Comic book reviews for Wonder Woman Rebirth #1, Wonder Woman #1, and Wonder Woman #2 by Greg Rucka, Matthew Clark, Liam Sharp, Nicola Scott, Jeremy Colwell, and Laura Martin
Average rating: 4.3/5 stars
Wonder Woman Rebirth #1 by Greg Rucka
Art: Matthew Clark, Liam Sharp, Jeremy Colwell, and Laura Martin
What I love about Rucka on this book is that’s he’s been my favorite Wonder Woman author (that I’ve read), and he has a great understanding of what makes her work and how to translate her characteristics into real characterization. Like that she’d be a vegetarian with the whole talking to animals powers.
That said, Rucka does what he can here with the material. He presents both her original story and Azzarello’s New 52 rewrite. IMO, DC editorial should be 100% okay with rewriting the New 52 since 1) they relaunched their entire line again and 2) they’ve deleted other storylines. (Except they often keep the worst, like how The Killing Joke is canon concerning Babs’ rape and injuries, but not on the Joker’s background.)
My other 4 stars instead of 5 quibble is the changing artists. Which I blame entirely on DC and their deadline pushing. Art takes a lot of time.
I do love Diana using the lasso as her tool to find the truth. Crushing Ares’ god of war helmet has been something I’ve been wanting to see for a while. Wonder Woman is at her best when she’s trying to find the truth and the heart of the matter. Loved the dialog about truth being the opposite of war.
Wonder Woman #1 by Greg Rucka
Art: Liam Sharp
I keep looking at my huge stack of Wonder Woman comics to-read. When I’m already behind and DC Comics decides to publish two issues every month, well, that reading pile grows exponentially longer. I used to procrastinate on this title because it was less than stellar, and now that it’s so good, I can’t keep up. I suppose beggars can’t be choosers.
I do have to admit that I enjoy Scott’s art much more than Sharp’s based on Scott’s other work. Though it could be Laura Martin’s colors, which I find to be mudding the art.
I’m adoring Rucka’s reimaging of Etta Candy. Though having her be a black woman would definitely make some of those 1940s tales very different. And refreshing. I love those stories, except for whenever there’s a black or Asian person, we end up with blackface and yellowface.
I love this idea that Diana has a somewhat rocky relationship with both Etta and Steve. It makes sense that her work as a fully-realized superhero would cause problems with sovereign nations and both Etta’s and Steve’s roles. I’d like to see more of this. Especially more of it from Diana’s own point-of-view.
I’m curious to see how Rucka will deal with Cheetah. She’s such an interesting character with many different facets. And many angles with which she can be explored as a character.
Wonder Woman #2 by Greg Rucka
Art: Nicola Scott
This reclaimed of the Amazons is beautiful. It’s something that I’ve been waiting for someone to do since Rucka’s untimely departure in 2006 during his first go at writing Wonder Woman. (Which, by the way, if you haven’t read those issues, stop reading this and buy the recently reissued trades.)
The Amazon problem in recent years is because writers have considered the Amazons a liability, not as asset in showing Diana’s character. By making the Amazons murderers (Finches), liars and backstabbing bitches (Azzarello), blood-thirsty warriors (Pfeifer), or an underdeveloped society (all previously mentioned authors), it undermines Diana and her mission. She came to “man’s world” as an ambassador of peace to show the rest of earth how to build a utopian paradise like Themyscira. By making Themyscira anything less than a true paradise and cooperative community, Diana has no moral leg to stand on. In the DC Trinity (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman), she is the heart and serves as moral compass to the god-powered everyman and the skeptical detective. If she doesn’t live in a utopic society, how can she advise the rest of the world on these matters?
I did love this portrayal of the all-female Amazon society, especially in contrast to Steve Trevor growing up and his American existence. And I’m so happy that Rucka gives us a queer Amazon society. Because of course they would find love amongst each other. It’s only some heterosexist fantasy that these women wouldn’t be lesbians.
It’s also just nice to see a superhero who’s happy with her family and her life. That yes, Diana can have conflict with her mother, but they love each other deeply as mother and daughter.
More of this please.
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