My interest in DC's iconic female super-hero was negligible for a long time, but then George Perez came along in the late 1980s and transformed her into something fascinating. She wasn't a super-hero anymore, but rather, she was an innocent, even naive girl charged with a diplomatic mission. Perez brought mythology and politics together and made it all work with some well-realized characters. The creator's richly detailed artwork was just an added bonus. Well, the naive girl we were introduced to back then is gone, but Greg Rucka's brought back the intelligent mix of politics and mythology to the property. Rucka has done some wonderful work with the Batman, but it pales in comparison to the strength of this take on the Amazon Princess. This new creative team's debut is not to be missed.
The first day of a new job is always an awkward but interesting experience, but imagine the first day as a legal adviser to a New York-based ambassador. Now imagine how much more challenging and frazzling the experience might be if, say, that ambassador was from an island right out of Greek myth, that she was a colorfully clad member of the World's Greatest Heroes and her friends were known to pop by the office from time to time. Imagine that, and you might be able to imagine what Jonah McCarthy is going through right now.
Drew Johnson has always been more than a capable comics storyteller. I've enjoyed his work in the past, but here, he demostrates he's more than just a good super-hero artist. His work here is leaps and bounds beyond what he's done in the past. This script calls for someone who can handle more than just the larger-than-life, colorful, spandex-clad characters that dazzled us as kids. He captures regular people in regular clothes, detailed backgrounds that look like the places where we've worked and visited. In a style that seems to boast hints of Adam Hughes's and Phil Jimenez's influence, he makes these characters breathe. Not surprisingly, Trish Mulvihill's bright colors bring texture and added realism to this world Johnson and inker Ray Snyder have crafted.
Most importantly, though, Johnson's depiction of the title character taps into the same magic, charm and purity that Perez instilled in Diana in order to rejuvenate her and to mesmerize his audience.
Rucka brings Wonder Woman back to the roots Perez set out for her with this new status quo, and in the process, the writer brings credibility to a timeless super-hero concept. Diana is a diplomat who just happens to double as a batallion all on her own. While this issue focuses on simply setting up the new concepts and characters, Rucka makes it clear that he'll be exploring ethical and political issues in depth.
I was most pleased, though, that the writer also makes room for the more mundane aspects of someone in the media spotlight, with PR issues and friends one calls on for advice and expertise. The book jacket scene was hilarious and, sadly, all too plausible, and it demonstrates that there's more to a fantastic character's life than the fantastic elements.
