Reviews and more by Erica McGillivray
Articles about Wonder Woman, a comic book published by DC Comics
Comic book reviews for Wonder Woman #72, Wonder Woman #73, and Wonder Woman #74 by G. Willow Wilson, Jesus Merino, Tom Derenick, Scott Hanna, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Pat Brosseau, Steve Orlando, Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan, and Xermanico
Average rating: 2.6/5 stars
Continue reading “Wonder Woman #72, #73, and #74 Comic Book Reviews”
Yes, the time has come to say goodbye to 2011 and ring in 2012. Here’s a look back at the Best and the Worst of 2011* Comic Books.
1. Echo by Terry Moore
Average rating: 4.7/5 stars
Reading rating: Teen
Moore’s Echo finished with a bang (or did it?) this year. A story of Julie, the unlikely superhero, and stopping the end of the world, Moore’s work is consistently great and on-point. For those scared of the tome that is Strangers in Paradise, check out this much shorter work.
Read my reviews of Echo.
Purchase Echo.
2. Punisher by Greg Rucka, Marco Checchetto, Matthew Clark, and Matthew Southworth
Average rating: 4.3/5 stars
Reading rating: Teen
I never thought I’d like a Punisher book as much as I love this one from Rucka. Dive into the gritty world of Frank Castle, his mission, and the fall-out of villains, reporters, cops, and victims. With some beautiful art to accompany it.
Read my reviews of Punisher.
Purchase Punisher.
3. Batwoman by J.H. Williams, W. Haden Blackman, and Amy Reeder Hadley
Average rating: 4.3/5 stars
Reading rating: Teen
The most anticipated comic (for me) ever. Anyone reading my blog is probably not surprised that I love Batwoman. Kate Kane is probably one of my favorite characters ever, and in combination with Williams’ art, this title has been making me very happy. I only want more.
Read my reviews of Batwoman.
Purchase Batwoman. Continue reading “The Best and the Worst of 2011 Comic Books”
Comic book reviews for Wonder Woman #611, Wonder Woman #612, Wonder Woman #613, and Wonder Woman #614 by J. Michael Straczynski and Phil Hester
Average rating: 2/5 stars.
Continue reading “Wonder Woman #611, #612, #613, and #614 Comic Book Reviews”
Comic book reviews for Wonder Woman #605, Wonder Woman #606, and Wonder Woman #607 by J. Michael Straczynski and Phil Hester
Average rating: 2.3/5
Continue reading “Wonder Woman #605, #606, and #607 Comic Book Reviews”
Sensation Comics #16 is both the most offensive and the most entertaining plot that Marston has written in a while. There was a lot of heart-and-soul in this comic. It’s essentially a romantic-comedy with a spy-catching thriller stuck in there too. Think Wonder Woman as a Liam Neeson character catching spies while stuck in 27 Dresses. Or something like that.
The comic starts with Diana receiving a telegram from Etta announcing that she is getting married. Marston spends about half a page with Diana, Steve, and even Colonel Darnell laughing about Etta getting married. That’s right, even Etta’s best friends, whose butts she’s saved again and again, can’t believe anyone would want to marry her.
I mean, who needs enemies when you can have friends like Diana and Steve?
This makes me even more glad that Etta marries Steve. Because seriously, what a bunch of assholes. I hope every night when Steve closes his eyes, he feels guilty for being such a jerk. (Yes, I *know* DC messed with the worlds that the Golden Age stuff is supposed to take place on.) And of course, the only reason Etta sent the telegram is because she wanted Diana there. She even lets her bring Steve along. Continue reading “Wonder Woman Wednesdays: Sensation Comics #16”
For my Top 20 Issues, I did not include any issues from my Top 5 #1 Issues or my Top 5 Miniseries selections. Instead, I chose stories I loved and reviewed in 2010. It was hard, especially as I know there were stories that I loved that didn’t make it here because the art didn’t live up to the writing or vice versa. It was hard to choose because it’s one thing to make a beautiful arc and another to make a kick-ass issue and have it fit into a beautiful arc. All these tales were ones that I could tell you immediately what they were about and why I loved them.
Here are my Top 20 Issues in 2010.
20. Spider-Woman #5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev
I love the art in this. The scene where Jessica dives off the rooftop to land in a little puddle of water, the water coming off her body is brilliantly beautiful. I love the technique. Simply gorgeous. Oh, how I wish comic art was this pretty all the time.
Of course, Jessica tells herself that she was only going back for her stuff. It’s a good excuse that helps her feel hard inside. So she doesn’t have to feel partially responsible for those policemen’s deaths. Oh, the stories that Jessica tells herself.
Okay, now the Thunderbolts are after her. But why? Why do they care? Jessica’s just a rogue superhero in a place not under the rule of H.A.M.M.E.R. Not to mention it’s also full of corruption.
Read all my reviews for Spider-Woman and buy Spider-Woman: Agent of S.W.O.R.D.
19. Zatanna #3 by Paul Dini and Stephane Roux
This comic is becoming rather awesome. Zatanna knows what she’s doing and knows how to use her skills. I always love a character who use their brains as well as their powers. Likewise, I enjoy her team-up with Dale, because while Zatanna is the one to take down Brother Night, Dale isn’t running and hiding from him and isn’t going to be manipulated into backing off.
For an action-filled comic, the scenes were nicely paced. Roux’s does a great job with the art. I particularly love his page-layouts. The diamond-shapes bring a nice little reminder about Zatanna’s magical powers.
Zatanna has a lot of heart, and it’s really apparent when she saves her crew first. And that she takes the time to turn Mickey into her twin so Mickey can pull off the show Zatanna’s going to miss due to her fight with Brother Night.
I love Zatanna saving her father. I love her tears, while she maintains herself and her powers. A lesser hero would’ve folded under the emotional pressure of her/his father reappearing. The scene Zatanna has with him as she frees him, once again, is just lovely and perfect.
Zatanna’s take-down of Brother Night is likewise fitting. I love that she turns a powerless Brother Night into Dale, but knows that Brother Night will suffer more for the bargain he made with the devil.
Read all my reviews for Zatanna and buy Zatanna: The Mistress of Magic
18. New Avengers Annual #3 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Mayhew
Thanks for the awesome birthday present, Bendis. At least, the way I’m looking at all the comics that came out on my birthday week is birthday presents for me. Well, the good ones anyway.
Finally, an all-girl rescue team. Seriously, those are some powerful women. They completely were overdue to shine in the light. Plus, Jessica back in her uniform. Though she needs to lose the earrings when fighting. Mine fall off when I’m changing my shirt, much less pumbling the Dark Avengers. Well, at least they’re all wearing flats.
I rather loved the scenes with Clint tied up naked and being tortured. But that’s just me. Not to mention I’m pretty sure he distracted Bullseye from his target by flashing him. Because for some reason they decided to take off all his clothes. Okay, it’s an approved torture method by the CIA/military, but still my birthday present from Bendis.
Bendis’ take on Bobbi and Clint’s relationship is endearing. However, really similar to Jessica and Luke’s. Except perhaps Jessica and Luke are better communicators than Bobbi and Clint, believe it or not.
Read my reviews for New Avengers and buy New Avengers: Siege
Comic book reviews for DC Comics’ Wonder Woman #602, Wonder Woman #603, and Wonder Woman #604 by J. Michael Straczynski
Continue reading “Wonder Woman #602, #603, and #604 Comic Book Reviews”
Paula may have reformed last story from Wonder Woman #3, but now she has to prove that her devotion to Wonder Woman is true. And it is literally a trial by fire.
But first, Colonel Darnell is distressed that his best secretary Diana Prince is missing. Steve’s a little bit like ‘oh, well, I found her horse and clothes and Paula’s car.’ Oh, Wonder Woman, you can really do better than Steve.
Good old Kibby Maxwell shows up as he’s the last eyewitness to see Diana Prince and Paula. When Darnell and Steve ask Kibby if he remembers Paula and have him look at a photo of her, he remembers seeing her lurking around the munitions factory that his mother Ann works at. (A little 1940s culture with woman working at the munitions factory as all the men are off at war.)
Steve heads over to question Ann about Paula. She says Paula pretended to be a government inspector, and then some Nazi guy (who we never see again) calls Ann into the warehouse. Where she’s hit over the head. Continue reading “Wonder Woman Wednesday: Wonder Woman #3, part 4 of 4”
Wonder Woman #3 contains the origin of Paula Von Gunther. Or at least how and why she became a Nazi spy. It also made me angry. But it’s really hard to stay mad at a comic book where Wonder Woman rescues children from a concentration camp.
The story starts out in the normal, strange Wonder Woman way with Diana on a horse, riding through the snow. She comes upon Kibby Maxwell, a young boy, sledding. He almost hits Diana and her horse as he’s not very good at steering. Diana has never been sledding before — having grown up on island without snow — so she has Kibby teach her. Soon, she masters it, and they go sledding together, beating the other children down the hill. Continue reading “Wonder Woman Wednesday: Wonder Woman #3, part 3 of 4”
After Diana’s Day on Paradise Island, this tale was a little lackluster. Perhaps the most interesting comment which Marston makes is that while the Amazons may be better at working on rehabilitation than American prisons, neither can keep Baroness Paula under their control. Continue reading “Wonder Woman Wednesday: Wonder Woman #3, part 2 of 4”