WONDER WOMAN #53 Thoughts and spoilers

[brettc1]

Really? No thread yet?

Anyway, I very much enjoyed this issue. It followed strongly from the last to see Diana, Artemis and Aztek combine forces against the Shadow God.

The art is great, and does not suffer at all for Hugo Petrus stepping in for pages 8-13. I don't usually pay much attention to the efforts of colorists but Fajardo Jr is really amazing.

Wonder Woman is doing the lions share of impressive feats in this team effort, which is great. She topples The Shadow God bare handed while talking elegant trash, and is the one to shoot the Bow of Ra. It takes all three heroes to use it, but unlike previous issues by Morrison the guests don't outshine Diana in her own book. While the Bow of Ra is essential the Lasso is also a key element in getting the won. Plus Wonder Woman gets the final word in on a very talky villain.

Standout moment for me was Diana taking on the dead giants that guard the Enemy. "HOLA!" With exploding stars - legendary!


I do miss the place where Artemis and Diana were prior to New 52 but maybe we will get back there. This issue ends with a lead in to Diana returning to Bana Migdhall, so I'm looking forward to how that plays out. Needless to say not are happy to see her.

I've attached a poll but am still tossing up between four or five stars. But anyway. I really liked it!

Hey, I haven't really be following Artemis' new history. What books and issues should I pick up to get up to speed.

Thanks.

B

[Jackalope89]

Red Hood and the Outlaws Rebirth gives a summarized version of her history (and is a pretty good read in and of itself too, with all three characters getting a lot of great development, and seem more like a family then a team). Plus, it details what she'd been doing up until her appearance in Wonder Woman.

It was good, and added a bit more to the DC mythos with 13 Heavens and the battle throughout Hypertime.

[kjn]

I liked this issue more than the previous one, mostly because I thought the action was easier to follow. I also liked the teamwork aspect and the way Diana consistently treated Artemis with respect.

There were a couple of things I was ho-hum about, mainly the technobabble combined with the "let me tell you how I will kill you, mister Bond" speech from Tezcatlipoca. I also didn't like that Orlando added in the daddy-Zeus aspect, that piece of background should be kept dead and buried so it can be forgotten and retconned, never to return.

Artemis is apparently a permament member in "Red Hood and the Outlaws". Issues 8 to 11 are centered around her and the bow, but I found the art not to my taste and the red-letters-on-black for lots of narration nearly unreadable.

[Dr. Poison]

While I'm not big on Wonder Woman fighting public domain characters, Tezcatlipoca is kind of an exception to me with his larger than life, grand appearance and more unique abilities. I really like his new design. The characterization of Diana was perfect and I liked the dynamic between her and Artemis. Seeing the Invisible Jet again is always a plus! The only gripe was the art. It wasn't horrible but I think it was a bit too minimalistic for this type of story. At the end of the day, I gave this issue 4 stars.

[Koriand'r]

To me it was almost perfect. Loved that Wonder Woman One Million, the Maria Mendoza Wonder Woman and the original design of Tezcatlipoca were featured. The invisible jet and magic mirror were nice too. The only thing that could have made it better was a reveal that the bald Bana Mighdall queen was in fact Alkyone.

[Fuzzy Mittens]

I found it rather fun, though I didn't enjoy it as much as the previous issue. I confess im just not big on fight scene stuff. I'll be more interested next issue and the chance to see how Orlando portrays the Bana. He mentions offhand that the Bana Amazons are nomadic, so I would love to see that

[NYCER]

I remember Atalanta's and Tezcatlipoca's arc from the first volume of the books and specifically Don Heck's pencils. That arc barely scratched the surface compared to Steve Orlando's deeper dive into the story and the mythology this time around.

I'm not familiar with the incoming writer, but damn, I wish Orlando would helm the series for longer than this stint.

[brettc1]

I remember Atalanta's and Tezcatlipoca's arc from the first volume of the books and specifically Don Heck's pencils. That arc barely scratched the surface compared to Steve Orlando's deeper dive into the story and the mythology this time around.

I'm not familiar with the incoming writer, but damn, I wish Orlando would helm the series for longer than this stint.

I agree, I am enjoying his writing so far. Hopefully he gets a more substantial run with the book down the track.

[SiegePerilous02]

A very enjoyable two parter with some great art. I loved Tezkatlipoca's new design, and it was neat to see his Bronze Age design referenced as well. With the inclusion of Aztek, this was a nice mix of Morrison and late Bronze Age WW stories, and is something I'd love to see on a regular basis. Shame Orlando won't be sticking around, he write Diana extremely well.

Is the Bana queen someone who was introduced Outlaws? Maybe it's Anahid?

Atalanta would have to be Hippolyta's aunt wouldn't she? Who is Hippolyt's other at this point, is it Otrera or whoever it was in the New 52 Finch story (Aclipe?). How is Atalanta immortal if she is away from Themyscira, unless battling Tezkatlipica in this realm is what is keeping her alive?

[MarquisAsh]

A very enjoyable two parter with some great art. I loved Tezkatlipoca's new design, and it was neat to see his Bronze Age design referenced as well. With the inclusion of Aztek, this was a nice mix of Morrison and late Bronze Age WW stories, and is something I'd love to see on a regular basis. Shame Orlando won't be sticking around, he write Diana extremely well.

Is the Bana queen someone who was introduced Outlaws? Maybe it's Anahid?

Atalanta would have to be Hippolyta's aunt wouldn't she? Who is Hippolyt's other at this point, is it Otrera or whoever it was in the New 52 Finch story (Aclipe?). How is Atalanta immortal if she is away from Themyscira, unless battling Tezkatlipica in this realm is what is keeping her alive?

I’ve been asking this question since she was introduced. I believe she is Hippolyta’s Aunt. But whose the Bana Queen!? I don’t remember her being around in red hood.

[Fuzzy Mittens]

I’ve been asking this question since she was introduced. I believe she is Hippolyta’s Aunt. But whose the Bana Queen!? I don’t remember her being around in red hood.

Its been a while since I read it, but could she be the one who first told a young Artemis about the bow?

[MarquisAsh]

Its been a while since I read it, but could she be the one who first told a young Artemis about the bow?

I remember Nepthys telling Artemis about the bow, but not this amazon.

[Fuzzy Mittens]

I remember Nepthys telling Artemis about the bow, but not this amazon.

I'll trust your memory on that one. But darn it, im stumped trying to think of an Amazon with a bald look...

[Nyssane]

My computer has been flaky lately so thank you for creating the thread!

I really enjoyed the issue. I don't really have much to say on it, but it was fun.

[Frank]

I really enjoyed it. I've read almost nothing by Orlando, but I've read such mixed things about his writing overall that the quality of this is an extra surprise. Diana's specific dialogue is a little too grand to me, but he's got her spirit right. Honestly, these three issues make me wish that Orlando had been writing the title for the last year & a half instead of Robinson. Maybe that'll change with the next two, but I hope not.

I also like that Orlando retained the "puffed up & not quite as grand as he says he is" nature of Tezcatlipoca from the pre-crisis issues while still establishing him as a real threat. This is an interesting revival of a past villain that isn't plagiarism, unlike Robinson's Silver Swan, which just took Jimenez's Swan, added a dash of Perez with Dr. Psycho, and called it a day.

And the art is great!