From Rebirth To Resolve: Wonder Woman #25

The following is my review of Wonder Woman #25, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

By every measure, Wonder Woman is having a great year. For the first time in her history, it's not unreasonable to say that hers is the brightest star in the DC trinity. Superman and Batman can have their epic battles and bitter disputes, but only Wonder Woman can say she raised her profile while maintaining the heart that makes her so endearing. She's conquered both the box office and the critics on Rotten Tomatoes, something that Batman and Superman's epic clash cannot claim.

Wonder Woman's star is burning so brightly at the moment that it's easy to forget that part of that flame has been regularly stoked by Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp in her comics. After the events of DC Rebirth, Wonder Woman goes through a sobering process of sorts. The world she thought she knew is shrouded with lies that she didn't know were plaguing her. The life she thought she had lived has gaping holes in it that she cannot ignore. For a woman used to extracting truth with her lasso and her charm, that's an unfamiliar feelings.

Like many other DC Rebirth titles, the narrative in Wonder Woman is crafted in a way that builds and escalates. At times, it tends to drag. On top of that, Rucka and Sharp explore some of the gaps that emerged while the DC universe underwent its messy rebirthing process. They end up having to retell, reshape, and update Wonder Woman's story, often while trying to tell a parallel story in the present. It's easy to lose track of the story, but it can make for a uniquely satisfying payoff.

Wonder Woman #25 marks the end of Rucka's run on the series. It also marks the epilogue of sorts of all the various plots within Wonder Woman's rebirth-induced history. It's no easy feat, revamping and retelling Wonder Woman's entire history in just 25 issues while a major Hollywood movie is making headlines in the background. Rucka rises to the challenge, providing a capstone of sorts to a journey that balances the hardened warrior, the loving spirit, and the feminine ideal that she embodies.

It's an important balancing act for Wonder Woman. Throughout her history, multiple writers approach her from various angles. For some, she's only that hardened warrior. For others, she's only that loving spirit and feminine ideal. As iconic a character she is, the stories about her tend to segment her character. All too often, only parts of her personality are explored. Rucka dares to use every one of them in Wonder Woman #25 and in many ways, it completes her rebirth process.

The story itself is built around the aftermath of a lengthy arc that jumps between time periods, exploring Wonder Woman's initial arrival into man's world and her latest clash with a couple menacing gods. Along the way, she faces an identity crisis that makes a rebirth all too necessary. She faces a painful, soul-crushing revelation. For someone who's used to getting the truth out of everyone with ease, that's an accomplishment, even for gods.

Entire chunks of Wonder Woman's life are called into question. Her faith in the gods, her heritage, and herself become subject to major doubt. At the same time, she's still trying to help her friends and still be a full-time member of the Justice League. It's stressful, to say the least. It sends the message that if someone like Wonder Woman can crack under the strain at times, then what hope does anyone have?

That hope doesn't stay lost for long, though. Early on, Rucka shows that Wonder Woman can still be Wonder Woman in the midst of so much upheaval. She can arrive on the scene with the Justice League, fight giant monsters, and hardly break a sweat in taking it down. The hardened warrior aspect of her character is rightly preserved. However, that's not the sole focus of the story or Wonder Woman's journey over the course of the past 25 issues. It's never more than a secondary focus because Wonder Woman embodies more than just a fighting spirit.

Much more of Wonder Woman #25 focuses on her heart, which is heavy and wounded. She spent a great deal of her recent journey trying to save Dr. Barbara Minerva from the clutches of Cheetah, but circumstances beyond her control make that impossible. That's pretty heart-wrenching because when something is impossible for Wonder Woman, who regularly deals with gods, monsters, and Batman, that makes clear that some things are just beyond anyone's control.

She still makes an effort to help her former friend. She also makes a desperate plea for help from the last person who would want to help her. Even with all her love and heart, it isn't enough. It shows in the way she fights. Even her fellow friends on the Justice League sense it. When she finally gets around to confronting it, she has to essentially accept what she can't control. The truth may hurt, but that doesn't make it any less important. There are people who go their entire lives avoiding that. Wonder Woman confronts it, even when she's angry and wounded. Given her immortal heritage, that's quite an accomplishment.


Rucka goes heavy on the symbolism, giving Wonder Woman a love/hate relationship with her magic lasso at a time when the truth can hurt even an immortal warrior woman. Sharp's colorful artwork keeps the tone of the story from getting too bleak or dire. In the end, her willingness to take back her lasso and accept the harsh truth for what it is highlights the end of a journey that Wonder Woman needed to take. It's a journey that strengthens every part of her character, as well as those around her.

As fitting an end as Wonder Woman #25 is to that journey, it does gloss over a few issues and rushes a few others. There's never a clear resolution with Cheetah and Wonder Woman's acceptance of the truth feels somewhat rushed. The fact she only needs a pep talk before taking back her lasso feels somewhat unremarkable, if not contrived. There are a lot of arguments she could've and probably should've had with the gods that deceived her. However, those conversations are essentially shrugged off in favor of some sexy time with Steve Trevor. On some levels, though, that's a fair trade-off.

Overall, Rucka's run on Wonder Woman is a remarkable accomplishment. At a time when Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, and Patty Jenkins are elevating Wonder Woman's star to new heights, her DC: Rebirth journey finds a way to make that star burn a little brighter. Wonder Woman is tough, compassionate, loving, loyal, and beautiful on every level. It's not something that most people need to be reminded of, but some reminders are still worth having.

Final Score: 8 out of 10

The Wonder of What Wonder Woman Embodies: Wonder Woman #10

The following is my review of Wonder Woman #10, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

There are some origin stories that don't need to be retold again. The story of how Bruce Wayne lost his parents or how Clark Kent lost his home planet are so overplayed that there's really not much new to add to the narrative. We, the audience, get the message. We know why Bruce Wayne is Batman. We know why Clark Kent is Superman.

With Wonder Woman, however, the situation is different. Despite being the third pillar of DC's mighty trinity, her origin story is one of the few that DC Comics doesn't overly belabor. The setup is already established. Wonder Woman's basic history of growing up on an island of immortal women and rubbing elbows with Greek gods is easy to grasp. Anyone with access to Wikipedia can glean those details.

What Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott are doing with Wonder Woman in DC Rebirth takes it a step further. Conflicts in the present are used to explore elements of Wonder Woman's past. One issue covers the past. One covers the present. It sounds disorganized on paper, but in the grand scheme of things, it fits together into a fairly cohesive narrative.

It's not a re-imagining. It's not a reboot or a retcon either. In many respects, it's an overdue dose of depth. Despite 75 years of history, the Wonder Woman mythos is sufficiently vague to permit a certain level of refinement. Wonder Woman #10 takes advantage of that opportunity and adds a level of refinement that brings out the best in Wonder Woman.

There are no vindictive gods, shape-shifting monsters, or invading aliens in this narrative. In fact, Wonder Woman does surprisingly little fighting in this issue, but given how she seems to fight a new god, alien, or monster every other day, it's a refreshing and overdue change of pace. Instead, the story gives us a glimpse into Wonder Woman's past, focusing on her early exploration of man's world in its simplest form, namely by taking a trip to a local strip mall.

Granted, this a strip mall in America is hardly the most comprehensive insight into man's world, but it's fitting in that it doesn't make a terrible impression. Sure, there's excessive noise, rampant consumerism, and gaudy advertising displays, but there's nothing so horrifying that it would inspire an island of warrior women to purge the world of testosterone. Steve Trevor and Eta Candy even introduce her to margaritas. That's as good an impression man's world could make without something deep fried and dipped in chocolate.

This helps create a uniquely balanced tone for Wonder Woman #10. Rucka doesn't attempt to make Wonder Woman's impression of man's world too extreme. There's no emphasis on violence, rampant gender inequalities, and oppressive patriarchy. The world in which Wonder Woman explores never comes off as a beer commercial or a bad sitcom from the late 1950s. It actually makes the case that man's world is worth exploring and protecting.

It fits nicely with the overall tone of DC Rebirth in that the narrative isn't overly focused on dark and dire themes. There's still room for hope, understanding, and justice. Those are all among the highest qualities that Wonder Woman embodies. She's not just this tough warrior woman in a tiara who fights aliens and renegade gods alongside Superman and Batman. She stands for her own set of values, embodies them to the utmost, and looks great while doing it.

She eagerly interacts with total strangers, embracing them regardless of their age, gender, or ethnicity. She's not at all put off by the sight of men interacting with women, children making unfiltered comments about her attire, or the woefully impractical shoes that some women wear. Wonder Woman has any number of opportunities to be offended or appalled, but doing so would require her to be overly petty.

Such pettiness is the antithesis of what Wonder Woman values. She loves and embraces everybody. She's willing to give others a chance and she's not going to be politically correct about it. These are all powerful values that Wonder Woman has always embodied to some degree, but there have been too few stories that explore how she shaped these values upon coming to man's world. It's still a story not nearly as familiar as Kryton exploding, but it's a story worth exploring.

Wonder Woman is less a warrior and more an ambassador in this issue, but that's not to say the hard-nosed warrior in her is completely muted in Wonder Woman #10. She does get a chance to fight. She does get a chance to protect the innocent. Granted, it's not against rampaging titan or an agent of Darkseid, but she still gets to be the wonderful hero she is at heart. It's not exactly an epic battle in which the outcome is in question. This is Wonder Woman fighting in a crowded strip mall after drinking a margarita. It can only be so epic in that context.

Despite the limited scale of the fighting, there's still some meaning and depth to the conflict. This isn't just some random attack meant to fill Wonder Woman's hard-nose warrior quota. It's an attack that has ties, albeit vaguely, to the events taking place in the present. In terms of tying Wonder Woman #10 into the larger narrative that has been unfolding since the DC Rebirth relaunch, this issue does succeed, albeit barely.

The ties to a larger narrative may be limited, but Wonder Woman #10 still succeeds in its most important task. It highlights a period in Wonder Woman's story that is poorly developed and in need of greater depth. This issue gives us that without belaboring the parts we already know.

Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott are crafting a large, ambitious story that jumps around multiple time periods, puts a modern spin on a classic superhero mythos, and highlights the core values of an iconic character. It still feels like something that's too convoluted on paper, but they somehow find a way to make it work. That is a wonder, in and of itself.

Final Score: 8 out of 10

Broken Legacy Chapter 8: Scars and Bonds is LIVE!

I know it's been a long, tedious wait during sad, solemn times for Superman/Wonder Woman fans, but it's finally here. The last chapter of my second Superman/Wonder Woman story is complete. I know it's not quite as long or as epic as "Strangers In Paradise." I never intended it to be in the first place. I also didn't intend for this to focus entirely on romance. I wanted to explore other concepts along the way that I think are worth exploring. A part of me feels I didn't explore them enough, but I still made sure that this story had a satisfying ending of sorts.

Now I'm not going to lie. The recent developments between Superman and Wonder Woman in the comics with DC: Rebirth did affect this story. I started it off with the idea that I build layers on top of the core plot around Tyr-El, the Amazons, and Lex Luthor. Then, DC: Rebirth happened and I just didn't feel the same energy I felt during "Strangers In Paradise." I didn't have the will or desire to expand this story to same extent that I did with my last story. For this, I apologize.

That said, DC: Rebirth did not change the ending I had in mind for this story. I always intended it to be a story that would bring Superman and Wonder Woman together in a profound way. I made it much more personal and much more dramatic this time. They both had to fight bitter personal battles with their past and their legacies. Along the way, they connected. That connection helped carry them through the final battle against Tyr-El in the previous chapter. Now, this final chapter will complete that connection.

If you're a Superman/Wonder Woman fan, this chapter is what you've been waiting for. It's the culmination of all the personal struggles and personal dramas that have tormented these two as individuals. Finally, after all this emotional upheaval, they can come together a couple. It's a moment I've been building towards. It's a moment that I hope Superman/Wonder Woman fans will find satisfying during these difficult times.

Broken Legacy

Chapter 8: Scars and Bonds

As I've said before, this is going to be my last Superman/Wonder Woman story for the foreseeable future. I had some other ideas, but I now don't have the time, energy, or desire to pursue them. I now intend to focus my efforts on a few other projects, some of which I hope to announce soon.

That's not to say I'll never write another Superman/Wonder Woman story. If I get an idea that's just that good, I will pursue it. I don't like to leave ideas like that hanging. For now though, I'll let "Broken Legacy" and "Strangers In Paradise" be my primary contributions to Superman/Wonder Woman stories. To everyone who has supported these stories, as well as my other projects, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Broken Legacy Chapter 7: Blind Injustice is LIVE!

Maybe it's just the romantic in me, but I believe every romance has a defining moment of sorts. Sometimes it comes before a couple gets together. Sometimes it comes after several decades of marriage. Sometimes it comes on a Sunday afternoon during a football halftime show. It's hard to really quantify, but these are the moments that make a romance powerful. So why should that be any different for DC's resident Power Couple?

DC's Rebirth event may have horribly undermined Superman/Wonder Woman in the most contrived way possible without the aid of powerful hallucinogens, but there's no question that they shared plenty of moments. From that magical moment in Justice League #12 to the end of Charles Soule's first arc in the criminally underrated Superman/Wonder Woman series, this romance had more moments than every season of Friends and Two and a Half Men combined. It gave DC's Power Couple plenty of power. Now, I hope to create a moment like that in "Broken Legacy."

As I've said before, this series is not on the same level as my first Superman/Wonder Woman story, "Strangers In Paradise." I never intended it to be. It also doesn't help that as I'm writing this story, DC Rebirth is delivering a heavy gut punch in a dozen nut shots to the Superman/Wonder Woman romance. It makes getting motivated on this story pretty difficult. As such, it will be my last Superman/Wonder Woman story for the foreseeable future. That can always change, but for now, I'm going to treat "Broken Legacy" as my last Superman/Wonder Woman story in the near-term.

That means I have to take these last two chapters and make them extra awesome. I've already set the stage for the final showdown between Superman and Tyr-El. It's a showdown that has a lot of emotional stakes. Wonder Woman is part of it now as well since Try-El got the Amazons involved. Just like in "Strangers In Paradise," this is a battle that Superman and Wonder Woman can't win on their own. They can only win it together. It sets the stage for one of those powerful moments that Superman/Wonder Woman fans sorely need at a time like this. I hope this story can provide it.

Broken Legacy

Chapter 7: Blind Injustice

The future may look bleak for Superman/Wonder Woman in the comics. This may be a romance that DC will table indefinitely as they try to make their comics line up with the themes of their upcoming movies. Despite the best efforts of Rotten Tomatoes, DC and WB will try to capture the most classic elements of their heroes. Sadly, that doesn't leave a lot of room for Superman/Wonder Woman. I hope that my contributions through this and my other stories can help fill that void. Until then, I'll focus on making the final chapter of "Broken Legacy" as awesome and heartfelt as it can be.

Broken Legacy Chapter 6: Divine Conventions is LIVE!

There’s a time to shake things up and there’s a time slow things down, but there’s never a time for outright regression. No matter how it’s packaged and no matter how it’s presented, regression is toxic to characters, relationships, story, and everything in between. This is what has me so dismayed about the current state of Superman and Wonder Woman with DC Comics right now. While some characters, like Aquaman and Batman, are allowed to progress, Superman and Wonder Woman are basically being forced back into the box they were in before Flashpoint. It’s tragic because it basically abandons all the progress that they made as characters and as lovers.

Tragedy or not, it does help give what I’m going in Broken Legacy more meaning. I’m developing this story with the idea that Superman and Wonder Woman, who they are and what they stand for, can be deconstructed without regression. I like to think I’ve taken some chances and pushed these characters into unknown domains. It has been dramatic, strenuous, and challenging. However, the payoff is just around the corner.

The stage is set. The final showdown is here. Superman is laying everything on the line to stop Tyr-El. He can’t win this fight as Superman. He can’t even win this fight as Clark Kent. He has to be Kal-El. He has to be the last surviving son of the House of El. That’s the only way he’s going to preserve what’s left of his legacy. Moreover, he needs to trust that Wonder Woman can preserve hers. Now that the Amazons are involved, she has just as much to lose and just as much to gain. It’s a battle of high emotions and high drama, one which will change both characters in a major way, but it sure as hell won’t regress them. And it all unfolds in this latest chapter.

Broken Legacy

Chapter 6: Divine Conventions

As I’ve said before, I don’t have any plans for other Superman or Wonder Woman stories after this. Plans do change though. While this story hasn’t garnered the same support as Strangers In Paradise, not that I expected it to, I am continually amazed at the passion and support by fans.

The Superman/Wonder Woman crowd are proud, passionate bunch. The support they give writers like me can’t be overstated. I know these are dark times for them and they’re bound to get darker with DC’s current policy of constant regression. I hope that changes, but for now I hope to do my part with stories like Broken Legacy. There are only a couple chapters left, but I intend to make them count. For beleaguered Superman/Wonder Woman fans out there, I hope to make it worth the wait. Nuff said!

Broken Legacy Chapter 5: Rising Bloodlust is LIVE!

Let’s face it. There are some topics that DC will just never touch with Superman. He’s too much of an icon and an ideal to ever address tough issues that make people feel too uncomfortable. There’s no question that if he wanted, Superman could fly all over the world and confront atrocities like war crimes, refugees, and mass exploitation by governments and criminals alike. It exposes the very depths of human corruption and depravity. It’s just too hard and distressing to create a story about that.

I like to think I’ve made a concerted effort to tell that story in Broken Legacy. It isn’t just a Superman/Wonder Woman story. It’s a story about them dealing with a very sensitive, very harsh issue that will never be mentioned in the comics. These aren’t just unpleasant secrets surrounding who their ancestors are or who Zeus knocked up. These are direct affronts to every concept of justice that we as a people value. It’s not Lex Luthor trying to take over the world. It’s the scars left by atrocities that cannot and will not heal.

Tyr-El is the personification of this concept. He is on a different level compared to Lex Luthor. It’s not about ego or greed for him. He just has a goal and he’s willing to torture, maim, and desecrate anyone or anything that gets in his way. In fact, he will go out of his way to do just that if it makes his goal more stable and achievable. That’s what makes him a threat unlike anything Superman, Wonder Woman, or the human race have ever faced before. It’s also what makes him so dangerous.

This story has set up and confronted all these grim concepts. Now, it’s time to set up the final clash. As I’ve said before, I have had to tweak this story at times. The recent events of the comics, especially those surrounding Superman, have made it difficult to make this story on the same level of Strangers In Paradise. It’s just hard to put that kind of energy into a story when inspiration is lacking. However, I am still committed to completing this story in as satisfying a way I can. This chapter should set the stage for a defining resolution that I hope Superman/Wonder Woman fans will enjoy during these dark times.

Broken Legacy

Chapter 5: Rising Bloodlust

I don’t yet know how many chapters this story will end up being. Again, don’t expect anything on the scale of Strangers In Paradise. I always intended this story to be more concise and focused. It may be my last Superman/Wonder Woman story for a while, but that’s just all the more reason to make it awesome as it can be.

Broken Legacy Chapter 4: Deep Wounds and Deeper Scars is LIVE!

Like many fans of DC Comics, I’ve been caught up in the universe-warping nut punch that is DC Rebirth. Once again, DC Comics is sick of Marvel hogging the market share. Once again, they’re trying to boost their share in ways that make Alan Moore want to bang his head against the wall. I’ve had mixed feelings about it, but I know that for Superman/Wonder Woman fans, DC Rebirth might as well be a knife in the heart.

There’s no way around it. DC is basically just abandoning the concept of Superman/Wonder Woman in favor of more familiar territory. They need their comics to line up with the movies and the nearly 80-year history of their comics more. Sure, that means tearing their continuity yet another asshole and pissing all over Watchmen yet again, but they’re trying to satisfy every generation of fans. As such, there are sure to be fans who miss out. In this case, it’s Superman/Wonder Woman fans.

Personally, I think it’s a heaping load of horse shit that DC killed off one version of Superman just to make room for another. They basically rendered the act of killing the most iconic hero in the history of comics utterly pointless. Think about that for a moment. They made killing fucking Superman of all characters pointless. That takes some weapons grade bullshit. I could make multiple blog posts about how fucked up this is, but I’m going to temper my opinions out of respect for ailing Superman/Wonder Woman fans.

I admit the recent developments in the DCU have undermined my passion for my Broken Legacy story. Don’t get me wrong. I’m committed to finishing it. It’s just hard to get too excited about something that DC just went out of their way to piss on. I was hoping to update sooner, but disappointment has made it hard to really get into it. In fact, I might end up shortening the story because I just don’t have the energy or passion to draw it out like I did with Strangers In Paradise. I’ll still try to make it as awesome as can be and that’ll continue with this issue.

I know there hasn’t been a lot of Superman/Wonder Woman moments in this story so far, but that’s about to change in a major way. Both characters have suffered a blow to their legacy and identity. That’s going to bring them together in a profound way, but not before they take on the daunting threats before them. That process and the drama behind it begins with this chapter.

Broken Legacy

Chapter 4: Deep Wounds and Deeper Scars

Like I said, I’m still committed to finishing this story. However, it might end up being my last Superman/Wonder Woman story for a while. I had some ideas in the works, but it’s hard to put much energy into them after the recent developments in the comics. I hope that changes, but for now I’ll try to make the most of this story.

Broken Legacy Chapter 3: Confrontation and Subjugation is LIVE!

Perfection does not come easy and it doesn't take much to taint. Just ask the 2007 New England Patriots. We, as flawed human beings, have a hard time wrapping our heads around ideals. That's a big part of why Superman and Wonder Woman are very much these larger-than-life heroes that push the concept of what it means to be a hero. They are, for all intents and purposes, embodiments of ideals. So what happens when those ideals are tainted?

That's exactly what I've been exploring here with Broken Legacy. Wonder Woman already had her ideal tainted when she found out that she was not molded out of clay and brought to life through the love of her mother. Instead, she now knows that she is a product of infidelity. She is very much effected by this change, an ideal built on a foundation of deceit. It forces her to reevaluate what it means to be Wonder Woman. Now, Superman has to deal with that as well.

Superman, for most of his history, has been as pure an ideal as can be. He is the alpha and omega of heroes. His foundation, his morals, and his legacy are crafted on an ideal foundation. So what happens when that foundation is tainted? Well, that's what Tyr-El is doing. His arrival brought with it a dark secret that will strike Superman at his core. Both he and Wonder Woman will be left wondering what it means to be heroes and what these ideals even mean. And this process is going to be a lot harder than they think.

That's what they're about to find out in the next chapter of Broken Legacy. I know it has taken a while to come out, but this is a challenging story with a challenging premise. But I hope it brings out the best in Superman and Wonder Woman. Because you don't know just how powerful an ideal is until it's tainted. But sometimes tragedy and hardship can breed a new kind of strength, as these two will soon find out. Enjoy!

Broken Legacy

Chapter 3: Confrontation and Subjugation

Expect plenty of tough, dramatic upheavals for Superman and Wonder Woman. Also expect it to bring out the best and worst in them. Sometimes that's necessary for two people to come together. And when it happens, it's a thing of beauty. Things might be bleak in the comics, but I'm hoping that beauty will help as this story unfolds. Nuff Said!

Broken Legacy Chapter 2: Strategic Atrocity is LIVE!

Let's face it, there are just certain themes that DC, Warner Brothers, and the humorless fucks at the FCC will never explore with Superman. I can't say I blame them. It's not like the market is huge for cartoons that feature Batman burning the Joker alive or Superman ripping out someone's spine through their anus. There's a time and a place for that sort of shit and if it's not being directed by Quentin Tarantino, it's going to be of questionable quality at best.

That said, I do think there are some themes worth exploring. The legacy and history of Superman's people is one of them. Like so much else about Superman, that legacy and history is often idealized as though it came from some hippie's wet dream. I like to think there are more interesting stories to tell about an alien civilization and not all of them have to involve anal probes.

My Broken Legacy story is built around the premise of Superman's legacy. We already saw what happened to Wonder Woman when DC retconned/shit all over her Amazon legacy. She's no longer from a simple tribe of warrior women. She's from a tribe of warrior women who seduce, murder, and abandon their own children. Like finding out you're related to an axe murderer, it's not a pleasant feeling. Superman can't relate to that feeling...yet. That all changes with this new chapter of Broken Legacy.

At this stage in the New 52 canon, Superman and Wonder Woman aren't together yet. They don't have a lot of common ground either. That's something that will change very soon. Expect it to lead to some intense moments. Those moments will be fully clothed...for now. But expect a lot of tension as the story continues to unfold. That tension really starts to escalate with this chapter.

Broken Legacy

Chapter 2: Strategic Ambiguity

From here on out, the story is going to start dealing with some pretty mature themes. This is the kind of shit that would not make it past an editor at DC comics. It might get approval from a Game of Thrones producer, but we're dealing with a different context here. That context will become much clearer as the story unfolds. Enjoy!

Broken Legacy: A New Superman/Wonder Woman Story

It's an uncertain time for DC Comics. The New 52 reboot has run its course. Now, DC is gearing up for yet another major relaunch, which they're calling Rebirth. It's not being billed as a reboot on the same scale as the New 52, but it promises to bring major changes to DC Comics once more. For some, that's going to be a good thing. For others, it'll be a bad thing. As always, everyone will find something to bitch about.

But of all the developments from the New 52 that have been most memorable, I'd say the Superman/Wonder Woman relationship is definitely near the top. For the first time, DC actually put some serious effort into developing this relationship in a meaningful way and they did it without denigrating Lois Lane or resorting to Elseworlds. The result has led to some pretty damn awesome stories, which have become one of the greatest sources of romance in superhero comics. Then again, this is an era where both Marvel and DC just love fucking up iconic romances so it's not like the bar is that high. Just ask Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.

There's no sign yet that the Superman/Wonder Woman relationship will continue after rebirth. Whatever the case, the New 52 helped establish that this relationship can work and be awesome. It helped inspire me to write my first ever Justice League story, Strangers In Paradise. Now, I feel like I'm ready to write another one.

This new story actually takes place within the New 52 continuity, specifically before Justice League #12, the now-iconic issue where Superman and Wonder Woman came together. The premise of this story is built around bring them together in a different way. It takes place at a time when Wonder Woman is learning about the dirty secrets of the Amazons and Superman's identity is still intact. That's not to say I won't take a few liberties here and there, but I'll try not to take as much as I did before.

This story won't be quite as long or as elaborate as Strangers In Paradise. It'll also be a bit more mature in terms of content, but not overly graphic. It deals with themes that are difficult even for superheroes to deal with, but in a way I hope will bring out the right kind of drama. Given the response to my previous story, I hope this one helps raise the bar.

Broke Legacy

Chapter 1: The Arrival

As always, I ask that readers take the time to leave feedback for this and all my other stories. Feedback, be it constructive or otherwise, helps inspire me to keep improving and that's exactly what I want. For Superman fans, Wonder Woman fans, and every fan in between, I want this story to be as awesome as it can be. Anything less is unacceptable. Nuff said!

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

A Superman/Wonder Woman Valentine's Day Special: The Intimacy Pod

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Meddling Progress: Wonder Woman #43

The following is my review of Wonder Woman #43, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

If there’s one thing that the success of HGTV has taught us, it’s that society has a weakness for reclamation projects. In the same way certain women can’t help but fall for the bad boys in hope of saving them, there’s a kind of broken character that draws us in. Like Pamela Anderson at a hair band reunion tour, we can’t help but embrace these characters. As it stands, Donna Troy is the comic book equivalent of a burned out 80s rock star that just got out of rehab.

Her introduction to the post-Flashpoint era might as well have come with a bad handicap and adamantium shackles. She entered the world as a pawn, which is somehow worse than being another illegitimate offspring of Zeus. Her first act was the textbook definition of a war crime. Even the ancient Mongols would’ve raised an eyebrow at slaughtering an entire population of men that happened to be brothers of the Amazons. While she wasn’t completely control of her faculties at the time, she still has to live with that burden the same way Hallie Berry has to live with her role in the Catwoman movie.

The aftermath of this atrocity has served as the foundation of a new era for Wonder Woman. She’s now the acting God of War, Queen of the Amazons, and an active member of the Justice League. Even Hillary Clinton would call her an overachiever at this point. But while she’s trying to shoulder the burden of all these responsibilities, she still hasn’t come up with a way to deal with Donna Troy. It’s a story that has been set up and teased. Now, in Wonder Woman #43, that story finally starts to unfold.

It’s a story that follows many of the same themes that Wonder Woman has been exploring since the New 52 reboot. It has mischievous gods whose idea of entertainment is tormenting mortals and frustrating Wonder Woman. It has colorful characters with god-like powers who are essentially parodies of classic mythology, but not in the Weird Al tradition. And Wonder Woman is expected to manage this chaos while fighting the injustices of a patriarchal world. The demands on her couldn’t be more unreasonable without asking her to coach the Oakland Raiders.

Yet for all her power and responsibilities, Wonder Woman is largely powerless to help Donna Troy in this story. While Wonder Woman spends most of her time just looking for her, Donna’s story is an ongoing tragedy. However, that’s still an upgrade over being the catalyst for an outright war crime. What makes that tragedy compelling is that she understands the scope and scale of her crimes. She doesn’t try to hide from it. She doesn’t try to justify it. She actually tries to deal with it, which is more than most war criminals ever try to do. And none of these criminals can claim they were being controlled by black magic, except for maybe Kim Jong Ill.

It’s here where we’re also reminded that in addition to being guilty of an atrocity, Donna Troy is still a child. She’s basically an infant in a teenage girl’s body. She has no life experiences, let alone emotional maturity. A teenage mind is barely equipped to cope with calculus exams. This girl has to cope with being guilty of a war crime. It might be the first time a teenage girl’s melodramatic lamentation is completely warranted.

And being so emotionally immature, Donna’s first inclination is to seek an immature solution. She tries to end her life. Being an Amazon, she can’t exactly use Kurt Cobain’s approach. So she seeks out the mythological Sisters of Fate. However, they claim they can’t give her what she wants and not because suicidal teenagers have a tendency to not think things through. Despite being god-like beings, they can’t end her life because her fate isn’t set.

In some respects, it’s an appropriate metaphor for any teenager not guilty of war crimes. They may think that their life will always be defined by one bad day at high school, one day at work, or one bad relationship. That’s not how life works. The universe’s attention span isn’t as big as we make it out to be, especially for those whose experiences are so limited. And for Donna, her experiences couldn’t possibly be more limited without having been born in the lower decks of the Titanic.

Her frustration and self-hatred is the greatest strength of this story. It helps make her character endearing, notwithstanding the war crimes she’s still quite guilty of. The problem is her story is somewhat truncated. Another critical part of this story involves Wonder Woman searching for Donna. This leads to a few ambiguous twists involving someone attacking the Sisters of Fate and a surprise attack by Aegeus. It’s presented as a mystery, but ambiguity makes it come off as bland movie trailer.

Beyond the conflict, Wonder Woman doesn’t give the impression she has a plan for Donna. She doesn’t even indicate she can help her in any way other than bringing her back to Olympus, a place where gods torment mortals whenever they get bored. She still talks about helping Donna forgive herself and accept the weight of her crimes. That’s all well and good from a Dr. Phil perspective, but it’s insufficient for a character whose only life experiences involve being a pawn to war atrocities.

There is still some intrigue to this mystery, but its lacking in substance. It makes the overall narrative in Wonder Woman #43 uneven. It’s worth following to see the story of Donna Troy evolve beyond the grim circumstances of her creation. Beyond that, it’s mostly a generic conflict among gods with too much power, too much free time, and no Netflix.

There is still hope for Donna Troy as a character. Her journey is one that has the potential to be something unique and intriguing. She just has to find out how to circumvent self-hatred and meddling gods. If she can do that, she can be an inspiration for melodramatic teenagers everywhere. And in this day and age, there can never be too many of those.

Final Score: 6 out of 10

Hollow Redemption: Wonder Woman Annual #1

The following is my review of Wonder Woman Annual #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

Having the moral high ground is a lot like having Monopoly money. It's value is mostly symbolic and rarely, if ever, pragmatic in a meaningful way. For many years, the Amazons could claim without question that they had the moral high ground. They were warriors that embodied the highest values. They fought in the name of love, compassion, and justice. They're the kinds of values that only tyrants and internet trolls could oppose. Even if those values were symbolic, it made them more noble.

That nobility helped mask the fine print of the Amazons' principles for many years. That fine print contains clauses like the provisions in an Apple user agreement that specifies how all the love and compassion is not applicable to men. They'll love and cherish one another as sisters. They'll fight the good fight against aliens, gods, and Lex Luthor. But when it comes to the male population as a whole, they come off as more petty than young Madonna.

That caveat was easy to overlook in some respects because the history of the Amazons was tied to the atrocities they suffered in the past. What gave them the moral high ground in the first place was their ability to rise above these atrocities as a society. Then, the New 52 brought about some inglorious details that highlighted other parts of that fine print.

They already lost a big part of the moral high ground when it was revealed how they slaughtered men after seducing them to produce more Amazons. They did manage to keep a sliver of it when they chose not to go full-on Spartan with discarding male babies. But with the creation of Donna Troy, the Amazons let it get even more inglorious. And if there's any moral high ground left to retain, it has to be salvaged in Wonder Woman Annual #1. In the end, however, they only managed to salvage a portion.

The culmination of the conflict between Wonder Woman and Donna Troy had been hyped up like a title fight over the course of multiple issues. And Wonder Woman had to go into this fight somewhat handicapped because she had been dealing with another conflict that unfolded from the fallout of her battle with the First Born. Both of these conflicts were pretty disconnected, so much so that Wonder Woman is essentially a victim of circumstance. And no matter how powerful a man or woman might be, circumstance will find a way to screw them over.

Wonder Woman really couldn't do anything about Donna Troy because she was caught up in something else. It comes off as underhanded in some respects, her having to be distracted for this conflict within the Amazons to manifest. It's like Wonder Woman is being punished for trying to do too much. However, the conflict involving the fallout from the First Born actually establishes something important for the struggle against Donna Troy. Even if she is trying to do too much, Wonder Woman's heart is always in the right place. Not many people since the death of Mr. Rogers can say that.

By resolving the conflict with the trapped aliens who had been awakened by the First Born's defeat, Wonder Woman made an important statement. First, she showed the value of not resorting to the Dick Cheney approach to dealing with problems, finding a peaceful resolution first. Second, she maintained her claim on the moral high ground. That made her battle against Donna Troy more meaningful because it makes clear that she's the only remaining Amazon who can claim the moral high ground. And unlike Mr. Rogers, she's willing to fight to maintain that claim.

When the battle against Wonder Woman and Donna Troy finally unfolds, all the right emotions are in place. The artistic detail provided by David Finch highlights all the visceral details of this title fight between two Amazon heavyweights. And unlike the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight, it's much more satisfying. It's also much cheaper than an overpriced pay-per-view package. But even if it is more satisfying, the aftermath is somewhat mixed.

At the very least, nobody can complain they got ripped off. However, the impact of Wonder Woman's fellow Amazons feels a bit too muted. Under Donna Troy, they committed an atrocity that's as much a war crime in the 21st century as it was in the 1st century. They just stormed a village full of innocent, unarmed men and slaughtered them without mercy or provocation. On top of that, these men were their brothers and they had fought beside them in the battle against the First Born. It's the kind of family treachery that would disgust even Game of Thrones fans.

However, Donna Troy's defeat doesn't really deal with this crime in a satisfying way. Sure, Donna is deposed and the Amazons involved are punished, but the lack of impact on the Amazons as a whole is troubling. They really don't seem to mourn the loss of their Amazon brothers. They react the same way most people react when they find out that they overpaid for a Prius. Wonder Woman is the only one who sheds a tear. Sure, one of her sisters is nice enough to kill the old woman who pulled the strings from behind the scenes. But the rest don't even apologize for doing absolutely squat when they had a chance.

The Amazons haven't just lost the moral high ground. They crumpled it up, threw it on the ground, and spit on it. Now only Wonder Woman still has this symbolic claim. The problem is it really doesn't seem to matter much to her sisters. She can do the right thing all she wants. She can be the paragon of Amazon values until the end of time. Her sisters aren't going to apologize for the glaring inconsistencies in their philosophy. Like debating creationists on a message board, Wonder Woman is dooming herself to frustration by trying to inspire her sisters to be better.

This incomplete resolution makes Wonder Woman Annual #1 feel disheartening in too many ways. The Amazons still come off as thugs more than warriors. Other than Wonder Woman herself, the emotions in this story might as well have come from Kristen Stewart. The Amazons are in need of redemption. But by all accounts, they're a long ways from getting it and their efforts in achieving it are haphazard at best. And for the tribe that birthed Wonder Woman, they deserve better.

Final Score: 6 out of 10

War and Peace: A Short (and Sweet) Superman/Wonder Woman Fic

We all need a little pure, unadulterated romance in our lives. Sometimes we just want to give the finger to these long, complex love affairs and embrace the kind of fluffy love story that makes Twilight fans squee uncontrollably. Now I know I make a lot of jokes about Twilight, but there's no denying its success or its appeal. There is a part of us that longs for that pure, fluffy romance that is both unattainable and wholly unrealistic. But being unrealistic and unattainable never stopped Superman and Wonder Woman.

That's exactly why I decided to use some of my precious little vacation time recently to pen a quick one-shot between DC's resident power couple. It's not some epic story full of twists and turns. It's not some piece of elaborate, erotic smut. It's just a simple, basic love story between Superman and Wonder Woman. Nothing more. Nothing less. There's plenty of the other stuff to go around.

War and Peace

I'm still hard at work on my other Superman/Wonder Woman story, Strangers In Paradise. The plot of that story is going to be decidedly less fluffy, especially over the course of the next few chapters. But I know there are Superman/Wonder Woman fans that just need a little romance fix as the summer finally sets in. Well, consider this a nice cold shot of romance to get just the right buzz. There's still plenty more to come and unlike alcohol, there's no risk of hangovers. Nuff said!

Ambassador Swanson: Ron F@%*#! Swanson Meets Wonder Woman

We all come up with crazy, fucked up ideas at some point. Maybe we've had too much to drink. Maybe we've had one too many bong hits. Maybe the guy who sold us weed accidentally slipped some LSD into a joint. Most of the time, we forget these ideas as soon as we sober up or as soon as we find something good to watch on Netflix. But every now and then, we see some of those ideas through.

This past year, one of my favorite TV shows came to a solemn yet fitting end. Parks and Recreation was one of those shows that helped put a smile on my face while I was waiting for new comics to come out. It had so many memorable moments and many came from my favorite character, Ron Swanson, also known as Ron fucking Swanson.

I'm not a woman, but even I find this sexy.

Played by the brilliant and exceedingly manly Nick Offerman, Ron was the manliest motherfucker since Chuck Norris' beard. He's tough, he's blunt, and he loves America like few do. He's also got a rocking mustache that just exudes manliness. Women love him. Men respect him. And he does this without ever resorting to the douche-bag behaviors that supposedly make Don Draper manly. I feel as though TV has lost a true icon of masculinity with the end of Parks and Recreation. But he can live in in other ways.

This leads me to Justice League. Throughout the history of DC comics, Wonder Woman has encountered many men who claim to represent the best of mankind. But Superman is an alien. Batman might as well be an alien with the shit he does. And Steve Trevor is a nice guy, but he's not the kind of guy who drips testosterone from his chest hair. At some point, Wonder Woman and her Amazons sisters have to encounter a man who can embody the greatest features of masculinity. And after six seasons of Parks and Recrecation, I'm convinced. Ron Swanson is that man.

His mustache alone ensures he's overqualified.

For this reason, I've crafted a quick little one-shot story that may or may not be the only crossover between Justice League and Parks and Recreation in existence. It's not a story full of epic battles and heart-wrenching drama. It's just a funny, entertaining one-shot that puts Ron Swanson on Themyscira, an island full of warrior women. Do I really need to go into detail why I think that idea is awesome? I'll skip the details and just let Ron and his awesome do all the talking.

Ambassador Swanson

This is just a simple one-shot. It does not tie into my other ongoing DC story, "Strangers In Paradise." I'll continue working on that, but I felt it would be nice to mix things up a bit. With Parks and Recreation over and the Amazons having lost all their credibility in the comics, I think this is just the right time for something like this. I hope everyone enjoys it. Or as Ron Swanson would say, "Or don't. I couldn't care less." Nuff said!

Strangers In Paradise Chapter 10: Strong Hearts and Cold Trails is LIVE!

Being snowed with a limited supply of weed and booze can be a terrible thing. But it can also be helpful in some ways. It gives guys like me less excuses to keep my ass busy. And since I hate excuses more than I hate parking tickets, I used that time to work on my first ever Superman/Wonder Woman story.

So far, Strangers In Paradise has been going over very well. After nine chapters, I think it's safe to say I've created something that doesn't suck. And in this day and age where Two and a Half Men can replace Charlie Sheen while Dumb and Dumber gets a sequel, I think that's the most reasonable criteria we can have.

In those nine chapters, I retold the story of how Superman and Wonder Woman came together. In this world, I changed one critical circumstance. Clark and Diana met when they were younger, before they became the heroes that everyone respects and dresses up as at every comic con. That created a connection that profoundly changed their lives. Then, after six years of being torn apart, they reunited and a new relationship is blossoming. They already went on their first date and things got pretty damn heated. Now that relationship is poised to grow, but not without some beautifully awkward moments. That's what I explore in this latest chapter, which I like to call the afterglow chapter. Superman/Wonder Woman fans of all kinds should be ready to squee.

Strangers In Paradise

Chapter 10: Strong Hearts and Cold Trails

So far, I've been enjoying this story. Writing it has been a challenge that I think will help make the rest of my work more awesome. It gives me a chance to tell a story for a group of fans that I know can be fickle. I don't claim I can make it perfect. I don't even claim I won't make mistakes along the way. But I'm committed to make it as awesome as every other piece I write. Nuff said!

A Royal Struggle: Wonder Woman #38

The following is my review of Wonder Woman #38, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

There's a reason why the royal family is regular fodder for British tabloids. It's the same reason the Kim Kardashians and Donald Trumps of the world are fodder for American tabloids. There's this eerie fascination with high society, be it royal or rich. These people live in a world so different and so detached from reality that, like the wreckage of a derailed freight train, we just can't look away. It's not something most people are proud of, but it's an industry that still has a fertile market.

If Wonder Woman and Themyscira existed in real life, she would certainly have her share of tabloid headlines. These are the same publications that regularly report that aliens have placed chips in the brains of every President since Lincoln. But when real gods and goddesses are involved, it has a special level of intrigue. So much so that the affairs of Wonder Woman's world would probably require its own TV network. If Oprah has one, then Wonder Woman could certainly manage.

It's this world that has become so chaotic and so disorganized that it's several steps beyond a train wreck. And Wonder Woman, the feminine ideal who is supposed to be able to have it all in that classic feminist mentality, has been struggling to manage it. She's the God of War, the Queen of Themyscira, a member of the Justice League, and Superman's lover. That's a lot of responsibilities to juggle, even for a demigod. And in Wonder Woman #38, even the embodiment of feminine strength struggles with it.

The core of this part of Wonder Woman's story isn't built around one major struggle. It's a series of smaller struggles that are overwhelming her. It's death by a thousand paper-cuts rather than death by guillotine. Granted, a smaller struggle by her standard still involves being a god and dealing with infighting on an island of immortal warriors, but these struggles still come off as real and genuine. Her fears and insecurities manifest in a very real, albeit not entirely literal, way that makes her relatable in a way usually reserved for shows that rip-off Dawson's Creek.

It's jarring in some ways. Wonder Woman isn't supposed to be vulnerable. This is the same woman who can battle the entire Olympian pantheon on Monday and still have enough strength to fight off an invasion by Darkseid on Thursday. However, Wonder Woman really doesn't do much battling in this story. In fact, she does next to none. On paper, that sounds like it shouldn't make for a good Wonder Woman story. But in practice, it's still a story worth telling in the sense that it's probably the easiest story to overlook.

For Wonder Woman and the many characters like her, male and female, there plenty of stories about them fighting epic battles and winning with varying degrees of style. But there aren't quite as many stories about how they manage their lives in between battles. Wonder Woman battles the First Born, becomes both the God of War and Queen of the Amazons in the process, and somehow finds time to be a member of the Justice League in between. How does she cope with that? This story offers some insight into that question. In terms of an answer, at best it leaves room for improvement.

Wonder Woman confides in her insecurities, but she's not crippled by them. She's still Wonder Woman. She's not going to curl up into a fetal position and whine about it. She understands that being the God of War and being the Queen of the Amazons carries with it some heavy responsibilities. To her credit, she attempts to imbue her own values of compassion and understanding to these tasks. But in the same mold as "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington," these ideal values clash with the same fodder that keep tabloids in business.

The gods of Olympus still plot against her. The Amazons she's supposed to rule don't care for all these new changes, as kind as they might be. Compassion and understanding just aren't enough in a world where people need to get upset about something and trolling message boards just aren't enough. Wonder Woman can do all the right things for all the right reasons, but it's still a struggle and that's what makes her story so compelling.

But as compelling as it is, the story itself moves along at a painfully slow place. In addition to not doing much fighting, the other ongoing plots surrounding the newly-introduced Donna Troy and the the Justice League don't make much progress. There is some, but it comes off more as a movie trailer at times. It helps that there is still plenty of character depth to compensate for this lack of progress. It's just not as balanced as it could be.

If this part of the story were a tabloid story, then it probably wouldn't get many people worked up. There aren't any scandalous affairs. There are no hookers or drugs involved. There aren't even any embarrassing photos of bad hangovers or botched botox. But there is a power struggle in both Themyscira and among the Olympians. Power struggles may not get the same headlines as scandalous affairs, but they do feed into the public's fascination. Even if the details are mostly teasers, there's still a story worth following in Wonder Woman #38.

Wonder Woman's humanity and vulnerabilities take center stage in this story, but there are still conflicts unfolding all around her. And if the ending is any hint, she'll have to share that stage with Donna Troy. The pressure is building for Wonder Woman. There's only so much that even the world's strongest woman can handle. At some point, she has to confront her limits. That doesn't make her less a feminine ideal. It just makes her someone who can keep fighting, despite tabloid-level scrutiny.

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

War, Peace, and Hope: Wonder Woman: Futures End #1

The following is my review of Wonder Woman: Futures End #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

The cynical, overly progressive hipsters of the world would have us believe that it doesn't take much to get people to fight in a war. Those who frequent message boards and 4chan certainly give the impression that it doesn't take much to rally an army. One overblown incident or one petty insult could be all it takes to trigger a flame war. So it would follow logically that if it's that easy to start a flame war, then it should be that easy to start a war that involves actual flames. Since message boards and cynics aren't known for their use of logic, it shouldn't be that surprising to anyone that war is a lot more complicated than Call of Duty and Game of Thrones would have us believe.

The most complicated part of any war, despite what the John McCains of the world claim, is that it's really hard to get people to fight one. It takes someone with the charisma of William Wallace, the tactical brilliance of Sun Tzu, and the bravado of Charlie Sheen to inspire a strong army. By that standard, Wonder Woman is the valedictorian of war harbingers because she has all the necessary traits to lead an army, minus the personal problems of Charlie Sheen.

Even though she clearly has the skills, she has rarely used them to instigate a war. She has always been one to fight for peace and look obscenely beautiful while doing it. But in Wonder Woman: Futures End #1, she is thrust into this role in a way that brings out all the qualities that make her someone any army would willingly follow to the gates of Hell. The world described in the various incarnations of Futures End has had many dark corners, but Wonder Woman finds a way to make this future feel a bit less apocalyptic. And at a time when apocalyptic futures are a dime a dozen, it makes for a refreshing story.

There's nothing too complicated about the war Wonder Woman's fighting. It's not some vague border conflict in the Middle East or some petty infighting among nobles in Game of Thrones. It's a very simple good vs. evil kind of war between the forces of Nemesis and the forces Wonder Woman has assembled. The circumstances come right from the pages of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Nemesis' forces are vast and overwhelming. Wonder Woman's forces are limited and poorly equipped. Yet it still feels like a fair fight because Wonder Woman is the one leading the charge.

It's a conflict that forces Wonder Woman to embrace her role as the God of War. It's a role she's been putting off since the death of Ares and against the overwhelming armies of Nemesis, she shows she can carry out that role very well and look way sexier than Ares ever could in the process. But style points aside, Wonder Woman doesn't shy away from the brutality of her role. There are a number of battles she fights that would warrant more than a PG-13 rating if this were a movie, but it's never done in a way that gives the impression it's just trying to upset One Million Moms.

By embracing this role, it takes a toll on Wonder Woman. She sustains the kinds of injuries and wounds that everyone sustains in a prolonged war. She's less a warrior princess and more a hardened soldier, having fought for so long that it's difficult to imagine doing anything else. It's a perspective that Wonder Woman has rarely shown over her history. She's always walked a fine line between being a champion of justice and being a proud warrior. There's no line in this conflict. It's war at its most basic and brutal.

She struggles with this conflict ways that make for some pretty brutal struggles, but at the same time she makes clear that she's not fighting for the sake of fighting, as any God of War is prone to do. She still tries to fight for hope and that's what really resonates with the people fighting for her. When she tries to take on Nemesis forces single-handedly, they refuse to let her do it alone. That's the mark of a great leader, inspiring others to fight against overwhelming odds. Some use it to become overpaid motivation speakers. Wonder Woman uses it to fight a war that they can't afford to lose. Whether she's the God of War or a hardened soldier, she never loses sight of what makes her Wonder Woman.

Even though the story has some fairly bleak themes, Wonder Woman: Futures End #1 provides an inspiring, uplifting narrative that captures many of the traits that make Wonder Woman a compelling character and a great leader. She's willing to endure and struggle in a way that would inspire any army against any foe. Even as the future around her has become more depressing than one of Sarah McLachlan's ads for the ASPCA, she keeps fighting for hope when that's usually the first thing that's lost in war.

Over the course of Futures End, numerous characters have been strained or distorted by the circumstances of this future. It's not entirely dystopian, but it's no hippie dreamscape either. Some have lost their way completely. Some have disappeared altogether for reasons not fully explained. That's why Wonder Woman's story in Wonder Woman: Futures End #1 is so refreshing. It shows a Wonder Woman that has been affected by this future, but not in a way that deviates from the core of her character. She's still a beacon of hope and love. And for a God of War, that's saying something.

Final Score: 9 out of 10