4PointOh
09-05-2009, 01:30 PM
Welcome to the first installment of the twice-monthly column, War & Peace!
In this column, I will review the monthly WONDER WOMAN comic book; I'll review selected Wonder Woman appearances in other comic titles; and I will also write about Wonder Woman's cultural and socio-political impact in the industry.
I encourage feedback and dialogue. Spirited debate is completely welcome. I just ask that we please try to remain respectful even when we disagree. If
there's ever anything you wish to discuss off-board, feel free to PM me, or e-mail me here (sonofbaldwin@yahoo.com).
This week, I'm reviewing of the most recent issue of WONDER WOMAN (#35). I hope you enjoy!
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/53/l_41a8a5470b514399bec756b430160007.jpg
(Diana and Dinah are some real bad mamma jammas; WONDER WOMAN #35; all photos courtesy of DC Comics (http://www.dccomics.com))
An admission:
When I first read WONDER WOMAN #35, I found it to be lacking. I found Black Canary's personality to be a bit too cutesy/sorority girl; I thought the story's pacing was off; I thought Black Canary got all the best scenes/showings/lines; and I thought the whole Wonder Woman/Black Canary pairing felt a bit forced. But then I realized something:
I was completely misreading the story.
Initially, I read the story coming home from the comic shop on the A train. That's my usual routine: I take the A train into Manhattan (from Brooklyn) early Wednesday morning; my comic shop opens up at 10am; I pick up my books; I grab a bite to eat, and then I hop back on the subway and head back to Brooklyn. I use the 35-minute ride to read a comic or two. I always start with WONDER WOMAN.
And I think that's the problem; reading my comics on the train, that is. The train is noisy and crowded. It rocks and rattles and jolts along the track. I'm often distracted by other passengers, subway performers, homeless people, and loud (but garbled) subway announcements. In short, I don't think I give the stories I read their due diligence and as a result, I come away from reading with a false impression. So, I re-read WONDER WOMAN #35 last night right before I went to bed (with a nice firm pillow, toasty sheets, and the AC on full blast).
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/27/l_9ae183a0f3cf4729a982511d2f23be0a.jpg
(Diana and Dinah whip some major booty!)
And you know what? I thought the story worked really, really well. The pacing was expert, with Simone’s bobbing and weaving mimicking Wonder Woman and Black Canary’s bouts in the ring. But where I think the story best succeeds is in its subtlety. Some might ask: What could have possibly been subtle about a grudge match? Only, I don't think that's what the story is about at all. Yes, there’s some cage match stuff and our heroes are surprised by what they come up against in the ring. But the real story—or at least the heart of the story—is revealed when Wonder Woman approaches Sarge Steel, who is trapped inside Dr. Psycho's body.
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/21/l_37ad520ef0ad485fb18050de5676d74a.jpg
("You were lost. We have found you." The magic of Wonder Woman)
Even against Black Canary's threats and protests, she uses the lasso, ever so gently (it’s not often that we get to see Wonder Woman use this weapon with such tenderness) to retrieve Steel from his psychological prison. I discovered that this story is really about the lengths to which Wonder Woman will go to right wrongs, the risks she will face to save innocents, the peril she will place herself in to save a single life.
This theme is reinforced by the unspoken promise she made to Kane Milohai's daughter, Pele. I hope that promise includes killing Zeus and retrieving Kane's heart from Achilles (two things that would challenge Wonder Woman on just about every conceivable level).
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/54/l_ecab1ca917df421dbff2bd672b01ea20.jpg
(Diana and Dinah chat and chew!)
As far as Wonder Woman and Black Canary's relationship, I think it's about unabashed honesty. Black Canary is not Wonder Woman's cheerleader; she's her home-girl willing to give her the truth about how she sees any given situation whether it smells like roses or whether it smells like pooh-pooh. Absent are the yes-man awe and the clichéd jealousy, and in their place something much more genuine and natural: the breaking of bread, empathy, candor, and one’s investment in the happiness of the other. In other words: a real friendship between women. I hope we get to see Black Canary here a bit more in the future.
Also, I'm very curious as to why, after Wonder Woman struck Zeus, she now has access to his lightning via her bracelets (which, by the way, are made the remnants of Zeus' shield. I wonder if the act itself—knocking Zeus to his feet—has something to do with it. Perhaps, this is Wonder Woman literally (and inadvertently) stealing Zeus’ thunder.
There’s also the matter of undoing the blood spell The Cheetah used switch Steel’s and Psycho’s bodies. I wonder how Wonder Woman is going to manage that bit. But I'm not as concerned with that as I am with the revelation that comes at the story's end as Tom offers to return the spear Hippolyta gave him to symbolize his induction into the Amazon nation. I know many disagree with me, but I was completely in love with the idea of Diana and Tom as a couple, and I'm sad to see the prospect (seemingly) come to an end.
I’m generally in the minority on this point (and I’m rather happy to be), but I'm not a huge fan of the art. However, after seeing several (http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/08/20/how-about-some-aaron-lopresti-wonder-woman-art/) pages (http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/08/28/a-slew-of-art-and-news-from-editor-elisabeth-gehrlein/) of Aaron Lopresti's pencils, I’m beginning to believe that he may not be the cause of my dismay at how some of the art works on the page. Perhaps it's the inker, the colorist, or some other step in the production process that minimizes Lopresti's work. All I know is that the penciled pages I've seen are generally more dynamic and aesthetically pleasing to me than the finished product—which, at times looks a little too cartoony, a little too stiff, a little too “old school” for my tastes.
All in all, though, I enjoyed this story immensely—especially after a careful read.
4 out of 5 Tiara-Stars ****
In this column, I will review the monthly WONDER WOMAN comic book; I'll review selected Wonder Woman appearances in other comic titles; and I will also write about Wonder Woman's cultural and socio-political impact in the industry.
I encourage feedback and dialogue. Spirited debate is completely welcome. I just ask that we please try to remain respectful even when we disagree. If
there's ever anything you wish to discuss off-board, feel free to PM me, or e-mail me here (sonofbaldwin@yahoo.com).
This week, I'm reviewing of the most recent issue of WONDER WOMAN (#35). I hope you enjoy!
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/53/l_41a8a5470b514399bec756b430160007.jpg
(Diana and Dinah are some real bad mamma jammas; WONDER WOMAN #35; all photos courtesy of DC Comics (http://www.dccomics.com))
An admission:
When I first read WONDER WOMAN #35, I found it to be lacking. I found Black Canary's personality to be a bit too cutesy/sorority girl; I thought the story's pacing was off; I thought Black Canary got all the best scenes/showings/lines; and I thought the whole Wonder Woman/Black Canary pairing felt a bit forced. But then I realized something:
I was completely misreading the story.
Initially, I read the story coming home from the comic shop on the A train. That's my usual routine: I take the A train into Manhattan (from Brooklyn) early Wednesday morning; my comic shop opens up at 10am; I pick up my books; I grab a bite to eat, and then I hop back on the subway and head back to Brooklyn. I use the 35-minute ride to read a comic or two. I always start with WONDER WOMAN.
And I think that's the problem; reading my comics on the train, that is. The train is noisy and crowded. It rocks and rattles and jolts along the track. I'm often distracted by other passengers, subway performers, homeless people, and loud (but garbled) subway announcements. In short, I don't think I give the stories I read their due diligence and as a result, I come away from reading with a false impression. So, I re-read WONDER WOMAN #35 last night right before I went to bed (with a nice firm pillow, toasty sheets, and the AC on full blast).
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/27/l_9ae183a0f3cf4729a982511d2f23be0a.jpg
(Diana and Dinah whip some major booty!)
And you know what? I thought the story worked really, really well. The pacing was expert, with Simone’s bobbing and weaving mimicking Wonder Woman and Black Canary’s bouts in the ring. But where I think the story best succeeds is in its subtlety. Some might ask: What could have possibly been subtle about a grudge match? Only, I don't think that's what the story is about at all. Yes, there’s some cage match stuff and our heroes are surprised by what they come up against in the ring. But the real story—or at least the heart of the story—is revealed when Wonder Woman approaches Sarge Steel, who is trapped inside Dr. Psycho's body.
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/21/l_37ad520ef0ad485fb18050de5676d74a.jpg
("You were lost. We have found you." The magic of Wonder Woman)
Even against Black Canary's threats and protests, she uses the lasso, ever so gently (it’s not often that we get to see Wonder Woman use this weapon with such tenderness) to retrieve Steel from his psychological prison. I discovered that this story is really about the lengths to which Wonder Woman will go to right wrongs, the risks she will face to save innocents, the peril she will place herself in to save a single life.
This theme is reinforced by the unspoken promise she made to Kane Milohai's daughter, Pele. I hope that promise includes killing Zeus and retrieving Kane's heart from Achilles (two things that would challenge Wonder Woman on just about every conceivable level).
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/54/l_ecab1ca917df421dbff2bd672b01ea20.jpg
(Diana and Dinah chat and chew!)
As far as Wonder Woman and Black Canary's relationship, I think it's about unabashed honesty. Black Canary is not Wonder Woman's cheerleader; she's her home-girl willing to give her the truth about how she sees any given situation whether it smells like roses or whether it smells like pooh-pooh. Absent are the yes-man awe and the clichéd jealousy, and in their place something much more genuine and natural: the breaking of bread, empathy, candor, and one’s investment in the happiness of the other. In other words: a real friendship between women. I hope we get to see Black Canary here a bit more in the future.
Also, I'm very curious as to why, after Wonder Woman struck Zeus, she now has access to his lightning via her bracelets (which, by the way, are made the remnants of Zeus' shield. I wonder if the act itself—knocking Zeus to his feet—has something to do with it. Perhaps, this is Wonder Woman literally (and inadvertently) stealing Zeus’ thunder.
There’s also the matter of undoing the blood spell The Cheetah used switch Steel’s and Psycho’s bodies. I wonder how Wonder Woman is going to manage that bit. But I'm not as concerned with that as I am with the revelation that comes at the story's end as Tom offers to return the spear Hippolyta gave him to symbolize his induction into the Amazon nation. I know many disagree with me, but I was completely in love with the idea of Diana and Tom as a couple, and I'm sad to see the prospect (seemingly) come to an end.
I’m generally in the minority on this point (and I’m rather happy to be), but I'm not a huge fan of the art. However, after seeing several (http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/08/20/how-about-some-aaron-lopresti-wonder-woman-art/) pages (http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/08/28/a-slew-of-art-and-news-from-editor-elisabeth-gehrlein/) of Aaron Lopresti's pencils, I’m beginning to believe that he may not be the cause of my dismay at how some of the art works on the page. Perhaps it's the inker, the colorist, or some other step in the production process that minimizes Lopresti's work. All I know is that the penciled pages I've seen are generally more dynamic and aesthetically pleasing to me than the finished product—which, at times looks a little too cartoony, a little too stiff, a little too “old school” for my tastes.
All in all, though, I enjoyed this story immensely—especially after a careful read.
4 out of 5 Tiara-Stars ****