Art by: Daniel Sampere
Colors by: Tomeu Morey
Letters by: Clayton Cowles
Cover art by: Daniel Sampere (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: October 24, 2023
Wonder Woman #2 begins the next phase of military operations to bring Wonder Woman to heel.
Is Wonder Woman #2 Good?
Winder Woman #2 could best be described as a time waster or a filler issue. Only one piece of information comes out of it that has anything to do with the arc begun in issue #1, and that piece is barely relevant to anything that's happening. Go figure.
When last we left Wonder Woman, the Amazons were banned from America after a single Amazon went rogue (crazy?) and killed a bunch of men in a pool bar. The single incident miraculously turned into a public swell of sentiment that labeled every Amazon, including Wonder Woman, as a terrorist. When Agent Steel attempted to apprehend Wonder Woman, the meeting went badly.
Now. Agent Steel tries again with the conscripted help of Steve Trevor. More weapons and more men lead to similar results. In a flashback, we see the tournament combat between Diana and a masked adversary for the right to be the emissary to Man's World. Diana ultimately wins, and we learn the warrior Diana bested was Emelie, the rogue Amazon who started the present-day mess.
That's it.
One fight in the present that ends in defeat for the military. One fight in the past ended in defeat for the Amazon, which ignited the events of the present arc. In effect, the entire issue is comprised of two fights with known or certain outcomes, plus the tidbit that Diana is acquainted with Emelie. There's no progress on the hunt for Emelie, we hear nothing from or about the Sovereign, Wonder Woman's bizarre insistence in not returning to Themyscira or at least going undercover is bizarre, the JLA's lack of involvement is equally bizarre, and you have to read a whole lot of overwritten narration to get through it.
What's great about Wonder Woman #2? Although it's not necessary, Tom King does go to great lengths to explain why Wonder Woman is great. You see her in action against an army and against a warrior who's as powerful as an army to come to the same conclusion. If there's any doubt that Wonder Woman is a great warrior, that doubt is gone after this issue.
What's not so great about Wonder Woman #2? If you already think Wonder Woman is great, this issue is entirely pointless. The plot doesn't move an inch, Emelie's reveal is meaningless, the narration is a plodding chore to get through, and all you're left with is an empty dissatisfied feeling. Due to said overwritten narration, the pacing drags horribly, so the visuals look great, but the pages move like molasses.
How's the art? If King has control over the artist selection, he sure knows how to pick 'em. Daniel Sampere's art looks fantastic. Due to the back-and-forth nature of the story between past and present, the fight choreography has a montage feel, so the choreography is hard to judge, but what you see looks great.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces:
Wonder Woman #2 is a visually pleasing action comic that moves at a snail's pace and gives you nothing in return for the time you invest reading it. King makes no progress on the plot, the mystery behind Emelie's actions, or unveiling anything about the Sovereign. If you skipped this issue, you won't miss a thing.
6/10
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