Wonder Woman: Dead Earth Announced

[kjn]

Eh I wouldn’t go that far (not that I thought New 52 was anti-WW mind you but that’s a whole different argument). The humans are the ones responsible for the nukes, for destroying the planet, for what happened to the Amazons. Diana and the Amazons aren’t perfect and make mistakes of their own, but they aren’t rapists or warmongers. The Amazons are just mad as hell and have cause to be so. I expect this will end with Diana bringing peace and maybe even restoring the Amazons to human form.

Note: I'm not using anti here as against Wonder Woman, but being in direct opposition to the values and the ideals that embodies Wonder Woman and her origin.

For me, it's central to Wonder Woman's character that she is the result of a feminist utopia, not the result of abuse or of male heritage. She is in control of her own powers, not a slave under them. She is all about humanism and deliberate action. She is not the lone exceptional woman, but comes from a long line of exceptional women, whose values she shares.

[SiegePerilous02]

So haven't been keeping up with this, but looking at scans of those last few pages and the fight...this is stupid as all get out.

Diana's Daughter possibly being replaced with this is a major step down.

[oldschoolfan]

We are three books in, and I usually wait for the end of the story to say anything, but I can't help it. I think THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!

I think the fans that are trying to adapt all of the philosophy about Wonder Woman are missing the point, this is ONE interpretation of the character. I see a lot of consistancy with what is in the original icon, I don't see anything that strays too far from her roots. What this interpretation adds is a little more humanity. Diana messed up on some things BUT, she is trying to make it right.

I especially like the fact that the Amazons tried to get humanity to pay attention to a dying Earth and humanity turned around and screwed it up more.

No, this is a good series. On my top ten for the year so far.

[Vakanai]

I was thinking about trade waiting this, but the whole Superman treatment here is a turn off.

[Psy-lock]

Just read the latest issue. Boy, was the whole thing with Superman stupid. Way to ruin a potentially decent story with one issue! And the art...While this style is fitting for a post-apocalyptic setting, I just can't with Diana looking like a victim of Chernobyl.

[Guy_McNichts]

I'd been waiting for this to come out in trade before reading, but I happened to see the spoilers for what happened to Superman.

I don't disagree with any of the criticism, and I'm going to wait until I read the whole thing before offering concrete thoughts.

But I do want to say one thing: I see it as 'tit for tat' for the BS "fight" they had in DCeased. That doesn't make it good, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate it just a small bit--petty as that may be.

[Robanker]

I'd been waiting for this to come out in trade before reading, but I happened to see the spoilers for what happened to Superman.

I don't disagree with any of the criticism, and I'm going to wait until I read the whole thing before offering concrete thoughts.

But I do want to say one thing: I see it as 'tit for tat' for the BS "fight" they had in DCeased. That doesn't make it good, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate it just a small bit--petty as that may be.

Sure, but I don't recall anyone enjoying it there, either. To be honest? Her whoopin' Superman in her own Elseworlds is fair. It's desecrating a friend's body that is the problem. It's not like he decapitated her and swung her head round from her hair like a morning star.

[Vordan]

Finished the final issue. My thoughts on the series as a whole:

Pros
-Gorgeous Art. Diana often suffers in that department with her ongoing so I’m happy her stand-alone books are better
-I like DWJ’s voice for Diana, I think he’s got a good handle on that. He portrays her pretty consistently as someone who is compassionate and caring
-The ending was solid and everything seems to be tied up

Cons
-Ultimately it’s yet another WW vs the evil Amazons with a post apocalyptic flavor this time to set it apart. Tired of that story and disappointed that’s what it ended up being
-The story goes for a very gritty and realistic tone as does the art, so I think the crazy over the top stuff feels jarring because it doesn’t really fit with the tone

Ultimately I think it’s an entertaining enough WW story that I could recommend to someone looking for WW standalones, but it’s not the “ending story” for Diana that I keep hoping for.

[kjn]

Pretty much agree with Vordan. Johnson knows how to do action, and has at least a decent hand at drama and plotting. The climactic battle at the end is handled well enough.

But Diana battling evil corrupt Amazons? No please. And the story managed to lean into the Batgod memes, with Batman able to work out how to build a healing machine for Diana, how to strip her of her madness-inducing powers, and plan for how to restore her powers as a contingency, all while the world is going to pieces around him.

[Gaius]

Mostly agree, overall the revelations with Superman in the previous issue kind of bring the whole story down for me but otherwise I'd say this was at least a decent enough Post-Apocalypse Wonder Woman story. I n regards to the art, while I don't really like how Diana looks herself in this style I do like it overall for the rest of the world.

I don't care for how Hippolyta and the Amazons came off here but I think Johnson has a pretty good voice for Diana at least and if it ever came up, I'd be interested seeing him writer in her in more mainline books than I would other writers who have written Diana in Elseworld stories.

[Sacred Knight]

But Diana battling evil corrupt Amazons? No please. And the story managed to lean into the Batgod memes, with Batman able to work out how to build a healing machine for Diana, how to strip her of her madness-inducing powers, and plan for how to restore her powers as a contingency, all while the world is going to pieces around him.

Typical DC story then. No one can do anything on their own without at least a little help from freaking Batman. I never thought I'd actively dislike the character. He was always my third favorite next to Superman and Spider-Man growing up . DC managed to get me there though.

[SiegePerilous02]

Typical DC story then. No one can do anything on their own without at least a little help from freaking Batman. I never thought I'd actively dislike the character. He was always my third favorite next to Superman and Spider-Man growing up . DC managed to get me there though.

It's almost as if DC is has its own superpower of making you hate or at least become apathetic to some of the greatest superheroes ever invented, even when it isn't in their best interest to do so.

[JackBNimble]

The final issue was a letdown. I wasn't even bothered much by the WW vs. Evil Amazons trope. But as soon as it became apparent that Batman was going to save the day, the story flopped for me. This is a bummer because I enjoyed the first three issues.

[Frank]

I really enjoyed this series all the way through. The only plot point I've really had issue with is that the Amazons would actually attack the outside world to stop the human activity that accelerates climate change, but for the Earth to become "dead," Johnson had to find someway for the nuclear strike to happen. That, and that Diana and other characters are so insistent that everything is her fault when it clearly isn't all her fault.

But I have loved the vein of hope that persists in this series, most especially channeled through Diana. The last page of the last issue is so good. I'm also glad that Hippolyta doesn't die in the end - her inability to veer from the view she's been so committed to and the parting between her and Diana is heartbreaking. And even then, Diana is saying that Hippolyta will always have her daughter even at the loss of everything else. That the remaining humans help Diana bury her sisters. That Theyden is actually reformed, remains reformed to the end. In the bleakest of circumstances, Johnson persistently weaves threads of hope, redemption, forgiveness, and compassion through his story.

Has the series been perfect? No. Has it been great, both art and story-wise? Yes. I don't know if Johnson would play well in the continuity of the DCU, but I'd be happy to take in more of his Black Label WW.

[Top Hat]

Not sure what it says when I hadn’t even realised the final issue of this was out. So far it has been an ok series though the bit with Superman seemed rather silly, almost Monty Python like using part of his skeleton as a weapon.