I…I…I’m in love
What They Say:
Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons, has kept a secret from her daughter all her life–and when it’s revealed, Wonder Woman’s life will shatter like brittle clay. The only one more shocked than Diana by this revelation? Bloodthirsty Hera herself!
The Review:
So we had the telling of the legend of Diana’s birth AND the revelation from Strife that she was the daughter of Zeus in the last issue. Dozens of Amazons lay dead because of Strife’s manipulations and dissent is rising among the people.What a way to start off the third issue of the wonderful new Wonder Woman series. This issue continues with setting the plot and tone of the new series by providing the truth about Diana’s birth.
Told by Hippolyta, her and Zeus’ romance is told between scenes of the Amazons preparing their dead for burial. Fantastic approach as we are shown the drama building between both Diana and the Amazon warriors. The fury of the warriors is led by Aleka whose displeasure at Diana is not only known but enhanced by the fact that she is now known to be a demi-god. Cutting back and forth between these two developments allows for the whole issue to go by with only a small amount of time transpiring and not leaving the reader feeling empty or unfulfilled.
There is a full page featuring a sex scene between Hippolyta and Zeus in this book but it didn’t make me feel hollow like Catwoman’s did. The scene is shown in a series of small panels and builds on the passion between the two shown previous. It is a little awkward but not exploitative or as simple fan-service. It also adds a level of sympathy for Hippolyta. She was madly in love with Zeus but needed to make a choice and chose her daughter, secrets be damned. The climax of this book is, predictably, Diana’s anger at this revelation. At this point the interweaving stories come together and ends with a couple of fantastic pages that just…oh man! Wonder Woman is badass, she is strong, fiery, and determined. She displays a very pointed opinion and is very declarative about her decisions. She doesn’t take shit from nobody and sets off on a path that can lead for some very good comics to come. Needless to say, I fell in love with these final pages. Not just with the comic but the character. Oh man!
In Summary:
There is something about the new Wonder Woman series that I just can’t articulate properly. Just looking at this comic is an ethereal experience all in its own. The artwork is so different from all the other series out there that it feels as if I’m whisked away to somewhere else. While reading these books I am completely absorbed and cannot take my eyes off the page. Coupled with a really phenomenal script that is constantly moving and engaging, there is nothing about this comic that doesn’t beg to be loved. Wow, just wow. It isn’t groundbreaking and ‘so different’ that it might as well not be called a comic, no. It just does everything so perfectly and is so different from the other DC comics that it not only pulls ones attention, it demands it. I sure hope you’re paying attention.
Grade: A
Readers Rating: [ratings]
