Wonder Woman #74 – G. Willow Wilson, Writer; Jesus Merino, Xermanico, Artists; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 9/10
Corrina: What’s True?
Ray: Since the start of her run, G. Willow Wilson has been raising a lot of questions without giving us many answers. A plan concocted by Ares and Grail in the prisons of Themyscira led to the disappearance of the ancient kingdom, as well as the return of Gods and Demigods to the world of man.
Diana has been chasing these mysteries the entire run, along with pulling in new allies in human swordswoman Maggie and genderfluid Demigod Atlantiades. But after last issue’s flashback story by Steve Orlando introduced the mysterious Dimension Chi, Wilson shifts to giving us a lot of answers in one go in Wonder Woman #74. Diana believes she’s finally found the location of her missing family and charges ahead despite the caution of her companions – but it’s not the Hippolyta she knows that she finds. Something has happened to the alternate Hippolyta of Dimension Chi – this isn’t even the war-crazed villainess of the last issue, it’s a maniac who wants to kill everything she sees.
After a compelling battle as the three heroes use every trick in their book to fend off this powerful warrior crazed with rage, they wind up tumbling off a cliff – and waking up in a pastoral haven where several Amazons including Antiope are waiting for them. Antiope’s a character who has been used a lot more as a past character than a present one, so seeing her step up front and center here is great. I particularly loved her interaction with Maggie, which seems to confirm that Maggie’s going to stick around as a major new player in the title and possibly a new hero. I’m less enthusiastic about the reveal of Grail as the main villain and apparently the architect of the real Hippolyta’s disappearance. Grail has never quite worked for me as a Wonder Woman villain, but if anyone can change my mind it’ll be Wilson. This has easily been my favorite Wonder Woman run in a while.
Corrina: I had hoped that the villains behind Themyscira’s disappearance were going to be revealed as the Amazons who opposed Diana’s creation back in Gail Simone’s run, especially as Dimension Chi seems to be a place where Diana was never born. Why? Because Grail as a villain has always seemed one-note, even if she is half-Amazon. It’s possible Wilson will use her well. I’ll wish for that.
However, I’m growing increasingly restless (as I said previously) by how reactive Diana has been. Her main characteristic of Wilson’s run has been impulsivity. I believe it’s meant to show how desperate she is to find her family again, but having Diana run off to deal with something, be confused, have others offer advice, then try again, has happened a little too often. Perhaps that why Maggie seems to have more personality lately.
Merino’s artwork has a nice handle on the characters, never going too far into distracting cheesecake, and I love how the panels transition from a vast battle to Diana and the others falling. The sense of motion in that sequence is terrific.
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Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
