Despite being part of DC’s Trinity, Wonder Woman has often gotten the short end of the stick. Brian Azzarello is the newest creator attempting to rectify this, not only bringing Diana herself, but the Greek gods of old as well, into the modern world. So far, his run has been earning both high praise and heavy criticism, but one thing is for sure: everyone is talking about it.
Written by Brian Azzarello
Illustrated by Tony Akins– WONDER WOMAN continues to battle through HADES in hopes of rescuing the only friend she has left.
– What is APOLLO trying to convince ARES of? Whatever it is, you can bet it’s bad news for Wonder Woman!
While Wonder Woman is obviously supposed to be the main character of the title named after her, writer Brian Azzarello’s most interesting character work is with the various Greek deities. While Hera, Zeus, Aphrodite, and the like have been long been part of Wonder Woman’s universe, but Azzarello has used the reboot as a way to bring these gods to the forefront more than any other writer before him. The gods of ancient Greece were perhaps the most human; sure, they might have had incredible powers at their beck and call, but they were driven by their personal desires, by their love, and by their jealousy. The Olympians of Azzarello’s “Wonder Woman” are spurred on by these same desires, and, like the original gods of myth, have these emotions cranked up to eleven – not that this is a negative quality. In fact, it is quite the opposite: it only makes sense that someone relatively immortal and with incredible powers might have a stunted emotional development. In that regard, this issue is no different from those that came before: every deity, except maybe Eros, has great character moments, even if they only appear for a page or two. Azzarello does an excellent job through both dialogue and actions in making the various gods close enough to human that we can feel for and somewhat understand them, but they come off as just disconnected enough that we cannot wholly identify with them – as it should be.
One of the more objective complaints regarding the new “Wonder Woman” is the same thing mentioned above: Wonder Woman may be the title character, but after the first few issues, she has become less of a mover and shaker and more of a character whom others affect. This issue is probably the most extreme example of such treatment. In a sense, Diana is playing the role of damsel in distress, kept imprisoned and powerless, while her friends prepare to come to her rescue. In fact, we barely see Diana’s character at all in this issue; the dramatic turn of events from last issue has left her as a shade of her former self, and even though she is resisting its effects better than anyone else might, she is still coming off as almost wholly sedated. Of course, this is where the conflict is generated – as readers, we know that Diana is supposed to be incredibly powerful, and holding onto hope that she will break from her bondage, thus heightening our investment. And, yes, that is probably what will happen at a critical, climactic moment. Until then, though, it is up to readers to decide, based on their own interests, whether they are reading “Wonder Woman” for a good story, or particularly for a good story featuring Wonder Woman doing what she does best: kicking evil’s ass. Personally, I am fine with the former, but I understand those looking for the latter.
Artist Tony Akins’s first fill-in issues were met with some fan disappointment, he has taken a big step up with this issue. Akins’s lines are much cleaner, but, even better, his storytelling in this issue is significantly clearer and well-composed. There is no moment that seems either too vague or too busy, resulting in a clean, easy read. His body language may still be a bit stiff, but his facial expressions are detailed, without being overly complex – quite the opposite, he only uses the lines that are necessary, and no more. On top of all of this, he fits the bill as a fill-in artist; the distinction between his and Cliff Chiang’s artwork is certainly clear, but they are similar enough that the visual continuity is preserved from issue to issue. The only quibble is that the stylistic techniques that separate the two are the techniques that make Chiang such a great fit for this book. Akins lacks the bold pop art lines that make Chiang’s art fit the modern myth-making of the book so well, lines that make the otherwise incredibly contemporary art resemble graven images of old. Of course, this is not a mark against Akins himself; everyone has their own style, and his slightly more fluid approach would certainly work well in many other books. Akins, however, complements Chiang well enough that it is hardly a concern, and does not bring down the book at all.
While “Wonder Woman” may be a bit different from what readers were expecting, it is still one of the most interesting and engaging of the New 52. While previous issues have been a bit more action-packed, this one proves that Azzarello can also slow things down and become a bit more introspective before events explode into action yet again, and Akins does a solid enough job making sure nothing is lost from script to print. Maybe it isn’t your Wonder Woman, but it is still one good read.
Final Verdict: 7.7 – Buy it!
