WONDER WOMAN #18

Expatriate, Part 1:  That Wears The Crown

May 2008

Written by Gail Simone

Pencils by Bernard Chang

Inks by Bernard Chang

Cover by Bernard Chang

Synopsis

Wonder Woman visits Tom Tresser (aka Nemesis) in the hospital and declares her intention to court him in the manner of her people.  Later, a Khund spaceship appears in the sky.  They attack Wonder Woman.  When she nearly defeats them, the Khunds reveal the attack was a tribute to honor her.  The Khund then take Wonder Woman to their homeworld to battle the Ichor, who had managed to defeat the Khund.  Already on the Khund homeworld is Etta Candy, who joins Wonder Woman on the mission to battle the Ichor.  When they locate the Ichor’s ship they find a member of the Green Lantern Corps.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Is it possible to like this issue for what Simone does with the story and plot while at the same time bemoaning the story and the plot that Simone writes?  Does that make sense?  Look at it this way.  I am not that thrilled that Wonder Woman would openly court Nemesis; it just doesn’t feel right, especially when you consider the fact that he doesn’t Diana Prince.  Somehow, Diana, the Goddess of Truth should be up in arms about the contradiction.  Plus, considering how much she desired to be human, wouldn’t it make much more sense for Diana Prince to date someone rather than Wonder Woman.  Yet, I like the way the scene played out, with Diana approaching him and performing the little ritual followed by his reaction.  It is a well-written scene; I am just not sure I agree with the outcome.  The same is true of the Khund attack.  After all of the problems in trying to restart this title, is it a wise decision to take Diana off Earth?  Yet, I liked the attack and I like the way it ended with the Khund’s tribute to Diana essentially luring her away to do their bidding and fall into their trap.  I wonder if I would’ve liked the scene if it had been an Earth-bound enemy as opposed to the Khunds.  I don’t know.  Regardless, it is an interesting beginning and Simone and Chang to a hell of job with it, even if I disagree with some of the choices. 

How and when did Etta get to Khund?  Well, okay, I suppose spaceship answers the how, but what about the when?  She mentions eating their food, so obviously long enough to eat lunch.  Don’t you think that Diana would notice that her friend is missing?  Don’t you think Etta would question why she was being asked (if she was asked) to go to Khund?

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