The Sequential Art Of Amanda Conner (graphic novel review).
Tracking down some of comic book artist Amanda Conner’s early work for DC Comics is made rather easy with this collection, The Sequential Art Of Amanda Conner, released some 14 years ago. There are still copies floating around at a fairly reasonable price. These 17 stories, some of which are part of continuing arcs, span the years 1998 to 2010. Notable runs include Birds Of Prey and the Justice Society. In the latter, the focus is on Power Girl, who is unsure of her identity, while various super-heroes attempt to convince her where she belongs. It also offers a chance to see Conner draw members of the Legion Of Super-Heroes — well, perhaps. That would be a spoiler, and it’s not quite the Earth you might expect. All of these stories predate a certain female villain, so don’t expect to see her here.
In this early period, Conner is occasionally allowed free rein on comedic pieces. I suspect her editors were still exploring what she could and couldn’t do. She certainly had the benefit of working with strong writers who clearly wanted to collaborate with her.
Looking at Conner’s early work — including pencils and cover designs — her technique is relatively minimal. However, when it comes to facial expressions, even when they verge on the cartoonish, she demonstrates a strong reliance on eyes and mouth to convey emotion, and there is plenty of that here. Probably my favourite scene comes from the penultimate story, Ame-Comi Girls Featuring Wonder Woman, where the expressions of the minotaurs being told to return to their labyrinth by Diana’s mother are particularly well handled. In many respects, Conner captures how we read faces and what details matter most, without relying on excessive line work — something she has noted can age characters.
I can’t recall seeing any of these stories before, so if you’re interested in Conner’s early work, this book is well worth seeking out. It’s easy to see how she developed into a major name in the field. I’m being careful what to say, as so much of it would be spoiler territory.
GF Willmetts
April 2026
(pub: DC Comics, 2012. 304-page hardback graphic novel. Price: varies. ISBN: 978-1-40123-740-0)
Check out the website: www.dc.com
