I wasn't expecting much, figured it'd be a cheesy filler issue until we got back to the real story. Boy was I wrong, this was GREAT! Loved how it was a blending of the Lies and Year One that moved both forward.

It's interesting how the gods and Amazons play a major part in Cheetah's origin too. Full disclosure, I haven't liked Cheetah since the arc Perez first introduced her. She was a weak sauce super-villain that only seemed included because she was thought to be Wonder Woman's arch nemesis. Rucka has totally changed my impression of her, now she's absolutely integral to the mythos.

Well, the issue made reference to the Bana tribe.

I still think Rucka should focus on Ares as WW main villain.

I think he is, that's probably what the evil tree is all about. If Cheetah is Diana's Harvey Dent someone else has to be her Joker.

I mean how many times has Cheetah been explored. Fact is she doesn't work. I find nearly all of Wonder Woman's rogues more interesting. Ares, Alkyone, Circe, Dr. Psycho, Venessa Cale, hell even Doctor Poison, all of them have this amazing potential and are real matches for Diana, either in power or intellect or both. But everyone always goes back to Cheetah, who's connection with Wonder Woman is tenuous at best. It always seems artificial almost. She's a great secondary villain like Killer Crock, but MAIN ANTAGONIST she is not. DC just seem to be stubborn about it. Even the guys who made Injustice Gods Among Us realise.

I want them to really delve into Ares. His history. Maybe it's like the Amazons and its not quite what we know from mythology. I hope if he's the main villain for the film, DC course correct with Wonder Woman's rogues. Cheetah although a great character is pretty much the reason people think WW's rogues are whack, bc from the outside looking in, it just doesn't make sense that WW, a virtual goddess's main villain is a ware-cheetah.

It was a good story though, I must admit. I enjoyed the ww 8. But that focus could have been better spent developing her other villains who are never explored like Dr. Psycho, Alkyone or Ares.

I know it sounds like I don't like Cheetah, but I actually really really do. I thought this story and the New 52 one shot story were excellent exploring her. The problem with her and Wonder Woman isn't down to ether being bad characters, its that they don't organically connect. Okay she was created by the Gods and so was Wonder Woman, but why does that make her hate wonder woman? Okay maybe you can say she is a slave to the Gods, where as Wonder Woman is emancipated and beautiful by her powers. But then how does that make her a threat to society at large? Like a global threat wonder woman has to stop. It doesn't.

Its easy to figure out why Batman has to stop Joker or Riddler

Same with Superman and Lex, Braniac and Darkseid. They present not only a threat to Superman, but they have a clear reason for trying also being a threat to Gotham or Metropolis (the world respectively)

With Cheetah, I don't see that.

Ares, Dr. Psycho and Alkyone (My fav wonder woman villains) all have an organic relationship to Wonder Woman and growing out of that relationship comes a serious threat to not only Wonder Woman herself but the domains she protects as well. Themyscira, her city, or the world at large.

With Ares its clear, she is an ambassador of peace, he the God Of War. His mission literally organically conflicts with hers and built into that he also presents a serious and obvious threat to the world as he wants to plunge it into an everlasting war. (that's why he works) Also there is so many takes you can have on the character.

Dr. Psycho is similar and has the same potential. This little creep hates women and loves wonder woman. So much can be done with that. Wonder Woman is known for being a symbol of female equality, Doctor Psycho is a misogynist creep with powerful telepathic abilities who's obsessed with Wonder Woman. He needs a couple more layers, but there's plenty to play with there. Especially as a city level threat. (If only they'd give wonder woman a city)

Alkyone is a really interesting character. Her hatred for Diana is only matched by her pathological love obsession with Hippolyta which boarders on a kind of stalkers sexual obsession with their love object. Alkyone has many ways you can go with her. She could be a threat to Themyscira as she takes it over. But she could also lead an army of mystically powered Amazons to go to war with the world since she's also an Amazon Extremist who thinks anything outside the Island is a threat to the Amazon's security. She's easily the most unique and interesting villain in Wonder Woman's rogues gallery. But the likelyhood is she'll be forgotten and its a waste. She should be Wonder Woman's Ras Al Ghul.

I'd like to see Veronica Cale and Giganta get some treatment for this book. Maybe even some newer villains of different backgrounds.

DC Hercules was always a jerk so maybe have him too. Or even bring back Orion in some capacity.

I always wanted to love Cheetah as a villain and never could, but with Rucka I think DC finally found her path. She works pretty well as an antihero that crossed Diana's life before villany. Making us actually care for her before she turns the Cheetah makes her so relatable. She's all about ambition and knowledge, and I think for the first time that is shown in a way that we can understand and feel empathy towards.

I usually prefer Greek mythology threats for Diana, though. Medusa was AMAZING and offered real danger to the world and especially everyone around her. Ares is hands down her archenemy, they oppose and relate to each other beautifully. I don't know much of Circe (think she's not quite well represented), but she has potential too. Idk, it sets a great background for Diana, one that can compare to Gotham or Metropolis/Krypton in terms of complexity and richness.