Olympus Rebirth by Cloonrad and Yarsky

[Shimbo]

True but Diana could have played more heavily into the story or some of her original supporting characters like Donna, Cassie, Nubia, or even villains like Aegeus or Devastation who both have connections to the Greek gods but aren't public domain characters. I don't think the story was bad, just not what I'm looking for from DC Comics.

The protagonist of the story is Hippolyta, and technically, she is a public domain character, even if her mythological character is a far cry from her comics counterpart. Which I think is fine. Cloonrad are clearly doing some long-form plot work and story-telling, with links back to the first arc of their run, and this issue seems in service to this longer form storyline what with Hippolyta being used to illuminate the new power structure and tensions on Mt Olympus. And, imo, it greatly succeeds in establishing the new dynamic on Olympus while still centering Hippolyta as an agent of change, a protective mother, and a cunning warrior.

For better or for worse, I think WW fans need to accept that the gods are part of her mythos and will show up in her comics. Cloonrad have done an admirable job mixing WW's superheroic and mythological components and I think we'll see more of that going forward. I mean, just reading solicitations, we have a small arc with Cheetah which may or may not have anything to do with the gods and then a teamup with Supes and Batsy. Most of that seems like superheroics to me, and not too heavily involved with the typical Greek mythological trappings. It is what it is and a good balance of these elements is the only thing I hope for with WW comics.

[Zagre]

Yep, this was very good.

And the artwork waas great as well.

[Factor]

I really loved the issue. I for one really enjoy WW’s connection to mythology and I love how DC’s version are always being reinvented.
The art was also very very good even if I think some of the redesigns could have been more inventive. I didn’t really get why make Hera look like the Queen from Alice in Wonderland.

[Mel Dyer]

The protagonist of the story is Hippolyta, and technically, she is a public domain character, even if her mythological character is a far cry from her comics counterpart. Which I think is fine. Cloonrad are clearly doing some long-form plot work and story-telling, with links back to the first arc of their run, and this issue seems in service to this longer form storyline what with Hippolyta being used to illuminate the new power structure and tensions on Mt Olympus. And, imo, it greatly succeeds in establishing the new dynamic on Olympus while still centering Hippolyta as an agent of change, a protective mother, and a cunning warrior.

For better or for worse, I think WW fans need to accept that the gods are part of her mythos and will show up in her comics. Cloonrad have done an admirable job mixing WW's superheroic and mythological components and I think we'll see more of that going forward. I mean, just reading solicitations, we have a small arc with Cheetah which may or may not have anything to do with the gods and then a teamup with Supes and Batsy. Most of that seems like superheroics to me, and not too heavily involved with the typical Greek mythological trappings. It is what it is and a good balance of these elements is the only thing I hope for with WW comics.

I don't know how many ways I can make this clear, ..but, we really must understand that there is a difference between a 'public domain character' and a figure, from 'fable or classical myth'. We shouldn't persist in blurring the line, for ease of discussion or argument.

Public domain characters are characters, from specific, published and copyrighted literary works (series, novel, etc.), for which the reservation of copyright law has expired. Typically, that's because no one has published a book or web series, using this character, for a long time, ..long past the duration of the work's original copyright, which reserved elements from that work, for the creator's exclusive use. A good example - and I invite you all to research this - might be the Golden Age Wonder Boy, who I don't think is presently being featured in any published comics or games. For this reason, there is nothing securing an artist/writer's exclusive use of him, in a NEW comic, ..and that includes commercial works (for money/profit).

Hippolyta, quasi-historical figure of classical myth and lit, would be a better example of 'public domain character', really. While Queen Hippolyta of Paradise Island - Wonder Queen - and Wonder Woman's mother can enter public domain, through prolonged disuse, past her present copyright reservations, ..Hippolyta of myth is not Wonder Woman's mother, but can be adapted into Blue Queen, Supermaid, etc - after which the adaptation could befall the same fate, as DC Comics' Hippolyta...

Adrift in public domain and free to used by anyone!

So, Queen Hippolyta of Paradise Island and mother of Wonder Woman is NOT a public domain character, as she is presently reserved for exclusive use in DC Comics/Warner Bros works. Hippolyta, mythical queen of the fabled Amazons, who inspired the DC Comics heroine - they are NOT the same - and has also inspired other popular versions of Hippolyta is a figure, from 'fable or classical myth', well in the public domain ..and not reserved for any exclusive use.

There might be aspiring, independent comic book creators, among us, who become misinformed about their access to a version of HERCULES, from a previously published comic or film, ..still reserved under active copyright. Use of this Hercules would be strictly prohibited and likely to incur costly legal action, by the holder of that active copyright. We don't want this.

We have to be careful. I got pretty mixed up, just pulling this post, together.

[Garrac]

A very good issue. I really like how Cloonrad make plans and plots for the long-term. And I guess the new designs for the gods have been made as a tribute to George Perez?

[BrianWilly]

I'm a little surprised to see all the positive reactions to this issue. I ain't mad about it or anything lol, it's great that folks are happy, but I thought all this was just kinda silly and unimpressive.

Maybe Historia has spoiled me on the Olympians, but coming from the epic portrayal in that book to these weird clowns here was a very dramatic downgrade. Like I get it, making fun of Zeus is fun, but there had to have been a happier balance to be found than this flop era cartoon character. And Hera as the scheming villain just feels very wrong...like c'mon, we're in a Wonder Woman book. Let's not do...that.

Again, not to oversell Historia, but I wish the current WW team would think to make their stuff more like that book and not less. Way less.

[bardkeep]

I'm a little surprised to see all the positive reactions to this issue. I ain't mad about it or anything lol, it's great that folks are happy, but I thought all this was just kinda silly and unimpressive.

Maybe Historia has spoiled me on the Olympians, but coming from the epic portrayal in that book to these weird clowns here was a very dramatic downgrade. Like I get it, making fun of Zeus is fun, but there had to have been a happier balance to be found than this flop era cartoon character. And Hera as the scheming villain just feels very wrong...like c'mon, we're in a Wonder Woman book. Let's not do...that.

Again, not to oversell Historia, but I wish the current WW team would think to make their stuff more like that book and not less. Way less.

Oh, I 100% agree with you, but it also feels like saying Thor is bad because it's not Fanny and Alexander. The quality frame I'm using is (a) the rest of Cloonrad's run and (b) WW's overall canon output in the past several years. By those standards I thought this was enjoyable and set up interesting character arcs for Hippolyta and Diana. There have, of course, been genuinely great, intelligent stories in WW's monthly (e.g. the first several arcs in Perez's run), but I wouldn't rank anything post-Rucka among them.

I'd LOVE to see them reshape the lore and shift the thematic focus so it's more like Historia, but in a shared universe where everything is about setting up more action, I'm not gonna hold my breath.

[Gaius]

Kind of thought Artemis' look reminded me of her design from Historia. Though obviously, way more simplified/toned down.

[OBrianTallent]

I found the story decent but the art overall was unimpressive and dull with a few moments of hey that's cool. The gods designs were bland with minor exceptions (Hecate's design was interesting as was The Keeper's.) The story was decent and could have been elevated by a different artist.

[Koriand'r]

I'm a little surprised to see all the positive reactions to this issue. I ain't mad about it or anything lol, it's great that folks are happy, but I thought all this was just kinda silly and unimpressive.

Maybe Historia has spoiled me on the Olympians, but coming from the epic portrayal in that book to these weird clowns here was a very dramatic downgrade. Like I get it, making fun of Zeus is fun, but there had to have been a happier balance to be found than this flop era cartoon character. And Hera as the scheming villain just feels very wrong...like c'mon, we're in a Wonder Woman book. Let's not do...that.

Again, not to oversell Historia, but I wish the current WW team would think to make their stuff more like that book and not less. Way less.

We're in a Wonder Woman book and that's why we should. Hera as the wicked stepmother is perfect fairy tale theatre and the only good to come from Diana's new origin.

[Gaius]

I'm a little surprised to see all the positive reactions to this issue. I ain't mad about it or anything lol, it's great that folks are happy, but I thought all this was just kinda silly and unimpressive.

Maybe Historia has spoiled me on the Olympians, but coming from the epic portrayal in that book to these weird clowns here was a very dramatic downgrade. Like I get it, making fun of Zeus is fun, but there had to have been a happier balance to be found than this flop era cartoon character. And Hera as the scheming villain just feels very wrong...like c'mon, we're in a Wonder Woman book. Let's not do...that.

Again, not to oversell Historia, but I wish the current WW team would think to make their stuff more like that book and not less. Way less.

Is odd honestly, I've thought, how minimal a role Hera's actually played in WW history up until the last decade. Pretty much a footnote pre-Crisis and the only major female Olympian who didn't have a role in creation of the Amazons, Themyscira, or Diana in Perez's reboot.

[Koriand'r]

As for the Olympus Rebirth Cloonrad deserve a standing ovation. Tying everything back in, the Keeper of the Grounds, Hecate and Amazon magic, Chaos, Janus, Antiope and Atalanta's deaths, etcetera was a delicately woven tapestry that added weight to so many past story beats. It was amazing!

Though I was not a fan of the art.

[SiegePerilous02]

We're in a Wonder Woman book and that's why we should. Hera as the wicked stepmother is perfect fairy tale theatre and the only good to come from Diana's new origin.

Hera as the wicked stepmother is pretty antiquated, because it's what she's been pigeonholed into in wider pop culture because of her role in Hercules's myths. Wonder Woman is about subverting the Greek myths through a more feminist lens, so doing this after Historia's mission statement to "reclaim Hera" (per DeConnick) seems like a bit of a step backwards for the IP.

Hera has historically played a small role in the WW IP and Cloonrad have enough goodwill from almost everything else they've done that it isn't TOO big of a deal for their time on the title overall. But still a bit of a dissapointing choice after Historia. Even Azzarello gradually did away with the "wicked stepmother" characterization by the end of his run.

Silver lining is that this kind of confirms the "Twin Shadows" are Deimos and Phobos, so maybe they are influencing Hera.

[Frontier]

I just remember Orlando using Hera and kind of doubling down on the "Gods kind of suck" narrative.

[Koriand'r]

Hera as the wicked stepmother is pretty antiquated, because it's what she's been pigeonholed into in wider pop culture because of her role in Hercules's myths. Wonder Woman is about subverting the Greek myths through a more feminist lens, so doing this after Historia's mission statement to "reclaim Hera" (per DeConnick) seems like a bit of a step backwards for the IP.

Hera has historically played a small role in the WW IP and Cloonrad have enough goodwill from almost everything else they've done that it isn't TOO big of a deal for their time on the title overall. But still a bit of a dissapointing choice after Historia. Even Azzarello gradually did away with the "wicked stepmother" characterization by the end of his run.

Silver lining is that this kind of confirms the "Twin Shadows" are Deimos and Phobos, so maybe they are influencing Hera.

I understand your reasoning but Wonder Woman doesn't have to subvert every Greek myth. We need another heavy and Hera fits the bill nicely. The way she pulls everything together is genius.