Tim Hanley's Blog, page 28

Wonder Woman #11 Review: “The Lies” Are Sort Of Exposed?

I’m a day late with this Wonder Woman review; I was on the road all day yesterday and didn’t get a chance to read the book until today. I’ve been really looking forward to this issue, though. Last month’s Wonder Woman #10 finally took us to Themyscira and, shockingly, it was the brutal home of the New 52 Amazons rather than the utopian home of the current “Year One” arc. Clearly some shenanigans were afoot and it looked like the conclusion of “The Lies,” i.e. this week’s issue, would give us a few answers about what’s going on with Wonder Woman. As it turns out, we didn’t really get any answers. Yet, anyway. The next arc of the odd-numbered issues is called “The Truth,” and presumably we’ll find out what’s really going on there. But for right now, we’ve got confirmation that there was a very big lie going on in the “The Lies.” That’s cool and all, but dang this is a slow burn story. We’ll dig into it all momentarily, but first:

SPOILERT ALERT!!

I am about to tell you everything that happened in this issue!

Go buy it for yourself and read it first!

Get it on Comixology if your shop is closed for Thanksgiving!

So here’s the big reveal: The New 52 Amazons are not the real Amazons. This has been pretty obvious since Rucka took over the book, between the arc being called “The Lies” and the completely different version of the Amazons we’ve been seeing in “Year One.” That it took six whole issues to confirm what has been rather clear for the past six months makes this a bit of an unexciting conclusion to the arc. When Wonder Woman tearfully realizes “This is not my home” on the issue’s last page, I’m sure most readers responded, “Yeah, we know. This is old news.”

Look, I absolutely LOVE what Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott are doing in “Year One.” It’s amazing, and will definitely go down as one of the best Wonder Woman stories of all time. But “The Lies” is not as good. And having read the whole arc now, nor is it very good on its own merits. It’s not bad by any means. It’s just fine. Okay. Decent. There were some good moments, but it’s been SO SLOW. This issue is a perfect case in point. It was immediately clear that this Themyscira was not Wonder Woman’s real home. I mean, we’ve known that for months, but even within just this issue itself, we knew something was wrong straight away. And it took Wonder Woman the entire issue to put it together. There was a lot of discussion, a lot of explaining what we’d already seen and put together. Comics are supposed to be show and tell, but this issue was a whole lot of show and then tell. And tell and tell, until the last page sets up a new arc to give us the story that we all expected to get in this arc. It’s all so drawn out, and the arc as a whole has been kind of a frustrating read.

Luckily, the interminable Wonder Woman storyline was supplemented by Etta Candy being a super bad ass. When we saw Etta realize that Sasha Bordeaux was a spy in the preview released earlier in the week, I assumed that this, like everything else in the arc, would be a slow building side story. I was wrong, and happily so. Etta goes right after Sasha, tracking her to her drop off with Veronica Cale and confronting Cale and her evil hounds. It’s so much fun. Etta is resolute and fearless, taking on Cale directly. When Cale arrogantly thinks she’s played her ace in the hole by bringing in Sasha to attack Etta, Etta just shoots Sasha straight in her cybernetic head and forces Cale to move to Plan B. The side story ends with the dogs coming after Etta, and we don’t know how that confrontation ends. Given how tough she is, my money’s on Etta, but Etta going missing would probably make for better story fodder. It could go either way. Regardless, it was nice to have something actually happen and have part of this arc progress at a solid clip.

I really don’t have much else to say about this issue apart from that I was hoping for a lot more, and that’s how I’ve felt about this arc as a whole. It was an arc that tried to do several things; re-introduce Barbara Minerva, Etta Candy, and Steve Trevor, along with the organization they work for, as well as setting up the Big Bad and Wonder Woman’s false history. That’s a lot of balls to juggle, and it wasn’t handled with much finesse, particularly not with the skill I expect to see from veterans like Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp. Again, it’s not a bad arc. It just took its sweet time and didn’t really deliver the story it promised.

Hopefully “The Truth” will proceed with more focus and direction. There were lots of good bits in the “The Lies,” especially the characterizations. Rucka knows how to write Wonder Woman and her friends, and does so enjoyably. Just somewhat meanderingly in this run. And the art is pretty solid as well. It felt like Sharp got a bit bogged down midway through and the art suffered for it, but over the past couple of issues it’s felt like he’s found a good balance between his hyper-detailed style and the constrictions of hammering out 20 pages a month. Laura Martin’s colors are gorgeous as well. In this issue especially, she makes some dull, exposition-heavy pages visually striking with some cool color choices. All of the pieces are in place for the odd-numbered issues of Wonder Woman to be great and rival the heights of the even-numbered outings. The writing just needs a bit of urgency and excitement rather than a slow, wandering burn.

Wonder Woman’s February 2017 Covers and Solicits

This February looks to be another busy month for Wonder Woman and her wider world, both in terms of single issues and some fun new collections. It continues to be an excellent time to be a Wonder Woman fan; the movie on the horizon really seems to be ramping up comic production at DC. So let’s take a look at what Wonder Woman is up to in February 2017, starting with her own series:

WONDER WOMAN #16

Written by GREG RUCKA • Art and cover by BILQUIS EVELY • Variant cover by JENNY FRISON

“GODWATCH” part one! Since the moment Wonder Woman arrived in our world, Godwatch has been waiting. But who are they, and what do they want? Diana’s journey to the truth continues with the origin of what may prove to be her greatest enemies.

On sale FEBRUARY 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

WONDER WOMAN #17

Written by GREG RUCKA • Art and cover by LIAM SHARP • Variant cover by JENNY FRISON

“THE TRUTH” part two! As Wonder Woman picks up the pieces of her shattered psyche, Barbara Ann Minerva walks into the devil’s lair to defend her…or is she being led into Godwatch’s trap?

On sale FEBRUARY 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

How great is that Bilquis Evely cover? She did a spectacular job on the Barbara Ann Minerva special issue last month, and I’m so excited that she’ll be taking over the odd-numbered issues for “Godwatch” after “Year One” ends. Nicola Scott is going to be a tough act to follow, but Evely’s already shown that she’s got the goods to hold her own. We’ve got some gorgeous comics in store for us.

In terms of the plots, it will be fun to dig into Godwatch and find out what they’re all about. We know a few of the players now from “The Lies” but clearly there’s something large and sinister at work here. As for “The Truth,” the solicit is a bit vague, but I enjoy that Barbara is remaining a key player in the book. Between her and Etta, it’s great to see Wonder Woman have some female pals.

Onto the always gorgeous Trinity:

TRINITY #6

Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL • Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL • Variant cover by BILL SIENKIEWICZ

“Better Together” part six! The horror that kept our heroes trapped in nightmares of their own making is now loose in the world, and it’s taking possession of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman! When the spawn of Mongul holds the keys to the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe—no one is safe!

On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

I love this book. I’ve only read the first two issues, but they’re so stunningly gorgeous. The story is a lot of fun too. It’s kind of a chill team up, with the three heroes just being pals. I’m super into it. And it sounds like it’s building to something quite epic. Manapul’s knocking it out of the park so far with this series, and I’m looking forward to where it’s going.

Next up, The Odyssey of the Amazons:

THE ODYSSEY OF THE AMAZONS #2

Written by KEVIN GREVIOUX

Art by RYAN BENJAMIN and RICHARD FRIEND

Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN

In the frigid lands to the north, Hessia and her Amazons find new allies: a band of Norsemen led by none other than Jon, the Viking Prince. Meanwhile, their captured Amazon sisters learn of the fate planned for them by Groa, Queen of the Storm Giants. And as Hessia and Jon prepare to launch a rescue, a new faction appears! Will these new players prove to be friend or foe?

On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, 2 of 6, $3.99 US • RATED T

There’s still a lot of question marks on this one, and it very much feels like a book that should have come out a few years ago, before Rucka and co. revamped the Amazons. But still, it’s Amazons vs. Storm Giants, and that could be cool. We’ll see how it goes. Hopefully the book is a pleasant surprise.

We’ve also got Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77:

BATMAN ’66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN ’77 #2

Written by MARC ANDREYKO and JEFF PARKER

Art by DAVID HAHN and KARL KESEL

Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED

Bruce Wayne is only ten—and he’s already being hunted by Nazi soldiers and Ra’s al Ghul’s mysterious League of Shadows! Join the chase as he makes a discovery vital to his bat-future and watch what happens when Wonder Woman comes to the rescue!

On sale FEBRUARY 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST

The comic appears to be picking up on the split nature of the Wonder Woman TV show; the first season was set in World War Two, while the second and third picked up in the 1970s. So we’ve got young Bruce interacting with season one Wonder Woman here, which is very cool. This is such a clever way to merge these different universes. I’m really looking forward to this series.

Finally, there are a couple of cool collections on the way:

WONDER WOMAN AND THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA VOL. 1 TP

Written by DAN VADO and CHUCK DIXON

Art by MIKE COLLINS, KEVIN WEST, RICK BURCHETT, MARC CAMPOS and others • Cover by MIKE COLLINS and JOSE MARZAN JR.

In these never-before-collected stories from the 1990s, Wonder Woman takes over as leader of the Justice League of America, whether Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle like it or not. Acting at the behest of the United Nations, the team must respond to a human rights crisis in a remote African nation, only to find the populace under the thumbs of the super-powered Extremists. The team then must jet to Norway, where the young superhero called Ice struggles to keep the nation out of the hands of her older brother. Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA #78-85, JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA ANNUAL #7 and GUY GARDNER #15.

On sale MARCH 15 • 264 pg, FC, $24.99 US

I often forget about Justice League America and Wonder Woman’s time leading the team, and I’m an expert on the character! Everyone remembers Justice League International and Morrison relaunching JLA, but in between that Justice League America ran for a long time and Wonder Woman was a key player. It’s very cool that this run is getting collected; it’s a fun period of Wonder Woman’s history that sometimes gets overlooked.

We’ve also got more collected George Perez:

WONDER WOMAN BY GEORGE PEREZ OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC

Written by GEORGE PEREZ and others • Art by CHRIS MARRINAN, JILL THOMPSON, COLLEEN DORAN and others • Cover by CHRIS MARRINAN and GEORGE PEREZ

Following the events of INVASION, Wonder Woman and Captain Atom must locate the missing Steve Trevor, while the citizens of Themyscira witness the arrival of a new man on their island. This volume also includes the origins of both Cheetah and Silver Swan, the appearance of a lost tribe of Egyptian Amazons and more! Collects WONDER WOMAN #25-45 and ANNUAL #2.

On sale MAY 10 • 552 pg, FC, $99.99 US

I was hoping that DC would continue their omnibus collection of Perez’s Wonder Woman run past the first volume, and they are! Nearly two years after the first collection, but oh well. It’s continuing on, and that’s exciting, plus it bodes well for a third omnibus to finish the run. Save your pennies and clear some shelf space because this is going to be expensive and massive.

Well, that’s quite a month! It’s nice to have a slew of new Wonder Woman comics to look forward to.

Wonder Woman #11 Preview: Etta Candy’s On The Case!

When we last left Wonder Woman in “The Lies” she’d returned to Themyscira and found the Hippolyta and Amazons of the New 52 era rather than the ones we’ve been seeing lately in “Year One.” It was a surprising reveal, and one that had been a long time coming. “The Lies” has been a very slow burn, and now finally we’re digging into the heart what’s really going on. Adventures in Poor Taste has a preview of Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp’s Wonder Woman #11, the finale of this storyline which is out this Wednesday, but Themyscira is nowhere in sight. It would be a disappointment if the scene we got instead didn’t center on Etta Candy being a bad ass spy:

Oh dang, Sasha Bordeaux, you are in trouble now! Etta Candy is wise to you. Veronica Cale and her Godwatch group seem to have access to the Picket via Sasha (who is more machine than human, really, and thus hackable; it doesn’t seem like she’s a willing accomplice here or in her previous appearances) and she’s helping them with their fiendish plans. But now Etta is wise to her, which does not bode well for Sasha. I mean, look at that stare down.

I love that Etta Candy is a key player in both arcs of Wonder Woman right now, though I’m guessing that her investigation will take a backseat to Wonder Woman’s adventures for the rest of the issue, and will be a slow build sidestory until it all comes to a head in dramatic fashion months down the road. The book is called Wonder Woman after all, not Etta Candy: Traitor Buster. Though I would totally read that book, too.

Wonder Woman #11 will be available in stores and online this Wednesday, and maybe we’ll finally figure out what “The Lies” are? The last issue showed that something is clearly off on Themyscira, and if you’re looking for a further tease, Liam Sharp posted a spread from the book that shows a troubled Steve and an angry Hippolyta. I’m very curious to see how this all plays out!

Cover Reveal For New Wonder Woman YA Novel, Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

We can all add another fun Wonder Woman property to our 2017 calendars! On top of the Wonder Woman movie coming out in June, there’s also a YA novel starring a young Diana set to hit bookstores on August 29, 2017. It’s called Wonder Woman: Warbringer and it’s written by Leigh Bardugo, the New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows. You can see the lovely cover above, and here’s a description of the book with some comments from Bargudo, courtesy of Bustle:

“Diana means so much to so many people,” Leigh Bardugo tells Bustle. “That’s definitely daunting, but it’s also why I took on this novel in the first place—because I love her, too.”

In Bardugo’s tale, Diana is a girl on a mission to prove herself to her warrior sisters. But when the opportunity arises, she throws away her shot at glory and breaks Amazon law to save a mortal — a mysterious girl named Alia Keralis. But as Diana will quickly learn, her brash act could lead the world to doom and destruction.

Because what Diana doesn’t know is that Alia is a Warbringer, a direct descendant of Helen of Troy, and she is fated to bring about bloodshed and misery. Diana and Alia must stand together against their enemies — some of whom to destroy Alia; others who want to claim her for their own.

“I was brought on to tell my version of Diana’s evolution as a hero, and it’s been pretty thrilling to try to pull that off,” Bardugo says. “I don’t really think it’s about taking liberties, because there’s a varied canon already. I came to the project knowing I wanted to keep some essential elements of Wonder Woman lore intact, and that I wanted to preserve the strength and kindness at Diana’s core. But I also knew I had my own story to tell and my own spin I wanted to put on her mythology.”

I’m certainly intrigued. We’ve had a few comic book stories lately with a teen Diana that have been a lot of fun; James Tynion IV and Noelle Stevenson’s fantastic Sensation Comics tale springs to mind, as does Wonder Woman: The True Amazon. And, of course, the many Silver Age adventures of Wonder Girl. Bardugo seems to be doing her own thing here, which I’m down for. Wonder Woman’s canon is in disarray as of late, and I’m curious to see what she brings to the table in terms of establishing a new take on Diana for prose readers.

The mythology angle sounds fun, too. Diana tends to work well with a mortal buddy, and Wonder Woman facing off against destiny should be a blast. I’m excited to see her defend her new friend and prove the fates wrong. Wonder Woman’s not the type to just bow to some vague curse; if she believes in someone, she’ll have faith that they can overcome whatever past and baggage they’re saddled with, and that could make for both a good read and a good message.

I’m not familiar with Bardugo’s work, though I’m certainly going to check out a few of her books now in advance of Warbringer. The last time I did such a thing was when Gwenda Bond was announced as the writer of a Lois Lane YA novel, and that certainly worked out spectacularly. I tracked down her earlier work and enjoyed it immensely, and then her Lois novels were amazing. Fingers crossed that Bardugo’s work is just as fun. I know that Bond and several other writers I follow speak very highly of her work, which is a great sign.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer won’t be out for a while yet, but you can pre-order it now if you’re a keener. It looks like it’s going to be a fun way to cap off the summer; I’m certainly looking forward to kicking back with the book on Labour Day weekend and enjoying some Amazon fun.

Wonder Woman #10 Review: The Heroine We Need When the World is Dark and Full of Terrors

The world is a much more troubling place than it was yesterday. I was looking forward to reviewing the new Wonder Woman comic the day after Hillary Clinton became the first female president in American history; it would have been joyous. But that didn’t happen. The pollsters were wrong, white America is a callous, cowardly group, and Donald Trump is going to be the next President of the United States. Even though I watched it happen last night in real time, it still felt unfathomable when I woke up this morning. I’m lucky to live in Canada, where we’ve got a government that respects and supports all of its citizens, but I’m worried for all of my  American friends, especially the people of colour, LGBTQ+ folks, members of different religions, and those who need access to solid healthcare. They’re frightened, and rightfully so. The next four years could be very difficult for them.

It is, oddly enough, even more appropriate to read the new Wonder Woman today, in this dark environment. We need heroes to inspire us, and a queer immigrant woman who fights tirelessly on behalf of others is exactly the kind of heroine this day calls for. For those likely to face persecution and the revocation of their rights, Wonder Woman’s resilience and strength can be a beacon of hope. For those who might be broadly unaffected but want to stand with, support, and fight for those who are, Wonder Woman’s relentless compassion for others is an ideal model. Wonder Woman is the hero we need right now. America, if you can’t have a Wonder Woman in the Oval Office, at least you can have a legion of Wonder Women in the streets standing up for what’s right.

Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott have delivered a delightful issue that highlights the unique heroism of Wonder Woman, and I’m excited to talk about it, but first:

SPOILER ALERT!!

I am about to reveal everything that happens in this issue!

Do yourself a personal favour and go read it first!

It will cheer you up! It’s so dang good!

When last we left “Year One” way back in September, Wonder Woman was given powers from the gods and easily busted her way out of the military brig she was being held in. Now, with the military’s inability to hold her obvious to all, Steve Trevor talks his boss into letting her go out for a day trip. Diana, Steve, Etta Candy, and Barbara Ann Minerva go to the mall to expose Diana to the wider world. She is shocked by the noise and the crowds and how the air tastes different, but she loves it all. Diana even makes some new young friends, despite her limited language capabilities. It’s all very cute and enjoyable.

Just when the gang discovers that they’re all able to communicate with Diana if they hold the golden lasso, their fun day out gets interrupted by a shooting at the mall. This is the scene that we need most today: Wonder Woman’s powers are new to her, and she doesn’t actually know what they are, but she leaps into action nonetheless, without a thought for her own safety. In a moment spectacularly illustrated by Scott, she sees a terrorist about to shoot at her new, young friends and she rushes toward them. With speed she didn’t know she had, she arrives just in time to stop the bullets, deflecting them with her bracelets in a gorgeous double page spread.

Now, we can’t deflect bullets. We’re not superheroes, nor are we blessed with powers from the gods. But when we see something bad happening, when we see someone threatened, we can step in and try to help. And, just like Wonder Woman, when we do, we might discover powers and abilities that we never knew we had. We don’t know what we can do until we try, until we put our beliefs and our values and our heart to the test, and the next several years might require a lot of that.

The action continues for the rest of the issue, with Wonder Woman and Steve stopping the attackers and ending their assault. We also get an interesting reveal at the end of the issue: The terrorists are part of the Sear Group, which Steve has been tracking, and they are marked with the black tree that poisoned Diana back on Themyscira in Wonder Woman #2 and that Barbara saw on her travels last month in Wonder Woman #8. Something bigger is clearly afoot, and it ties into the Amazons and perhaps the gods. It seems that Steve’s arrival on Themyscira and Diana’s journey to the world of men was not just a chance turn of events.

As the issue closes, we’ve got a mystery to be solved over the next two issues, and I’m curious to see who is behind all of this. Even better than that, the story gave us a break from the world around us, hopefully one that encourages and fortifies its readers. Things look bad today and they feel even worse, and reading a comic book might seem like a silly thing to do when the world is on fire. But there’s a reason superheroes have been around for 75 years. There’s a reason Captain America punched Hitler in the face and Wonder Woman left Paradise Island to battle the Axis before America even declared war on Germany. Superheroes can do the things that we can’t, and they inspire us to do the things that we can. Stand up for yourself and for those around you, work together to stay safe, and believe that the future can be better if you fight to make it so. Don’t stand on the sidelines. Be a Wonder Woman.

The New Wonder Woman Movie Trailer Looks Ridiculously Cool

I’m starting to get really excited about this, gang. I know I’ve been burned by superhero movies before, several times in fact, but dang does Wonder Woman look like it’s going to be a cool movie. This new trailer, released yesterday, is an absolute blast and leaves me so keen for more. Warner Bros. and Patty Jenkins still seem to be in tease mode here; it’s the second trailer, but it remains light on details. Still, we know a little bit more than we did before, and perhaps we can start to make some educated guesses.

First off, it appears that Dr. Poison could to be one of the villains, and I’m assuming that she’s the lady with the partial face appliance. Showing gases that can eat through a gas mask is a good indicator, plus the World War One setting makes a lot of sense given the terrible toxins used in the trenches during the war. If this guess proves true, it could be a very fun choice. Dr. Poison is a classic Wonder Woman villain that should fit well in her new setting. And I’m guessing we’ll get a second, likely mythological villain in the mix, probably Ares, though to my eye the trailer seems inconclusive on the mythology front.

Also, Steve Trevor’s arrival on Paradise Island may not be a solo affair. His crash landing appears to be followed by a German invasion of the Amazons’ home. I’m not super up on my World War One history, but that rowboat is named “Schwaren” (or some such; it’s blurry), which seems rather German, and I googled their uniforms and these fellows look similar. That’s an interesting twist on the classic Steve Trevor arrival.

And DANG does the battle that ensues look SUPER COOL. I can’t wait to see all of this on the big screen. That swinging Amazon flying down from the cliff? Amazing. It looks like at least one Amazon is going to die in the attack, presumably leading to Diana departing the island and going to help fight the war.

Paradise Island looks rad, by the way. That long shot with all the buildings and such looks great. There’s a definite style to the place that feels ancient and classic while being unique at the same time. I like everything I’m seeing on Paradise Island so far.

In Europe, we basically get a whole lot of Wonder Woman kicking ass, which is a blast. She deflects SO MANY bullets. I love it. Also, that alley way attack looks like it might be an homage to Superman: The Movie, which is delightful. All of the action is awesome, and also not at all generic, which I’m glad to see. Wonder Woman appears to have a unique fighting style, and the action looks well shot and choreographed. I’m very into it all of it.

The trailer hints at the Diana/Steve romance as well; we’ve got a near kiss between Gal Gadot and Chris Pine that should have fans of their relationship very excited. And, just like with the first trailer, Lucy Davis’ Etta Candy steals the show at the end, this time with her enthusiasm for fisticuffs. She seems poised to be the film’s break out character.

I will say, yet again, that I’m still not sure on the World War One setting. As much as I loved the trailer, this is not a setting we’ve ever seen for Wonder Woman before and that feels a little bit weird. Also, Diana clashing with the gender norms of 1917 is amusing and all, but I’d much rather have a Wonder Woman who pushes the boundaries of our modern world rather than a world a century past when women couldn’t even vote yet. It’s not hard to look progressive and tough a hundred years ago.

Nonetheless, this is a fantastic trailer and I enjoyed it like crazy. Everything looks so fun and exciting and rad, and my already astronomical keenness for the movie has now grown even more. If Wonder Woman can deliver on all of the promise its shown in the two trailers so far, it’s going to be a heck of a film. And it’s only seven months away now! I can’t wait.

Women at Marvel Comics Watch – January 2017 Solicits, 33 Women on 23 Books

Marvel’s female creator representation is set to take a small step back to begin the New Year, but after a record setting December a bit of a drop was to be expected. The fall is slight, and well within the ballpark of Marvel’s recent highs through the fall. While another record breaking month would have been a good time, this is nonetheless a solid start to the year. Let’s take a look at who’s doing what at Marvel in January 2017:

Afua Richardson: Black Panther: World of Wakanda #3 (cover)
Alitha E. Martinez: Black Panther: World of Wakanda #3 (interior art)
Amy Reeder: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #15 (cover, co-writer)
Becky Cloonan: The Punisher #9 (writer)
Brittney Williams: Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat! #14 (cover, interior art)
Elizabeth Torque: Captain America: Steve Rogers #9 (cover), Hulk #2 (variant cover), The Mighty Captain Marvel #1 (cover), The Unstoppable Wasp #1 (variant cover)
Elsa Charretier: The Unstoppable Wasp #1 (cover, interior art)
Emanuela Lupacchino: The Unworthy Thor #3 (variant cover)
Erica Henderson: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #16 (cover, interior art)
G. Willow Wilson: Ms. Marvel #14 (writer)
Gurihiru: Gwenpool, the Unbelievable #10 (interior art)
Helen Chen: Silk #16 (cover)
Irene Strychalski: Silk #16 (interior art)
Jenny Frison: The Mighty Captain Marvel #1 (variant cover)
Jody Houser: Max Ride: Final Flight #5 (writer)
June Brigman: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #16 (variant cover)
Kamome Shirahama: Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #3 (cover)
Kate Leth: Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat! #14 (writer)
Kelly Thompson: Hawkeye #2 (writer)
Margaret Stohl: The Mighty Captain Marvel #1 (writer)
Marguerite Sauvage: Star-Lord #2 (variant cover)
Mariko Tamaki: Hulk #2 (writer)
Natacha Bustos: Black Panther: World of Wakanda #3 (variant cover), Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #15 (interior art)
Natasha Allegri: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #16 (variant cover)
Nicole Perlman: Gamora #2 (writer)
Nik Virella: All-New Wolverine #16 (interior art)
Robin Furth: Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three – The Sailor #4 (co-writer)
Roxane Gay: Black Panther: World of Wakanda #3 (co-writer)
Sara Pichelli: Spider-Man #12 (cover, interior art)
Stacey Lee: Gwenpool, the Unbelievable #10 (cover)
Stephanie Hans: Ultimates 2 #3 (variant cover)
Veronica Fish: Spider-Woman #15 (interior art)

All together, there are 33 different female creators set to work on 23 different books at Marvel in January, 4 fewer women than in December and 2 fewer books. December was a huge month, though, and January’s numbers are in the upper range of where Marvel’s been for the past six months. While going even higher and perhaps even reaching 40 women for the first time ever would have been rad, Marvel’s not there quite yet. Instead, the publisher is holding steady with some decent numbers.

January’s not a huge month for new women at Marvel, though. Everyone listed above is a regular or a returning favourite who’s done something for them recently. It’s nice to see that Marvel has such a solid group of women regularly in the mix, though it’s always good to see some new names.

It’s not a big month for new female-led titles either, though there are a couple. After an introductory #0 issue in December, The Mighty Captain Marvel officially starts with a #1 issue, and we’ve also got the debut of The Unstoppable Wasp. I’m particularly excited for the latter because Elsa Charretier is on art, and I’m a big fan of her work. There are some ladies involved in new team books, too, including U.S.Avengers and Avengers #1.MU, which ties into Marvel’s new “Monsters Unleashed” event.

Overall, it looks like 2017 will be off to a nice start for Marvel. The publisher only had 20 women on 14 books at the start of 2016, so they’ve grown well over the course of the year and so far they seem set to continue in the same vein moving forward. Women still remain a small minority of creators overall, but representation is growing. Hopefully 2017 will bring even more record breaking months for Marvel.

Women at DC Comics Watch – January 2017 Solicits, 26 Women on 24 Books

After a strong run to close the year, female representation at DC Comics looks to be taking a bit of a step back to start 2017. The January solicits have DC’s lowest number of female creators since last August, a disappointing start to the year after the publisher posted some of its best numbers ever in November and December. Let’s take a look at who’s doing what at DC Comics in January 2017:

Amanda Conner: Harley Quinn #11 (cover, co-writer), Harley Quinn #12 (cover, co-writer)
Becky Cloonan: Gotham Academy: Second Semester #5 (co-writer), Shade, the Changing Girl #4 (cover)
Cecil Castellucci: Shade, the Changing Girl #4 (writer)
Elena Casagrande: Vigilante: Southland #4 (interior art)
Emanuela Lupacchino: Green Lanterns #14 (variant cover), Green Lanterns #15 (variant cover)
Hope Larson: Batgirl #7 (writer)
Jenny Frison: Wonder Woman #14 (variant cover), Wonder Woman #15 (variant cover)
Jody Houser: Justice League of America: Killer Frost Rebirth #1 (co-writer), Justice League of America: Vixen Rebirth #1 (co-writer), Mother Panic #3 (writer)
Joelle Jones: Shade, the Changing Girl #4 (variant cover)
Julie Benson: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #6 (co-writer)
Kamome Shirahama: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #6 (variant cover)
Laura Braga: DC Comics Bombshells #21 (interior art)
Marguerite Bennett: DC Comics Bombshells #21 (writer), Detective Comics #948 (co-writer), Detective Comics #949 (co-writer)
Marguerite Sauvage: DC Comics Bombshells #21 (cover), Justice League/Power Rangers #1 (variant cover)
Marley Zarcone: Shade, the Changing Girl #4 (interior art)
Mingjue Helen Chen: Mother Panic #3 (variant cover)
Mirka Andolfo: DC Comics Bombshells #21 (interior art)
Msassyk: Gotham Academy: Second Semester #5 (interior art)
Nicola Scott: Wonder Woman #14 (cover, interior art)
Pia Guerra: The Hellblazer #6 (interior art)
Sandra Hope: Gotham Academy: Second Semester #5 (inker)
Shawna Benson: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #6 (co-writer)
Stephanie Hans: Batman #14 (cover and interior art), Raven #5 (cover)
Tula Lotay: Everafter: From the Pages of Fables #5 (cover)
Vita Ayala: Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Amanda Waller #6 (co-writer)
Yasmine Putri: Justice League/Power Rangers #1 (variant cover), The Hellblazer #6 (variant cover), The Odyssey of the Amazons #1 (variant cover)

All together, there are 26 different female creators set to work on 24 different books at DC this January, 7 fewer women than in December though 1 more book. It’s a dispiriting drop, though not wholly unexpected. A string of strong months is inevitably followed by a drop. If we’ve learned anything in tracking these numbers it’s that it’s an up and down game. And while 26 women is low relative to the past four months, it’s higher than several of the months before that, and above DC’s abysmal start to their “Rebirth” relaunch in which they could barely muster 20 women a month. So it’s a big drop, to be sure, but the end result is a performance that’s fairly middle of the road for DC in terms of the past year.

Part of the reason for this drop is a lack of new faces. Everyone above is someone we’ve seen recently at DC, most of them in the same gig as last month, and while it’s wonderful that they’re all back, the numbers grow best when there are new people in the mix in new places. We’re also missing a few books in January; Vertigo’s offerings are pretty slim, including no Clean Room, and Mariko Tamaki and Joelle Jones’ new Supergirl series seems to be taking a month off already. December was also bolstered by a oneshot holiday special, and there are no such festive celebrations scheduled for January.

However, we do have a couple of oneshots with female characters and a female co-writer. Killer Frost and Vixen are both set to be part of the new Justice League of America, and they’re getting special introductory issues co-written by Jody Houser. The rest of the new books are fairly light on female characters, though Wonder Woman is co-starring in Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77, which should be a blast, and she’ll be a part of the Justice League/Power Rangers crossover comic, along with a couple of other female members on both teams.

Overall, DC looks to be starting 2017 in a rather run of the mill way. They’re down from their 2016 highs but up from their 2016 lows, a decidedly average beginning to the New Year. Hopefully the numbers will continue to grow as the year progresses. The January solicits were pretty quiet, and with a second round of “Rebirth” on the way we might see some shake ups in the creator ranks very soon.

Wonder Woman #9 Review: Paradise Found?

I can’t not comment on this cover again, even though there’s lots of other stuff to dig into in this issue, because Steve Trevor looks like a straight up creeper. I said it when they first released it in the solicits and I’m saying it now; this is a very offputting cover. The dude is wigging me out. This is not the best way to advertise what is otherwise a pretty decent comic book, and one of the best installments of “The Lies” so far. It still doesn’t hold a candle to any of the “Year One” issues, all of which have been spectacular, but it’s a good outing for Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp that finally gets the ball rolling on what “The Lies” actually are. After four issues of the slightest of teases on “The Lies” front and a whole lot of Cheetah/Urzkartaga adventuring, things are finally happening! We’ll discuss them all, but first:

SPOILER ALERT!!

I’m about to full on ruin this whole issue!

Look away if you haven’t read it yet!

Don’t spoil yourself!

Let’s start at the beginning: Everyone’s back in America and the lengthy African escapade is done. Steve Trevor is filing his report, and Diana, Etta, and Barbara Ann are going shopping because Barbara’s been freed from her Cheetah guise and, presumably, has lost track of her wardrobe over the past several years in which she was a cat-creature and didn’t need any clothes. Even better, everyone’s finally talking about “The Lies.” They’re using satellites to try to locate Themyscira, and contemplating exactly where/how it exists. Apparently, it doesn’t have a literal location so much as a spiritual one, so the trick to finding it is to track down a spot where the divisions between the literal and spiritual world is thin.

Which they do! And the book ends with Wonder Woman returning to her mother and her home. The only problem is that it’s the blonde Hippolyta with the violent, awful Amazons from the early years of the New 52. Diana’s happy to see her mother, but it’s clear that something is amiss. First, the skies are all cloudy and red and violent, which is always an ominous sign. And second, Steve looks super confused. These are not the Amazons that  Steve remembers at all. We’ve saw his time with the Amazons in the new Wonder Woman #2, and it was a bright, happy place with lovely buildings and lots of colour and a brunette queen. This brutal looking place is not the utopia that he remembers.

Wonder Woman, on the other hand, remembers both, and potentially several other of her incarnations as well. Her memory’s gone screwy, and her past is a blur in her mind. While she’s glad to see her mother now, it seems likely that everything’s going to go sideways next month as we get to the heart of what’s really happening with “The Lies.”

The issue also introduced a few other interesting developments. First, Veronica Cale is back! She’s a villain that we really haven’t seen much since Rucka’s last run on Wonder Woman, and I’m glad to see her facing off against her Amazon foe again. Veronica still doesn’t care for Wonder Woman at all, and looks to be plotting to take her down. We only get a couple of pages with her, so I’m not sure what her involvement is in the weird CIA group that Steve, Etta, and Sasha Bordeaux work for. She might be running the whole show, or she may have a mole on the inside that she’s using for intel and to manipulate things. Time will tell. Whatever the case, Veronica Cale is involved on the inside, and that doesn’t bode well for Wonder Woman at all.

Luckily for Wonder Woman, this bad news is tempered by a bit of good news: She and Steve are getting romantic again. They have a lengthy discussion about their relationship over the years and her recent dalliance with Superman, and it all ends with a kiss, so it looks like those two crazy kids are finally together. I’m ambivalent on this development, really. Steve is fine and all, and this is a classic pairing, but the two of them together have always lacked a spark for me that other signature comic book romances capture so well. Lois Lane and Superman are often dynamite together, as are Catwoman and Batman (or Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne), but Diana and Steve are okay at best. There’s just not a lot of excitement there, but perhaps Rucka will be the writer that finally sells me on them together. I do love what he’s doing with Steve in “Year One,” though it’s somehow not translating into “The Lies” Steve, who’s been a bit flat. Also, that goatee is terrible. Plus that creepy cover. Maybe with a shave and something more to do than be captured, Present Steve will grow on me and I’ll like him as much as I do Past Steve.

Ultimately, there was a lot going on in this issue, and the bigger story of “The Lies” is finally moving forward. The book still exhibited several of the weak spots that we’ve seen previously in this arc, though. For one thing, it’s still very slow. And needlessly so; that two page spread of Wonder Woman greeting folks in the mall seemed unnecessary. Naming all of the stores after past Wonder Woman creators was cute, but I don’t think that scene needed 10% of the issue’s real estate. On the plus side, Sharp was more on top of the art this month. The visuals were far less inconsistent than the past couple of outings, and there were some nice panels in the mix. It might be his most consistent outing since Wonder Woman #1.

I’m excited to see where the story is going next, which is a first for me reading “The Lies.” At the end of previous issues, I was mildly curious about where things were heading, but there wasn’t a lot of immediacy to the cliffhangers and when the next issue rolled around I wasn’t clamouring to read it. But now, I’m very much looking forward to Wonder Woman #11. We’re finally digging into “The Lies”! And I hope we get some answers soon.

Lynda Carter was on Supergirl Last Night, and it was THE BEST

The second season of Supergirl has been off to a great start on The CW, continuing all of the joy and brightness of its first season. There’s nothing I love more than happy superheroes, and having Supergirl and The Flash on back-to-back nights is such a delightful way to start the week. The move to The CW hasn’t been entirely painless, though; Calista Flockhart is no longer a regular cast member, and her Cat Grant was a key part of the first season. But Supergirl has been working hard to counter her absence with an array of new, rad female characters, including the President of the United States, played by television’s first Wonder Woman. Lynda Carter.

It’s always great to see Lynda Carter, and having her on a female-led superhero show is just perfect. Even more perfect: Her character’s name is Olivia Marsdin, in what has to be a subtle shout out to William Moulton Marston and Olive Byrne, the creator of Wonder Woman and his live-in partner who influenced Wonder Woman’s creation. It’s a nice nod to Wonder Woman’s roots, and the first of several such references.

Also, a female president is timely given the current American election. Doubly so given that Supergirl observes, “How did anyone even vote for that other guy?” It seems that in both our world and the world of Supergirl, a woman ran against some dude who couldn’t hold a candle to her.

President Marsdin comes off well throughout the episode, and she definitely espouses the kindness and acceptance we’d expect from a former Wonder Woman, particularly in her Alien Amnesty Act. Earth is lousy with aliens on Supergirl, and the President wants to give them the same rights that humanity enjoys. And she’s got a big fan in Supergirl, who loves her from the get-go. Her excitement before meeting the President is straight up the cutest, and her affection for the President only grows after they meet. When Supergirl is excited about someone, you can’t help but like them even more.

Wonder Woman fun was sprinkled throughout the episode. When President Marsdin talked to Hank about her Amnesty Act and said, “I can think of no better time than the present to extend our hand in friendship,” my mind immediately leaped to this panel from Wonder Woman #25 in which Gail Simone penned what’s become a classic Wonder Woman line:

I might be reading too much into the line, but it sprang to my mind instantaneously when I heard Lynda Carter say it.

We also get a classic spin move! When an angry alien bent on attacking the President lit Supergirl on fire, she put herself out with a spin:

In what is clearly a reference to Wonder Woman’s iconic quick change spin move:

And, in my very favourite moment of the entire show, after Supergirl mentions how cool it was to see Air Force One, the president replied:

I mean, come on. How great is that?

Now, it wasn’t all fun and games with President Marsdin. But first:

SPOILER ALERT!!!

The end of the episode revealed a hidden side to the President. Namely, it looks like she’s an alien, with some shapeshifting abilities; her entire face distorted for a second into a distinctly non-human guise. She could be an alien double impersonating the President, or maybe the President’s been a deep cover alien all along! Either way, that’s definitely going to spell trouble. I’m curious to see where this startling reveal goes.

END SPOILERS!!!

President Marsdin wasn’t the only fun new character on tonight’s Supergirl. It was a cavalcade of awesomeness throughout the entire show: Mon-El finally woke up, Detective Maggie Sawyer popped in and had INSTANT chemistry with Alex, and Miss Martian revealed herself at the end of the episode. This season of Supergirl is adding a slew of fun new supporting characters, and I love the direction it’s going in.

I’m not sure when we’ll see Lynda Carter back on the program again. So far, I don’t think a return date has been announced, but given that reveal at the end of the show, I think it’s a safe bet that she’ll be back. Hopefully they’ll fit even more fun Wonder Woman references into that episode, too.