Wonder Woman #780 Review

 

Back in the Saddle Again

Writer: Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad

Artist: Travis Moore

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 13, 2021

Well, we are finally here...Wonder Woman is back on Earth, and I couldn't be happier.  Unfortunately, it took a bit longer than I had hoped to get here, and while others seemed to love her trek through the "multiverse," I wasn't impressed.  Conrad and Cloonan seem to have their hearts in the right place, but they also drag things on way too long, but again, we are finally here!  So, let's jump into this and see if the journey was worth it...

Conrad and Cloonan certainly get right to things here as the issue opens with Wonder Woman going right to the Hall of Justice for a long-overdue reunion.  I am glad that we get to see Martian Manhunter here, as he has been pretty much absent in the DCU since Death Metal ended, even though he was kind of an odd choice as the first person to greet Diana.  She then makes her way inside, and of course, everyone is excited to see her.

I am a bit torn with this issue.  I like it for what it is, a celebration of Diana's return.  There are emotional moments, but I expected more from Batman and Superman, and while they take some more time with her and Hippolyta, it didn't leave feeling much by the end.  That does change once we get to Themyscira, though.

This issue does point out that the synergy of the "Wonder' books is a mess right now. Unfortunately, Wonder Girl's delays mean we haven't made it to the issue this comes after, and Nubia references the troubles she's been having in her book, which hasn't come out yet.  In the grand scheme of things, though, Cloonan and Conrad set Diana up to return to the Justice League (both regular and Dark), which I can't wait to see.

Back to the issue, while everyone wants Diana to rest, she can't help but be a hero, and I love that.  She saves a bunch of people on a sinking ship, and it's an excellent way to let the world know she's returned.  This is where I did get a bit choked up as we go around the world and see the reactions, but good and evil.  

The issue ends with Diana returning to Themyscira to celebrate and talk with Nubia.  While I saw many people pissed off that Nubia was taking over, it's clear here that there is enough room for every fantastic character, and I look forward to seeing more of these two together.  Sure, I think this ending scene went on a little too long to get the extra page count (there is no backup in this issue), but all's well that ends well, and the ending was pretty damn good.

Wonder Woman #780 is easily my favorite Wonder Woman issue since Conrad and Cloonan took over the book.  The art looked great throughout, and we get Diana back on Earth!  There are times, however, when Conrad and Cloonan overwrite things a bit.  At times, they talk over the big moments instead of letting them play out on their own.  I hope that changes as we head off into this new chapter of Wonder Woman.

Bits and Pieces:

Wonder Woman is back where she should be, and I am so happy!   This issue looks fantastic, with some real emotions coming off the pages.  The pacing did feel a bit off, and some scenes felt a bit stretched to get a larger page count, but I liked this as a reset and am looking forward to seeing how things go from here.

8.0/10