Wonder Woman # 39

By Koppy McFad
January 7, 2010 - 22:00

Wonder Woman is pitted against a variety of foes in this climax to the "Rise of the Olympian" storyline. Sadly but not unexpectedly, this issue is overwhelmed by all the details that have gone into building up this story-- all the characters that have to be utilised, all the plotlines that have to be sewn up, all the confrontations that have to take place. The creative team put themselves in a bad position, of having to resolve various issues going all the way back to FINAL CRISIS, COUNTDOWN and even AMAZONS ATTACK-- all in a regular-sized comic.

Thus the story feels overweight, yet rushed. Characters are introduced, then eliminated too easily. The Olympian-- a character they spent so much time pushing as a major figure-- ends up practically as mere cannon fodder and the big monster is taken out by a deus ex machina that just looks confusing. (So Diana can summon lightning now? Why didn't she do this in the past?) There is a dramatic resolution to Wonder Woman's conflict with Zeus, king of the gods, but it still doesn't feel sincere. To make matters worse, the story isn't over yet. The real big bad guy behind everything-- the god of war, Ares, is still loose and ready to kick off the next story-arc so the reader doesn't feel like things have really been settled.

The art reflects the story's unnecessary complexity. The panels are small and overcrowded. Even big events, like the summoning of the lightning, are squeezed into tiny panels so you aren't even sure what is happening. While the actual illustrations are good, they are not used well.

This issue is doubly disappointing because Wonder Woman had been on a roll last year. Perhaps a more dynamic, less introspective story is called for. One that is not weighed down by decades of Amazonian backstory.

Rating: 6.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12

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