I was a little nervous dropping $25 on a hardcover featuring one of my least-favorite DC characters, but the names attached to the project made it a must-read, and they didn't let me down. Rucka, Jones, Von Grawbadger and everyone else involved in the Hiketeia strike a balance between the powerful and legendary aspects of Wonder Woman and the oft-ignored down-to-earth side of her that gives her an emotional center to relate to. While the cover promises a conflict between Wonder Woman and Batman, and the story delivers, this story is more about the conflicts that Wonder Woman faces from her many roles rather than simply a battle between two super-heroes.
Central to the notion of this hardcover is The Hiketeia, which is the name of a Themysciran ritual wherein one person binds him or herself to another in exchange for hospitality and protection. Rucka introduces the concept, which is an interesting bit of culture in the fictional (although heavily based on Greek) Themysciran mythos, and proceeds to give it the obvious twist, which is what happens when someone binds herself to your protection without telling you entirely what they need protection from? However, rather than leaving off with this conflict, Rucka also mixes in the questions of when friendship outweighs obligation, when murder is justified and what can possibly end a cycle of pain, betrayal and vengeance?
Honestly, I was more interested in reading this for more of Rucka's take on Batman than his take on Wonder Woman, because I'm not a fan of the character, but I was really impressed with his take on her. She has the same dichotomy of strength and compassion that made Joe Kelly's "Day in the Life" issue of Wonder Woman so effective, and though she is obviously from a different culture, Rucka also treats her like a woman of political power, rather than someone outside the mainstream American culture. She's approachable and sympathetic as well as being powerful and awe-inspiring. In fact, by the end of the story I was pretty much rooting for Wonder Woman, and Batman's role in the story is mostly to get his butt kicked for being arrogant... something he's sorely needed for some time now.
Wonder Woman has her roots in Greek mythology, and of course Greek mythology is full of tragedy, so it's appropriate that Rucka has crafted a story that seems the modern equivalent of some of those tragedies. A love of vengeance leads a good-hearted girl down a path with an inescapable tragic ending, and there's a feeling of destiny to the way this story ends. The story drives mercilessly toward its heart-breaking ending, and it is riveting to watch and see the fallout for the characters that Rucka develops throughout.
J.G. Jones is one of those artists whose work we see most often on covers and short projects, and it's always a treat because he has clearly taken his time to get it right. With Wade Von Grawbadger providing his usual job of inking, providing the perfect darkness and tone to the story without overwhelming the original intent, and Dave Stewart continuing to push toward the top of the list of my favorite colorists, the art on this book is as stunning as the writing. Jones has a realistic approach to human faces and anatomy, and that feeling that these characters look and act real makes the more outlandish parts of their world fade away, until the pain and struggle and small joys come through very clearly. His page layouts are also very impressive, reminiscent at times of the elaborate and stylized work that J.H. Williams is doing on Promethea, and the brief action sequences definitely stir the imagination.
Would I rather have had the story as an original trade paperback instead of a hardcover? Well, sure, my comics bills are high enough, thank you very much. However, this is one of those stories that deserves the hardcover format, and it more than earns the price tag in the level of entertainment and intelligence to be found within the pages.
