It’s here. The cover we’ve all been waiting for is here at last. Isn’t that cool?
But would it surprise you, long-time reader of either these reviews or the new run of Wonder Woman, that events depicted on the cover may not actually occur within the narrative itself? Of course not. In fact, this issue, the exact opposite of what’s shown on the cover happens. To find out what I mean by that and to take a gander at Wondie’s new cossie, follow me after the jump.
We’ll also be discussing the Wonder Woman bits of Justice League #8, in which finally, you will believe a (Wonder) woman can fly. At last.
Let’s start off this review by first saying, "Welcome back, Cliff Chiang!"
Welcome back, Cliff Chiang!
After two issues of rather a poor fill-in artist, it’s great to have Cliff back. I tell you what’s also great to have back: action. Yes, issue #7 of Wonder Woman actually has things happen in it – the cover is actually less action-packed than the contents for once.
In fact, issue #7 is probably the best issue of the title since the reboot. But (and you knew there’d be one), it’s also got one great big middle finger sticking up at both long-time fans and Wonder Woman’s creator, William Marston, right in the centre. We’ll talk about that after the jump.
We’ll also talk about Justice League #6, 7, which have both come out since the last review and paradoxically are a lot more like old school Wonder Woman than her own title is right now. In fact, as well as the glorious return of Captain Steve Trevor, we also have the new-look Etta Candy. And Captain Marvel – aka Shazam, but we don’t care about him. See you in a bit.
Starring: Kevin Conroy (Batman), Tim Daly (Superman), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern), Carl Lumbly (Martian Manhunter/Ma’alefa’ak), Michael Rosenbaum (The Flash), Bumper Robinson (Cyborg), Carlos Alazraqui (Bane), Claudia Black (Cheetah), Paul Blackthorne (Metallo), Olivia d’Abo (Star Sapphire), Alexis Denisof (Mirror Master), Phil Morris (Vandal Savage) Writers: Dwayne McDuffie, Mark Waid. Director: Lauren Montgomery Price: $24.98 (Amazon price: $14.99) Released: February 28, 2012
When it comes to movies, Marvel and DC both have their specialities these days. Marvel has it sewn up at the movies, with things like Captain America, Iron Man, The Avengers, The X-Men, Daredevil, Thor et al. Sure, DC has Batman, but Superman isn’t working that well, Green Lantern wasn’t exactly brilliant and if you can’t work out how to make a movie of Wonder Woman after a decade of trying, clearly you’ve got problems.
By contrast, in the realm of animated movies and TV shows, it’s the other way round. You’d only have to have a teeny weeny, atom-sized piece of paper to write down all the decent animated shows that Marvel has put out (X-Men Evolution and that’s about it) in the last couple of decades, while DC has had Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and, of course, Justice League shows filling up the airways for years. They even did a halfway decent animated Wonder Woman movie.
Possibly their best effort was Justice League, which expanded to become Justice League Unlimited later on. That, of course, ended nearly six years ago, but now the brainiacs at DC have decided to take an old Justice League comic and create a brand new Justice League animated movie, Justice League: Doom, in which the Justice League’s arch-enemies club together to kill the League. Cleverly, DC has got together virtually all the cast from the original series, as well as Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) from its Green Lantern animated TV series, Tim Daly from its Superman animated series and a great guest cast to do it.
And while it’s not outstanding, it does at least make you wonder why the hell they can’t make a proper live-action movie. Here’s a trailer.
Would you look at that. Another cover for Wonder Woman that actually contains more action than the entire issue (incidentally, have a look at who Wonder Woman is tridenting while I ask, Rolf Harris-style, "Can you tell who it is yet?" Bet you can’t.)
Anyway, follow me quickly after the jump so we can talk about Wonder Woman’s first proper trip around London, the arrival of a couple of new gods, the unveiling of a cockney demi-god and some more of Wonder Woman’s super-powers, and how even though flattery may be the sincerest form of imitation, Tony Akins really isn’t Cliff Chiang. Spoilers ahoy!
