WONDER WOMAN #3

Who Is Wonder Woman? Part 3

October 2006

Written by Allan Heinberg

Pencils by Terry Dodson

Inks by Rachel Dodson

Cover by Terry & Rachel Dodson

Synopsis

While in the midst of fighting Giganta, Cheetah, and Doctor Psycho, Hercules suddenly appears to put an end to the battle and save Donna Troy.  Although Hercules wins the fight, the villains are able to escape with Donna and Cassie (aka Wonder Girl).  Hercules tells Diana that because she abandoned her role as Olympus’ champion, the Gods sent him to replace her.   Later, Nemesis and Diana decide to infiltrate Hercules’ palace.  When they get there, they find Circe, who casts a spell turning all men into beasts.  Circe then says Diana wasted her powers as Wonder Woman.  Since Diana so desperately wants to pretend to be human, Circe tells her she doesn’t have to pretend anymore. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I have mixed feelings about this issue.  I love the art; the Dodsons are doing a phenomenal job so far.  And I like the cliffhanger and I applaud some of things that Circe says to Diana; a lot if it is right on the money.  However, I am not all that crazy with the story.  This issue is divided into two parts:  Hercules and Circe.  The absence of Hercules in the last half does not make much sense to me.  He arrives on the scene and then is easily taken out.  He provides some rationale explanation for his appearance and condemns Diana for her actions.  But then he is gone.  This is confusing, but it is even a bigger head scratcher when you consider Circe’s appearance, which is pretty much the same:  she condemns Diana for her actions.  Both of them basically tell Diana, you should’ve never stopped being Wonder Woman.  Yeesh.  We get two for the price of one.  In fact, Circe’s rant was so familiar to what Hercules said that I found myself thinking she was finished, but amazingly I kept turning the pages.  How long was this going to keep going?  Sadly, a bit too long.

At the end of my review for the last issue I had hoped that the inclusion of Hercules would not spoil this re-launch of Wonder Woman.  To be honest, Hercules was nothing more than the plot hammer of doom to show us that Diana’s decision to abandon her role as Wonder Woman was one of the stupidest things in the world.  What worries me is that after Diana defeats Circe and decides that she is Wonder Woman after all, Hercules will disappear, never to be seen.  While that is fine and dandy, it just goes to show how useless his appearance really became.

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