Review: Wonder Woman #59

Wonder Woman is one of those characters that can change dramatically depending on who is writing her. Sure characters like Superman and Batman may change based on the creative team, but ultimately there is standard accepted voice and background for those two icons. With Wonder Woman, however, the tendency is for new writers to come on board and create an entirely new take including an alternate origin that tells the real story. Now that G. Willow Wilson is two issues into her Wonder Woman run she is trying to put her stamp on the character. With issue two she adjusts focus to Wonder Woman“s greatest foe.

Ares has returned to the land of the living, but this is a very different Ares than we have seen before. His memory is fragmented but knows deep down he has come back to right his previous wrongs. To stand alongside Wonder Woman as an ally rather than a foe. Can he be trusted? Is he simply playing Diana for a fool? Some answers to those questions are given and only make the situation even murkier.

Wilson appears to be using the literal God of War to explore the complexity and horrors of war, and how that ties to the values Wonder Woman has built her life around. Here even bringing up issues like collateral damage where a scene that is very reminiscent of drone bombings we have seen time and time again. Also going further with the idea of true innocence. If evil only triumphs when good men do nothing, should those that did nothing also face similar consequences? What this lacks in plot progression it makes up for in establishment of themes.

Cary Nord“s art is also outside of the norm. His figure design, especially for Wonder Woman, has a more slender and lanky look, which is clearly inspired by Gal Gadot without looking like her verbatim. Despite her smaller physique he still draws her with an instinctual power, and juxtaposing her look against the bulkier Ares makes for some striking imagery. There is a lack of consistency with his facial designs at times that can be distracting. To be fair to Nord that could also be due to an issue with the inking as well. Where Nord shines best though is his page layouts. Each page has a similar design just arranged slightly differently. Often switching back and forth between widescreen horizontalÂ panels to more direct vertical panels. Â His also has a knack for placing the camera in interesting locations. One moment, in particular, sees a towering Ares striking down against a guarded Wonder Woman. The mirrored design gives that moment a pause to allow it to sink in for full-scale dramatic effect.

Final Thoughts:

Two issues into G. Willow Wilson“s run on Wonder Woman and there is a lot to be excited about. She is clearly setting up her story to look into the morality of Wonder Woman and how it relates to a grander geopolitical landscape of today“s world while still including the more fantastical elements as well. Often when a new writer takes on a major character like this impulsivity takes over and you get a case of too much is done too soon. Wilson so far has avoided that pitfall by gradually building her arc bit by bit. When vision and disciplined storytelling like this meets typically good things happen. So far that trend has stayed true.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist:Â Cary Nord
Inks: Mike Gray
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Colors: Romulo Fajardo

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Daniel Clark

A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.