"I Can Read" Books

There is a series of children books that are being released featuring the loved characters of DC Comics. There have been Superman and Batman books that have featured Wonder Woman and other heroes and villains.  In August, they are finally going to be releasing one with just Diana.

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Meet Diana, Princess of the Amazons, and discover how she becomes the amazing Wonder Woman!

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DC 75th Anniversary

As not many of you know but DC Comics is having its 75th Anniversary this year.  They are going to be releasing a lot of really cool stuff. Wonder Woman is highlighted in many of the items. Though, I wish there was more items just involving the Amazon Princess.

Critically acclaimed pop-up engineer Matthew Reinhart celebrates the history, heroes, and villains of the DC Universe in this ultimate 3-D masterpiece! Bursting with over 25 impressive pop-ups, this deluxe format features a variety of unique novelty elements-including a light-up Bat-Signal, a cosmic Justice League of America battle scene, a twirling Lasso of Truth, and a transparent Invisible Jet!

Starring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and many more favorite DC characters, this momentous pop-up exploration releases just in time for DC Comics' 75th anniversary. With vibrant illustrations, exciting facts, and an eye-catching design, this is an absolute must-have for DC Super Hero fans of all ages! Available  on 10-05-10

Here are 100 of the most important, most incredible, and most bizarre comic-book covers from DC's incredible archives—all perforated and ready to display in your apartment, dorm room, or cubicle. From Action Comics #1 and Batman #1 to lesser-known heroes like Mister District Attorney, this oversized compilation features every major milestone in DC's extraordinary history: Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, Watchmen, Fables, 100 Bullets, and much more.

On the reverse of each poster are images of related covers and entertaining commentary, often with remarks from the cover artists themselves. Complete with a foreword from longtime DC Comics veteran Paul Levitz, this amazing anthology is a must-have item for any comic-book fan.

 Featuring the Music from DC Comics movies and Animated Movies.

Wonder Woman #43

This is part 2 of 3 of the Wrath of the Silver Serpent. We are just one issue away from issue #600!  More on that later though! (tease, tease). We find ourselves in the past with this issue. We see Hippolyta instructing the Amazons to build the Princess something to wear into mans world.  I can say this about a hundred times but, Nicola Scott was meant to draw Wonder Woman. Every page just blows me away, it fills me with such joy.

Finally we get a explanation of how the iconic, amazing and perfect Wonder Woman outfit came to be. I love that the elements from her birth, heritage and Amazon warrior all played a part in the construction.  I was very happy when the eagle crest returned to the Wonder Woman logo.  It was that way in her past, with the TV show, why not with her future? right?

This scene shows two things. First, Diana is still talking to the woman who just revealed that she is the sister of Diana's mother Hippolyta. Second - Look at how amazing Wonder Woman is drawn!  She is elegant, strong and just drops my jaw. My insides are just warm from this image!

Wonder Woman is a hero that does not take any crap. She knows exactly who she is and what she stands for. She is not going to take this invasion lying down. She is a warrior first and foremost, As a warrior she uses all of weapons and surroundings to get the upper edge.  We all know that she uses her lasso, bracelets, strength, flight and intelligence to win. Not very often we get to see her use her tiara. So when we do, I am giddy like a kid. I think I actually clapped when I saw this.

Wonder Woman is a pure example of love, hope and the constant search for peace. We cant forget that she is also a woman. A person that can be dirty, dark and even dishonest to a point. When she is fighting the snake woman she sees how they fight, takes in the strategy of how they fight. She even start to fight just like them, taking their own weapons and using it against them. Just saying to "Let's go ahead and GET dirty, then."

Strapping a weapon to her wrist and calling out her enemies.

Allies are also a great thing to have when you are a Hero. A man is not an Island right? In this issue we see the white apes. Etta Candy, and even her longtime friend and once love Steve Trevor.  The allies I found the most moving was the entrance of Achilles! The creation of Zeus that was meant to be the replacement of our favorite Amazon is fighting alongside Wonder Woman.  I really was unsure about this character at first. Not really sure as to where Gail Simone was going to take him, but I find his new found humanity very refreshing and hope to see him more in the future of this volume.

Once the giant Silver Serpent is destroyed by Achilles, Wonder Woman then attacks her aunt. During the battle Diana wraps her lasso around Astarte.  Showing that Hippolyta does not even know this sister exists. Wonder Woman wants to free her aunt and stop the invasion. Astarte tells her that there is only one way to make that happen.  In order to free Earth, Diana must fight and Kill the enemy of her aunt. She then leads Wonder Woman onto her ship. Gives her some of their own weapons and places Diana in a fighting arena with the race of her Aunts watching her.  She is told that it is most vicious soldier ever raised, it has every cruel impulse imagined. Her name is Theana. She is their Princess. Their Champion. Astarte's daughter. Cousin to Diana! 

I really love the similar touches of the outfit. From the tiara, bracelets and breast plate. She is truly an equal to Wonder Woman. Next: Cut from a Pound of Flesh!!

Batman - Brave and the Bold #16

I was very excited to see Wonder Woman was going to be in this issue. Batman - Brave and the Bold comic is based on the actual TV series on the same name. It is currently on television and in many articles they have stated that they do not have the rights to have Wonder Woman be on the show. So I hope that this issue helps push for your princess to make a show apperance.
This series is part of the DCKids line. I love that there is a medium to help start young kids on the path of comic collecting and reading.
It starts with a SOS from Paradise Island, home of the Amazons and Wonder Woman, where we find our WW standing in front of a portal through time. Batman and WW go through the portal to come across NINJAS on the other side.

The great part of this series is the Vintage looks all the heroes get. They take Wonder Woman's costume back to its roots. With the long skirt, the thinner tiara and the noticeable eagle crested top. Even her hair style is very much original Wonder Woman.
Batman and Wonder Woman find an egg and start to analyze it. Bruce finds out that they are not symbols but coordinates to a location. The need all the eggs to get to where Egg Head is hiding. The duo proceed to ignite the eggs and go to the mysterious world of the egg villain.

Not only did Bruce and Diana fall into a trap, they also delivered the eggs to  Egg Head. He takes all the eggs and places them into the giant "Universal Egg" giving it life!
Batman uses his sonic amplifier and breaks himself and Wonder Woman out. What do our heroes do with their new found freedom?  Kick some Egg Ass of course!  The universal egg needs more power, but Egg Head must save his creation so he fights off Wonder Woman and Batman head toward the large Egg.  The Egg shuts the door behind Batman leaving Wonder Woman and Egg Head to battle it out.

Egg Head uses bullets to try and stop Diana. I have two words for Egg Head. 1 - Amazon, 2- Bracelets. Enough said!
Bruce is fighting off the Universal Egg when Diana defeats Egg Head and then starts to spin really fast, making it so that she starts to drill into the floor and we see her disappear. (COOL).
She then erupts from the floor under the giant Egg and punches him out!  OF course Wonder Woman saves the day! Right?

I loved this issue a lot. It was fun,classic and just adorable! I hope to see many more team ups with the Amazon and the Dark Knight.  I leave this post with one quote, said by the Batman himself.

"Having the word "Wonder" in your name might seem egotistical to some. Having watched Wonder Woman in action.. I'd call it modesty"  I could not agree more Bruce!

Brave and the Bold #33

I was really excited to get this issue. Not only because it is the rare times that this series features my favorite hero but it is my first taste of J. Michael Stracynski. (he is taking over the writing of Wonder Woman starting on #601).  This issue also features artist Cliff Chang.  As you can see it has Zatanna, Wonder Woman and Batgirl - Barbara Gordon. 
I loved the art for this issue. It was feminine, bright and inked very well. It is a short , sweet tale of Zatanna has a dream in the first panel. She feels compelled to contact WW and describes that they have to take Batgirl out for a night on the town.

I love how Cliff has Diana taller then the other girls (as it should be, she is a Amazon!) and that he gives her dress a Greek feel by using the drape across her bodice. 

The girls are at a night club where the dance, drink and be merry. It is not very often we get to see a dancing, humorous side of our favorite princess. In my favorite panel, she is dancing with a guy that think he recognizes her. When Diana asks him if he thinks she is Wonder Woman he replies "She's way too lame. You'd never find some corny, old-school ditz like HER in a cool place like--" Diana then reaches into his pocket and crushes his phone and continues to dance away from him, CLASSIC!

Zatanna is looking for Barbara and finds her sitting in the corner of the club. Zatanna then makes it her point, using some magic, to create the scene for Barbara. She gets all the girls dancing, singing, forgetting about crime fighting, forgetting about the troubles of the world. All they care about is the music and each other. After a very long night they find the evening closing at a diner. All the girls kiss each other good night and Diana and Barbara leave. The last panel finds Zatanna crying. 

The next pages shows that Zatanna had a dream, which we learned in the first of the comic, and shows a scene at the club we did not see the night before. Zatanna and Diana are in the ladies room. It is set up that the dream has been revealed. Diana tells Zatanna that they need to make this night special for Barbara, that the events from the dream could happen tonight, tomorrow even next year. They hug and cry and leave the room to see  a happy Barbara. 

Next scene is Barbara and her father Commissioner Gordon are having coffee. The doorbell rings and Barbara goes to answer it. When the door opens it reveals the Joker standing there and he fires off his gun.  In Batman history the Joker decides to cripple Batman by taking out the people that Bruce loves. He beats and kills Robin - Jason Todd and shoots to kill Batgirl - Barbara Gordon. Though Barbara does not die, she does become paralyzed from the waist down. This disability help pave the way for Barbara to become Oracle, the eyes, ears and the cybernetic information of the DC Universe.

I actually got a little teary eyed when I read this. What a very sweet, alternate view of something so tragic. I really enjoyed it.

Wonder Woman : Amazon - Hero - Icon

This book was written by Bob Greenberger with a forward by Wonder Woman alumni George Perez. This book is described as : Wonder Woman is a comprehensive look at the first and most important female super hero of DC Comics, from the Golden Age to the present day. Wonder Woman is the most popular female super hero of all time and a cultural icon. During her existence, she has served in the army, renounced her powers at the height of the feminist movement, and helped launch Gloria Steinem’s Ms. magazine. She has been—and continues to be—a trailblazing role model to girls and women and an integral part of the cultural zeitgeist. Loosely chronological, Wonder Woman explores idiosyncratic creator William Moulton Marston’s interest in ideas of a "new woman" for the twentieth century; costume and character story changes over the decades; the influence on all other female comic book characters since her inception; and how Wonder Woman is still powerful and relevant in today’s comic book renaissance.

The book contains more than 250 Wonder Woman illustrations, including covers, interior comic art, and sketch treatments, beginning with her inception in the early 1940s to present-day treatments of the character. Celebrated artists include Alex Ross, Jim Lee, George Perez, and Brian Bolland, to name only a few. The book will also feature rare covers and pin-up posters created for past special-edition comic books. Wonder Woman is certain to appeal to fanboys and fangirls, collectors, and newcomers to the comic book genre alike.
 I loved this book so much, not only because it was Wonder Woman but it has alot of info and some great art. Here is some of the examples:

Art is order : Terry Dodson, Jim Lee and Greg Horn.  It is a must for any fan and I have read it at least 12 times already. Nerd much!

Don Kramer talkes drawing Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman gets a new creative team beginning in July, along with a new direction for the series that promise to "smash" expectations – as well as Paradise Island.

DC announced last week that the artist depicting all the destruction will be Don Kramer, working with writer J. Michael Straczynski to launch their new direction for the character with a reportedly explosive story within the oversized Wonder Woman #600 in June. (The issue also includes stories by Gail Simone and Geoff Johns, with art by George Perez, Phil Jimenez and Joe Madureira.)
 
Wonder Woman, which had been renumbered since it underwent a relaunch in 2006 by Allan Heinberg and Terry Dodson, returns to its new numbering for its new direction as Straczynski and Kramer take over as the regular creative team on Wonder Woman #601 in July.

The DC exclusive artist most recently worked on JSA vs. Kobra, and won critical praise for his pencils on the stand-alone Blackest Night story Power of Shazam #48. Kramer began his career at Marvel in 2003 after getting noticed at a convention by John Cassaday, and the artist soon began defining his style at DC during runs on JSA with Geoff Johns, Batman with James Robinson, and Detective Comics with Paul Dini.
Newsarama talked to the artist to find out more about his take on the character and what we can expect from Kramer's collaboration with JMS on Wonder Woman.
 
Newsarama: Don, how did you hear you got the Wonder Woman gig, and what was your response to the news you'd be working with JMS?

Don Kramer: He was always high on my list of writers I wanted to work with. At the time I found out, I was just starting an issue of War of the Supermen for editor Matt Idelson, that Sterling Gates and James Robinson were writing. I was literally getting ready to work on that when I got a call from Brian Cunningham, who's the editor on this book, and he told me he was getting ready to put together this run on Wonder Woman with Straczynski, and that Straczynski wanted me on the book.
I was thrilled, obviously. And surprised. And I gave them an immediate yes, because I'm a big fan of Straczynski's work, and any opportunity I'm given to work with him, I'm going to be all over it.
And with Wonder Woman, I really wanted to get another crack at drawing her. I honestly had never thought of myself as a Wonder Woman artist, but I think I can do a good job with her, and I wanted the chance to draw something with her in it.
 
Nrama: When was the last time you drew Wonder Woman?
 
Kramer: It was really early in my JSA run with Geoff Johns. It was a "JLA/JSA" story. It was very early in my career, and I was still a little rough as an artist. It was just a couple panels, but I was working with Keith Champagne as an inker and we were still feeling each other out. I think I did a decent job, but it's not the type of job I can do now. Artistically, I feel I've gotten much better. I think I'm a lot more refined. And I have an art team around me that I'm very comfortable with. We work really well together.
 
Nrama: You're working with Mike Babinski on inks now?
 
Kramer: Yeah, I've been working with Mike on JSA vs. Kobra, and a couple of issues of Outsiders and the Power of Shazam issue. And we work right next to each other in the same studio. It's been really nice to be able to see what he's doing, and I get to have a little more control over the finished art, in a way I've always wanted to see it. But yeah, artistically, I feel like I've gotten a lot better, and with him now, it just adds to the mix.
 
Nrama: Are you getting to redesign some things for Wonder Woman? Or coming up with some new designs? Because I know you got to do a lot of that with the Batman universe, establishing the new Ventriloquist and the new Riddler. Are you getting to do any of that with Wonder Woman's world?
 
Kramer: Not a lot. At least not yet. There are a few things that I'm getting to play around with. There are some new characters that I'm getting to establish their look. No other redesigns that I can officially say anything about.
 
Nrama: Can you say anything about the story you're drawing? We were told her world gets turned upside down and Paradise Island gets destroyed.
 
Kramer: That's true. I can confirm that. I've talked to Straczynski about what we're doing, but I haven't actually started drawing an issue yet. I've seen one script, but it's just a little 10-page script that I think is going to be in Issue #600 of Wonder Woman.
In those 10 pages, there is... well, I'll just have to let people see it. I don't really think I can talk about it right now. I'll have to leave it at that. The only thing I've drawn so far is the one teaser panel of Wonder Woman standing within the destruction of Paradise Island.
I guess I could say that JMS is definitely going to shake things up. And that's not just metaphorical. Obviously, things get shaken up on Paradise Island, but there are some really big things happening right away. That's about all I can add right now.
 
Nrama: Most people are familiar with your work on Detective Comics and JSA, but you're not particularly known as someone who specifically draws gorgeous women, like one would think about being a Wonder Woman artist. Did JMS tell you anything about why he chose you? I think DC released a quote where he mentioned your ability to convey emotions.
 
Kramer: When we talked, he did confirm he wanted me for the book, but I didn't ask him why. [laughs] I assume he saw my work and liked what he saw. I'd like to think it's my storytelling abilities, because I am very dedicated to the script and the story. I don't like to go off on tangents or focus on big, splashy images like some other artists do. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's just not the way I approach the work.
As for drawing emotions really well, maybe that had something to do with it, if that's what he said. We never really discussed why he asked for me. But I'm thankful that he did. I feel honored to be part of this, and I'm honored to be chosen to work with a great writer like Straczynski.
 
Nrama: How would you describe your Wonder Woman? Any influences?
 
Kramer: I really like what the Dodsons have done, what Adam Hughes has done, and I you can pretty much name all the recent artists on Wonder Woman, and I think they've done a great job on her.
But I tend to lean toward a more athletic looking Wonder Woman. She's someone who should look like she can take care of herself, although she's still very beautiful. I'm not modeling her on a certain actress, but I think Wonder Woman has a pretty distinct look of her own.
I only got the job about two weeks ago, so I may develop more of a look for her by the time we get going. We're still getting things ready for this run and waiting for approvals and different things so I can get started on the book.
 
Nrama: Then just to finish, Don, is there anything you want to tell your fans about your upcoming work on Wonder Woman?
 
Kramer: Just that I'm really looking forward to getting to draw her. I apologize that I have to keep somewhat mum about what I know about the story. But I am truly honored to be part of the team on this comic, and to be the next artist to get to draw this great character. I consider her one of DC's most important and iconic characters, and I think I can do a really great job with her. I'm certainly working with a great writer. So I'm really looking forward to it.