The Good
Once again, Cliff Chiang delivers in an absolutely beautiful issue of WONDER WOMAN. The comic opens with a group of explorers in Antarctica in search of something; and what they find surprises them. Could it be that Azzarello is roping in some Titans into this Wonder Woman story? It seems he's going all in with his references to Greek mythology, and the events that unfold in this issue are a perfect example. The clues that we get that this might be a Titan is that the figure calls himself "The First Born." Is this mysterious character one of the Primeval Gods in Greek mythology, or is Zeus not yet dead? Whatever the answer, it is clear that we have been left with a lot of questions; which is indicative of a good comic book. The issue moves from this scene to Olympus where the Gods are holding a meeting. All of them show up with the exception of Athena. If you look back at Wonder Woman's previous stories you will find that Athena was the patron of the Amazons; so what her role in this story will be remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see whether she still holds the Amazons in high regard or not.
I think Hera is great in this issue and I kind of love the way that Azzarello has made her into this sort of comic relief. I look forward to seeing her character develop in future issues and what direction she goes in.
As much as I think Azzarello has been doing a great job writing this series, there was something about this issue that felt more to me like a Wonder Woman comic book than any other before it. Not only do we see Wonder Woman in action, but we also see her level of compassion. In this issue, she promises to keep a little girl safe, and seeing her try her best to keep that promise just felt so much like Diana. Wonder Woman's compassion, sacrifice and bravery are what make her such a compelling character; and we see that here. Yet, in a crazy twist, not everything is what it seems.
This is a phenomenal issue. From the gorgeous art to the beautiful way that the central character is depicted. In this issue Wonder Woman puts herself in harms way in order to save what she believes to be an innocent life, and this was by far one of the greatest scenes in the last year of her run.
The Bad
Nothing bad here. This is a beautiful comic.
The Verdict
Like I said above, this is an absolutely beautiful comic book. From the art to the story; everything feels as though it's well thought out. Every scene feels as though there is a greater significance; and that's what makes this book so interesting. The paing is great because Azzarello gives the reader just enough to clue us into his story and the direction he is taking the character, but still leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions. He keeps us coming back for more out of sheer curiosity. I loved this issue and I can't wait for the next one.