Tim Hanley's Blog, page 22

Women at DC Comics Watch – August 2017 Solicits, 29 Women on 22 Books

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Despite a lack of female creators in several new series, mini-series and one-shots set to premiere in August, representation for women at DC Comics remained relatively strong across their wider range of books. Growth throughout the spring has led to a solid plateau at the publisher, though some changes are on the way that may soon change that this fall. Let’s take a look at who’s doing what at DC this August:

Amanda Conner: Harley Quinn #25 (co-writer, cover), Harley Quinn #26 (co-writer, cover)
Aneke: DC Comics Bombshells #32 (interior art)
Becky Cloonan: Gotham Academy: Second Semester #12 (co-writer), Shade, the Changing Girl #11 (cover)
Carmen Carnero: Detective Comics #963 (interior art)
Cecil Castellucci: Shade, the Changing Girl #11 (writer)
Eleanora Carlini: Green Arrow Annual #1 (interior art)
Emanuela Lupacchino: Scooby Apocalypse #16 (variant cover)
Hope Larson: Batgirl #14 (writer)
Jenny Frison: Wonder Woman #28 (variant cover), Wonder Woman #29 (variant cover)
Jody Houser: Mother Panic #10 (writer)
Julie Benson: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #13 (co-writer)
K. Perkins: Superwoman #13 (writer)
Kamome Shirahama: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #13 (variant cover)
Laura Braga: DC Comics Bombshells #32 (interior art), DC Comics Bombshells #33 (interior art)
Lea Hernandez: Teen Titans Go! #23 (interior art)
Leslie Hung: Shade, the Changing Girl #11 (variant cover)
Lilah Sturges: Everafter: From the Pages of Fables #12 (co-writer)
Marguerite Bennett: Batwoman #6 (co-writer), DC Comics Bombshells #32 (writer), DC Comics Bombshells #33 (writer)
Marguerite Sauvage: Shade, the Changing Girl #11 (interior art)
Marley Zarcone: Shade, the Changing Girl #11 (interior art)
Michelle Delecki: Deathstroke #22 (variant cover), The New Gods Special #1 (interior art, cover)
Mirka Andolfo: DC Comics Bombshells #32 (interior art, cover), DC Comics Bombshells #33 (interior art)
Msassyk: Gotham Academy: Second Semester #12 (interior art)
Sana Takeda: Mother Panic #10 (variant cover)
Sandra Hope: Gotham Academy: Second Semester #12 (inker)
Shawna Benson: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #13 (co-writer)
Shea Fontana: Wonder Woman #28 (writer), Wonder Woman #29 (writer)
Tula Lotay: Everafter: From the Pages of Fables #12 (cover)
Yasmine Putri: The Hellblazer #13 (variant cover)

All together, there are 29 different female creators set to work on 22 different books in August, 2 more women than in July though 1 less book. DC’s hit a decent level as of late, with the number of women on their books ranging from 27 to 31 over the past four months. In terms of both their own past performances and the numbers from their main competitor, this is a relatively good plateau.

It’s not a huge month for new names, though. Leslie Hung and Sana Takeda are the only two here, both of them on variant covers. We haven’t seen Michelle Delecki in a while either, but everyone else has been around recently. This lack of new women, and of new gigs generally, is somewhat odd given how many different series, mini-series and one-shots are scheduled for August. There are 11 new #1 issues, only one of which features a female creator, so that’s a rather dispiriting ratio.

Female characters aren’t a huge part of these new books either. Where they do appear, it’s in group settings; Wonder Woman looks to have a role in Dark Nights: Metal, and Suicide Squad Black Files seems to include Enchantress and Katana. We’ve got a new Mister Miracle book as well that should feature a lot of Big Barda, but her name’s not in the title. There’s also six one-shots that celebrate Jack Kirby, none of which star a female character.

Overall, August looks to be relatively solid for women at DC, but change may be around the corner. One key difference moving forward will be the end of Gotham Academy: Second Semester, which ships its final issue in August. That book has been a bastion for female creators at DC, and we may see its loss reflected in the numbers. The fall could bring even more new books as well, and given how few women are involved with August’s new offerings, that may not be great for the numbers either. We’ll see what the solicits bring. But for now, August is looking relatively strong for female representation at DC, at least.

The Many Lives of Catwoman Moments, Week Six: Secretaries, Sidekicks, and Schemes

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In advance of my new book The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale officially coming out on July 1 (and already available now at several stores and online retailers!), I’ve been posting key moments from Catwoman’s unique history on Tumblr. It’s a random assortment of comic book panels and film stills, some fun and silly, some important and significant, and many that are both. Each offers a sneak peek at all of the different, intriguing incarnations of Catwoman that the book covers. And this week, with the book’s release date so near, we moved from daily posts to two a day, doubling our Catwoman fun!

Last week, the ten moments we looked at included:

Catwoman’s bizarre and lengthy striptease in an animated short film on the Batman: Year One DVD from 2011.
Her return to crime in 1954 after going straight for a few years, and how Batman’s constant surveillance and suspicion was a key factor.
A wet t-shirt brawl with buxom, lederhosen-clad women in the hyper-sexualized 1990s Catwoman series.
The conclusion of Gotham City Sirens in 2011, in which Catwoman sided with her friends Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy instead of Batman.
Catwoman wearing an outdated costume and getting named incorrectly during a guest appearance in The Brave and the Bold in 1976.
Back up strips from Detective Comics in 2001 that led to a relaunch of Catwoman.
Lee Meriwether’s delightful take on Catwoman in Batman: The Movie in 1966.
The introduction of Catwoman’s new sidekick Catgirl in 2010, a fun development for the character that was erased by a reboot a year later.
Catwoman and her cat Isis working together to steal a diamond necklace in Batman: The Animated Series.

And finally, my favourite Catwoman moment of the week as shown above, is Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle in Batman Returns. Her Catwoman was phenomenal, of course, but a big part of what made that villainous turn so good was how well Pfeiffer played Selina as a mousey wallflower as the film began. In just a few short scenes, Pfeiffer captured the secretary’s lonely, downtrodden nature perfectly, added just enough hints of charm to make her later transition into Catwoman a believable change. It was a brand new take on Selina Kyle, and one that could have come off clichéd or tacky in the wrong hands, but Pfeiffer made it work spectacularly, grounding her in a string of sorrows while adding a bit of camp to fit the odd tone of the Burton films. Everyone remembers her fantastic take on Catwoman, but her Selina Kyle was marvelous as well.

You can check out all of the Catwoman moments here, and follow along for more Catwoman fun! Two a day posts will continue for the next few weeks, so be sure to check that out. And you can order the book now as well to learn all about this fascinating feline fatale!

Women in Comics Statistics: DC and Marvel, March 2017 in Review

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My latest “Gendercrunching” column went up at Bleeding Cool a little while back, and March 2017 was an interesting month that solidified some recent trends we’ve been seeing in female representation at both DC and Marvel.

DC’s overall percentage of female creators fell slightly to 16%, marking their fifth straight drop and their lowest total in a year. Marvel rose to 18.5% female creators overall, bringing them to their highest total in nearly a year. Things are heading in opposite directions at the Big Two right now.

We also took a look at the Eisner Award nominees, and while female representation across all of the categories is down from 27.5% in 2016 to 24.7% in 2017, this year’s total is still considerably higher than every year before 2016. It’s a small step down, but women are well represented across all of the categories and are a strong presence in the nomination list, just at slightly lower levels than last year’s record breaking numbers.

Head on over to Bleeding Cool for the full stats and analysis!

The Many Lives of Catwoman Moments, Week Five: Songs, Bells, and Sworn Enemies

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With my new book The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale officially out on July 1 and already hitting some stores and online retailers now, I’ve been posting fun and important moments from Catwoman’s history on Tumblr. The pictures are randomly assorted, comic book panels and film stills from her many appearances across various media over the decades. Some are serious, some are silly, and some are a bit of both, and they offer a look inside all of the fun incarnations of Catwoman that the book covers.

Last week, the moments we looked at included:

Catwoman singing with the “Birds of Prey” in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoon.
The exaggeratedly curvaceous Catwoman of the mid-1990s.
The first image of Halle Berry as Catwoman and how it may have spelled doom for the 2004 film from day one.
Batman nabbing Catwoman and marking a turn toward domestication for the character in the 1940s.

And finally, for my favourite moment of the week we turn to the 1940s again. In Detective Comics #122 from April 1947, written by Bill Finger with art by Bob Kane (supposedly) and Charles Paris, Batman got injured during an encounter with Catwoman. She later captured Robin, and her first question was about Batman’s health and whether he’d been badly hurt. Robin thought that Catwoman was harbouring a crush for the Caped Crusader, though she adamantly denied it and declared, “Of course not! We’re sworn enemies!” But her earlier concerns clearly showcased her true feelings. As much as Catwoman was an unrepentant villain who was wholly dedicated to clever, elaborate heists, she had a soft spot for Batman. She wanted to best him at every turn, she just didn’t want him to get hurt in the process.

You can check out all of the Catwoman moments here and follow along for more Catwoman fun! This week, since we’re so close to the book’s official release, we’re moving to two Catwoman moments a day! And you can order the book now too,And you can order the book now too, and dive into her fascinating history in depth!

Wonder Woman Film Review: A Movie Worthy of its Heroine

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Well it’s finally happened, gang. After decades of watching the boys get movie after movie, we’ve finally got a Wonder Woman solo film. And here’s the good news: It’s really, really good. Great even. Full of heart and action and excitement. It’s far and away the best film from the DC cinematic universe so far and, more importantly, it does Wonder Woman justice and captures the heart of the character well. Let’s dig into it all, first with some spoiler-free general thoughts, and then with full on spoilers after a jump so anyone who hasn’t seen it yet won’t have anything ruined for them.

So gosh, where to start? With Wonder Woman herself, probably. Gal Gadot is pretty much a perfect Wonder Woman. We got to see her for a few minutes in Batman v Superman and she totally stole the show, and now with a show all of her own, she absolutely shines. Gadot captures the heroism and compassion of Wonder Woman so well; she’s fierce when she needs to be, kind when she needs to be, and just has so much heart. She smiles a lot, which is a lovely contrast with the grim darkness that’s dominated other DC movies, and it’s the most earnest and charming smile. It’s Wonder Woman’s smile, really. It’s something that could easily turn corny, but Gadot makes it utterly genuine, sincere, and believable. And while Diana’s got an interesting journey throughout the film, a sort of loss of innocence as she leaves her utopian home and experiences the horrors of war, Gadot does a fantastic job playing this evolution and it’s darker, questioning moments without losing the heart of the character. She’s just so good. I want to see her continue to play Wonder Woman again and again and again.

Holding his own with such a stunning take on Wonder Woman was a tall order for Chris Pine, but his Steve Trevor was excellent. I’m steeped in Wonder Woman comics and very familiar with every incarnation of Steve Trevor, and this was my favourite version of him ever, by a considerable margin. He was written really well; it’s a sidekick/love interest role that keeps the focus squarely on Wonder Woman, and Pine plays it spot on. He’s a tough guy with some skills, but he very quickly realizes he’s no Wonder Woman and is totally okay with that, in part because he’s just kind of in awe of her. Gadot and Pine’s chemistry together is delightful, Pine’s got charm to spare and is also hilarious, and the two of them made for a really winning partnership.

The supporting cast is pretty solid, too. Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright do great work as Hippolyta and Antiope, guiding the film well through it’s early scenes with young Diana. Wonder Woman’s crew in Europe are all fun too, but Lucy Davis’ Etta Candy is a total scene stealer. She’s so funny and enjoyable, albeit underused. I could have done with a lot more Etta Candy! The bad guys were suitably evil, as they should be, if somewhat underdeveloped, but such is the case with most superhero films.

In terms of the directing, Patty Jenkins did a remarkable job. While Wonder Woman had a lot of the beats you expect from a superhero movie, it also had its own unique style and tone. The action was especially spectacular; I’ve never seen fighting like that in a superhero movie, particularly some of the amazing acrobatics we got from the Amazons. They were astonishingly good. I also loved the little touches throughout the film, like the gorgeous, sweeping establishing shots we got for Themyscira, London, and the front. There was a real flair to the film that set it apart from other superhero movies. Jenkins also smoothly married the action and stunning visuals with the emotional aspects of the film. All of the humourous, romantic, and quiet reflective moments rang true, and everything flowed together nicely.

It was just fun to look at, too. Themyscira was so epic and cool, uniquely ancient and breathtaking in its scenery. I want to go to there. A lot of the movie was spent in the cramped confines of London or on the front, all of which was nicely done, but there was a good amount of time spent outdoors in lovely, natural settings that were shot exquisitely. On top of the settings, the costumes were quite striking. Wonder Woman wore an updated version of her Batman v Superman outfit, one that actually had colour this time, and it looked fantastic. All of the Amazons got cool costumes, with everyone wearing something a little bit different but yet thematically similar to the each other. The costumes in the outside world were a little bit drab in comparison, of course, but all of the major supporting characters had their own special look that suited them well.

If I wanted to nitpick, there are a few things I would change. For me, the final fight scene wasn’t quite as cool as the earlier ones and got a bit messy with all of the fire and chaos and CGI. Also, some of the supporting characters got outshone by the leads. To be fair, Gadot and Pine were ridiculously good, but a few folks did fall a bit flat. And there were a few changes to the Wonder Woman mythos I didn’t love, but we’ll save that for the spoilers section.

All in all, though, it was a great movie. Well executed on every level, so much fun, and most importantly, true to who Wonder Woman is and what she means to so many fans. I loved it. Now, that being said, I’m not sure that this is the movie they should have made. Setting the film in World War I was a big change that made a lot of elements very different from what we usually get with Wonder Woman, and while it was all done well and a lot of those changes were interesting, I don’t think it was the best showcase for what is great about Wonder Woman. Don’t get me wrong, it was an excellent showcase for Wonder Woman, but in an intriguing alternate universe way rather than a relevant, modern way. An origin set in the present day could have been more resonant and more reflective of the character, her past, and what she means, especially in terms of tackling modern women’s issues rather than poking fun at sexist attitudes that are a century past. I get that the film is what it has to be given the existing framework of the DC cinematic universe, and it succeeds triumphantly at that, capturing the heart of the character beautifully. I just think that setting up Wonder Woman as this older, wise superhero who predates Batman and Superman limits her in certain ways, and I’d rather see this young, plucky Wonder Woman dealing with the modern world, rather than the more experienced, somewhat world-weary Wonder Woman we seem to be getting with Batman v Superman, the framing device of Wonder Woman, and what we’ve seen from Justice League thus far. But so long as Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, it’s absolutely a Wonder Woman worth watching, and Patty Jenkins and the whole team did an amazing job making this new setting and backstory work for the character and stay true to who she is.

Let’s move on to some spoilers now, after the jump!

And we’ll  add a little more space just in case anyone didn’t notice we’re in SPOILER territory now.

SPOILERS!

COMING UP NOW!

HERE WE GO!

We’ll just run through these in point form, to keep things simple:

So we got the daughter of Zeus origin, which, ugh. However, I appreciate that they didn’t dwell on it too much. It was a thing that was hinted at a bit, later revealed, and then the film kept rolling on without much drama. I don’t love the lightning powers, though. I think they’re goofy and not very Wonder Woman-ish, and I hope we don’t get too much of that moving forward.
New origin for the Amazons in a lot of ways too, with the dead gods and Zeus setting them up on Themyscira. The Zeus focus is not my jam, because I like it when it’s the female deities. Also, the lack of the classic Hercules narrative is a bit of a downer too, just because I love the old school origin. It’s not a bad origin, though; we’ve seen much worse.
Diana leaving Themyscira on her own rather than winning the tournament is a change I actually did like. The tournament is classic and iconic, but I think that what’s central to that narrative is Diana taking her destiny into her own hands by entering the tournament even though she’s forbidden to. Her deciding to leave on her own captures that same spirit.
I followed all of the Wonder Woman news really closely, so the Ares reveal was spoiled for me by some article at some point a while back. Thus I can’t really grade the twist of it all, since I knew it was coming. I didn’t much care for him in the role, though. Or rather, once he was full on Ares. Initially, the speechifying and such in his British lord guise was kind of interesting. He just didn’t have the physicality for the fighting, and the armour and everything wasn’t the best. It was all too much CGI for me.
Poor Steve!! I figured that something bad had to happen for her to be largely out of commission for the next hundred years, so I was worried going in it might be Steve, and it was. But it was a good death and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that even in the face of losing the man she loved, with the evidence of the horrors of mankind all around her, Diana still stayed true to herself and chose love over war. “I believe in love” was such a perfect line because there’s the Steve bit, of course, but there’s obviously something much deeper to it than that. Loved that so much.
It would have been fun to get to know the Amazons a little bit better. I know that we had the rest of the movie to get into, of course, but what we saw of them at the beginning was so good and fun and left me wanting so much more.
Gal Gadot IS Wonder Woman in a way we just haven’t seen from the other leads in the DC cinematic universe. Everyone’s going to have to seriously up their games in Justice League or she’s going to blow all of those poor boys out of the water (again).
I would 100% watch a sequel where Diana and Etta got super into the suffragette movement but also just hung out a lot and had fun times.

The Comic Books To Read After You See Wonder Woman This Weekend

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Wonder Woman is hitting theaters tomorrow, with early showings tonight (I’M GOING TO SEE IT TONIGHT AND I’M SO EXCITED I CAN’T EVEN DEAL WITH IT), and soon lots of new Wonder Woman fans are going to be wondering what to read next. While I definitely suggest my book Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World’s Most Famous Heroine, I’ve also put together this list of comic collections that I think best capture the history and the spirit of the character. Start here, new Wonder Woman enthusiasts! You’ve got so many fun comic book adventures head of you.

Here is the list, in chronological order:

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The Wonder Woman Chronicles, Volume 1 , written by William Moulton Marston, art by H.G. Peter

It’s always good to start at the very beginning. While Wonder Woman’s early outings are also collected in Archive and Omnibus formats, the Chronicles line is the cheapest option. Marston and Peter imbued Wonder Woman with a unique brand of feminism that was central to the character from day one, and a lot of the core cast and elements in these comics have remained key to Wonder Woman for more than 75 years. The stories are often wacky and fantastical, but that’s part of the charm.

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Wonder Woman by George Perez, Volume 1 , written and drawn by George Perez with others

We’re jumping a few decades here, but while Wonder Woman comics were interesting at times in the Silver and Bronze Age, they’re more deeper cuts than Wonder Woman 101. Perez’s relaunch of the character, though, was hugely influential, and remains a touchstone today. Even though it was a total reboot, in many ways it was a modern update of the original Wonder Woman that stayed true to her feminist core. And with fantastic art by Perez, these stories still hold up thirty years later.

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Wonder Woman: Paradise Lost , written and drawn by Phil Jimenez with others

While there were lots of good arcs in Wonder Woman in the 1990s and 2000s, this collection is my personal favourite. The “Gods of Gotham” storyline is just good fun; Batman, the Joker, and Poison Ivy get taken over by gods and Wonder Woman has to sort things out. It’s great. “Paradise Lost” is strong as well, but “She’s a Wonder!” is the best of the bunch, teaming up Diana and Lois Lane in a story that highlights the strengths of each character and shows the respect DC’s two leading ladies have for each other.

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DC: The New Frontier , written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke

This isn’t a Wonder Woman comic specifically; pretty near everyone in the DC universe stars in this story, which is set in the 1950s and explores the dawn of a new era of heroism. But Wonder Woman’s scenes in the book are ALL spectacular. She confronts both Superman and President Eisenhower, assembles a female army in Vietnam, and comes back from a major injury to lead the charge against a foe that threatens the entire Earth. Every single moment with Wonder Woman is fantastic and the rest of the book isn’t too bad either.

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Sensation Comics featuring Wonder Woman, Volume 2 , by too many folks to list but they’re all great

We’re getting into recent stuff now, because the past few years have been an embarrassment of riches in terms of great Wonder Woman stories. Any volume of Sensation Comics could be on this list, really. They’re all standalone stories by different creative teams, and the majority of them are great. But this volume is probably the best one. Standouts include James Tynion IV and Noelle Stevenson’s tale of a young Wonder Woman visiting the outside world for the first time, and Lauren Beukes and Mike Maihack’s adorable tale of make believe. They’re all pretty fun, though.

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DC Comics Bombshells, Volume 1: Enlisted , written by Marguerite Bennett, art by Marguerite Sauvage and more

This is another ensemble book, and it’s just so much fun. The series is a retelling of World War II with DC’s female superheroes fighting the evil magical forces of the Nazis. No male superheroes are involved at all, and heroines like Batwoman, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman take center stage. It’s empowering and action packed and true to the characters, especially Wonder Woman, while being something totally unique and different. It’s also super queer, in all of the best ways. Few books capture the spirit of Wonder Woman as well as this.

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The Legend of Wonder Woman, Volume 1: Origins , written and drawn by Renae De Liz with Ray Dillon

I’m doubling up on recent World War II retellings here, but it can’t be helped. Both are just too good to pick only one. And this one is all about Wonder Woman, starting with young Diana growing up on Paradise Island and following her as she eventually leaves the island to save the world. It spends a lot of time with the Amazons, which is always fun, plus Etta Candy is a key player in the book, too. Also, it’s absolutely stunning. The art is lush and gorgeous and perfect for the era and the story. Do yourself a favour and check out this outstanding book.

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Wonder Woman, Volume 2: Year One , by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott

Greg Rucka has penned several excellent Wonder Woman stories, but this is far and away his best. It’s a modern retelling of Wonder Woman’s origins that draws from past incarnations of the character while simultaneously doing something fresh and exciting. And it’s straight up gorgeous, too. Nicola Scott was born to draw this book, and the heart and beauty she puts in every panel is an amazing thing to behold. This volume is the perfect gateway to the current Wonder Woman series, and is one of the best Wonder Woman stories ever told.

So definitely dig into all of these great collections! Most are still easy to find in print, and anything that’s not is available digitally (plus the bulk of them are on sale right now at Comixology!). And after you’ve checked out these books, keep digging! Wonder Woman’s got a fascinating history with more than 75 years of great comic books, and there are so many other fantastic volumes out there.

Wonder Woman Annual #1 Review: A Delightful Assortment of Tales!

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Annuals are tricky comic books. They cost more than a regular issue, so readers expect some extra bang for their buck. They also tend to be disconnected from the ongoing arc(s) in the main series, so it’s easy for readers to question their relevance. An annual is an expensive collection of standalone stories, most of which aren’t by the usual creative team, and it’s never a surprise when they invariably sell fewer copies than the series’ regular issues do. I know I’ve skipped all sorts of annuals over the years. But this one I was excited for. It’s a “Year One” reunion  with Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott back together, and that alone is worth the price of admission. So much so that I’d completely forgotten who else was in the book, to be quite honest. Those stories turned out to be fun as well, though! I mean, there’s one where Wonder Woman plays fetch with a kaiju. That’s quality entertainment. We’ll get to it all, but first:

SPOILER ALERT!!

I am about to reveal important details from this very enjoyable comic book!

Do yourself a favour and go buy it now!

The first story is “And Then There Were Three” by Rucka and Scott. It was nice to have them back together after their stellar “Year One” run, and it was also great to have Rucka writing Batman and Superman again. He’s done fantastic work with both characters in the past, and in his hands they just felt right. DC’s trinity has been a little off kilter for me since the New 52 relaunch in 2011, and Rucka writing all three of them took me back to the characters as I know them best.

While the story tied into “Year One,” it didn’t have anything in the way of surprising revelations or information that added a key piece to the larger mysteries that have swirled throughout the “Rebirth” run. It was tangential, the story of Wonder Woman’s first meeting with Batman and Superman, but wow is it good. There are no big fights or drama, just great banter and a perfect distillation of their group dynamic. Superman teasing Batman is a dang delight, Alfred and Lois Laneare in the mix and amusingly so, and the end of the story, with Batman in awe of the pure heroism and love for the world at the core of Wonder Woman, is a great moment.

Plus it’s absolutely gorgeous. I wish Nicola Scott could draw Wonder Woman forever, and that Romulo Fajardo Jr. would be her eternal colorist. Scott has such a good handle on Wonder Woman, and captures her beautifully. She’s no slouch with Batman or Superman either! The entire story is exquisitely drawn from start to finish, from Metropolis to the Batcave to the Nevada desert, and makes for a wonderful opener to the annual.

Up next is “In Defense of Truth and Justice” by Vita Ayala and Claire Roe with colors by Jordie Bellaire. Ayala is an up an coming write at DC, and Roe is fresh off a run on Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. Their story pits Wonder Woman against the forces of Markovia as she works to save King Shark from an undeserved execution. I always love when Wonder Woman defends a villain who, though guilty of various crimes, is being treated an unfairly and needs help. These tales capture the compassionate core of the character, and Ayala and Roe do that well here, with some excellent action in the mix too. It’s a well executed story all around, with a great ending in which Wonder Woman tries to set King Shark on the right path moving forward with the help of one of her aquatic friends.

“The Curse and the Honor” by Michael Moreci and Stephanie Hans is just so pretty. The story itself is fine; the location is unnamed, but it looks like Wonder Woman is in a Japanese village, where she gives a warrior who has absorbed vengeful spirits the honourable death he deserves. But the art is stunning. Stephanie Hans always delivers amazing visuals, and this story is no exception. It’s a heavy tale, set in the winter so that Wonder Woman and her red cape appear in stark contrast to her surroundings. The art is lush and pretty, not so much finely detailed as atmospheric and moody. It is lovely all around; bringing in Stephanie Hans on this one was a very smart move from DC.

Continuing the Japanese influence, the final story is “The Last Kaiju,” written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing with art by David Lafuente and colors from John Rauch. As a giant kaiju approached a city on the Pacific coast, A.R.G.U.S. wants to light it up but Wonder Woman swoops in to deal with it directly. After a bit of fisticuffs, she ties it up in her golden lasso and learns that it’s not some mindless monster but a lost and lonely creature. Wonder Woman then defends the creature, flies it to Dinosaur Island where it can make friends, and they all play catch with a giant log. It’s cute and fun and again captured Wonder Woman’s compassionate core. Just like with King Shark, Wonder Woman willingly put herself in harm’s way to defend someone that no one else thought was worthy of defending. That’s always a great message for a Wonder Woman comic, and it’s nicely executed here.

All together, this was a pretty swell annual and definitely worth picking up. I came for Rucka and Scott’s take on DC’s trinity, but everything else was enjoyable as well. Plus it was great to see a wide variety of art styles and tones in the stories. It was an eclectic mix that all worked together to celebrate Wonder Woman’s heart and heroism. With the Wonder Woman movie coming just days from now, this is a fitting book to have on the shelves for new or returning fans.

The Many Lives of Catwoman Moments, Week Four: Disguises, Escapes, and Heartbreaks

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My new book The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale is officially out on July 1 (though it looks like Amazon and other retailers may be shipping them out already, so you can go nab one now!), and in advance of the book’s release I’ve been posting moments from Catwoman’s history on Tumblr. It’s a random assortment of important and amusing snippets of Catwoman’s past that offer a look inside the book and the myriad depictions of Catwoman throughout the decades that are discussed in it.

Last week, the moments we looked at included:

The introduction of Catwoman’s Latina heritage via her mother, Maria.
Bruce Wayne’s distrust of Selina Kyle when they dated in the late 1970s.
Catwoman’s recent kiss with Eiko Hasigawa that made the character canonically bisexual.
Lee Meriwether’s Catwoman disguised as Russian reporter Miss Kitka in Batman: The Movie.

And finally, my favourite moment of the week, which comes courtesy of Batman #1 way back in the spring of 1940. Written by Bill Finger with art by Bob Kane, the debut of Catwoman, then known as the Cat, ends in a memorable way that coloured her relationship with Batman for the next eight decades. After she was captured for trying to steal a diamond necklace, the Cat boldly suggested she and Batman team up to become the king and queen of crime. Batman didn’t go for it, but he was clearly intrigued by her, so much so that he let her escape. He took her to shore by Bat-boat instead of leaving her at the scene of the crime, then impeded Robin when the Cat inevitably made her escape. When Robin called him out on it, Batman denied it all, but he was clearly infatuated with her. This affection would be a constant throughout all of her subsequent appearances, always giving Catwoman a leg up on Batman because she was the one criminal he had a soft spot for.

You can check out all of the Catwoman moments here, and follow along for more Catwoman fun in the weeks to come! And you can order the book as well and enjoy an in depth look at everyone’s favourite villainess!

Wonder Woman #23: The Truth is Finally Revealed

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With Greg Rucka’s time writing Wonder Woman nearing its end, all of the threads are starting to come together now. This week was the finale of “The Truth,” then we’ve got an annual next week, the finale of “Godwatch” two weeks later, and then one last issue that wraps everything up in Wonder Woman #25 two weeks after that. So basically, we’re a month away from the conclusion of one of the best Wonder Woman runs ever. It’s sad, but at the same time it’s always felt like a story that has a definite end. There were questions to be answered, and now that we’re getting the answers it’s clear that things will wrap up in a satisfying way that adds fascinating new dimensions to the Wonder Woman mythos. We’ll dig into the finale of “The Truth” momentarily, but first:

SPOILER ALERT!!

I am about to discuss EVERYTHING that happens in this issue!

Look away if you haven’t read it yet!

Wonder Woman #21 left us somewhat puzzled. The issue ended with Wonder Woman and Veronica Cale finding Ares, but he didn’t at all seem like the Ares we’d encountered in “Year One.” That first Ares was all angry bluster, decked out in armor while talking in fiery proclamations and demanding respect and obedience. This new Ares just looked like a pretty chill, friendly dude, so what was up? That mystery, and several others, were solved with this issue.

We quickly learned that the first Ares was Phobos and Deimos impersonating their father, and that the second Ares was the true Ares, who’d been imprisoned beneath Themyscira all along. After he was consumed by war and driven mad, Aphrodite had locked up Ares in chains forged by Hephaestus and tasked the Amazons with watching over his prison. This was the first step in what became “The Lies,” or Diana’s false memories of her home after she left Themyscira; the location of Ares’ prison was such an important secret that the gods not only wiped away all memories of her true home but also created a false reality lest she seek to understand the hole in her memory. Ensuring that Ares was never freed again was paramount, and keeping the location of Themyscira hidden was key to that, thus the deception.

But Wonder Woman isn’t a normal mortal, so of course she eventually realized that something was up. I like that despite all of the gods working together to create this elaborate ruse, Wonder Woman still found the truth. The gods feared her strength of purpose from the beginning and did their damnedest to keep her in the dark, and even against these odds she figured it out. Or, in short, nevertheless she persisted. Sounds like Diana to me.

The revelations in this issue brought everything from the past year of Wonder Woman together tremendously well, and looking back we can see Rucka’s full plan unfolding. The truth behind the lies was a clever, intricately plotted mystery, and I can appreciate why it took so long to finally get the answers we were so hungry for when the book began. All four arcs weave together to get us to this point where finally everything makes sense. It was very well executed and smartly done, but beyond all of that it’s a conclusion that pays respect to Wonder Woman’s history and sets her on a new path that embraces key elements of her past.

With Ares’s imprisonment and Wonder Woman’s handling of Phobos and Deimos, we see the Marston era’s focus on love and submission. Ares didn’t find peace through the binding of some magical chains; he found it through Aphrodite and her ability to see through his madness and love his true self. So too did love help Wonder Woman, as her compassion and forgiveness allowed her to overpower Phobos and Deimos, the embodiments of terror and panic. They came expecting a fight, and instead found an acceptance that they’d never known, which overwhelmed them and eventually freed them. And, just like their father wearing Aphrodite’s chains, this freedom came through binding, via the lasso in this instance.

Meanwhile, the notion of Themyscira as a gateway and the Amazons as its guardians dates back to the Perez era. Liam Sharp underscored this reference when he drew the Amazons coming out of the water, just as they were created in the second Wonder Woman #1 way back in 1987. Both Nicola Scott’s and Sharp’s take on Ares were clearly inspired by Perez’s designs as well, and we can see similar touchstones with both of their takes on the Amazons.

So we can see the Marston and see the Perez, yet at the same time this take on Wonder Woman is something new as well. Rucka’s borrowed old elements and reshaped them into a new status quo for Wonder Woman, the Amazons, and the mythos as a whole. We’ve still got a few issues to go, but at present it looks like the Amazons will remain separate and hidden from the outside world to keep Ares at bay. Phobos and Deimos may be defeated, but there is no shortage of fools who wish to unleash war upon the world. If the interaction between Diana and Hippolyta at the end of the issue is the last we see of them together for some time, it’s a heartbreaking and powerful moment to close on.

And yet, there is hope. Because she was split between our world and Ares’ prison, Veronica’s daughter Izzy can’t re-enter the world. But since Themyscira is connected to Ares’ prison, she can live there among the Amazons. The daughter of Wonder Woman’s greatest enemy living with her family when she can’t is a brilliant stroke on several levels: On the one hand, she has what Wonder Woman desires most, but on the other hand she’ll be away from her mother and raised by her mother’s nemesis’ family. It’s a move that stings both Wonder Woman and Veronica, yet at the same time one they seem to know is for the best. Wonder Woman knows that Themyscira must stay hidden, and it seems that Veronica knows that perhaps she’s not the best influence. Furthermore, having a human girl among the Amazons maintains a link to the outside world, one that could conceivably lead to a larger reconnection some day.

Overall, Rucka and Sharp have wrapped up “The Truth” very well and explained the major mysteries behind their run on Wonder Woman in an excellent fashion. There’s still a lot of story left to tell here, but the core question of the run has been solved in a clever, satisfying manner. I’m curious to see how everything shakes out over the next few issues before this run concludes. If this issue is any indication, Rucka and his fine artists will stick the landing nicely.

The Many Lives of Catwoman Moments, Week Three: Pop Stars, Heists, and Wonder Woman

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My upcoming book, The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale, will be out on July 1, and in advance of its publication I’ve been posting memorable moments from Catwoman’s history over on Tumblr. They’re all randomly assorted and run the gamut of her many appearances across various media over the years, and go up once a day, Monday to Friday. It’s a fun, bizarre assortment of stuff, and offers a look inside all of the interesting things that will be covered in the book.

Last week, the five moments we looked at included:

Catwoman’s love for pretty things and her penchant for vengeance in her 1990s series.
Julie Newmar as Catwoman on the 1960s Batman TV show, along with her sidekick, Pussycat, played by pop star Lesley Gore.
Catwoman’s second ever appearance in 1940, in which she escaped Batman with ease yet again.
The first animated incarnation of Catwoman, voiced by Jane Webb, on the The Batman/Superman Hour in the late 1960s.

And finally, my favourite moment of the week! As you can see at the top of the post, it’s Catwoman facing off against a depowered Wonder Woman during her mod Diana Prince era in Wonder Woman #201 in July/August 1972. It was an odd time for both characters; the mod era was a well-intentioned but poorly executed attempt to make Wonder Woman a more relevant character, while Catwoman had been largely benched at this point after the collapse of Batmania in the late 1960s as DC moved away from the villains associated with the TV show. So the duo ended up paired together in the mountains of Eastern Asia, both of them looking for the same artifact and ultimately pitted against each other in a fight to the death after they were captured. But they decided to work together, freeing themselves from their perilous position over the fire pit and defeating their captors before heading off into a different dimension to rescue a friend of Diana’s.

You can check out all of the Catwoman moments here, and follow along for even more Catwoman fun in the weeks to come! The Many Lives of Catwoman, is coming soon, so be sure to pre-order it now!