This is my first outing into any of the Wonder Woman comic books. It was in my library one day, so I thought hey, why not? A title like ‘Who is Wonder Woman?’ also seemed accessible for a Wondy newbie like me.
It is.
Despite being in the dark about the smaller details regarding Wonder Woman and her adventures - though I was already familiar with her backstory, powers and what she generally stands for - I really enjoyed 'Who is Wonder Woman?' a lot.
The story is very accessible for newcomers, getting right into the action while still taking the time to briefly narrate the events that happened previously in canon, as well as panels dedicated to Wonder Woman's backstory and those of her comrades and enemies. It's one of those things where, even if you are confused, if you just relax and keep reading it eventually comes together in an acceptable way.
As for the characters? First of all, I have to say that the blurb for 'Who is Wonder Woman?' is misleading. It made it seem like the comic book was going to be about Donna Troy and her struggles and obstacles as she replaces Diana as the new Wonder Woman, after Diana had disappeared in shame over killing a dangerous businessman, Maxwell Lord, in self-defence. But she comes into the story at the moment when Donna just barely completes her first mission in Wondy's costume; when she was going to fit into the role - swing her lasso - in her own way and style and brand of feminist awesomeness.
No, 'Who is Wonder Woman?' is really about the title character receiving a civilian identity from Batman (who, holy crap, SMILES in the comic!). She is now Agent Diana Prince, and works for the Department of Metahuman Affairs under Sarge Steel, along with her partner, ex-Suicide Squad member Nemesis, aka Thomas Andrew Tresser. It's a bit like 'The X-Files', only with Skully strictly in the lead. Their first mission together: Find Wonder Woman and let her face her own justice for her “crime”.
The story is about Diana coming into her own. We follow her on her journey as she goes through a sudden identity crisis. Plus her guilt, her complex role in the name of truth and justice, and her friends and family turning against her for giving up being Wonder Woman - not just for the public but for the Greek gods and heroes as well. It is also about her requiring her humanity, when she was born from clay and the gods' blessing, yet at the same time she doesn’t want to give up her powers and weapons. No matter her identity and choices, she wants to be an agent of peace, but she is still being used by others as an instrument of war.
This is where Donna Troy takes a backseat. A bit disappointing, but at least the three Wonder Women - Diana, Donna and Cassandra Sandsmark - play essential, not to mention interesting, parts in fighting and trying to understand the meaning of the question: Who is Wonder Woman?
(A cute titbit: Batman's photo of Diana Prince, whom Wonder Woman is to emulate in civilian form, has glasses; a nod to Superman and his cheesy and obvious disguise as Clark Kent).
It is also really cool to have Circe as one of the main villains, and to see how she fits into Wonder Woman's various dilemmas - as a superhero, a princess of Themyscira, a public (feminist) icon, and a champion to women everywhere. Perhaps Diana could be doing so much more for woman in modern society; for abuse victims, sex workers and slaves...
(This point is kind of pushed under the rug later on in the comic. This is disheartening, since real life issues such as these should not be glossed over. But I guess you can't have it all in only one volume).
I love the mythology here, by the way. It is a vital presence in the story and in Diana's life, but it isn't cluttered or distracting, and best of all it doesn't divert 'Who is Wonder Woman?' from being about Wonder Woman as a character. Not even the dreaded Hercules undermines her. Even I knew the complicated history (by which I mean it has to do with rape) between those two. I was pleased with how it is handled towards the end.
One character trait I got from Wondy in this comic is that maybe she is too trusting, or is desperate to believe in the good in anybody after killing a man. That is this newbie's interpretation anyway, I'm not sure if it's what the writer, Allan Heinberg, was going for in terms of Wonder Woman trusting clearly bad men.
But at least Nemesis is decent to her and in fact looks up to her (so far). However he is rather an idiot himself when it comes to not figuring out Agent Prince's true identity. Isn't he meant to be the most experienced and talented agent the Department of Metahuman Affairs has?
The artwork is beautiful; specifically, Wonder Woman is. Sure there are a few instances of blatant fanservice concerning her outfits (like her white skin-tight suit as Agent Prince), but overall she looks great, as everyone else does. And there is a boatload of characters drawn in 'Who is Wonder Woman?' - superheroes and a whole rogues gallery of villains (such as the Cheetah and Giganta) showing up and kicking arse. They all help her to realise her weaknesses as well as her strengths. Surprisingly, Robin - Tim Drake - is given an important role, and not just for the humorous moments.
Although I must ask, why do nearly all the blonde superheroines look the same? It's not only their hair and hairstyles, it's their costumes as well (they're mainly in white, like Power Girl). It was hard for me to tell them apart, especially when they are in the same scenes together. I could recognise Cassie Sandsmark just by her red shirt and blue pants, and I'd never even heard of her character until I read this comic.
Also the artwork for the separate issue right after the ending, 'Backstory', is so different from 'Who is Wonder Woman?', it was jarring to me. Wonder Woman looks downright terrifying sometimes! And she looks drunk in one panel where she's meant to be having a meaningful discussion with Nemesis.
In conclusion, 'Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Who is Wonder Woman?' is a fun and quick read, exploring the mythos, ideals (no matter how contradictory), and motivations behind the world's most famous superheroine, while being accessible to new and/or casual comic book readers. It is by no means perfect - that I am fully aware of - but it is enjoyable in its own right.
I will be coming back to this comic many times in the future, and I look forward to reading more issues about Wonder Woman, as interpreted by different writers.
Also, Wondy's Lasso of Truth and Invisible Jet are the coolest things ever! So useful, yet understated, unlike Batman's coliseum of gadgets and mobiles. Just sayin'. And isn't Agent Diana Prince's transformation into Wonder Woman - finally appearing near the end - sweet as cutting steel? It references the 1970s 'Wonder Woman' TV show starring Lynda Carter, or was the show's transformation sequence inspired entirely by the comics beforehand? I don't know, but maybe I'll find out soon.
"WONDER WOMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Final Score: 4/5
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