As we all gear up for the first cinematic appearance of Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (and a solo Wonder Woman film the following year), I thought it’d be most valuable to review DC Comics’ recently released comic book. In this origin story, fans can get a thorough understanding of how the popular heroine came to be.
The buzz surrounding this story had me very curious. More than anything, it was actually Brian Azzarello’s take on Wonder Woman that had me appreciate the character on a whole other level. With a brand new series, I decided to once again explore the world of Themyscira and the Amazons. Although this take on the character is much different in tone than Azzarello’s run (which is much darker), I can’t help but praise this as well.
We get a glimpse as to how the Amazons became to be so revered (even alongside the Greek Gods) with Hippolyta leading the way as one of the few immortals left on Earth to raise a peaceful society on the secret island of Themyscira (invisible to the rest of civilization). Most of the story chronicles a pivotal moment in the life of Hippolyta’s daughter, Diana (aka Wonder Woman). Diana comes to understand that their society is becoming too complacent in its ways and is becoming more and more vulnerable. This is what prompts Diana to want to be a warrior – so that she can protect her people, especially from the inevitable clash with the outside world (who have no idea of their existence).
The comic is penciled/written by Renae De Liz and colored by Ray Dillon. Although I’m not familiar with De Liz, I’m sure as hell now going to be. The story is set on a grand scale that comes through not only with the writing but the art. I couldn’t help but think of Michael Turner in terms of how De Liz captures character faces.
If you are even slightly interested in Wonder Woman then I highly recommend this comic. It is an excellent starting point, especially when we are about to see a lot more of her on the big screen. After all, Wonder Woman is probably the best female superhero out there. It’s surprising it took Hollywood this long to give her cinematic exposure.
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