In 1986, Trina Robbins became the first woman to draw Wonder Woman, over 40 years after the character was originally created. “The Legend of Wonder Woman” followed the events of the mega-crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” DC’s attempt to consolidate their multiverse and was meant to serve as a bridge between the former Wonder Woman, revealed to have existed on Earth Two, and the upcoming one from George Pérez. But in the hands of Kurt Busiek and Trina Robbins, it also became a swan song to the Golden Age, not only of Wonder Woman, but superhero comics in general.
Written by Kurt Busiek
Illustrated by Trina Robbins
Colored by Nansi Hochlahan
Lettered by L. Lois Buhalis
Preparing to depart Paradise Island forever, Queen Hippolyta learns an untold tale of the legendary Amazon-the return of Atomia!
Something tragic has happened. Diana, Princess of Themyscira, is no more, turned back into clay before her universe imploded on itself during “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Now, Paradise Island is a nation of mourning, as the Amazons are packing up their possessions and homes and preparing to go to some new dimension, to disappear into history. Though she has much to do, Hippolyta is stricken by grief and turns to a crystal ball which reveals one of Diana’s old adventures. And this is where the story begins.
Originally published as a four-issue miniseries, “The Legend of Wonder Woman” is a silly, exciting, and colorful romp. Written by Kurt Busiek but plotted and illustrated by Trina Robbins, the story finds Wonder Woman going up against Atomia, Queen of the Atom Universe, who wants power for reasons she cannot understand. Wonder Woman also has to deal with Etta Candy’s niece, Suzie, a bratty little girl who fails to see the wider world around her.
The book is definitely a tribute to the Wonder Woman stories Robbins grew up reading. Though it was created in 1986, it feels like it could very well be 30 years older. This ranges from the sheer amount of stuff going on during any given issue in this series (there’s battles astride kangaroos, treacherous twins, Greek legends, mirror universes, and parades) to the way Robbins structures her page. This is a wordy book, bearing an omniscient narrator and thought bubbles galore. Nansi Hoolahan maintains the four-color primary palette, letting the hues often bleed over the lines like this was rapidly printed. Robbins keeps the work in a grid, and pushes herself to find movement and energy from the characters posturing and posing rather than just having panels stack in layers atop each other.
Robbins, who of course was one of the first prominent female cartoonists and responsible for influential anthologies like “Wimmin’s Comix,” abandons a lot of her politically charged work for “The Legend of Wonder Woman.” That’s not saying the comic doesn’t have a message or anything, but it’s not as overt as some of her creator-owned work. For the most part, Robbins is more concerned with including the elements of Wonder Woman she must connect with. There’s plenty of bondage imagery, for instance, including with Wonder Woman bursting out of various chains and ripping through jail bars. Diana also tries reason and diplomacy with her foes first (going so far, at one point, as to let some rulers think they’ve locked her up) before she starts with the high kicks. She’d rather make a friend or try to rehabilitate someone; her patience seems inexhaustible.
While I think we do see elements of this within Wonder Woman’s current runs, I don’t think these modern comics can get away with nearly as much or nearly on this scale. Robbins clearly is having fun playing around in this universe, throwing out all kinds of alien abductions, light-based battles, melodrama, and expressionism. She uses an open line in her work, stripping down the image until it’s something that can be easily processed and absorbed.
“The Legend of Wonder Woman” is a throwback to Golden Age comics, but what I think is important is that the book realizes that that era has ended. It’s not a hankering for the time period, it’s not a comic book version of the old dude bemoaning how the world has moved on while he has not. Robbins and Busiek’s story is like a last hurrah, a nostalgic look back before the conclusion. They acknowledge how fun and ridiculous these stories tend to be, but they also warn about relying too heavily on the past. It’s in these moments that Etta Candy’s niece, Suzie, is most interestingly used. In order to placate her while saving the world, Wonder Woman gives her a book of Greek myths and histories. Turns out, Susie’s interpretation of the material is way off-base. She latches on to only a few elements of the stories and tries to act and rule based off Pelops or Jason, ultimately ignoring those characters’ ultimate fates. Only after Suzie and Wonder Woman have a discussion — and I sort of love how Busiek and Robbins throw in a literary discussion in the middle of a battle scene — does Suzie realize how these stories give ideas without offering answers. How she needs to look around her and ahead of her to make the world a better place.
With its practical ambitions, throwback storytelling style, and art meant to evoke more of an aesthetic and atmosphere, “The Legend of Wonder Woman” turns out to be a fun little ride, if maybe not all that memorable. It’s enjoyable, though it doesn’t have many teeth; however, the sheer amount of imagination and energy compensate for it. It serves to remind us of the Golden Age while also looking forward to what’s coming next, with cautious optimism. (Jokes on us, because it’s gonna be the ’90s.)
