Tug's Pick of the Week
Wonder
Woman #200
If you don’t know it already, Wonder Woman is without a doubt one of the best books coming out right now. Starting with issue # 195, the series was given a well-needed shot in the arm by new writer Greg Rucka (Gotham Central, Queen & Country). This week, Wonder Woman # 200 not only wraps up Rucka’s incredible first story arc, “Down to Earth,” but also celebrates the past, present, and future of Wonder Woman.
“Down to Earth” has been following Diana
as she tours the country promoting her new book Reflections. The book has
been causing quite a stir all over the world. In it, Diana openly shares her
views on the environment, sexuality, politics, etc. And as you can guess, many
people see her ideas as far too liberal, and soon there are groups protesting
her appearances. Meanwhile, a new-look-for-the-millennium Ares is making all
kinds of trouble up on Olympus, and Veronica Cale, one of the people
orchestrating the outrage aimed at Wonder Woman, is also preparing to bring back
one of Diana's most dangerous enemies.
Everything comes crashing down in this final
issue of the story, and through some highly adept storytelling by Rucka and
artist Drew Johnson, we get a fast-paced cinematic ending to this great story.
Not to spoil too much, but Wonder Woman has a showdown with the new and improved
Silver Swan, and Zeus and Hera’s domestic disputes (given a little nudge by
Ares) change the lives of the Amazons forever.
Also included in this 64-page anniversary
issue is a story by Robert Rodi and Rick Burchett that pays homage to the
wackier adventures of the Golden Age Wonder Woman. (You guessed it; Etta
Candy gets spanked.) Nunzio DeFillipis and Christina Weir tell a Silver
Age-inspired story with art by Ty Templeton about Amazons on the moon. There are
also pin-ups from Eduardo Risso, Stuart Immonen, Walt Simonson, Brian
Stelfreeze, and Steve Rude. That nice painted cover from a certain J.G. Jones
doesn’t hurt, either.
The real treat of the issue is a back-up
story featuring Wonder Girl babysitting and telling an abridged version of the
story of Perseus and Medusa. Greg Rucka wrote the story as a lead-in to his next
story arc, and Linda Medley (Castle Waiting) provides some really
charming pencils.
Whether or not you’ve been reading Wonder
Woman, this issue leads nicely into the next storyline and will make you
want to keep on reading (and maybe even find some of those back issues). Wonder
Woman hasn’t been this good in years. Don’t miss it!
Wonder Woman # 200 is a 64-page, double-sized issue published by DC Comics with a cover price of $3.95.