WONDER WOMAN #36

Warkiller, Part 1 of 4:  Heart Of Fire

November 2009

Written by Gail Simone

Pencils by Aaron Lopresti

Inks by Matt Ryan

Cover by Aaron Lopresti and Bernard Chang

Synopsis

Last night, Diana (aka Wonder Woman) and Tom Tresser (aka Nemesis) discuss their romance.  When they realize they want different things, they break up.  The next morning, Diana feels the need to let out some aggression.  When she sees Doris Zuel (aka Giganta), she attacks.  However, Giganta doesn’t fight back, telling Diana she was waiting for her date.  On Themyscira, Achilles and Akylone are officially married and designated King and Queen.  Meanwhile, Diana and Doris discuss their relationships.  As they are talking, Pele interrupts to tell Diana that Zeus has called to his champion.  Pele warns Diana to remember her vow.  Later, Diana meets Achilles on the field of battle.  She tries to stop the war.  When he refuses, the two fight.  Diana wins the battle and orders Achilles to stand down.  He refuses and tells Diana she will stand down instead, because he has the tactical advantage.  He has her mother.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was a fairly decent issue with Diana trying to come to grips with the loss of her boyfriend on top of the loss of her heritage, her sisters, and her Gods.  I like the direction Simone is taking the character as Diana is continually being tested regarding her place in the world.  This issue continues more of the same themes and while I like the overall feel of the book, I think the structure and execution doesn’t quite work.  Where I think the issue falters is that too much emphasis is placed on the conversation with Nemesis.  It takes far too long (and repeats itself far too many times) to get where it needs to go.  Because of this the conversation with Doris and the confrontation with Achilles get shortchanged.  While I would have liked to have had more “girl talk” with Doris, I think the Achilles scene definitely lost out.  I like Achilles.  He is not being portrayed as simply the villain, but rather a complex, confused man who is being led around by the Gods.  In many ways he is much like Diana and I wouldn’t be surprised if Simone continues to explore that theme, but to do so, she is going to need more space than we have here. 

It is hard to imagine Diana doesn’t have someone to talk to other than Giganta.  Granted both Superman and Batman are not approachable, but certainly Etta Candy or Donna Tory or even Dinah Lance from last issue would be reasonable people (and women) whom Diana has a close bond with to discuss what is happening. 

What is exactly going on with Achilles and the various armies that are following him?  Besides the Olympians, there also appear to be human soldiers, complete with modern guns and tanks.  So, that makes it a combination of armies standing in the middle of the Amazon, but who is standing with Achilles is not explained.  Achilles mentions he is fighting a “larger, aggressive nation from conquering a smaller one.”  I suppose the identities of the countries are not that important, but it would’ve been nice to see how and why Achilles is leading his army.  It is slapped into the comic with no exposition and as such it confuses the scene a little bit. 

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