Comic book reviews for Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #10, Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #11, and Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #12 by Sara Ryan, Christian Duce, Aaron Lopresti, Josh Elder, Jamal Igle, Derek Fridolfs, Tom Fowler, Matthew K. Manning, and Georges Jeanty
Average rating: 4/5 stars
Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #10
VIP by Sara Ryan
Art: Christian Duce
While in many ways, the story panned out to be very obvious with Clarice Anthony as our hero, James Boyd as the villain, and Esperanza, thankfully doing some saving of herself. And stopping acting so naive about everything.
However, I greatly appreciated this story as a modern take of Wonder Woman. So many times, modern technology’s ignored in superhero books. Sure, many superpowers far trump even the best technology. All that said, it’s incredibly refreshing to see it used here.
Of course, Wonder Woman has a cell phone, and she keeps in touch with even some women she’d met years previously. I always adore a story that gets Wonder Woman back to her origins of helping women and children in need.
It’s also nice to see that Wonder Woman is backup, not the lead. Yeah, no one else could’ve held up those giant letter blocks and saved that guy. However, she truly never stepped over on anyone’s toes, waiting until the right moment to recommend Clarice.
Though at the same time, we see our villain James dismissing Wonder Woman like he might any other woman character in the story. Which, he has the obvious stake to keep the evil plot alive with his creepy infantilization of women and Esperanza.
The part with Wonder Woman explaining that the lasso of truth can’t stop mansplaining — and for what James considered as his truth — but then Esperanza punched him was the best. Ryan needs to write more Wonder Woman books.
Casualties of War by Aaron Lopresti
I’ve read lots of comics draw by Lopresti, but this is the first one I’ve read that he’s written. I always debate about doing reviews about books written and drawn by one person compared to have two people’s energy on the book. On one hand, you arguably get a more cohesive story with one person’s intent behind it, but you have less bandwidth to go deep into it.
This wasn’t my favorite story.
While I appreciate addressing Wonder Woman as a warrior and a peacekeeper and what it actually takes for her to kill…it felt too much like a moral lesson.
Not to mention, there’s the wink and the nod that it was Ares manipulating the dragon the entire time.
Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #11 by Josh Elder
Art: Jamal Igle
I’m never a big fan of Ares stories. He’s kind of a trite character, who mostly pushes his MRA agenda against the Amazons or is all about destroying all of humanity through fighting. Well, at least in this story, there would be winners and people to have war in the future.
Love the early moments with Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor just catching up on life, and her admitting to him that she’s feeling like her work doesn’t matter enough.
However, it’s hard to read a story where essentially a white lady saves an African nation. It would’ve been better if instead of Steve and her chatting, she talked with one of the two leaders. Or perhaps we had a black or better yet African superhero came to help her out.
Igle’s art was hit or miss. I did adore how he drew Wonder Woman when you could see her fully standing next to Steve. That’s exactly how much bigger she should be than him.
Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #12
Return to Gaia by Derek Fridolfs
Art: Tom Fowler
Now this is some fighting that I can get behind. Great use of Typhon, Titan and Father of Monsters, in Greek mythos. Though I do always wonder just how many times the Amazons must rebuild after their cities are damaged by these great mythic beasts and gods.
The team up between Poison Ivy and Diana was perfect. They both got the message from Gaia that something was going wrong and the end of the world was upon their doorstep. Hippolyta realizing that Ivy was there to help, despite almost dying by strangling vines, was perfect.
Both Diana’s and Pamela’s armor was killer. Fowler did a great job at drawing each woman in battle. I now really want someone to cosplay as Ivy going to war. Perhaps with a warrior Wonder Woman.
Confirmation that neither Diana nor Ivy were the daughters of Zeus amused me a lot. I support this too, Fridolfs,
Toppling down the mountain side onto Typhon with his own inertia was great.
The ending of Ivy confronting Diana about knowing she’s just going to call in Batman to drag Ivy back to Arkham Asylum showed a lot about their relationship. Especially when Diana said no, and invited Ivy to the all-ladies party.
A Moment of Peace by Matthew K. Manning
Art: Georges Jeanty
This story was ambitious. To show Diana becoming disheartened about humanity and her ability to save it is no small task. Unfortunately, this story was too short and went for a big body count — which both Diana and Batman mostly failed to save — instead of putting nuance into it.
This Dr. Destiny turning himself into an addict of other’s dreams needed more space for gravitas.
I do want to note that Jeanty’s art here is some of the best I’ve seen from him. He does a good job at express the anguish and isolation in her mission that Diana feels. Manning does, to his credit, give Jeanty the space to do this and panels without words.
Once again, Diana’s ability to talk to animals isn’t put to good use. She could’ve inquired to them what was up, even if there weren’t any words.
Not sure Solomon Grundy ever had a chance. Of course, Batman probably knew that.
Go on many adventures with Wonder Woman in Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Vol. 2.
