Wonder Woman

One new comic!

Shang-Chi 1

Just what I was looking for - Humble Shang-Chi, working at a Chinese bakery (pineapple buns!), is pulled into intrigue of his father’s making.  I’m looking forward to this.  

Today I review all the Wonder Woman in my collection.

Legend of Wonder Woman

My original review still stands.  This is lovely, lovely work.  However, it also has the hallmarks of every other Wonder Woman comic I’m going to review: Writers seem to best succeed when telling stories about Diana as a character - Her growth during her youth, her interpersonal relationships, her inner conflicts.  I have yet to read a comic starring Wonder Woman that’s given me an external adversary that’s fun to read about.  Even here, she ends up punching a giant cosmic creature with no nuance.  

It’s all right though, every other aspect of this comic is spectacular.  Again, it’s a pity that Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon probably won’t be working at DC again.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Wonder Woman 86

An early comic in my collection, the only reason it’s still around.  The art by Jeff Parker is stunningly bad.    

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Stupid

Wonder Woman 0, 90-100

The Mike Deodato/William Messner-Loebs run.  To be perfectly clear, high school me bought this because Mike Deodato draws an absolutely gorgeous Diana.  

What a great way to start a run.

I love his facial expressions.

As stated w/ Legend of Wonder Woman, Messner-Loebs does a nice job when writing about Diana’s own struggles.  (In this case, another Contest that strips her of the Wonder Woman mantle and bestows it upon Artemis.)  It gets pretty boring after he moves from that and starts going on about a rival gang war in Boston.  (Completely below WW’s pay grade, even when the demons show up.)    

Messner-Loebs appears to have a torture fetish that’s uncomfortable to read.  Artemis getting beaten to death is hard to watch.  It’ll show up again in Artemis: Requiem.

There's something pornographic about this that's ick.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice through issue 93, Fine after that.  

Artemis: Requiem 1-2

Apparently Artemis was popular enough for DC to resurrect her.  Deodato’s studiomate Ed Benes draws this Messner-Loebs spin-off, and his inexperience shows.  At this point, drawing hot women is clearly his priority, instead of properly placed facial features.

Don't think he's meant to have a lazy eye.

Seriously??

Again with the torture.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Wonder Woman 164, 165, 170, 174, 175

A random selection of Phil Jimenez’s time on the title.  It’s as wordy as his work on Tempest, and just as tedious.  I don’t care if he’s the second incarnation of George Perez, I’ll never read these again.  

Perez.  What a level of detail.

Jimenez, a worthy successor

Perez could hardly do better.

The exception comes with issue 170, where Lois Lane tags along with Diana for a “Day in the life of” article.  This issue is pure character exploration, and the one time where all of Lois’ inner monologuing is justified and interesting to read.  This one I’m keeping.

Not quite how I'd imagine Diana, but I appreciate the verbal imagery.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No (Yes for 170)

Would read again: No (Yes for 170)

Rating: Boring (Nice for 170)

Wonder Woman 1-5, 7, 8

I bought this for the Cliff Chiang art, I left because of the Brian Azzarello writing.  It’s strangely inert.  And by the way, why is it that every writer needs to rewrite Diana’s origin just enough for it to be annoying?  That never happens with Superman or Batman; Superman is always the last son of Krypton, raised by the Kents in Smallville, and based in Metropolis.  Bruce Wayne’s parents are always murdered and he’s the grim Dark Knight of Gotham. 

But Diana?  Her relationship with Hippolyta is always different - Sometimes they get along, sometimes they’re antagonistic.  Sometimes she’s given life by Gaea, sometimes Zeus, sometimes she’s actually the daughter of Zeus.  How can there still be total inconsistency w/ Hipployta’s hair??  Wonder Woman has no defined base of operations, either.  

That Diana is still such a nebulous character in the cultural consciousness probably has a lot to do with the equally fuzzy stories I’ve been reading.  

Man, do I love Chiang's art.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine (Would be lower if not for the art.) 

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Wonder Woman 76

The only issue that Lee Garbett did, my initial thoughts still stand.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Wonder Woman 759-761

Garbett I get - that was just a fill in issue.  But how can Mikel Janin drop out after just two issues??  A disappointment for a series I was looking forward to reading.  I would have gutted out the presence of Maxwell Lord if Janin had stayed on.  Go here if you want to see his pretty art.  If you want better Mariko Tamaki writing, go read her splendid Supergirl miniseries.  

Regret buying: No (Yes for 761)

Would buy again: Yes (No for 761)

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good (Fine for 761)