Wonder Woman #51 - Discussion & Spoilers

[Nyssane]

This was the best Wonder Woman since Rucka's.

The story was short yet poignant. As we've seen from the solicits/preview, it picks up where Shea Fontana's run left off in terms of the villain Mayfly. She's in Slabside Prison in Antarctica. Diana takes to visiting her, but she's initially met with hostility. Nevertheless, Diana continues visiting with her and talking to her. Mayfly reveals she's most angry that Diana thinks of her as weak and unworthy of a warrior's death. Over time, Mayfly begins trusting Diana and opening up to her.

However, on the 24th visit, Diana comments that she feels it's good that Mayfly is finally open to bettering herself. Mayfly takes it the wrong way and attacks, and Diana's response is sharply, "No. After this long, Moon, I respect you... But I do not fear you." Mayfly has an epiphany after hearing Diana say she respects her and apologizes.

The two continue having visits and Mayfly obviously enjoys the company. On the 51st visit, Diana seems distant. Inversion the Inside-Out Man (a very obscure one-off villain from the Silver Age, kudos to Orlando!) attacks. Diana had put him away years ago and he wants revenge. He gets a shot on Diana and then begins choking her, but Mayfly saves her. Mayfly later asks why she was too distracted to take out Inversion who she normally could've taken out easily. Diana reveals her aunt Astarte who had trained her had died while defending the Amazons from Hades. She can't even return home to mourn with her sisters. Mayfly was the first person she told. On the 52nd visit, Mayfly leaves the prison and is greeted by Diana.

Thoughts:

Loved the issue! The art took some getting used to, but I ended up really enjoying it in the end.

Steve Orlando really impresses with his knowledge of both Wonder Woman and the overall DC Universe. I mean, who would've ever thought we'd see Inversion again?

I really hope we see Mayfly return as an ally to Diana. How great would it be if she had a retinue of allies who are all reformed criminals that she helped redeem?

The timeline is the one confusing aspect... The 8th visit is said to be "one year from now" and the 52nd visit is "several years from now." Diana mentions that she still can't return home during the 51st visit, but... the whole plot of Wilson's first story arc in a few issues will be Diana doing just that. So, I dunno... it's something I'm willing to overlook because it's such a good story, but I do wish the timing had just been left a bit more vague to avoid confusion.

Other tidbits:

The Invisible Jet, Mala, and Kangas are canon in the Rebirth universe.

A villain named Garn Daanuth who I've never heard of but apparently exists was also mentioned by Diana in one of her visits to Mayfly.

Throughout her later meetings with Mayfly, she changes outfits. One of which is her golden eagle armor!

[hkgkindaichi]

Is it the first time since N52 Diana wearing the UN outfit and Alex Ross armor?
So great to have them back!

[Rakzo]

Orlando has proven to be mostly a miss in recent times, nothing he has done after Midnighter has been even half as good. That being said, this was a much more interesting beginning than anything we have seen lately and based on a little moment from Fontana's forgettable run no less. The themes about empathy and compassion are well-handled and perfectly fitting for the character.

Braga's art was also really good thanks to her beautiful characters. Promising overall.

[Bound4olympus]

Wow. One of the best issues Ive read in a long time. It reminded me of Gail. I loved reading a story that featured a villain, and a villains back story without detracting from Diana. I loved reading a story that touched on multiple aspects of Dianas extensive history without dragging on for issues. Excellent job. I gave it four stars because I thought there was room for improvement on the dialogue but honestly it should have been 5 compared to almost everything else from Gail going forward (including Rucka)

[Joao]

I had high expectations and I was surprised. Wow. This is really what Diana is about. I'm reading that Pérez story where Barbara steals Diana's lasso (v.2, #28 or something). Diana herself flies to meet Barbara in her British castle to talk to her and investigate if she had anything to do with previous attacks. No police, no crazy investigations that would only lead to suspicion, she just went there to talk. That's the same Diana I read today in Orlado's issue and it felt great.

I was also sad to read the "years from now", cause I would love if Mayflay came back to fight on Wonder Woman's side in a near future.

Gave it 4 stars because of the dialogue. I loved it in general but I got confused at some points. The epiphany, for example, didn't feel natural to me and I had to read some times to make sure I understood correctly. The art also took sometime to grow on me.

As for continuity, my Wonder Woman knowledge is clearly lacking cause I have no idea who Astarte is. So the emotional punch was not that strong. But that, of course, is not Orlando's fault.

Great issue, now I'm sad that he will leave so soon.

[responsarbre]

Glad that I can read Wonder Woman again. I dropped during Robinson's run. Picking up from Fontana's run was a nice touch, I thought that was a fun arc. Hopefully things stay on this course for the foreseeable future.

[Joao]

BTW, Nice interview with Orlando in Newsarama: https://www.newsarama.com/41111-stev...der-woman.html

[SiegePerilous02]

Wait, the Inversion is in this?

Damn Orlando, that's an obscure reference. I can't wait to see when I get around to my LCS and pick this up.

[Dr. Poison]

What a breath of fresh air to see Diana the redeemer along with some of her rogues again instead of gods, gods, and more gods! Orlando has Diana's characterization down quite well. He made this issue emotional yet fun. I loved the surprise cameo by Inversion. They should really relaunch Sensation Comics with Orlando as the writer so he can remix her Silver Age villains into modern threats.

[AmiMizuno]

Didn't Orlando write for Wonder Woman once before?

[Raijin]

I read this issue and wow i was moved. Between this and Justice League Dark, i didn't get the impression that she was boring. (something i said in the controversial opinion thread) Maybe i was just reading the wrong stuff. Definitely will follow this run.

[HestiasHearth]

What a breath of fresh air to see Diana the redeemer along with some of her rogues again instead of gods, gods, and more gods! Orlando has Diana's characterization down quite well. He made this issue emotional yet fun. I loved the surprise cameo by Inversion. They should really relaunch Sensation Comics with Orlando as the writer so he can remix her Silver Age villains into modern threats.

I was so pleasantly surprised about this issue.
Although I might be a tad biased because Mayfly was one of those one-off WW villains that I always wished had returned, I was pleasantly surprised at how well handled she was, and how well handled the interactions between the two women were.
I find it ironic that an issue that was pretty much two people talking was far more exciting and memorable than whatever that action-packed clusterbleep with Jason and all those gods was.
Is this going to be the title's regular writer now?

[Gaelforce]

I was so pleasantly surprised about this issue.
Although I might be a tad biased because Mayfly was one of those one-off WW villains that I always wished had returned, I was pleasantly surprised at how well handled she was, and how well handled the interactions between the two women were.
I find it ironic that an issue that was pretty much two people talking was far more exciting and memorable than whatever that action-packed clusterbleep with Jason and all those gods was.
Is this going to be the title's regular writer now?

To be honest, I teared up a bit. It wasn't just that it was a good story, but I just felt like this was the Diana I've been waiting for for a very long time.

Hope he keeps this up!

[Superlad93]

Really good Wonder Woman comic. Really good comic in general, tbh.

Kind of been waiting for something of Orlando's to really click with me, since I know I'd like him as a writer. And I've also been waiting for a mainstream Wonder Woman comic to really pull me in, since I like her a lot conceptually. So, lucky me lol

[Fuzzy Mittens]

Wow this is just amazing. Inversion showed up. Established a group of space explorer Amazons led by Astarte of the Silver Snake who traveled to the stars and fought Hades before returning to the island with new knowledge..The kangas...An awesome redemption for Mayfly...This is one of the best Wonder Woman stories ive ever read