Wonder Woman - Dieux et Mortels t.2

Wonder Woman (1987) (Collected Editions) #2

by George Pérez, John Byrne, Len Wein

Après avoir vaincu Arès, le dieu de la Guerre, et Circé, la sorcière mythique, Wonder Woman subit une lourde perte avec le décès d'une de ses amies les plus proches. Elle croise également la route de Darkseid et de Superman, un héros pour lequel elle entretient des sentiments confus.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Wonder Woman, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Fantasy, Fiction

344 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2017

About the author

George Pérez (June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic books artist and writer, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.

Reviews

[Diz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a bright and optimistic version of Wonder Woman with lots of Greek mythology thrown in. While Wonder Woman is optimistic, the stories that surround her are pretty dark. It's that contrast of an optimistic character in a dark world that makes this volume appealing.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting in the late 1980s, George Perez took control of the Wonder Woman series put out by DC Comics, a series that had seriously waned in popularity and was in a horrible slump up to that point. Besides bringing to the series his masterful artwork, Perez also brought a whole new modern reboot to the Wonder Woman mythos and some stellar writing. Originally signed on only for a six-month commitment, Perez ended up writing and drawing for the series for five years. His contribution rekindled an interest in the series, one that continues to this day.

“Wonder Woman, Volume 2” compiles issues 15-24 and Annual #1. In these issues, the Amazonian princess battles the Silver Swan, Circe, Phobos, and Ixion the Assassin. Along with the supervillains, she must also confront her lustful feelings for Superman, sexism in the workplace, drug dealers, atheism, and the god Hermes, who may have a thing for her.

It should be noted that while DC Comics was still primarily targeting comic books to children at this point, some of the issues tackled in Perez’s series aren’t exactly meant for children. I think they are handled deftly and maturely, but these comics are probably only meant to be read by mature young adults. So, parents, use discretion when introducing this series to your kids.

[Gabriel Llagostera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Segundo tomo de los 5 en los que ECC recopila esta etapa tan importante del personaje. Los valores destacados del anterior se continúan aquí, principalmente en la construcción moral de los personajes y el vínculo entre ellos.

Si en el tomo anterior veíamos cómo Diana intentaba construirse como amazona y referente para el mundo humano, en este vemos cómo esa búsqueda continúa, y cómo se extiende también a otros personajes como los propios dioses. La derrota que sufren a manos de Darkseid les hace replantearse su lugar y su poder, adquieren algo de humildad y deciden fijarse más en las amazonas que tanto los idolatran; lo interesante es que se plantean estas cosas luego de perder, por lo que intentan conectar con las cosas que los ponen en un pedestal. Esa soberbia resulta difícil de sortear favorablemente, lo que lleva a las aventuras que vive Hermes en Estados Unidos; allí encontramos esa doble faceta del dios: por un lado acercarse a la gente, y por otro, mantenerse como una figura inalcanzable que merece ser idolatrada.

Los personajes secundarios también tienen su desarrollo y su búsqueda en el mundo, principalmente hablamos de Nessie y su madre Julia Kapatelis, quienes deben lidiar con lo que significó para sus vidas la llegada de Diana y cómo eso afectó el vínculo madre-hija y con sus amistades. Julia también se vuelve un referente para Diana, lo que la pone en un lugar de responsabilidad enorme y que por momentos le cuesta lidiar.

Otro personaje a destacar es la de la publicista de Diana, que protagoniza un excelente episodio en el que podemos conocerla en profundidad; esta historia sirve para destacar un gran valor de la etapa, y es el feminismo que la caracteriza: las mujeres son fuertes e independientes, incluso cuando no responden a lo que una sociedad conservadora pide de ellas. Sin subrayados ni sobreexplicaciones podemos ver eso.

Ansioso por ver cómo sigue esta etapa.

[Alex Sarll]

Another reminder of how good DC could once be, and how idiosyncratic. A book whose default tone is light, airy, classical – but which can then have an issue where a showbiz hanger-on has been killed over a cocaine scandal, which feels a lot more case of the week cop show than Wonder Woman, yet somehow doesn't break the spell. A superhero series which will happily have whole issues without a fight scene, devoting its space instead to more human matters like the moral perils of newfound celebrity, or the interactions of human visitors with the newly-open Themiscyra. It's not perfect, by any means; it feels like Perez is making a sincere effort at doing a female-led book, not least in the way Diana's main supporting cast comprises a middle-aged academic, a publicist and a schoolgirl, none of them remotely sexualised – but equally there are details like her brief schoolgirl crush on Superman, or a slightly heavy-handed explanation of the menopause, which remind the reader that this was written by a man, 30 years ago. Even then, though, when was the last time a superhero book made any attempted to address the menopause, however clumsily? Similarly, the final issue's scenes of carnage in Boston are genuinely terrifying, not to mention geographically specific, in the way conflicts between superhumans in an urban area would be, but in comics too seldom are – yet without collapsing into the revelling in awfulness which can be the other side of that coin. Which said, for all that they're horrible they remain utterly gorgeous at the same time, because everything Perez drew around then was, and when guest artists do lend a hand they're normally on a comparable level – contributors include the likes of Brian Bolland and Art Adams. It's also pleasing how, in a way one doesn't always see with auteur runs on superhero books more recently (hiya, JMS!), Perez can play well with others, and work around the series' existence in a shared universe. So we can visit an Olympus still scarred by Darkseid's onslaught in, if memory serves, Legends – around the edges of which Perez does a little retcon tidying, without suggesting scorn for the whole project. What ensues there ties someone else's plotline neatly back into this book's own concerns, which again is just how this sort of stuff is meant to work, but often doesn't. And I swear Steve Trevor has aged markedly since the first volume, which is possibly something to do with Zero Hour, but it isn't made into such a big deal that one feels one should have read Zero Hour. Which is definitely a good thing, because Zero Hour really was dreadful.

[Rylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

a lot of good stuff this volume. perez wonder woman really was ahead of its time in some ways, it deals with real and dark topics that is relatable to our world. the best thing about this comic is that it understands its audience, wonder woman’s status as a feminist symbol has always set her apart from most superheroes. instead of her stories being about the punching the next bad guy it’s more layered and nuanced. the stories deal with interpersonal drama and serious themes.

i reviewed some specific issues on my legaue of comic geek’s account so i’ll post them here (you should follow me @westviewswanda).

issue 15:

wow this was such a great issue. highlights what makes perez wonder woman so great, the way all of the characters feel very real. silver swan is a character i’m not super familiar with because she’s been pretty excluded from wonder woman’s modern stuff for a while. so i knew nothing about her character going in and ended up coming out with her as one of my favorite wonder woman villains. the way her backstory is explored though her friend leading up to the reveal of her becoming silver swan was brilliant it allowed the reader to feel attached to the character like we were her friend reading the letters, so to see how she succumbed to villainy hit a lot harder.

issue 16:

wonder woman’s villains are at their best when they are tragic. silver swan makes it so hard to you to root against her, obviously what she’s doing is wrong but understanding her backstory and how she’s manipulated makes the whole fight gut wrenching to read. there’s a panel at the end where her friend reads an old letter she wrote that brings me to tears. this is easily one of the best introduction arcs to a wonder woman villain.

issue 19:

circe is such a formidable foe for diana and this arc was a worthy introduction to her character. i might contradict myself because i said in the silver swan introduction that wonder woman villains are at their best when they are tragic but they’re also at their best when they’re despicable. circe challenges everything about wonder woman she’s cold, selfish, and cunning. she relishes in the torment of others, where diana tries to bring peace circe brings discord. the reasoning for her wanting to kill diana actually makes a lot of sense and it’s so interesting seeing the story unfold throughout the issue going from circe’s origins to now. perez’s art is at an all time high this issue i love the way he illustrates circe and her island.

issue 20:

Perez Wonder Woman was truly ahead of its time. This issue tackles so many serious and quiet dark topics that are still relevant to this day. The plot twist at the end is burned in my brain it’s so chilling.

issue 22:

one of my favorite characters from this run is vanessa i feel like this issue perfectly illustrates why. she can be bratty and abnoxus at times but she’s so human and serves as a great contrast to diana. her problems are stuff every teenage girl went through and having diana around uplifts her while grounding diana.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Pérez's legendary Wonder Woman run continues to impress me in this volume, which delves deep into the complexities of Diana's life as an ambassador between two worlds. The heart of this book is Diana's struggle to balance her divine heritage with her life in the mortal world, a journey that sees her navigate the pitfalls of celebrity and the media with grace and honesty.

The caring relationship she shares with the Kapatelis family, Julia and Vanessa, is a major highlight, and they have a powerful moment when they become the first outsiders to set foot on Themyscira. It's a wonderful scene, and we even get tad bits of Diana's past. Some great shit overall.

Beyond the personal growth, Pérez delivers some incredibly strong story arcs. The gritty, grounded murder mystery involving Diana's publicist, Myndi Meyer, is a fantastic change of pace from the typical mythological conflicts and showcases a different side of Wonder Woman's heroism. This arc, along with the exploration of how celebrity can become an overwhelming burden, provides some of the most compelling and nuanced moments in the book.

While the Circe storyline felt a bit drawn out and was perhaps the weakest part of the volume, its introduction of a major antagonist is a key part of the larger narrative.

Ultimately, this volume proves again why this run is SO loved. This is an essential read for any Wonder Woman fan and easily earns a well deserved 4 out of 5 stars.

[Brian Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much as with the other two volumes, its another 8 issues or so of the run with George Perez plotting and penciling, and it's during this time that he takes over for Len Wein on scripts.

All told, George had a good run on Wonder Woman, making an interesting transition on her and her supporting cast from being event characters to being story characters. Let me unpack that: Barbara Minerva is no longer a woman who got cheetah powers and fights with wonder woman because she hates her, but Barbara Minerva has her own extended story about having found the remnants of a cheetah/plant god in Africa and is after Wonder Woman's lasso (made from the girdle of Gaia) for reasons that will eventually be explored. This makes Cheetah a much more interesting character....right up to the point where their story should be concluded but we have to keep using her anyway because Cheetah is one of the top Wonder Woman villains. For now, in the early states of his version of WW, it works like gangbusters. Eventually it will cause problems, but that's an issue for another day.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it wasn't as good as "Wonder Woman by George Perez: Volume 1," but that was to be expected. That was her origin story reimagined, and in my opinion greatly improved over the William Moulton Marston original.
Volume 2 collects Wonder Woman #15 (April 1988) to Wonder Woman #24 (Winter 1988). We spend much less time on Themyscira or Olympus, as most of the stories are set in the "Patriarch's World," specifically Boston and Greece. This makes sense, since these are the homes of Diana's mentor Professeur Julia Kapatelis and her daughter Vanessa (Nessie). I did appreciate that George Perez dedicated so much time to exploring Julia's backstory, especially her link to the Amazon's. In Diana's case, I found that she spent most of this volume trying to understand her continuing mission/purpose as an Ambassador of Peace.
Of all the stories, my personal favorite was Wonder Woman #20 (September 1988), "Who Killed Myndi Mayer?" I also enjoyed the arc featuring Circe, Lord Hermes and Julia and Nessie's time on Themyscira.
4-Stars! I really liked it.

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

No me ha gustado tanto como el primer tomo pero siguen siendo muy buenos cómics, he de reconocer que a veces se me ha hecho duro el "muro de texto" que nos encontramos en algunos capítulos, en especial el que trata de Mindy Mayer, la publicista que promociona a wonder woman.

En todo caso he disfrutado mucho el tomo y espero que ECC siga publicando el material posterior de Pérez, aunque a partir del número 24 ya no se hiciera cargo del dibujo.

[Mercedes]

3.5/5

Almost as lovable as volume one, the beginning and last few issues unfortunately fell slightly flat compared to the rest. That said, this series is still one of the best of the 1980s I've read. The dialogue never feels too copious and the story remains family-oriented (whether the issue revolves around her found family or that of the Amazons).

[Laura Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old WW was just so sincere and fun. when she turned herself into a helicopter propeller? 10/10

[Riley Pilgrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perez continues to knock it out of the park with this run. He understands the importance of a strong supporting cast. Excited to start volume 3.

[Shane Stanis]

There’s so much I love about this book, yet so much that hasn’t aged well. Perez is an excellent story teller, but he really doesn’t know how to write women…which can be a problem in a story almost entirely about women….

[Kaique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way Perez writes Wonder Woman. Her characterisation is one of my favourite things in his run. I enjoy the side characters too. The dialogue and interaction between some of the characters feel a bit outdated at times, but the stories are entertaining enough. This is very heavy in the Greek Mythology which I like a lot. Perez artwork is stunning!

[Brian Poole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonder Woman by George Pérez Volume 2 continues collecting the stories from the auteur’s landmark ‘80s run on the world’s most famous female superhero.

First, Diana contended with the mysterious Silver Swan, a new take on an old villain. Then followed a trip to Greece to visit the family of mentor/surrogate mother Julia Kapatelis that brought Diana into conflict with mythical villainess Circe. The apparent murder of a supporting character provided the impetus for a comic book noir digression, followed by a major change in the status quo of the Olympian gods and Paradise Island taking tentative steps to engage the larger world. A series of vignettes depicting various moments in the history of the Amazons provided a brief respite. Finally, Hermes, in defiance of the other Olympians, returned to the world of humans, where he became a divisive presence before his arrogance led him into an ambush that required Diana’s intervention to set right.

Pérez, working with co-writer Len Wein, continued the course of steeping Wonder Woman as much in fantasy and horror as it was in conventional superhero elements. Classic mythology remained a touchstone, but the series also did rather well with its hardboiled detective detour and even a more conventional “superhero” plot like the re-introduction of Silver Swan still packed some solid twists that made the episode feel fresher than the usual “superhero fights supervillain” action.

Pérez and Wein had a strong grasp of what made Diana tick and continued to get mileage out of her adjustment to the modern world. Diana’s confusing crush on Superman played more like a genuine character beat instead of the reductive fan service it could have been, and the constant tension between Diana’s warrior ethos and mission of peace provided a potent dramatic engine for the action. Julia remained this era’s best contribution to the concept, providing Diana with a trusted confidante and surrogate mother. Vanessa, Julia’s daughter, was a frustratingly realistic portrait of a basically decent teenager whose moods and dramas could be maddening and relatable in equal measure. Old favorites like Steve Trevor and Etta Candy took a backseat for a lot of this stretch, but the writers did some interesting things with Hermes and the re-introduction of Circe was an unqualified success, one of the best makeover jobs of this era.

On the art side, Pérez remained at a peak. Working with several prominent inkers, including Bob McLeod, Dick Giordano and Will Blyberg, plus indispensable colorist Carl Gafford, Pérez did some of the best work of his long career on Wonder Woman. He adapted to the shifting moods of the narrative with graceful fluidity, essaying quiet character moments and fantasy spectacle with equal impact. The artist’s visual re-interpretation of Diana was defining for an entire generation. The new looks for old stand-bys like Silver Swan and Circe were brilliant bits of design work and Pérez was unafraid to adorn his cast in trendy ‘80s couture that looks ridiculous now but still provide a rather accurate time capsule of the styles of the time. Several well-known artists, including Brian Bolland, John Bolton and Curt Swan, jammed with Pérez on the “Tales of the Amazons” collection from Annual #1, giving others a chance to work with the new visual status quo of Wonder Woman to good effect.

For fans of either Pérez or Wonder Woman, this is a collection worth picking up (after you’ve read Volume 1, of course).

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, not quite as thrilling as the first volume but still one of the best takes on Wonder Woman. Perez gets a bit sappy here, as we see Diana and almost every female in the book cry at some point, but whatever. Perez uses a good mix of mythology based stories and conventional super villains.

[Pablo Rodriguez Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hace mucho tenia este Run colgado y por fin pude conseguir la continuación. Sin duda George Perez es uno de mis dibujantes favoritos. El nivel de detalle, pureza y agradabilidad (?) visual que pone en cada uno de sus cuadros, hace que sea una bocado exquisito para el ojo. En este run de WW tambien toma las riendas del guión y pese a que escribe hasta por los codos, logra generar una compenetración mayor con la lectura.
En este tomo hay menos presencia olímpica en comparación con el anterior. Y parece estar mas enfatizado en las relaciones con personajes secundarios de la protagonista. Pero no por ello quedan apartadas cuestiones mas importantes, de hecho son varios los puntos que toca esta recopilación que considero serán importantes en los números por venir. Lease: Presentación de Circe, Migración Cósmica y la apertura por votación de la comunidad Amazona al resto del mundo.
Hacia el cierre del libro tenemos además el desarrollo de una cuestión que a mi al menos siempre me intrigo: como sería tener un Dios caminando entre la gente. Es el caso de Hermes, que totalmente dispuesto a recuperar adeptos se muestra ante el publico y concede milagros. Las reacciones de los distintos personajes a esta presencia divina es impagable. Las cuestiones que plantea para WW en relación a la vanidad, el ego, la distorsión de su mensaje de paz, el "soborno" divino, y otras cosas de índole filosófica, hacen que para mi, el Issue #23 se califique solo con 5 estrellas de 5.
La mitología Griega siempre fue algo que me resulto apasionante, y creo que sin dudas Perez sabe como volcar mitos y nombres en sus historias respetando sus raíces y ofreciendo un poco de su propia creación en el desarrollo. Un laburo impecable.
Por el lado de la edición en si, me parece un gran error no incluir la historia "Mundos Diferentes" del Action Comics #600. Esta historia es clave para comprender el desarrollo posterior a los primeros números recopilados, ya que cierra la idea de la posible relación entre Superman y WW. Y no solo eso! Sino que además cuenta sobre la invasión de Apokolips al Olimpo; hecho que se seguirá nombrando en el resto del tomo y será el disparador hasta la Migración Cósmica. Estuviste flojo ahí ECC.

[steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

going on with depicting female "issues": self-esteem issues, body issues, abusive relationships/ first love/ young love/ dating as a parent/ enjoying sex as a woman, wanting power as a woman, peer pressure, relationships in family, menopause, caring for elderly and sick, raising young, family and career, women in patriarchal structures. above all there seems to be an fascination with the mixing and morphing into each other of love and power: for male and female; god, monster, and human; as submissive, equal, dominant; as compassion/ grief/ emotional numbness/ veneration; and any combination thereof.

the story lines around the female cast are somewhat disconnected, random, and were not all that interesting to me (i don't know the old ww, so i don't know about ww backstory e.g. with superman or darkseid). there was more delving into the different characters' background. less intense than vol. 1, perhaps because the women did not bow to the men this time. although i enjoyed mindy's backstory greatly, the stereotyped caricature drawings of her jewish family made me cringe.

[T.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

She's beautiful and she's magical, so everyone is drawn to her. So we're told in this second, less compelling collection of George Perez's Wonder Woman series. The artwork is classic, but I feel like Princess Diana is never really given a fully fleshed out personality. Instead her stories are about everyone else around her and how she reacts, rather than determining her own fate and purpose. The book also leans a little too much on mythology for my liking rather than delivering new foes, like poor manipulated Silver Swan who appears here briefly. The 80s fashions are superb.

[K.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

peace, love and hope are all abundant in this volume of WONDER WOMAN. there’s new adventures in man’s world and on paradise island for the amazon princess, full of interesting and exciting stories. this volume collects issues 15-24 of george pérez’s iconic run, with amazing artwork (mostly by pérez) and even better storytelling.
to start off the volume, we’re introduced to the silver swan, who’s an interesting foe for diana. this was a great two parter, and i really enjoyed the dilemma diana faced with both the silver swan and the dark side of being a public figure.
the next part is focused on diana’s trip to greece, where she reconnects with her roots while also meeting a dangerous enemy in circe, a powerful witch hell bent on serving hecate (which is fun to read hot off reading absolute wonder woman—where their dynamic is much different). this was my favorite part of the volume, with awesome artwork and a tight, thrilling story.
then, in a shocking development, pérez dives in to a new, more human plot in the issue “WHO KILLED MYNDI MAYER?” putting diana in a more morally challenging and human setting was one of the most interesting parts of this book for me. seeing diana deal with loss was an engrossing new experience.
then, the rest of the book is mainly focused on diana and paradise island’s decision to allow others on their island, along with new issues regarding their pantheon of gods.
i won’t spoil too much, because if you’re reading this you should just go pick up this book immediately. it’s so good and i loved it. it’s not, though, a book without problems. i mainly did not love issue 24 in particular, just because of the rushed nature of it and odd explanations for character behavior.
but anyway, i digress. george pérez continues his definitive run on wonder woman, and it’s fantastic. though not as good as the first volume, this still follows up very well. 4.5/5 stars.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second volume of George Perez's acclaimed run on Wonder Woman brings more of the humanizing quality that made his writing so effective. Most of the book's characters, particularly those central to the overarching story, are believable in their motivations and actions. The world that's featured feels real and lived in.

Where the second volume struggles is in its pacing, which at times is downright glacial. And that's not just a comment on a dearth of action, though there is also that. The book can just be very wordy without much being effectively said or accomplished.

The first Wonder Woman volume was strong in part because it was so tightly focused. Perez was originally offered six issues before his stay on the book was expanded, and it showed, as he had a very specific story to tell and then was able to expand on that story to a more satisfying conclusion.

But by the time of this second volume, we've begun moving in a variety of new directions, and few of them are quite as tight as was the first volume's narrative delivery.

A trip by Wonder Woman and her close friends to Greece is a good example of the book's overall standing. New characters are introduced, some of whom feel human and nuanced. The mystery villain Circe is initially fun and interesting. The overall experience of Wonder Woman visiting what is essentially the site of her heritage is intriguing.

But the arc takes a long time to pay off, the eventual confrontation with the villain involves copious exposition, and the reader is left to wonder whether the pleasing characterizations and lived-in world-building are worth seeing through any further given how laborious it can sometimes be.

This is still a solid volume and likely must-read material for big fans of the character, but it's a step down from previous book.

[Marcelo Soares · Rating 3 out of 5]

King Pérez na Mulher Maravilha.
Primeiro a arte é espetacular, algumas edições aparece um cansaço aqui e ali e uma ou outra incongruência, mas é o Pérez.
Eu diria que há dois eventos particularmente importantes: o surgimento da Circe e a morte da Myndi Mayer, o resto é mais do mesmo; os deuses querem deixar a Terra depois de tomarem uma coça do Darkseid, mas o Hermes resolve ficar para trás e encher o saco da galera, até tomar um tapa de realidade da Julia Kapatelis, também aparece a Cisne Branco pela primeira vez numa história que não faz muito sentido e Themyscira decide se juntar ao mundo dos homens - não tem como dar errado.
Enfim, Diana e Julia vão para a Grécia se metem numa confusão com os Bestiamorfos da Circe numa história bem bacana, os desenhos dos homens feras são muito bons e, claro, a Circe é apresentada como a feiticeira grega mais poderosa desse lado do Mar Egeu e escreveu, não leu, virou castor. Acho que a ideia era, finalmente, dar uma inimiga de verdade para a Diana buscando esse encontro com as raízes mitológicas que é uma marca do Pérez.
Já o assassinato da Myndi serve para tirar a "celebridade fútil" da Diana e dar um tapa de realidade na princesinha; embora a história seja feita num método da moda na época - o relatório investigativo de um policial ou jornalista - o fim meio que estraga a história, o desenvolvimento é bacana, empolga e tal, mas o final é meia boca.
Enfim, é um volume honesto com bons e maus momentos.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Pérez is remembered as a brilliant artist (and rightly so), but the fact that he was a pretty decent writer as well is often overlooked. He plots and/or scripts every issue in this volume, and even though Wonder Woman sometimes feels a little bit too much like a supporting character in her own book, the stories are generally solid.

Every page of the book is just gorgeous to look at, and not in a cheesecake-y way. Pérez draws beautiful women (and men too), but it's never leering or sweaty. He's one of the only artists who managed to make WW's bondage swimsuit costume seem practical and not titillating.

I don’t think it can be overstated just how big a deal it was for Pérez — who was already a legend at this point — to throw his full weight behind Wonder Woman, a character that had never gotten her due in her almost fifty years of existence at that point. This series is why she’s now considered part of DC’s Trinity of heroes. And Pérez’s perception that DC was not making a big enough deal of Wonder Woman’s 50th anniversary is why he wound up cutting ties with the company for a while.

If you’re a fan of the character, or comics history, or just absolutely beautiful draftsmanship, you'll find a lot to enjoy here.

[danireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

i wasn't originally sure about diana being ambassador with a public image and identity as WW and princess of themyscira, but this run definitely changed my mind. it gives her a lot of interesting conflict and plot material to work with, plus it separates her from the falling under the usual "secret identity" trope that clark and bruce already have going for them. it makes her stand out. i also loved the brief whodunnit storyline about myndi mayer. never thought i would be fun to see someone as fantastical as wonder woman in a grounded murder mystery, although i do wish we got more of it.

anyways flew through this one much faster than i thought i would and definitely liked it better than the volume 1, which is hopefully a good sign forward on the rest if this run. 4.25 stars.

[Samantha]

perez' wonder woman continues to be one of the best comics i have been reading. major props for Diana's home base on earth being boston/massachusetts is the best thing ever. the storytelling is classical, but up to date blending modern technology and themes, with mythological characters. has made me realize something interesting about diana is that she has no real secret identity. she is diana, wonder woman. compared to clark/superman who struggles to balance his dual identities/backgrounds and batman who uses bruce as a mask more than balances the two, diana has no double life. makes her stand out in a really interesting way, that this series really pinpoints.

rip myndi mayer, my fav character ever. parker posey NEEDS to play her in something, anything!

[Kole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just classic, fun stuff. Absolutely recommended if you enjoyed the last volume. It's epic, silly, and wordy but worth it all along the way. It's steeped in Greek mythology so it would help to know a bit of that but it's simple enough that anyone can read it and follow along.

As always, this series is beautifully drawn, with the sole exception of the brief couple of sections not done by George Perez which are decent but have some uglier drawings.

Overall, some of the best Wonder Woman you can get. Recommended. 4/5

[Darik · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a wonderful grace and delicate humanity to this run that I'm growing to really love! These tales aren't structured like typical comic book adventures; there's a deliberate pacing that's used to flesh out the supporting cast and create the impression of a thriving, populous world filled with characters who have their own internal lives. It's fitting that perhaps the most humanitarian, empathetic superhero gets to be in a book that seeks out the humanity in everyone around her-- even her enemies.

This run is legendary for a reason.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continues to establish itself as foundational wonder woman and definitive reading, so good! I did a lot of jumping around this collection, specifically at issue 17 when it crosses back over with superman. I included most of my notes on the individual issues:

Issue #15 - 5/11 - 4/5
Issue #16 - 5/12 - 4/5
Issue #17 - 6/4 - 5/5
Issue #18 - 4/5
Issue #19 - 6/5 - 4/5
Issue #20 - 6/6 - 4/5
Issue #21 - 6/7 - 4/5
Issue #22 - 6/8 - 4/5
Annual #1 - 6/9 - 4/5
Issue #23 - 4/5
Issue #24 - 6/10 - 3/5

[Roberto Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bunch of pretty good story arcs, and one-shots wraps up this volume in which Perez is aided by a bunch of the best artists dc had to offer at the time furthering the mythology of the Gods and their transition, WW relationship with his surrogate mother, her people in Themiscyra, and the world of man. A good collection, for the completist in WW history, or just for the ones who like good stories, and some of the best art the 80's can offer.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great, just OK (barely).

Too much Greek mythology, way too much obnoxious teenage girl drama, not enough super heroics. And there is so much narrating and exposition, it was like trying to get through a high school textbook. The faux "classical Greek" speech ('Thee,' 'Thine' 'Thouest,' etc.) is incredibly annoying as well. The George Perez art is fantastic, but that is the only real positive here.