face of her misplaced love, Diana displays"What number of occasions have you ever heard that story? You have to be bored with it, darling. I simply can't cease telling you... how lovable he was. Your father." This dialogue, mixed with Diana wanting lovingly into the statue's face whereas holding her son, creates a deeply emotional and impactful second for readers.
Tom King turned Diana and Steve's relationship into one in every of DC's finest romances
Comedian panel comes from Surprise Lady #14 (2024) – Artwork by Daniel Sampere
Though Steve was Diana's central love curiosity for many years it's actually outstanding how King deepened their relationship. A typical criticism of Diana and Steve's romance is that it felt "tedious" and it made no sense - that Diana, a goddess-level heroine who works with immensely highly effective beings, would fall in love with a mortal like Steve. Nevertheless, King brilliantly reminded readers why and the way Diana fell in love with the navy man, significantly when recounting their first assembly in Surprise Lady #19.
However King didn't simply modernize their story — he elevated it. Steve's dying and the 'start' of Diana and Steve's daughter took their relationship to new emotional heights. Watching Diana's ache, her enduring love for Steve, and her transformation right into a mom added layers to the romance in an unprecedented approach. Not solely did this make Surprise Lady and Steve's relationship probably the most iconic and well-developed within the DC Universe, however it additionally developed Diana's character in maybe essentially the most impactful approach in a long time, if not ever.
Steve Trevor could also be lifeless, however his romance with Surprise Lady is much from over
Primary cowl by Daniel Sampere for Surprise Lady #19 (2025)
Regardless of Steve's dying, King proved that the story of his romance with Surprise Lady is much from over. Steve died in Surprise Lady #14, however every subject that adopted solely deepened the emotional complexity of their relationship. Whereas some may argue that the issues have since subsided after the massive bombshell in subject #14, it's clear that King is taking the time to correctly discover and provides much-needed consideration to Diana's ache. So whereas Steve Trevor could also be gone, it's evident that his romance with Surprise Lady is much from over, as King continues to discover their bond by Diana's enduring love for him.
Surprise Lady #17 is now accessible from DC Comics!