Wonder Woman #36

 
Writer: Meredith Finch
Artists: David Finch, Richard Friend, & Sonia Oback
Cover: Finch, Friend, & Oback
Publisher: DC  
 After being so spoiled by the previous creative team of Azzarello and Chiang it’s hard to hold on to the same quality and verve as we move forward. The story takes place right after the events of Wonder Woman’s previous issue starting with the Aamzons of Paradise Island trying to get a handle on what Diana is dealing them now that the First Born is no longer a threat. But as we see the Amazons aren’t the only people Diana is responsible to.  She’s still a part of the Justice League as well as trying to balance a relationship with Superman. Not to mention she’s now the God of War, a role which implications could be rather scary for Diana.
 
Along with the Justice League, their attention is brought to the mysterious environmental destruction of several villages in which they were destroyed with no survivors. This shows to be Diana’s tipping point and she ends up overreacting rather violently as they try to uncover those responsible for the disaster.
 
It’s an interesting premise and it kind of makes sense; the creators wanted to show a more vulnerable side to Diana proving that with everything she has happening in her life right now it can’t be easy. But that’s also where Finch seems to lose sight of the Wonder Woman series and who Diana is as a character.  Wonder Woman strength isn’t only physical, it’s part of her entire embodiment, she’s never been anything but strong. It’s good to see her acknowledge that she does struggle with her many responsibilities but it isn’t enough to excuse her behavior of mindlessly attacking those without reason—she lives for justice, and that scenario wasn’t about justice at all. Not to mention because Diana doesn’t have enough on her plate which was causing her to lash out in the first place, instead of creating a story on watching her overcome that, more horrible things have to happen in her life.
 
The beginning also starts off with a monologue about water about its cleansing yet destructive abilities, which might tie in due to the current predicament coming from an environmental source, but as a transition into the story it’s a little out of place.
 
At least there was David Finch’s art to look at, which for the most part is quite pleasing, there are only a few moments in which some of the faces look a bit strange, but can be easily overlooked for every other panel that is quite beautiful.
It’d be easy to say that the new creative team comes in lacking because we were given such a strong run prior, but that’s when creators should bring their a-game and that just wasn’t the case here. The whole tone of the story feels off and not at all what one would expect from a Wonder Woman story.