Wonder Woman #52
Writer: Meredith Finch
Artist: Miguel Mendonca
Wonder Woman is the latest of the long enduring New 52 titles to conclude its run this week. While it had its ups and down, this may have been one of the best books – aside from Batman and Justice League – to consistently hit stands over the past five years.
Considering that David Finch is neck deep in the upcoming Batman title that’s part of the Rebirth relaunch, artistic duties are once again capably handled by Miguel Mendonca. What’s on display is flawless, crisp, and has a real gleam to it. David leaves some big shoes to fill and Mendonca has yet to disappoint.
Contained within the issue is the final confrontation between Diana, Hera, and Hecate, which has a few surprises. The duplicitous nature of the gods is on display as prominently as ever; as the truth comes to light, we are granted a meditation on what true villainy is. I must also say that it was cool to see both Diana’s compassionate and warrior sides presented for one last time (in this volume, at least).
While not perfect, this absolutely functioned well as a finale and tied up The New 52 run nicely, something not all books have been able to accomplish this month. I can say in all honesty that Meredith Finch neatly wrapped up this era of Wonder Woman and the door is now wide open for Greg Rucka to make a fresh start.
Future Quest #1
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artists: Evan “Doc” Shaner & Steve “The Dude” Rude
The first in DC’s new lineup of Hanna-Barbera books arrives this week in the form of Future Quest. I freely admit that aside from Scooby-Doo and maybe The Flintstones, I just wasn’t a Hanna-Barbera kid. The only character I really liked when I was younger that appears in this comic was Space Ghost, but that was entirely due to the Space Ghost Coast to Coast talk show.
As you probably gathered from the cover art, this debut issue sets up a shared universe, making it the Hanna-Barbera equivalent of Justice League or Avengers. It’s chock full of adventurism and optimism and manages to function as a well written science fiction story that retains the essence of the original cartoons.
The artwork, especially that provided by Evan “Doc” Shaner, vaguely reminds me of the late, great Darwyn Cooke. I wonder if it’s intentional that the cover art evokes DC: The New Frontier.
Yes, this is a book that is pulled off rather well and hopefully sways stubborn purists to chance a read, but I still can’t get into these characters. It’s through no fault of the creative team – we just like who we like for sometimes undefinable reasons.