Wonder Woman #21 Review

(w) Brian Azzarello
(a) Cliff Chiang


** SPOILERS, BECAUSE WHY NOT? **


I love Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's Wonder Woman. I could go on and on about how both men have dedicated themselves to this series and how the artwork -- at this point -- is as much of what makes Wonder Woman as great as the writing, but that would be boring and completely theoretical concerning DC's editorial decisions and the company's value on punctuality over quality of product. So we'll skip that.

This series, overall, has been pushing the boundaries of the idea of divinity in the DC universe, giving the Greek gods a less elegant, more pragmatic look and tone. Even down to the fact that they call themselves by their English names -- War instead of Ares, Hell instead of Hades, etc. Deities are as flawed as mortals (just look at most ancient mythology and religious beliefs), and Wonder Woman is very much the natural evolution of that idea, that gods and goddesses walk amongst humans and manipulate their lives on a very personal level.

Wonder Woman #21 is a transition issue from beginning to end. Azzarello has been creeping up to this moment for months; the epic showdown between Zeus' First Born and Diana's posse. While the fight itself isn't incredibly epic, the repercussions are astounding. The ongoing narrative very much feels like it's reached the end of it's second act. Act I featured Diana facing off against Hell for the fate of Zola's baby. Much like Star Wars: A New Hope, Diana tackles an enemy that seems impossible for a cause that's just and righteous. 

Act II has been about the power struggle on Mount Olympus and the coming of Zeus' First Born child. The Unnamed One is all grown up (well, thousands of years old, actually) and mad as hell that he's been locked in the center of the planet for a few millennia. Much like The Empire Strikes Back, darkness begins to fall over Diana and her allies with the coming of the New God Orion and his decree that a scion of Zeus would destroy the universe. Oh, and Apollo wrestled control of Olympus from Hera and made her mortal in the process. Things are at an all time low for the gang in Wonder Woman. 

Like I said, Wonder Woman #21 is the final part of Act II; Diana faces off against the Firs Born, Orion shows up to lay the smackdown at Diana's side, and everything changes with the press of a boomtube button. After Orion smuggles Diana, Zola, Hera, and the baby through an interdimensional portal, back to his home of New Genesis, we are left wondering what becomes of the First Born back on Earth. His power is immense, so, to believe that Lennox's sacrifice to close to boom tube meant the First Born's death would be premature. Unless Diana can go back, evil will defeat good and the First Born will take control of Olympus. 

So I find myself wanting Diana to get back to Earth as quickly as possible to handle her brother. But also NEW GODS!!! Azzarello and Chiang are bringing back Jack Kirby's New Gods, which is phenomenal, and also means major changes for how deities are portrayed in the DC universe, and how the different pantheons correlate.

GRADE

9/10

REVIEW: WONDER WOMAN #15

(w) Brian Azzarello
(a) Cliff Chiang

With Wonder Woman #15, Brian Azzarello heralds the introduction of the New Gods to DCn52 continuity. The age-old stand-off between New Genesis and Apokolips has been hinted at and mentioned a few times so far in the 'New 52' (see Justice League's first arc, and the conclusion to Justice League Dark's "War for the Books og Magic"), but not yet have the New Gods made any sort of appearance beyond Darkseid's villainy. Azzarello has spent 14 issues (and a zero issue) focusing on Greek gods and goddesses and immersing readers in that world, and now he's introducing a whole new aspect of divinity that's just come tumbling out of the sky, literally. It makes sense that various pantheons of gods would interact on the mortal plane, and it's even more exciting because Azzarello reveals almost nothing about Orion beyond his godliness.

"The Burden of God" is a misleading title because it's supposed to be about one, monotheistic god. Here, though, Azzarello applies the phrase to each and every deity he writes. Diana has to protect her family, Lennox has to find some way to stick it to Zeus, and Hera must figure out how to become a god once more. Since each of these characters has their own agenda, different obstacles present themselves. For dear, sweet Milan, that obstacle is his friend, Orion. 

If you were at all inclined to listen to experimental or avant garde music in the late 1990s and early 00s, you might have possibly maybe heard of Wesley Willis. He was a schizophrenic man who wrote some of the crudest, most simplistic, cheapest, most incredible, mindblowing music I've ever heard. Willis' music was indebted to The Shaggs who pioneered "music so bad it's good" as a genre. Willis wrote songs like "Rock and Roll McDonald's" about going to a fast food restaurant, and "I Whooped Batman's Ass" that pretty much explains itself. Willis was quoted on many occasions claiming that the only way to suppress his inner demons and the voices inside was to create music. It may not have been the most complex or technical, but Willis' music is a testament to creativity as a medium of healing and growth.

Milan is Wesley Willis. Down to the "Rock On!" he spouts when Orion gives him a "joyride" on the New Genesis skiff thingy. Milan has the same body type, hair style, and wacky personality that Willis possessed before his death in 2003. And it's a trip to read.

Milan is a soothsayer, for lack of better words. He obviously has some sort of psychic sense or future sight that causes him great anguish, and he lives in perpetual grunge because of it. There's a theory in psychology called the "Supersanity Theory" that suggests that people with mental disabilities--those we've deemed to have different brain functions than 'normal' people--actually think on a level us normies could only ever dream of. It's like our thoughts exist on an outer ring of consciousness, and people mental disabilities think on an inner ring, something closer to actuality. Milan obviously sees and feels more than most, and a 'normal life' is that cost of that sight and feeling.

Of course, Orion's arrival and Diana's quest to collect all of Zeus' children on Earth come to pass when Lennox confronts Milan about joining the cause to get back Zola's kid from Hades. Milan is hesitant, and Orion stands up to defend that indecision. At this point, it's pretty obvious that Zeus is coming back with a vengeance, and it seems like Orion knows this too because he wastes no time in interrogating Lennox about the final child of Zeus. And in true superhero fashion, they all get into a fight by issue's end.

Wonder Woman is consistently one of DC's best titles each month. Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang are a shining example of what the 'New 52' is (partly) supposed to be about--reintroducing characters by using elements from their previous incarnations and twisting them enough to make them fresh and interesting. Outside of her eponymous title, Diana is oddly written and often comes across as too naive or too brutish. It's really Azzarello's interpretation that makes this character now, and the deep mythology surrounding divinity is great. It very much feels like Jason Aaron took a cue from Azzarello when relaunching Thor: God of Thunder for 'Marvel NOW!' which also features cross-pantheon entrapments. Wonder Woman #15 is a great issue because not only does it completely move the story forward, but it also provides some great character growth for Hera, Zola, and the newly introduced Milan. It's also a great issue for new readers, as you wouldn't need to know too much about what's happened before this to enjoy the events of the issue. DC has a gem with Wonder Woman, and they're Azzarello and Chiang go crazy with the series just to see how fantastical they can get, and the results are amazing.

GRADE

9/10

BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN #2 of 6

STORY: Brian Azzarello
ART: JG Jones

Again with the silly cover! What is that trail of blood on a sandy path?
I mean...river.

With it's rag-tag artwork, silly period piece dialogue, and obtuse symbolism, Comedian #1 is my least favorite issue of Before Watchmen, by far. That being said, this month's issue in Eddie Blake's life is better. Of course, this just means it isn't god-awfully terrible. Instead, Brian Azzarello pens an issue that's just feels unnecessary and boring.


Comedian #2 takes place exclusively in Vietnam, a fact that becomes more and more grating each time  Azzarello's characters feel the need to spell out the controversial nature of the war, which happens roughly every other page. Yes, we readers know that the Vietnam "conflict"was a terrible, horrible situation - this information doesn't need to be beaten into our heads because we already understand. It's as if Azzarello doesn't know that students learn about the Vietnam War (however sparsely) at least once during their education.

Overall, this issue just seems like filler. A lot of talking goes on, and Blake kills a Vietnamese soldier with no regard for decency. I'm a pacifist, so it's hard to watch a psychotic killer like Eddie Blake murder a (somewhat) defenseless man in cold blood. The fact that this scene churned by insides proves that, at least a little, Azzarello's attempts to convey the mood and temper of the Vietnamese jungle are paying off. Azzarello also hits on the drug trade that was supposedly operational in order to fund a war that wasn't actually a war. In excrutiating detail, a handful of officers discusses the full scope of the situation and how to better raise money by getting more American citizens hooked on drugs. It's a very odd conversation, one that feels too 'matter of fact' to have actually taken place in real life. I'm sure it did, and I hope the actual talk didn't sound as redundant or condescending as this one does.

One of the biggest complaints I had last month was that Azzarello was trying to make Eddie Black relatable - a majority of the issue was dedicated to showing how Blake became a strong family friend for the Kennedys. The biggest improvement in Comedian #2 is how much of a douche bag Eddie has become. He talks about war like it's a pissing contest, and he slaughters without remorse. There's still that opening scene with Eddie and Bobby Kennedy at a Muhammed Ali fight, but even there, Blake is a stoic asshole who only sees things in black and white. America = Good. Vietnam = Bad.

While this shift in Eddie's behavior definitely gives this issue a whole lot more credence than the previous, Azzarello still can't figure out how to fix this series biggest problem: it's necessity. Did anyone really want a six-issue series detailing the horrid actions of the Comedian during the 1960s and 70s? Wasn't it enough to know he was a huge dick? Wasn't that part of what made the character so great? If Azzarello continues to change retcon - like he did last month when it was 'revealed' that Eddie never shot JFK - and take us down a path of pointless darkness and machination, this series is going to burn out much faster than it's release schedule.

GRADE

C+

(BEFORE WATCHMEN) COMEDIAN #1 of 6

STORY: Brian Azzarello
ART: J.G. Jones

Up until now, I could have said that I thought Brian Azzarello was one of DC's more talented writers on hand. His work on Wonder Woman has been amazing (if a little slow going), so I was very interested to see his take on the Comedian for Before Watchmen. The bad news is that it's total shit.

From the unfortunate cover art, to the ridiculous plot points and silly insinuations, Azzarello totally misses the mark, instead delivering a muddle piece of garbage that doesn't improve the character at all, or give us any real sense of narrative. J.G. Jones' cover art feature the Comedian wearing a leather gimp mask (something we've never actually seen him do before...) while holding a giant cigar between his clenched teeth. The gimp mask is just stupid looking, while the cigar doesn't make physical sense; you can't have an inch-thick cigar held by a smile - the anatomy doesn't work. Plus, the blood splatter on his head is obviously copied and pasted from the Watchmen logo - it's so shoddy that Jones doesn't even bother to revise the image to make it look like it's on a head instead of a flat surface.

And that was just the cover.

Comedian's story takes him to 1960s America where he's, apparently, good friends with the Kennedy family, taking such liberties as calling old Jack on the White House's direct line and 'taking out the trash' for a frustrated Jackie. It might be an interesting twist in character for anyone else, but Eddie Blake is supposed to be shallow and empty - that's kind of the point of his character. Comedian is an asshole, a piece of shit whose only reason for anything is for himself. No one wanted a deeper, more complex version of the Comedian, yet Azzarello tried to convince us that Eddie has some good in him and that the Kennedy's were some of the only people to see it.

It's also bad form to write JFK as such a lout. Throughout Comedian #1, John and his brothers act like pigheaded frat boys who think they can do whatever they want. I'll never ask any writer to censor history for narrative's sake, but Azzarello never met John F. Kennedy, and I'm venturing to guess he didn't do much in the way of researching the man's personal mannerisms for a comic book series. To me, it seems disrespectful and unnecessary.

And then, Azzarello does the one thing all the detractors of Before Watchmen were so worried about: he changed continuity.

Alan Moore strongly hints that the Comedian assassinated JFK through a cruel turn of events that made the weak-looking Kennedy a liability in the eyes of the US government. Zak Snyder's 2009 film adaptation explicitly shows Eddie Blake shooting the President before finishing his giant cigar. But none of this matters to a Brian Azzarello who probably said, "But what if the Comedian was framed??? Huh, guys? What if?" to an unresponsive audience. It's a stupid idea. With one page, Azzarello has managed to deconstruct the history of Watchmen while simultaneously proving the critics' point and pissing off millions of fans. And why does he do this? I guess I'll have to read Comedian #2 and see if Azzarello is intent on fucking up one of the greatest characters in comic book history. I'm also scared for the Rorschach mini-series now, knowing that Azzarello might turn our favorite detective into a news reporter or something...

GRADE

D

(COMIC) 4-SENTENCE REVIEWS! #2

4-Sentence Reviews come about when I've gotten lazy or something unavoidable comes up and I'm not able to cover all the regularly scheduled issues for the past week. These reviews cover normally-reviewed issues of the comics I read each week, but condense the information down to four sentences. Enjoy!

Wonder Woman #9

STORY: Brian Azzarello

ART: Tony Akins and Dan Green

Diana is engaged to Hades and she's actually pretty alright with the whole situation, at least, that's what Brian Azzarello would like us to believe. Now that Zola is out of Hell, the other gods - Hermes, Apollo, and Hephaestus - have to figure out a way to rescue the Amazonian princess, even if it means going straight back into the Underworld! Azzarello and Tony Akins have a good, minimalistic rhythm that only gives out crucial information, and only when you need it. While some might criticize the book as 'slow moving' or 'too simple', Wonder Woman is actually doing a fantastic job reinventing a character who became stale back in the 1970s.

GRADE: B+

Superman #9

STORY: Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens

ART: Jesus Marino

Ol' Supes has been thrown around quite a bit in his eponymous title, and it's just getting worse in Superman #9, which sees the Man of Steel up against Anguish, a villainess who can touch but not be touched - basically, she's immaterial when she wants to be. Meanwhile, an obsessed blogger named Victor Barnes is out to reveal Superman's identity through deduction and circumstance. Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens are doing a great job setting up narratives that have the potential to carry on for years to come. Overall, Superman hasn't been an essential read in the 'New 52' thus far, but it's looking to become one with these more intricate plots and build-ups for bigger things in the future.

GRADE: B

(COMIC) WONDER WOMAN #7

Written by Brian Azzarello
Artwork by Cliff Chiang

With the conclusion of the first arc for Wonder Woman under the 'New 52' banner, Brian Azzarello takes Diana, Lennox and Hermes into the mountain on their quest to retrieve Zola from Hades. Diana's adventures thus far have been moving at a great pace with a good blend of action and storytelling. This month, Azzarello introduces yet another god of myth - Hephaestus, god of fire and the forge - as the group seeks out new weapons with which to battle Hades.

One of my favorite parts about comic books is the flexibility in narrative possibilities. With the Green Lanterns, they have an entire Corps and millions of years of history from which to draw inspiration. Wonder Woman is a character that hasn't really had much expounded on her character world - she's an Amazon who was created out of clay and given life. It was a pretty boring origin and Azzarello's take on Diana sets up so much more in the way of new ideas. Within Hephaestus' mountain, Hades sends a monster to attack the lamde god as punishment for speaking with Diana. One of the seemingly automated worker drones is injured and revealed to be a real man, not something of Hephaestus' creation. This leads the group down a dark path of truth and cultural tradition.

The men are revealed as the unwanted sons of the Amazons. After (basically) raping men on boats, the Amazons would slaughter the crew and go home to wait and give birth. If they bore a son, it would be removed and sold into servitude under Hephaestus in return for the weapons used by the Amazons. Diana can't abhor this and decides to set her brothers free. In one of the best series panels of the issue, Diana throws the bound god through the wall to their barracks and says, "Get up, brothers! That is a word I've never used, but it brings me joy to use it...BROTHERS!" It's a bittersweet moment as the men beg her to stop hurting their master.

The truth comes out that if Hephaestus didn't save them, the Amazons would have drowned them simply for being male. It's a harrowing moment for Diana as she has to come to terms with the fact that her people murder innocents on a regular basis. By the final panel, Diana is weeping into her hands. It's a solemn end and a dramatic set-up for next month's journey into Hell.

GRADE:

A

(REVIEW) Wonder Woman #6

Written by Brian Azzarello

Artwork by Tony Akins and Dan Green

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brian Azzarello has been delivering fantastic work in Wonder Woman month after month. This 'New 52' reinterpretation of Diana as a demi-god has been a huge boon for storytelling ideas. Azzarello's unconventional take on the gods of Greek myth have been extremely interesting, and coupled with Tony Akins' incredible artwork, this book has been great. This month's meeting of gods is quite impressive, not only from a visual standpoint, but a narrative one as well. Poseidon's massive presence mirrors his domain and wrath, while Hades' eyes are obscured and he prefers to be called 'Hell'.

Diana presents an offer to both Poseidon and Hades; share Kingship on Mount Olympus with Hera as their shared Queen. While both scoff at the idea of sharing a queen, they both also very much want to rule Olympus. When Hera arrives to defend herself from all parties involved, Diana steals a candle from Hades' wax-helmet-thing in an attempt to trap Hera. It's here that Azzarello reveals that Diana's 'plan' to keep Hera on Olympus was merely a cover for the real goal. While Poseidon finds the deceit somewhat humorous, the vengeful Hades is not amused and kidnaps Zola.

While a plot twist like this might be hard to pull off, Azzarello's narrative is smooth, easy to understand and compelling. In Wonder Woman, it comes down to the minor details that really sell the story; Hermes explains how the concept of imagination is nothing more than beings attempting to understand that which they do not; Lennox's off-handed "God a'mighty" causing all three present gods to respond, "Yes?"

GRADE:

A

Review: Wonder Woman #5

Review




Wonder Woman #5
Written by Brian Azzarello
Pencilled by Tony Akins

Since Justice League got pushed back a week, I'll be covering Wonder Woman instead. When I looked through the schedule, though, I realized that I wasn't covering any books starring female heroines. So, starting this month, I'll be adding Wonder Woman to the schedule of regularly covered titles. I've thoroughly enjoyed Wonder Woman to date. For a character who's been reinterpreted and re-imagined so many times, it's a wonder (pun totally intended) this book can be this good.

Fortunately, Brian Azzarello has an amazing take on Diana that hasn't been attempted in the past; he fundamentally changed Diana's birth. Instead of being 'molded from clay and brought to life', Azzarello has thrown us a curve ball and revealed that Diana is actually a daughter of Zeus, and therefore a demigod and child of Olympus. While Wonder Woman always had a deep and literal connections to the gods of Greek mythology, the 'new 52' Diana has a much more personal connection now that she has discovered her blood relation.

This first arc is focusing on Diana's ability to cope with family issues. First, she finds another of Zeus' unknowing suitors who bears one of his children. Next, we learn Diana's true heritage and how Hera is none to happy about it. More and more, Diana is realizing that her place in this crazy family is less defined than she believed. Meaning, while she was a bit melodramatic about the situation at first, she's come to accept that 'fate' has nothing to do with how she conducts herself. After years of believing a lie woven to protect her from the truth, 'destiny' and 'fate' seem a little less rosy to Wonder Woman than they once would have.

Plus, Poseidon shows up at the end!


Grade: B