PREVIEW: Wonder Woman, #18

[CBR News]

"The Queen of Roots"
• We've seen the history Wonder Woman shares with Ares - but what does the God of War have planned for her future?


Full article here.

[onecimo]

Looks good!!! Can't wait!!!

[batGRRRl4ever]

Ug, WW looking far too mannish in her own title as usual, Lee draws a far superior Diana. And this new swords out of the bracelet thing is just stupid, the side holster on her leg also looks superior in JL. What else can she pop out of there now, utensils, can openers, etc.? Her bracelets have become bat-utility belts, like I said, STUPID. What HAPPENED to this title? I SOOOOOOO miss the Perez years.

[Desaad]

In every way, this is the best Wonder Woman I've ever read, and I've tried all of them.

How lucky Wonder Woman is to have this kind of thoughtful, ambitious group of writers to revitalize a faded brand and bring the quality of the book up to her status as an icon.

One of the best books being published, period, bar none.

[batGRRRl4ever]

But why then are a noted number of longterm fans dropping the title, with new readers making the bulk (as I've heard) of the current numbers? Is that sustainable for longterm success? Comic book characters are like female comedians and singers with gay fans, sometimes their gay fans are what sustains them in their career over the lean times, and longterm viability for super heroes often comes from the longterm fanbases who want to stick with the title through thick and thin. But if Azzarello is driving them away, what will WW do when the next lean sales time comes at some point in her continuing history if her longterm fans can't stand the stench that Azzarello is leaving on Diana's legacy?

[BrotherUnitNo_4]

Wonder Woman has rarely been an exceptional seller. Although her series hasn't shown dramatic gains in readership (bringing in new while keeping the old), it's still sustainable for the foreseeable future.

That said, if there's a change in direction, I'm not expecting many of her "new" fans to hang tough.

She does look very mannish, and the First Born (?) doesn't seem anything exceptional.

[shingi70]

Looks like a job for Aquaman.

[lebari]

That art looks like crap. No wonder people are dropping this book. I love Cliff Chiang but the fill-ins are not working at all.

[SteveGus]

What else can she pop out of there now, utensils, can openers, etc.?

Now that's one of the more interesting ideas I've seen in a while. Diana's bracers can produce corkscrews, scissors, toenail clippers, adjustable crescent wrenches, screwdrivers (inc. Phillips, Robertson, and hex wrench), tea strainers, putty knives...... I'd put a compass in there too.

[batGRRRl4ever]

That said, if there's a change in direction, I'm not expecting many of her "new" fans to hang tough.

And that shows that DC is only concerned with the short term too much, although I guess comics always are from a historical standpoint.

She does look very mannish

That art looks like crap. No wonder people are dropping this book.

At least in the above pic, WW looks both strong and attractive. In her own book she looks like she's taking either steroids or too many male hormone supplements.

[lcg16]

But why then are a noted number of longterm fans dropping the title, with new readers making the bulk (as I've heard) of the current numbers? Is that sustainable for longterm success? Comic book characters are like female comedians and singers with gay fans, sometimes their gay fans are what sustains them in their career over the lean times, and longterm viability for super heroes often comes from the longterm fanbases who want to stick with the title through thick and thin. But if Azzarello is driving them away, what will WW do when the next lean sales time comes at some point in her continuing history if her longterm fans can't stand the stench that Azzarello is leaving on Diana's legacy?

Technically, replacement of the longterm fanbase with a new one is a NECESSITY for future success, never mind longterm success. It'd be preferable to keep them along, but the longer the fan's been around, the older they are. You can't keep leaning on those people to stay profitable. I dunno if the new art work is something I completely like...but it is different. I wouldn't be angry if they put a touch more femininity to it. But yeah, I dunno about far superior, but Jim Lee's style is definitely something I'm more used to, and I imagine his WW look echoes more with longtermers since...it's closer to the old look.

[lcg16]

Oops...double post.

I think the oddest thing about these preview pages is that WW suddenly gains a more pronounced bust than she normally has in her title. >_>

[Bruce-wayne]

I mean....I like the preview but come on, why does the artist Tony have to give EVERY male such stupidly huge biceps, even Hermes, the skinny guy...he literally has chicken legs and a tiny slender neck but his biceps are bigger than his frikkin face. Sometimes it looks like the artist has just given up, and as if he deliberately screws up his proportions. Some faces are SO ugly, omg. He's better off as a digital artist, I can't take his art anymore. His artwork is one of the most consistent of all the new 52 books that I've personally read, as far as I can recall.

[Shinomune]

In every way, this is the best Wonder Woman I've ever read, and I've tried all of them.

How lucky Wonder Woman is to have this kind of thoughtful, ambitious group of writers to revitalize a faded brand and bring the quality of the book up to her status as an icon.

One of the best books being published, period, bar none.

I haven't read Perez's run yet, but yes, it's the best Wonder Woman run by far the last 20 years. And I have friends that they read Perez, and they told me that this run is probably the most closed one to the Perez, so I can't understand yet how is so "bashed" here for Perez's fans...

[LoneNecromancer]

Looks great as ever. One of the most consistently awesome books coming out every month.