Wonder Woman #33

by Tori B. on July 23, 2014

The beginning of the end, with Diana caught in the hold of the First Born, and all her friends and family are elsewhere fighting in a battle that she’s meant to reign. Then again, it’s that strength that’s got her in her predicament in the first place.
 
 
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artists: Cliff Chiang & Matthew Wilson
Cover: Cliff Chiang
Publisher: DC
 
 
Wonder Woman remains to be a strong figure, especially when it appears that all the odds might be against her, she’s at her most inspirational yet. Essentially everything that’s core about Wonder Woman, Diana, and why everyone loves her, is what readers will witness. She may be bound in rope with no escape, but that won’t stop her. And despite the First Born’s efforts, he can’t change her; her refusal remains stalwart. So for a good chunk of the issue we see a lot of exchange between the two, and it can get repetitive at times, a side effect of leaving two stubborn characters alone with one another, but it’s not exactly boring, Diana wins with some poignant dialogue that carries those scenes through to the end of the issue.
 
It’s what’s happening on Paradise Island though, that carries the action. It’s the same kind of action that we’ve seen consistently from the Wonder Woman title, the fight of the gods, but this time it’s a little different too, many are reaching a tipping point, some have given up hope, others have changed—bringing out a side of them that hasn’t been shown in a long while, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. But many still wage on, with the spirit of Diana, with the spirit of the Amazons coursing through them, and the fight will not be lost so easily.
 
This fight is going to be the most momentous that any of them have faced yet, and no one, god or Amazon is safe or will be spared, which is a subject that Azzarello has delved into almost poetically, the fragility of life. A big surprise though comes from the little bundle of life Zeke, whose Olympian abilities may spark into play while everyone is at their most vulnerable. The specifics of his abilities are still rather grey, but we’ll get a glimpse at them nonetheless which may change the how the current battle turns.
 
Azzarello clearly has big plans for his final arc, and it’s beginning is shaping up to be a gripping tale. Same can be said for Chiang who complements the story telling with some beautifully profound panels, as vulnerable as Diana may be, her panels have never looked better, especially with Wilson’s vibrant colouring to bring out the best that the art has to offer.
 
This is certainly going to be an arc that goes down in Wonder Woman history.

Our Score:

8/10

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