Wonder Woman #51 came out this last week, written by Supergirl alum Steve Orlando and drawn by DC Bombshells alum Laura Braga. And as an issue it stuck out to me for a couple of reasons, enough that I thought that I should bullet review it.
I'll start with the fact that this is the first issue since James Robinson's run on the book. Regardless of the quality of the stories, one thing that stood out in the Robinson issues was the lack of Diana. We had issues without Diana. We had issues where she only appeared on TV screens in the background. There were issues where she was only active on a couple of pages. It got to be so glaring that I saw people doing the hard math on Twitter, adding up the pages where she didn't appear at all and posting a percentage.
Here, Diana is on every single page.
Next I'll say that I like to think of Diana as an ambassador of peace first and a warrior second. She should be preaching ideals and only heading into combat as a last resort. We haven't seen that Wonder Woman for a while. What we have seen is a sword-wielding fighter, eager to feel the arterial spray of her opponents. Heck, she was the God of War at one point. The whole last arc, her fighting the Dark Gods, was a brawl.
In this issue, we have the healer Diana, visiting the super-villain Mayfly in prison on a scheduled basis. This is a Diana who cares. She wants to heal. She wants to help.
Last for now, because this book takes place over a year with multiple visits, we get to see Wonder Woman in all the variations of her costume, from eagle-helmeted combatant to robe wearing ambassador. And Braga revels in it. Truly wonderful.
For those reasons alone, this was worth showcasing. But there is one more thing to discuss that I'll touch on at the end.
On to the book.
We start out with an editor's note that this story takes place after Wonder Woman #28. It was in that issue that Mayfly shot Diana. I'll be honest, without that note I doubt I would know who this villain was. I am so thankful for that! I wish we saw more.
At first Mayfly can't believe that Wonder Woman is being altruistic in this promise to visit. They are separated. Mayfly's powers are dampened. But Diana is rigid. She is here to help Mayfly.
Over the year, we see the growth of the two. At first Mayfly lashes out at Diana. Then she feels Diana is patronizing her. Then she finally feels like Diana respects her.
In one of those early visits, Diana says it would have been easy to kill Mayfly and be rid of her. But a fight to the life (as opposed to the death) is more painful. But also more rewarding. Diana hopes the two won't always be enemies.
Again, the relationship grows.
At one point Mayfly battles another super-villain who attacks the visiting Diana. There is talk of mutual respect. Here Diana even says that the visits have helped her as much as they have been helping Mayfly.
This scene is preceded by the two walking through the prison library and discussing good books to read. How great is that.
And again, Braga shines with clear expressive work and these changing costumes.
We flash forward several years when we see Mayfly released. And who is there to meet her, like family or trusted friend? Diana.
I can only describe this issue as something of a palate cleanser. We are on a new path. And this is the sort of Wonder Woman I can get behind.
This was really fantastic.
But this concept of a hero not only putting someone in jail but then checking on them isn't a new concept for writer Steve Orlando.
This is what he said about Supergirl way back in 2016 at the SDCC when he was discussing his upcoming stint as writer.
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2016/07/sdcc-2016-supergirl-comic-news.html#more
As you can see he says Supergirl would check in on the criminal in a couple of weeks.
We saw that in Supergirl #2 when she visits Mr. Mastrocola.
So I wonder if this Wonder Woman was a story Orlando was thinking of doing in Supergirl before his time on that title came to an end.
Hmmm...
Who cares. This was a superb Wonder Woman story. And that makes me happy!
Overall grade: A
"Next I'll say that I like to think of Diana as an ambassador of peace first and a warrior second. She should be preaching ideals and only heading into combat as a last resort. We haven't seen that Wonder Woman for a while. What we have seen is a sword-wielding fighter, eager to feel the arterial spray of her opponents."
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. One of the things bothered me the more about the Ame-Comi universe (in addition to Power Girl being literally a female Clark Kent, Supergirl spending most of time brainwashed into evil or unconscious, Star Sapphire depicted as a possessed crazy ex-girlfriend, the ridiculous outfits or sitting through someone's NOTION of what anime is...) was Diana's portrayal: a petulant, immature brat eager to pick up a fight. I mean, when Wonder Woman's first appearance has her beheading people and later complaining because her mother wants to solve a conflict peacefully...
It was good reading where Diana is behaving as a hero and emphasis is put on her goodness and compassion.
"So I wonder if this Wonder Woman was a story Orlando was thinking of doing in Supergirl before his time on that title came to an end."
Good question. She even tried to talk Bones down, but he'd not listen.
Diana and Kara could teach other heroes a thing or two about compassion; well, this Diana, anyway I wonder if the already reformed - and rather buff - Mastrocola will show up in Steve Orlando's short stint on this series.
ReplyDeleteApropos of nothing, but has Our Host ever reviewed Supergirl & Wonder Woman's infamous first team up in Brave & The Bold #63 "Revolt of the Super-Chicks"?
ReplyDeleteIf so, forgive my lapsed memory,if not it might make an interesting post :)
JF
Didn't expect you to review this story here, and am very glad you did.
ReplyDeleteI read that last Wonder Woman arc, and didn't expect to continue, but picked this one up out of curiosity for where Steve Orlando would go with it.
And I was bowled over by how much I loved this story.
Interesting thought, that this is part in-continuity, and part Elseworld. It's doubtful there are any specific plans that will make Diana's future unfold as shown here.
I also thought this could just as easily be a Supergirl story - and perhaps adapted into the story of many other heroes, for that matter. Which doesn't take away from it.
I loved Laura Braga's art, and it also immediately made me think of Ame-Comi Girls. Not, of course, the over-the-top stylized figures and outfits of that series, but the super-bold inking and thick panel borders that a few of the artists employed with Ame-Comi.
Braga's commissions are bold and beautiful (lots of those on her Instagram pages and elsewhere), and she was well-suited to this pretty quiet book. She also drew the Penguin story in this month's DC Beach Blanket Bad Guys Summer Special, but her work in that story seems less consistent.
I do have a minor gripe with this story, and it's what I would call a brief and unnecessary excursion into Orlando-Land.
There's that one half-page sequence of references to the Lord of Chaos Garn Daanuth, chaos lying dormant, and the Kingbutcher working for the Lords of Order. The point of it all, apparently, is to show that people may not always trust someone trying to help. Seemed to me to be an overly convoluted way to make the point, and it brought the book to a screeching halt as I worked out the entirely tangential tale.
Maybe this didn't bother anyone else - it's in the mold of Snyder-phantasm, after all, something very popular right now. Or it's too slight to give it any thought.
So, ignoring that one silly gripe, I say bravo. This was a marvelous little one-and-done.
Thanks for comments.
ReplyDeleteNever have covered that B&B though I will I am sure.
Love Braga’s art. Love what she did here.
And a done in one is fantastic. Kudos to Orlando.