Written by: Greg Rucka
Art by: Liam Sharp
Publisher: DC Comics
It has been a little while since the main Wonder Woman title actually lived up to the standards that its titular character deserves. Thankfully, this wait came to an end with the dynamite launch of the Wonder Woman Rebirth special a couple of weeks ago, as it set Diana up with a new direction that stayed true to her roots. Unfortunately this second foray into Diana’s world isn’t quite able to capture the magic of its predecessor, but Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp still manage to deliver a solid, if unspectacular issue.
This is technically Rucka and Sharp’s second go around for Diana’s new direction, as they collaborated on the rebirth special that came out a couple of weeks ago. The series picks up directly from the end of that issue, as Diana is traveling towards a hidden adversary, who’s help she requires. At the same time Steve Trevor is leading some sort of military mission for A.R.G.U.S that happens to be in the same country as Wonder Woman currently resides. This is supposed to cause some tension, as Etta Candy questions Trevor about Diana’s presence and whether he has anything to do with it. I do say supposed to add tension because the whole taboo of Wonder Woman being in a country she’s not supposed to is handled rather woodenly, and the parts with Wonder Woman are so visually different then the parts with Steve that it creates a bit of a disconnect. Steve’s entire mission seems a little disjointed and there’s never any sort of sense of danger for him. That being said the reveal at the end of the issue, involving Diana’s mysterious adversary is one that is sure to make longtime fans excited for the coming issues, and the inevitable Diana, Steve meeting is sure to be worth the wait.
On the art side Liam Sharp continues to shine. Although he was limited to only a few pages in the Rebirth special his art was a site to behold and, with this issue he is able to let his artistic prowess fly even more. His style is very painterly and lends itself well to the mythological vibe of this book. The scenes involving Wonder Woman and her pilgrimage through the jungle are beautifully rendered with flowing greenery, creepy shadows and above all Wonder Woman herself as she almost seems leap off the page with her combination of kindness and ferocity. That being said the parts of the issue that don’t feature Wonder Woman fall a little flat, especially those that feature Etta Candy and her team of scientist type people. Hopefully Candy spends some time in the field in the coming issues, as the dark, closed off rooms don’t lend themselves to Sharp’s style of art.
Wonder Woman #1 is a bit of disappointment for a debut issue, but only because the creative team is so strong. I would be shocked if this series did not pick up the stellar form that it showed in its Rebirth special, and this should be a series going forward that is a delight to read.
