Wonder Woman #9 Review


Oh Wonder Woman, what a wondrous comic book you have…

The official description from DC:

WONDER WOMAN continues to battle through HADES in hopes of rescuing the only friend she has left. What is APOLLO trying to convince ARES of? Whatever it is, you can bet it’s bad news for Wonder Woman!

If you had told me when the new 52 launched that of the titles I would try (and believe me, I tried quite a few of ’em) that Wonder Woman would be my favorite, I would have laughed at you.  Nope I would have called you an idiot, scolded you, then I would have shook my head at you as I walked away.  Well fast forward nine months and yes, Wonder Woman is my favorite comic book from the new 52.

The secret behind it is easy, Brian Azzarello took a character that (in my opinion) needed an update, he reworked her origin and let everything pour out from there.  He gave the world Hercules: The Legendary Journeys mixed with God of War but starring Wonder Woman.  The comic may take place in the modern DCU but it ignores all of that and instead focuses on the mythological drama of the Gods and Goddesses.

This latest story arc centers on Hades and his marriage to… Wonder Woman!  Yep, he shot Wonder Woman with pistols from Eros and now they’re getting married.  Don’t you just hate when that happens?  Most renderers will spend the issue wondering if she is or isn’t under love’s powerful spell.  And if she’s not what is she up to.

The other item that makes this comic usually a must read is the art and normally Cliff Chiang does it, and he does it remarkably well.  But sadly this issue has a stand in artist and it’s no gripe to Tony Akins but he’s no Cliff Chiang.  His characters are fine and they fit the established style well enough but the expected delicate lines and attention to detail while employing an almost minimalist sensibility is just not there.  So the art is good this issue but not great.

This issue overall was a good read and despite the art successfully furthers the argument that Wonder Woman is a top notch title.  But the art does affect the score and it lowers it a bit.

4/5