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!