Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Wonder Woman

For me personally, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes my reasoning is fair to the characters, creators and company and sometimes it isn't.

But I'll tell you why with Wonder Woman. After all these years, I just have never felt much of a connection to the character. The only time I've ever truly enjoyed her comics are the ones I've read from the early 1960's and the late 1960's Mod era.

I *want* to like the character. So I feel like if they can convince me I have an invested interest in Diana's future, it might draw me in.

Naturally, many fans will not feel that way. Especially if they already love the last 10 years of the comic.

I don't feel this way with all the comics I buy, and probably not even most or even half of them. I like many titles that each issue stands on its own. I love House of Mystery because the stories within the stories are so out there and have no real effect on the larger storyline.

The mystery deepens in issue #601. Sharp dialogue. Interesting art. I'm getting a good vibe.

Cobie, there's an echo of the Mod era in this week's issue. Diana really has to work at a couple of things. The intrigue level is higher than the sample we got in #600.

As for this story not being permanent, it's mentioned in the issue that the past has been changed. So it likely won't be permanent, but there's already a few things I like about the change that I can see sticking around.

I got the impression from something that Diana would remember all this after things are back to normal. Just an impression, though. I hope she keeps the pants. That a mature woman representing feminine power is running around in a swimsuit is beyond ridiculous at this point. When they announced the costume change on the news one of the reporters just shook his head and said "About time." The reaction on another station was similar. It's led me to believe that super-heroines in skimpy costumes is one of the big reasons mainstreamers are turned off comics.

This new direction in Wonder Woman is sounding more and more interesting to me.

Must... resist... urge... to spend... money... on it...

From issue #602:

"I want all of you to go.. I want all of you to live so I can spit in the face of the gods, and tell them they're wrong."

That's the Diana I like to see. I'm totally fascinated with both the story and the manner in which it is being told.

So I caught up for the new era of Wonder Woman, reading #601-602.

My first thoughts were: wow, this Don Kramer artwork is pretty incredible! He is really knocking it out of the park, and the series has both a 'down to Earth' feel where things are tight and gritty, but also at times it will suddenly feel very widescreen and epic. His Diana is beautiful yet fierce.

I'm actually enjoying Diana in the new costume right now. We all know she'll revert back eventually but I don't mind the temporary change.

Overall, JMS's story from a plot-perspective is very interesting. There is a suspense to it with some real mystery. JMS also draws heavily on real history and Greek myths, creating an interesting blend.

In terms of story-telling, JMS is doing an excellent job. The series is unfolding really well and gradually building steam, and JMS maintains a level of tension throughout to keep the reader intrigued.

I'm enjoying this new era of Wonder Woman quite a bit so far.

I'm lovin' it!!

You know as I recently learned from the new WW Encyclopedia Astarte was Diana's aunt pre-crisis & a golden robot from space. Having not read the issue your're referring to there I don't know how much (if any of that) is still true.

The Astarte recently introduced by Gail Simone was quite different from the pre-crisis version.

RE: #603. This book is a visual feast. The Keres were creepy looking. The coloring really sets the mood. I'm liking Daina's personality and I'm still wrapped up in the mystery of it all.

I'm curious, how so? Sadly I haven't been able to read any of Gail's run even though I really want to.

The first Astarte – Empress of the Silver Snake - appeared in a two-part story in Wonder Woman (v.1) issues #252 and #253 published in 1979. The story was by Harris and Delbo. She had a gold metallic body and wore a silver outfit. She looked like an exotic robot. She shot green rays from her eyes and traveled through space in a ship that looked like a giant silver snake.

Astarte attacked Wonder Woman in space. She kept making vague comments about Wonder Woman stealing her body. It was eventually revealed that Astarte was the spirit of Queen Hyppolyte’s dead sister Diana – who Wonder Woman was named after. Diana was killed in the ancient battle with Hercules. Her spirit traveled through space, not realizing she was dead, for years before creating her new body from a gold and silver asteroid. She went to her final rest after Hyppolyte convinced her that she was really dead.

The recent Astarte appeared in a three-part story in Wonder Woman (v.3) #42 through #44. The story was by Simone and Scott. This Astarte was very human looking. She was a tall tough blond woman who carried a very big gun. She wore a military style uniform. Astarte was the cruel captain of a well armed alien group known as the Citizenry. In a nod to the original story, one of their weapons was a giant silver serpent robot thing that they dropped on a residential area. Etta, Steve, and Achilles dealt with the destruction.

This Astarte claimed to be the older sister of Hyppolyta. Three thousand years ago the Citizenry came to Earth to kidnap the infant Hyppolyta. Astarte sacrificed herself and went with them in Hyppolyta’s place. She eventually adopted the Citizenry’s cruel ways as her own, killed their Captain, and became even crueler than her one-time captors. She forced Wonder Woman into an arena battle with her warrior daughter, Theana. I won’t spoil the ending. Many Wonder Woman fans have been critical of Simone’s run. Yeah, whatever. This is a good story and is well worth picking up if you can still find the issues.

You ain't kidding! This is probably the best Wonder Woman artwork since Perez. It's just so dynamic!

I really like the mysterious, atmospheric mood of the story too.

I'm still really enjoying it!

Okay, I think we're far enough into it to make some educated guesses about what is going on. My theory is that this is the Wonder Woman of the new Earth One.

Well, the transition from JMS doing all the writing on Wonder Woman to Phil Hester coming on as writer following JMS plots has begun. Thus far, the transition seems pretty seamless and isn’t noticeable, even if it annoys me on a personal level. Interestingly enough, Phil Hester’s recent takeover of the Green Hornet writing chores has been good enough to keep me buying when I thought I would drop following Kevin Smith’s departure so I wonder if something similar will occur here.

The artwork by Don Kramer remains fantastic, and I love the way he draws Diana. I really enjoy the way urban cities combine with mythological settings here—it creates a very eerie feel to the series.

In fact, the tone of the current run more than anything is what is making WW so appealing to me. Moreso than any WW run in years. I’m really engaged in the storyline right now even though I didn’t think I would be. I think Jerry may have been right in his prediction, that this is the Earth-1 Wonder Woman we are seeing (which actually would be the first thing to make me interested in DC’s Earth-1 stories, since the GN of Superman and Batman were a hard pass from me).

The Morrigan is interesting so far but the creators will really have to put some effort into making her/them different from the Furies (of Sandman and other fame).

#607: I liked the Minotaur and wish he hadn't taken the action he did. I find myself just not really caring about Diana and these Amazons and the Morrigans, since I'm fairly certain it's all going to be set back to DCU default before long, anyway. I guess the bland costume will remain.

I much preferred what came before the JMS regime. There were problems, sure, but at least there was a sense of fun. I know, kiss of death.

I think the art is fine and the storytelling's competent. It just isn't engaging my imagination or my heart. One or the other ought to be by anything with 'Wonder Woman' on the cover.

Hmmm- my feeling about this title haven't changed a bit since February. It was sort of fun seeing Cheetah and Giganta as 'sisters', but that's not going to last.

I think 614's the last issue involving this 'reality'? I'll keep reading, but I'm past ready for 615- or which ever issue sees Diana restored to her right mind and a continuity that flows along with the rest of the DCU. Will that not be till after FLASHPOINT? Gods...

A bit more progress with #610. The villain remains a mystery but we get more insight into the mechanisms of the switch.

RE: #612

The answers finally start to come. So it's not some alternate Earth or timeline, but the workings of the gods and godesses that we know so well. This time they have a valid motivation rather than just playing petty games with Diana and her sisters. They also treat her with an abundance of respect. Nice. I'm still enjoying the visuals and looking forward to the big battle next issue.

Was that a secret? I seem to remember the Gods being behind it in the promotional interviews.

Can you mention what the motivation was behind a spoiler? How are they showing respect?

No, I guess it wasn't that much of secret. I just had the feeling that there was more to it than that because the gods always have some hand in Diana's life.

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">The gods have been in exile, hiding from a mad god (godess) named Nemesis. Nemesis is not an Olympian god, but an Earth bound god. She is the goddess of the unjustly slain, the murdered and war dead - finally brought to a level of power that makes her an unbeatable threat because of years of human atrocity.</span></span>

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">The purpose behind the odyssey was to prepare Diana to defeat Nemesis in a way that her original upbringing could not. It was necessary for the gods to hide her away from Themyscira in the midst of mortals, to better develop the humanity that would be needed to defeat Nemesis.</span></span>

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">Regarding the respect - there are several pages of dialogue in which the gods eloquently sing Diana's praises, and the hope she represents for the world. Zues says, "But you, Diana, you are the world as it might be. You are our better tomorrow."</span></span>

Hey that all sounds more interesting than I expected. But I bet the REAL reason was for the comic to look more like the WW series that was planned.

And we know how well THAT works... see "de-aging Black Canary because of the BoP TV series that was cancelled almost BEFORE that comic storyline was completed"...

RE: #614

A strong finish for the current Wonder Woman series and the Odyssey. The last few pages set up the relaunch perfectly.

Month after month, year after year, I read all the complaints about Wonder Woman comic books, the writers, the artists and the lack of respect that DC shows the character.

Month after month, year after year, I read the book and fail to understand where all the negativity comes from. There are few things in life that I enjoy more than reading a good Wonder Woman story. Odyssey continued that trend. It was a fascinating character study, a fun experiment and a mystery with some satisfying outcomes. The art was solid throughout. Yet, the "fans" howled as loud as ever. I read one review today that declared it the worst year in Wonder Woman's history. Oh wait. Wasn't that last year? Or the year before? Oh no, it's the relaunch that's going to destroy the character. Yeah, whatever...