First review of 2016!
'Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Vol. 1' is a smash. From all the mixed reviews I'd read about it, I didn't know what to expect when I decided to buy it at the spur of the moment. But I'm glad I did, because, if nothing else, the whole volume containing 10 standalone 'Wonder Woman' issues is hella fun. It's just what the world's most famous superheroine needs in this day and age, in my opinion.
Let's get right down into each issue!
1. 'Gothamazon' - Wonder Woman beats up Batman's Rogues Gallery in Gotham. What's not to get excited about? With solid writing and characterization, as expected from Gail Simone, it explores Diana's role as a warrior of truth and compassion when fighting in a place like Gotham city. It also features Barbara Gordon as Oracle, and Harley Quinn temporarily becoming Diana's Amazon sister. I only wish it could have been longer, and not the only issue by Simone.
2. 'Defender of Truth' - Contains Wonder Woman fighting Circe, and a critique on gender norms (especially when it's ingrained into children at such a young age). It has a great, much-needed message that boys can like whatever they want: Don't succumb to the peer pressure of socially-constructed gender expectations. There are no such things as "girl's" or "boy's" things. The dialogue is hilarious too.
3. 'Brace Yourself' - A touching mother-and-daughter story. It basically retells Wonder Woman's origin from Hippolyta's point of view. She sees her daughter grow up, and deals with the realization that young Diana will one day have to move on from Themyscira into the big wide world.
4. 'Taketh Away' - The main thing to note is that in this story we see Wonder Woman dealing with self-esteem issues. Or at least, that's the subtext. As a world famous icon, she is forever criticized for her looks, her crime fighting techniques, and religious beliefs - predominantly by men. These things are bound to take a toll even on someone like Wonder Woman, proving that no one is made of stone, nor should they be expected to be perfect. She is as vulnerable as everyone else. And with Wondy being viewed as a paragon for all women, she gets the brunt of all the gender-biased shit real women deal with in their every day existence. The patriarchy is dangerous like that. But the message in the end about believing in yourself when no one else will is powerful and extremely relevant today. 'Taketh Away' also stars Cheetah, and apparently Diana can talk to animals. Furthermore, it has the best artwork of the bunch.
5. 'Bullets and Bracelets' - Wonder Woman is the lead singer of a band. Hey, why not? The art is nice with pretty pastel colouring, and the female friendship storyline is super-sweet. Like 'Taketh Away', it also criticizes male-entitlement, and highlights its dangers: How it can turn very violent very quickly, something that real women fear all the time. So 'Bullets and Bracelets' isn't all kiddie fun, but it’s another short modern take on Wondy and her role as a feminist icon (and really, as a pop star in the mainstream she would be facing sexist remarks similar to that of a superhero).
6. 'Morning Coffee' - A personal favourite. It's so funny and cute! Wonder Woman vs. Catwoman in London - a genius setup! At first I wasn't so sure about the artwork, but it fits perfectly with the story. There's little dialogue and that only makes it better. Plus there's a dragon. Yep, a dragon. This is the stuff comics were first dreamed up for!
7. 'No Chains Can Hold Her' - Yes, it looks like it was written and drawn by a ten-year-old. But that just adds to its charm. All the classic, retro-age stuff you'd expect from the mind of a ten-year-old boy are here: Aliens! Spaceships! Lasers! Mind control! Other dimensions! Alongside Wondy are Supergirl and Mary Marvel, and it's nice that they start off fighting and not trusting one another but then team up against the real enemy. Supergirl is a teen who's a little naive - and who keeps mentioning how her male counterpart cousin is teaching her how to be a better superhero - but she's cool, temperamental and doesn't take being literally tossed around in each panel lying down. The dialogue is laughably cheesy, like an after-school special for six-year-olds. The artwork is an eyesore - with Wonder Woman's Popeye arms and Supergirl's hair changing from blonde to brunette in her last few panels. But I got used to it. A nostalgic fever dream is how I'd best describe 'No Chains Can Hold Her'.
8. 'Attack of the 500-Foot Wonder Woman' - Another favourite. Wonder Woman is turned into a giant by one of the Atom's devices in order to fight a Godzilla-like shapeshifter from Hawkman's and Hawkgirl's planet, Thanagar. I didn't like the art, but I really liked how Diana's lasso of truth (plus her invisible jet) was used once again; the bizarre story-concept becomes unexpectedly sad, and it delivers a heartwarming message that's present from the beginning towards the very end.
9. 'Ghosts and Gods' - Again, not a fan of the artwork, but there's Etta Candy! Though I wish we could have seen more of her as herself instead of possessed by Deadman. His interactions with Wonder Woman are interesting, as their origins and belief in each of their gods are at odds with one another (her belief in her Greek gods is also challenged in 'Taketh away'). But they still effortlessly put their differences aside, and the duo fight the ancient evil of Ra's Al Ghul. I really wanted to see more of the friendship Diana and Etta share, however, and not another story where the Amazon princess is partnered with a man. Mostly, 'Ghosts and Gods' is action-oriented, good-vs-evil, Saturday morning cartoon fun.
10. 'Dig for Fire' - The final issue, and unfortunately my least favourite. It has the worst art - at least with 'No Chains Can Hold Her' I can see what the flip is going on! 'Dig for Fire' is dark and murky - gritty for the sake of it due to its sci-fi apocalyptic content - and at one point it full-on looks like Wonder Woman has a beard. It also has a downer ending - I can see where they're going with it, but it's just rushed, and closes way too fast. Maybe I'd understand it better if I knew more about Darkseid. But oh well, the cover art variations are gorgeous.
Simply put, 'Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman' is pure action-packed awesomeness, with each issue containing a writer's take on a superheroine I'm growing to love more and more, and on first-wave, second-wave, and modern feminism. It's both a good introduction to Wonder Woman for new comic readers, and a fresh start for older fans.
Not all the stories are perfect, nor are the vastly-differing styles of art. But the old school charm - hit or miss - won me over. Regardless, all the stories do a good job of acknowledging who exactly Wonder Woman is and what she represents in the past and the present. Some even mention that she is an ambassador as well as a superhero and a princess!
Enjoy!
Final Score: 4/5
No comments:
Post a Comment