Divine Plans and Unholy Agendas: Wonder Woman #49

The following is my review of Wonder Woman #49, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

There are a number of common themes in ancient mythology and not all of them involve gods hooking up with mortal women/boys/animals/etc. These themes are often built around the consequences of mortals attempting to defy the will of the gods. It serves as the basis of most major cultural and religious traditions, minus those inspired by George Lucas. Eventually, within the context of these themes, the will of the gods tends to overwhelm the ambitions of mortals.

When Brian Azzarello kick-started Wonder Woman after the Flashpoint reboot, he built Wonder Wonder Woman's story around these themes, having her navigate the agendas of numerous gods and the mortals they manipulated. He tied Wonder Woman's story closer to Greek Mythology and less towards mid-20th century feminism. It helped create a more compelling narrative while proving that there's just no getting around the centuries-old appeal of gods impregnating mortals.

Wonder Woman's ties to the gods weren't just built around her being the daughter of Zeus. She ended up becoming the new God of War while saving Olympus from the wrath of her father's first of many, many obscene infidelities. She's had to manage this role on top of being a member of the Justice League, an icon to women all over the world, and Superman's lover. If it's true that no woman can truly have it all, then a case could be made that Wonder Woman come closest.

However, the themes of petty gods and the mortals they torment starts to catch up with Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman #49. The plot once again revolves around Zeke and Zola, who were the catalyst to all these holy/unholy upheavals during Brian Azzarello's run. Meredith Finch's plot focuses more on the unholy aspects of those upheavals and for once, it doesn't involve an unplanned pregnancy.

It starts with a mysterious illness. Something or someone, and sometimes that line is blurred when godly forces are at work, has caused Zeke to fall ill. It's up to Wonder Woman to help him. Zeke is, after all, the reborn incarnation of Zeus, her father. That means she's essentially babysitting her father. It's the kind of unholy upheaval that makes the Kardashians look dull and yet it feels oddly appropriate in a mythology where a woman with snakes for hair isn't even the tenth greatest oddity.

In attempting to help Zeke, Wonder Woman has to confront some of the less holy virtues that are uncomfortably common with gods. As nearly every mortal in the Odyssey learned, the gods tend to exercise a level of moral flexibility that even the most amoral televangelist would find disgusting. They will do and say whatever they must in order to maintain their power and authority. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, betraying those who see them as allies.

This creates a powerful sense of drama in Wonder Woman #49, which is by far the greatest strength of the story. Since the latter half of Brian Azzarello's run, Wonder Woman has considered Hera a friend and ally in her ascent to her godly roles. In terms of the larger narrative, she's someone who was easy to root for. She was, after all, married to a god who treated infidelity as an Olympic sport. Her gaining a greater role on Olympus in his absence felt like obscenely late karma. Now, she's in a position to screw Wonder Woman over in a way that might not leave her pregnant, but it will break her heart.

Wonder Woman has to entertain the uncomfortable possibility that Hera might be the one causing Zeke's illness. It's a possibility that Hecate, the Goddess of Magic and Witchcraft, presents to her and it's not one Wonder Woman can just casually discount. She's already learned that gods are annoyingly adept at keeping secrets. She can't, given her experience with other gods and the illegitimate offspring they bear, blindly trust that Hera is above plotting against her.

As uncomfortable a possibility it might be, Wonder Woman doesn't let this distract her from helping Zeke and Zola. It's another common theme that Meredith Finch carried over from Brian Azzarello and it works perfectly well within the context of the narrative. Like Azzarello, Finch has Wonder Woman carry out tasks that feel like they came right out of the director's cut of Greek Mythology. For that same reason, it makes that same narrative feel limited.

There's a lot of drama and uncertainty in Wonder Woman #49. While this helps create a plot with plenty of tension, it does little to add much excitement. There's no Trojan War in this story. It's mostly Wonder Woman having to navigate a world of gods who may or may not be plotting against her. The only bit of action involves a cyclops and even that unfolded off-panel. If it were the director's cut of any movie, then it would still be missing some key scenes.

That's not to say that the lack of action derails the story. The story in Wonder Woman #49 isn't built around the kind of conflict that would require epic, CGI-rendered battlefields on the level of a Peter Jackson movie. It's built as a personal drama where Wonder Woman is trying to help a friend while being mindful of the gods' tendency to act in very ungodly ways at times. It's a story that has many strengths, but the reliance on this drama does cause it to drag at times.

Even if the story doesn't get anyone's heart racing, it does generate plenty of intrigue. Meredith Finch does a good job of generating the same intrigue that made Brian Azzarello's run on the series so engaging. It might not result in another mortal woman being impregnated by a god, which would make it an novelty in Greek Mythology, but it does adhere to the same powerful themes that has helped certain mythologies stand the test of time.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

Godhood, Womanhood, and Humanity: Wonder Woman #35

The following is my review of Wonder Woman #35, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

What does it mean to be a goddess? What does it mean to be a warrior? What does it mean to be a mother, daughter, or woman? These are all some of the profound questions that Brian Azzarello has been exploring since his run on Wonder Woman began at the onset of the New 52 relaunch. These questions have been the main driving force in the battles that Wonder Woman has fought. While she hasn't had many clear answers, she has confronted many challenges that have made it very difficult to be the Wonder Woman that inspires feminists and perverse male fantasies alike. And despite plenty of complications and allies/enemies/frenemies, she has always risen to the occasion.

This ability to keep fighting, even in the face of gods and the deranged offspring they sire, is part of what makes Wonder Woman who she is. Since this series began, she has been in a constant fight against an endless horde of gods, demigods, and monsters attempting to ascend to the throne of Olympus. At times, it has been like Game of Thrones, but with less full-frontal nudity.  

Wonder Woman #35 is supposed to be the end of that fight. However, it does not unfold like a heavyweight title fight that people overpay to see on pay-per-view. It's a fight that highlights everything that makes Wonder Woman more than just a woman and a warrior. Essentially, it exposes what makes her so wonderful.

This fight began when Wonder Woman crossed paths with Zola, a young woman who became the latest in the Jerry Springer style affairs of Mount Olympus found out she was pregnant. The fight can only end when the First Born, who claims to be the true heir to Olympus in Zeus' absence, is defeated. In this sense it doesn't just parallel Game of Thrones. It parallels the struggles that have plagued royalty since kings foolishly believed that power struggles wouldn't complicate family affairs. It also sets the stage for a bitter struggle that forces Wonder Woman to fight with more than just her fists.

That said, most of the story is built around the same format as that final boss battles in a Street Fighter game. Wonder Woman gets pretty roughed up by the First Born. Even Poseidon gets involved since no Greco-Roman god misses out on a chance to usurp the power of a family member. It's a struggle where Wonder Woman is badly overmatched in many respects. But instead of following the same formula that every bad sports movie has followed since the Karate Kid, Wonder Woman rises to the occasion in a different way.

While Wonder Woman is a warrior capable of going toe-to-toe with gods, aliens, and the Lex Luthors of the world, she is also capable of great compassion and empathy. In many ways, this acts as one of her greatest warriors as a weapon. And what makes the struggle in Wonder Woman #35 so satisfying is that she uses this weapon to great effect. Her capacity for mercy and compassion help change the tone of the battle at one point. It acts as a reminder that there are more ways to win a battle than just carrying a bigger sword or relying on the infidelities of the gods.

This helps set Wonder Woman apart from the other gods and demigods that surround her. She has a chance at numerous points in the battle to kill. And unlike Batman, she has no issues with killing. She's even pointed out at times that the reason she doesn't have rogues gallery that requires numerous spin-offs and sequels is because she "takes care of them" as she once described it. However, that doesn't always mean slitting throats or snapping necks. As the God of War, she is in a position to kill the First Born, but she doesn't. That alone says a lot about her because the First Born gave her plenty of reasons to be "taken care of."

In many respects, the First Born is the opposite of Wonder Woman. He will not show mercy or compassion. Even when Wonder Woman gives him a chance, he literally throws it away. She even points out his inability to understand these concepts, but in a manner far more effective and painful than therapy or counseling. That's not to say she's exceedingly kind in how she defeats the First Born. She's still a warrior. She can't be too understanding in the same way the Amish can't be too tech savvy. But she gives context to her actions, expressing faith in the ability of even the First Born to learn compassion.

It isn't just the First Born that Wonder Woman tries to beat with compassion either. She needs that same compassion to deal with a striking (and somewhat contrived) revelation about Zola and her son, Zeke. It's another situation that deals in old school royal conflicts that usually don't have peaceful resolutions. But Wonder Woman is able to inspire compassion, even among gods who aren't in a position to make use of it. That inspiration is among her greatest strengths, at least among those who haven't earned her wrath.

But as inspiring as Wonder Woman is, the characters that benefit are lacking in the same depth. The final revelations about Zola and her son are among the weakest parts of this struggle. These revelations are akin to someone being stranded on a desert island for three years only to find out there was a luxury resort with a yacht and a helicopter pad on the other side of the island. It takes away some of the humanity that has helped make Wonder Woman's struggle so compelling. While it does address some plot holes as only depraved Greco-Roman Mythology could, it feels incomplete.

That feeling of incompleteness doesn't detract from Wonder Woman's strengths, but it does detract from the story. Wonder Woman #35 is presented as a culmination of so many plots and conflicts. While it does address the major plots, it negates many of the smaller sub-plots. It still finishes the story, but only to the extent that it took the express lane in lieu of the more enjoyable scenic route. It's a story that has required Wonder Woman to utilize all her strengths for all the right reasons. For her, it's a testament to what makes her one of the most iconic characters in comics, female or otherwise.

Final Score: 7 out of 10