Tag: Len Wein

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #11 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #11 (1987)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of Wonder Woman! Previously I reviewed a story in which the stakes were raised for Wonder Woman and her fellow Amazons as a result of egos among the deities of Olympus with Zeus being reckless to show himself to Diana. Eventually the deities issued their challenge which Diana accepted but the effects were not limited to her alone. Queen Hippolyte is very disturbed by the challenge issued to her daughter as she believes that as ruler of the Amazons, she should be the one to meet the challenge. The queen expressed her view the the goddesses who bore the Amazons surrender to every whim of Zeus. While Hippolyte remains very uneasy, the Amazons support Wonder Woman’s mission and escorted her to the demonic lair beneath their island.

That being said, the Challenge of the Gods storyline continues in this look back at Wonder Woman , published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story written by George Perez and the late Len Wein. Perez’s art was inked by Bruce D. Patterson.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins deep within the lair as Wonder Woman encounters the large 7-headed beast called Hydra. Zeus and the other deities of Olympus carefully watch the conflict happen. Zeus thinks Wonder Woman won’t survive the encounter and Pan (the Satan-like figure) states that the destruction of the Amazon will make her sisters more compliant to Zeus’ wishes. Queen Hera however believes Diana would not fail.

As the conflict underneath Themyscira goes on, the deities discuss what would happen should Wonder Woman fail or succeed. In the heat of battle, Diana analyzes carefully her situation and strives hard to defeat Hydra which is blocking the portal to her next destination…

Quality

Wonder Woman’s mother takes action!

I can start by saying that the story here is more spectacular in terms of presentation highlighted with a strong sense of discovery and wonder mixed with high-octane action here and there. To put it short, this comic book is yet another big pay-off executed following the intense build-up in the previous issue. The Challenge of the Gods storyline really started to move in high-gear with the spectacle while successfully defining the fantasy and mythology elements in Wonder Woman’s realm. This is not your typical superhero tale rather it is presented with a much strong element of fantasy laced with suspense and even a bit of horror. As the story unfolds, you will not only witness Wonder Woman struggle with the challenge of the deities, you will also relate with her on a personal level.

Along the way, the creators made one page that followed the experiences of Steve Trevor who in the post-Crisis universe is a much older character still serving in the military. The slow Steve Trevor scene provided a short break from the high-tension of Wonder Woman’s scenes. Not to be outdone in sharing the spotlight is Queen Hippolyte who takes action in connection to the challenge Wonder Woman is handling. Through the queen, her views and personality got developed even further by the Perez-Wein and her struggle on leading the Amazons while being a mother made more sense literally.  

Conclusion

Now this is a really striking set of images.

As it was made with the usual high-quality from the Perez-Wein creative team, Wonder Woman (1987) is a very dramatic, action-heavy and dynamic read that kept on defining the Queen of Superheroes (and even Queen Hippolyte) while keeping the narrative fresh with revealing fantasy elements. Wonder Woman’s bravery here is really tested a whole lot, and her uncompromising desire to accomplish the challenge of the deities. While this comic book is a great pay-off to the build-up done in issue , it also builds up to something very unexpected on the final page. I should also state that the story is very unpredictable and at times it played on my expectations.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $60.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #10 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #10 (1987)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Having reviewed the first nine issues of the 2nd Wonder Woman monthly series (1987-2011) that was handled with care initially by great creators George Perez and Len Wein, I can say that the Queen of Superheroes herself was redefined not only for the readers of the post-Crisis era but in general. Under the Perez-Wein team, Wonder Woman was portrayed to be human and compassionate as she gradually discovers what her destiny is just as she takes part in the struggles and affairs of her fellow Amazons led by her mother Queen Hippolyte.

Also told along the way was the story of the deities of Olympus headed by Zeus. In their realm, the deities are divided and each has his or her own ego and agenda. Because they have tremendous power, they are able to manipulate events on the physical world and make mortals struggle. Under them, the Amazons have struggled and even people of Earth got affected as well.  

When I reviewed the ninth issue, it was the full debut of the modern Cheetah who proved to be a worthy adversary for Wonder Woman. By the way, Cheetah is the antagonist in the new film Wonder Woman 1984 portrayed by Kristen Wiig. By the end of issue , Wonder Woman returned home to Themyscira leaving her American friends Julia and Vanessa Kapatelis in tears.

So what happened next? We can all find out in this look back at Wonder Woman , published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story written by George Perez and Len Wein. Perez did the art with inkwork by Bruce Patterson. This is the first chapter of the Challenge of the Gods storyline.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in the realm of the deities. They noticed Pan has been joyful recently and Zeus states that has been the case since Wonder Woman thwarted the scheme of Ares. Pan approaches Zeus and followed-up on him regarding a past conversation they had. Zeus then looks Themyscira, finding it secluded yet a true paradise. A paradise worthy of his personal favor.

On Themyscira, Princess Diana/Wonder Woman and a fellow Amazon ride horses not knowing Zeus and the others are watching them. Pan tells Zeus that as Heracles (Zeus’ son) once favored Queen Hippolyte (Diana’s mother), it is only fitting that Diana should be the first among the Amazons to experience his manly grace. Zeus then decides to come to the Amazons and tells Pan to play a love song.

Hestia and Artemis notice Zeus’ decision. An angry Artemis makes her move stating that Paradise Island (Themyscira) will be no one’s brothel.

Diana and Euboea talk while riding their horses slowly on a beach. She states that it is good to be home. She learned so much from the world of men finding its people so different and yet so much the same, that the Amazons all could learn from one another.

Meanwhile the Amazons’ council of justice discuss the gifts and records Diana brought home. Queen Hippolyte is in attendance…

Quality

Wearing armor and a helmet, Wonder Woman prepares to start taking on the challenge of the deities.

I can say that this story not only marked the beginning of a new Wonder Woman storyline but also it marked a new turning point not just for the Queen of Superheroes but also for her fellow Amazons as this involves the Olympus deities a whole lot more. The good news here is that the script is of high-quality writing and has special care made on it by the Perez-Wein creative team. As the story is more focused on Themyscira and Olympus, more details about the history and legacy of the Amazons is revealed and it is all done with a deep amount of engagement. The way the details and events were handled, it looked like Perez and Wein had these story elements planned ahead of time as they continued to develop and redefine Wonder Woman in the post-Crisis era of DC Comics.

At the heart of the first chapter of the Challenge of the Gods storyline is the link between the Amazons (who rely on Wonder Woman to represent them) and the divided deities of Olympus. With very compelling writing and visuals, you will get to see how fragile Diana, Queen Hippolyte and their Amazon sisters really are when facing the deities. In relation to that, it is a unique reading experience to see Wonder Woman struggle with interacting with Zeus and the other deities directly.

Conclusion

Princess Diana, her mother Queen Hippolyte and the Amazons analyze their situation.

Wonder Woman (1987) is clearly a great comic book to read and it marked the continued excellence done by George Perez, Len Wein and their creative team.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $60 while the near-mint copies of the fold-out edition and the newsstand edition cost $30 and $120 respectively.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #8 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #8 (1987)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

With the combined talents of George Perez, Len Wein, Greg Potter plus others, the reintroduction of Wonder Woman during the early stage of the Post-Crisis era of DC Comics is not only great but an essential read and a true superhero literature classic! When it comes to the presentation, the origin of not only Wonder Woman but also the Amazons was retold with a stronger emphasis on Greek mythology.

To put things in perspective, Wonder Woman #6 saw Ares’ plan on completely ruining man’s world defeated while Wonder Woman #7 saw the revival of Princess Diana as the deities of Olympus bless her and the Amazons. Where could George Perez, Len Wein and the creative team take the post-Crisis Wonder Woman story to?

That we will precisely find out in this look back at Wonder Woman , published by DC Comics in 1987 with a story written by George Perez and Len Wein. The art was done by Perez and inked by Bruce D. Patterson.

Cover
The cover.

Early story

The story begins in Boston, specifically at the Harvard University office of academic veteran Julia Kapatelis. She starts typing her recollections about Diana who, by this time, became a celebrated figure with the public thanks in part to Myndi Mayer’s publicity engine. Julia expressed how astonished she was with Wonder Woman’s ability to assimilate a lot of information so quickly (note: when she first arrived in man’s world, she did not even know how to speak English).

She recalled during their time at the United Nations that there were some nations that refused to listen to her and that the delegate from Russia protested Wonder Woman’s star-spangled costume on political grounds.

While Wonder Woman is loved by the public, there still were those who opposed her. Julia recalls the national campaign to outlaw all superheroes launched by the psychologist G. Gordon Godfrey who even won the support of some of America’s political figures. Julia also noticed the effects of Godfrey’s campaign on the minds of some of her students and the division that followed.

Wonder Women went on to interact with other superheroes as she strived to do good and save people. She even got invited to join the newly reformed Justice League with Superman, Batman, the Flash and many others present…

Quality

16
Wonder Woman as recalled by Vanessa.

Before describing the quality of this comic book, I should state that Wonder Woman is not your typical superhero comic book at all. In reality, to reflect the title Time Passages, this one is technically a collection of journals that efficiently showed how much has changed for Wonder Woman and the people around her since after the Ares Affair happened.

When it comes to quality, each journal fictionally authored by Julia Kapatelis, Etta Candy, Vanessa Kapatelis and Myndi Mayer, was well-written by Perez and Wein. Apart from describing what happened and how much had changed with Wonder Woman in their presence, each character’s journal had its own distinct view apart from style of writing. Each journal is important to read and through them you will realize how much impact Wonder Woman had on their society and on themselves.

Still on the writing, there were some pages that provided relief to readers. In between the journals are story pages focused on Dr. Barbara Minerva and her short male companion which served as the build-up leading to the first appearance of the post-Crisis Cheetah.

And there is all the beautiful art provided by Perez. Each page of a fictional journal has artwork that visualize what was told. There are also whole pages highlighting the passage of time and the characters who made each journal. Even with the unusual format used, this is still very good looking comic book to see!

Conclusion

10
The test of Wonder Woman with the military as recalled by Etta Candy.

To describe it bluntly, Wonder Woman is an exposition-heavy, very wordy, time-passing comic book that succeeds in what it was meant to achieve: move Wonder Woman’s post-Crisis development forward efficiently (note: without having to create multiple comic books reflecting the events told) while emphasizing how people look at her, how she connects with other DC Comics superheroes and the like. It was nicely crafted by Perez and the creative team and each page showed that a lot of special care was done. With regards to modernizing Wonder Woman for the 1980s, this comic book is a success.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $26 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $51.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #7 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #7 (1987)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Having seen Wonder Woman in cinemas in 2017 and having reviewed the comic book Wonder Woman #6 of 1987 recently, I can say that I enjoyed the two different battles between the Queen of Superheroes and the war deity Ares. Both battles had their respective styles of art and presentation and there were a few similarities between them.

I like both conflicts equally and that’s in relation to very different formats used – cinematic and comic book. Also, the Wonder Woman-Ares battles served as effective story turning points on both the big screen and the comic book. In the case of the Post-Crisis era of DC Comics, the major battle was the climax of the brewing, global military aggression (due to Ares influencing people of man’s world to destroy each other) in which Wonder Woman got involved not only with the Cold War but also with the connections between man’s world, Themyscira and Olympus.

That being said, now is time to move forward with the Post-Crisis Wonder Woman saga with this look back at Wonder Woman , published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story co-written by George Perez and Len Wein. Perez drew the story which was inked by Bruce D. Patterson.

Cover
The cover.

Early story

The story begins in Olympus with Hermes spreading the news that the threat by Ares has ended. Zeus declares the news are true and issues a decree of a feast of celebration. The others smiled in reaction. As others make merry to the music of the spheres, Athena reminds Zeus that Prince Diana/Wonder Woman lies at death’s threshold emphasizing the her victory of Ares came at such a high price. Realizing the Amazons’ value, Zeus decides to keep a closer look at them.

Over at Themyscira, the Amazons (under the watch of Queen Hippolyte) perform a ritual of revival for their fallen sister Diana. They noticed no progress has been made. From high above, Zeus and his fellow deities watch…

Quality

9
A mother-daughter scene.

Top-notch quality once again achieved by the creative team led by George Perez and Len Wein. While the previous two issues had high fantasy concepts with battles as the highlights, Wonder Woman is much more character-driven showing Wonder Woman’s recovery from the great battle and how the Greek deities’ view of the Amazons changed as a result of Ares’ defeat. Specifically, there is a lot of richness emphasizing Wonder Woman’s continued development as the daughter of Queen Hippolyte and as the continued doer of missions as her people’s representative in man’s world. I also like the way the comic book creators explored the divisions between the deities of Olympus.

Without spoiling all the details, this story resolved the crisis on the part of Vanessa, the young daughter of Julia Kapatelis and it also added to Diana’s evolution as a loving and caring superhero. The academic professional Julia – who has grown into a close friend of Wonder Woman’s – also was developed nicely here. And then there is the introduction of someone who is very savvy with the media.

In stark contrast to issues , and , Wonder Woman does not have any superhero action as it was much more focused on character development. That’s not to say that it is all just characters talking several lines of dialogue and looking dramatic. This story still has that epic fantasy look as it provides readers a good look at Olympus. This comic book really pushed the narrative far more than the three previous issues.

Conclusion

8
The deities in the spiritual realm.

Another great comic book this truly is. Then again, it should not be a surprise at all considering the great talents of George Perez and Len Wein combined. By the time I finished reviewing Wonder Woman , I am convinced that the creative team in-charge of this Post-Crisis version of the Queen of Superheroes not only worked with a high level of confidence but also carefully crafted their plans on reintroducing Wonder Woman with the 1980s in mind and making her much more relevant with the public. Storywise, this comic book marks a turning point in the Wonder Woman monthly series.

Other than being another great Wonder Woman story, Wonder Woman also marks the first-ever appearance of Dr. Barbara Minerva (in civilian form specifically) who would later become the Post-Crisis era’s Cheetah a few issues later. For the newcomers reading this, Barbara Minerva/Cheetah was portrayed by Kristen Wiig in the upcoming superhero movie Wonder Woman 1984. With regards to that movie, reading Wonder Woman is a must!

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $77 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $153.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #6 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #6 (1987)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Remember the final conflict between Wonder Woman and Ares in the 2017 movie? You will see their literary conflict in this old Wonder Woman comic book drawn by the legendary George Perez which I’m about to review.

Before getting to the review, Ares in real life is the Greek deity of war and one of the Twelve Olympians. Within the realm of DC Comics’ superhero universe, the character was very similar to the real-life counterpart and made the first literary appearance in Wonder Woman way back in the early 1940s.

In 1987, when Wonder Woman got rebooted along with the rest of the superhero universe of DC Comics (the Post-Crisis era), George Perez led a revision of the Wonder Woman mythos with a stronger emphasis of Greek mythology in mind. In Wonder Woman of the Post-Crisis era, the deities of Greece were introduced and Ares stood out clearly among them given his nature for conflict. As if that was not enough, Ares appeared in a dark battle armor with a helmet clearly hiding his face (with red-colored eyes) which easily made him the most menacing deity of them all in Olympus.

Having reviewed Wonder Woman (1987) which showed how Ares and his forces influence people of man’s world to engage in war with each other, the stage is set for Wonder Woman and Ares’ featured encounter in Wonder Woman published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story co-written by George Perez and Len Wein. Perez illustrated the story with ink work done by Bruce D. Patterson.

Cover
The cover.

Early story

The story opens with a television news broadcast about the brewing tension that could lead to a war. The public is informed about the sudden takeover of a federal missile base organized by renegade military personnel led by an Air Force general. Over at the Soviet Union, a similar takeover of a missile facility got reported.

The narrative then shifts at the American military base where Wonder Woman, Julia Kapatelis, Steve Trevor, Etta Candy and Matthew Michaelis just witnessed the arrival of Ares whom the traitorous general Samuel Tolliver referred to as master. Tolliver has several renegade soldiers carefully watching the heroes with guns pointed. Michaelis find the situation getting more insane which draws a response from Ares.

Julia (who researched a lot about foreign cultures and deities), Etta and Steve struggle to believe what they just witnessed. The presence of Ares, the deity of war in Olympus, is too much for them. As Diana whispers to Julia, Ares responds referring to her as Queen Hippolyte’s daughter. As soon as Areas disappears into thin air, Tolliver tells everyone that he will launch the doomsday missiles once he reaches the master control room.

Very quietly, Etta Candy opens a pouch behind Steve Trevor and pulls out to handy canisters. She passes one to Michaelis…

Quality

6
Follow Wonder Woman’s journey into the unknown!

I’m pleased to say that the high quality of storytelling, characterization, art and spectacle that started since issue has been well maintained here. Like the previous issue, this one is loaded with spectacle as it is a continuing story about tackling Ares and his influence on people engaging more in conflict instead of being calm and reasonable. When it comes to spectacle, there is a nice mix of fantasy battles and military action.

The highlight here, as already made obvious by the cover of this comic book, is the battle between Wonder Woman and Ares. To make things clear without spoiling the story, I should say that their battle together was executed differently from what was showcased in the 2017 live-action movie. To describe it here, I’d say it has a strong fantasy approach on presentation plus emphasis on Greek mythology. If there were any similarities between the literary Wonder Woman-Ares battle and their cinematic battle, it would be exposition done by Ares explaining details to Wonder Woman why he is doing what he’s pursuing, complete with visuals of how his influence impacts the people of man’s world. Ares’ poison of conflict also has a Cold War flavor here which is not surprising since this comic book was published during the 1980s.

Conclusion

4
Wonder Woman acts before the situation grows worse.

Wonder Woman is a great read! There simply was no slowdown nor a single hiccup with the engagement level of this comic book. With a little over twenty pages of content, this one was loaded with great stuff and its concept was indeed epic. If the battle between Wonder Woman and Ares in the 2017 movie astonished, then their conflict in this comic book will deliver the same impact to you. This one is a true Wonder Woman literary classic and its story even raised the stakes when it comes to Princess Diana’s existence and her mission in man’s world.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman , be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition and the newsstand edition cost $25 and $51 respectively.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended! The conflict between Wonder Woman and Ares should encourage you to replay the acclaimed Wonder Woman movie of 2017.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #5 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #5 (1987)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

There is nothing like witnessing the development of a pop culture icon like Wonder Woman with modern society in mind. After completing Crisis on Infinite Earths in the mid-1980s, DC Comics restarted their entire superhero universe opening lots of opportunities to reintroduce their superheroes, super villains and other characters to readers updated with the times. The Post-Crisis Wonder Woman involving the legendary George Perez and other creators saw the Queen of Superheroes updated with the 1980s in mind.

Even though Princess Diana and her fellow Amazons clearly expressed themselves in English to use readers, it turned out within the comic series that English was not their native language. In fact, Wonder Woman and her Amazon sisters all spoke Themysciran which is derived from Greek. Fortunately for Diana, she met someone who could understand her and communicate well. The language barrier is just one of the challenges Diana had to go through as she discovers man’s world.

We can now rejoin Wonder Woman and her journey of discovery in man’s world with this look back at Wonder Woman , published by DC Comics in 1987 with a story co-written by George Perez and Len Wein. Perez’s art was inked by Bruce D. Patterson.

Cover
A really striking cover by George Perez.

Early story

The story begins in Themyscira where the Amazons wait as Menalippe (their oracle) tries communion with their deities. One of the women expressed worry that the god of War – Ares – continues to gain power across the world. Even as she tries, Menalippe could not figure out the signs from their gods and Queen Hippolyte is eager to find out something about her daughter Diana.

Beneath Mount Olympus, Apollo remains in dreamless sleep. The women, in the presence of Hermes, remain uncertain about what has been going on. An ancient is near them.

In man’s world, war and chaos spreads. Steve Trevor appears in the television news as a rumored spy of the Soviet Union. At the same time, Wonder Woman makes waves in the news as a result of her battle with Decay…

Quality

4
Wonder Woman and the supporting players.

Unsurprisingly, the very high quality of art, storytelling and characterization that started since issue is well maintained by the creators in this comic book. What I love in Wonder Woman aside from her continued journey of discovering more of man’s world and interacting with more with Steve Trevor (plus Etta Candy and other supporting characters) is the strong shift into the realm of fantasy which is full of action and other forms of spectacle!

For the plot, George Perez and Len Wein made a fascinating story that had a nice mix of Greek culture, fantasy and contemporary military battles. There were layers of intrigue as the creators made clear how Ares and his minions from the spiritual realm (related to Olympus and their deities) influenced mortals to fight each other so fiercely without even pausing to be clam and reasonable. This raises the stakes for Wonder Woman who is still adjusting to man’s world.

On characterization, each character here is well-written and clearly defined as believable individuals. The interactions between Wonder Woman and the others (plus their interactions in between themselves) are very rich to read and analyze.

When it comes to spectacle, this one is really loaded and, at the same time, much more imaginative! The shift from man’s world into the realm of fantasy (specifically a location often inaccessible to mortals) gave this comic book a fantastic atmosphere! There is a lot to enjoy here.

While it is not surprising that George Perez excellently illustrated this comic book, I should mention that his use of multiple panels per page here is quite clever. While using more than five panels per page is considered excessive by today’s standards, Perez managed to tell clearly the story and took time to control the pace. The spectacle scenes are fast but never disorienting. The character development and worldview scenes are never boring to look at.

Conclusion

6
One of Ares’ sons influencing the world into war.

Undoubtedly, Wonder Woman is a great comic book. Elements of militarism, fantasy and Greek mythology were excellently blended here and ultimately it presented Wonder Woman’s personal development and interaction with the supporting players with a lot of depth. At this stage, her interaction with Steve Trevor as well as Julia Kapatelis really blossomed here.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition and the newsstand edition costs $26 and $51 respectively.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #4 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #4 (1987)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

There is no doubt that George Perez’s famous handling of Wonder Woman (that became a key part of the Post-Crisis era of DC Comics) is influential for other creators. Over at Comic Book Resources, I read a 2017 article in which Wonder Woman movie director Patty Jenkins confirmed that Perez’s work on the Queen of Superheroes helped influence the movie.

Below is what Jenkins said in response to CBR’s question involving George Perez:

I think it was the fact that he expanded the role of the gods. It was always there — nothing he did contradicted what William Marston did and created, I think it only expanded upon and fleshed out who the gods are. What that relationship is, and how that works. What was a wonderful thing for us to take from.

I personally love the Wonder Woman movie and truly Gal Gadot IS Wonder Woman! As George Perez’s work on the Queen of Superheroes was influential to the director, it is clear that he set the standard on presenting Wonder Woman to the world.

With the movie and history talk over, we can now proceed on revisiting the Post-Crisis era of DC Comics with this look back at Wonder Woman , published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story by George Perez and Len Wein (script) and art by Perez (inked by Bruce D. Patterson).

Cover
The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Wonder Woman carrying Julia Kapatelis and her daughter Vanessa moving away from the villainess Decay (daughter of Medusa) as a huge portion of the Kapatelis home collapses. As expected, the next-door neighbors got disturbed and went out of their homes to see what’s going on.

While taking a break just out of the rubble, Julia checks on Vanessa and asks: “What has that monster done to her?”

Suddenly, Decay rises from the rubble and answers Julia’s question directly stating she will do the same thing to her and Wonder Woman. Decay has Wonder Woman’s tiara with her.

Decay’s appearance scares many onlookers. Wonder Woman tells Julia to keep the neighbors back. Decay says that she came only for the symbol of Wonder Woman’s power (the tiara specifically) which she will use to symbolize her power. Decay then flies away.

Before flying off, Wonder Woman tells Julia that she will return with a cure for her teenage daughter whose body got heavily wrinkled by Decay…

Quality

9
I hope Wonder Woman 1984 and future Wonder Woman live-action movies will have more hard-hitting action scenes like this.

Once again, George Perez and Len Wein crafted another excellent Wonder Woman comic book that is timeless and symbolic. While Wonder Woman marked Princess Diana’s arrival in man’s world, this comic book marked her first-ever battle in the same world complete with disturbance on the local society. Take note that at this point, Wonder Woman still has yet to understand and speak English and she has not fully adjusted to the local culture and society. She also just befriended Julia, the university professor and only person who could communicate with her by talking in Greek. Even with all the trouble caused by Decay, Wonder Woman’s heroism laced with love and compassion backed by her Amazon values remains intact and this aspect alone makes this comic book worth reading.

Apart from focusing on Wonder Woman and the supporting players, the comic book gives a close look at what has been happening at Mount Olympus where the Greek gods and goddesses discuss the situation of Princess Diana. There are also a few scenes set in the American military base wherein Lieutenant Etta Candy secretly does detective work to find out what caused the anomaly that led the higher-ups to suspect Steve Trevor of wrongdoing.

As for the artwork, George Perez’s work here is excellent as expected. When destruction is shown, there is a strong sense of danger. When hard superhero action occurs, there is a lot of impact shown! I just love looking at scenes showing Wonder Woman saving people from certain death. Also there were some really powerful executions of action here (involving Wonder Woman) that I wish future Wonder Woman movies will someday replicate.

Conclusion

4
Wonder Woman striving hard to go after Decay, the monster responsible for the destruction seen here.

Wonder Woman of 1987 is excellent! Apart showing the first time ever that Wonder Woman engaged in battle in man’s world, this comic book also has an intimate look on how Princess Diana struggles with focusing on her mission while adjusting to the local culture and making sure that evil beings from her culture would not succeed in destroying the people of man’s world.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman , be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition and the newsstand edition cost $25 and $51 respectively.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #3 (1987)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #3 (1987)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Like anyone of you guys and gals reading this, I’ve been limited to staying mostly at home as a result of the community quarantine imposed by the local authorities in response to the Coronvirus disease COVID-19 that started in China and has since turned into a global pandemic. Many people lose their jobs and have no income. Varied industries have been shut down. People are struggling to follow local authorities while there are some depending on relief goods (food, water and essential supplies) released by their respective governments or by charitable organizations.

The pandemic affected the entertainment industry too. As such, the much-awaited threatrical opening of the Wonder Woman 1984 movie had to be delayed by Warner Bros. from June 2020 to August 2020.

While waiting for the big movie to come out, let’s take a nice look back at Wonder Woman published by DC Comics in 1987 with a story co-written by the late Len Wein and the legendary George Perez who worked on the art (inked by Bruce D. Patterson).

Cover
The cover by George Perez.

Early story

The story begins with Wonder Woman and Hermes arriving in the City of Boston in the United States. While flying in the air, princess Diana expressed her amazement of the city finding it exquisite and yet so disturbing. Even as Hermes cautions her from judging the people of man’s world, he states that man appears to have lost his way on Earth which makes him afraid and vulnerable to the influence of Ares.

He tells Wonder Woman that he led her to man’s world so that she could end the madness Ares has been causing on the people. Together they fly off to pursue the next objective.

2
Wonder Woman and Hermes arrive in Boston.

Meanwhile at the Hanscom Air Force Base, a general arrives to check on Steve Trevor who is recovering from the incident that happened at Themyscira (in issue #2). As it turns out, Trevor is under arrest as he is wanted for questioning in relation to the shocking murder of another general. It was also stated that Trevor returned without the jet he used….

Quality

If there is anything that stood out for me personally in Wonder Woman , it is the wonder that comes with discovery which was greatly pulled off by Len Wein and George Perez. As Wonder Woman arrives in Boston, observes how strange the society is to her and how she adjusts to the place and people around her, I got very engaged along the way. What Wonder Woman discovers and learns, I discovered and learned as well. In some ways, her discovery of man’s world (through Boston) reminded me of what I experienced during my first arrival in San Francisco, California decades ago. It should be noted that the dialogue is very rich continuing nicely from what was started in issue .

9
Wonder Woman and Julia Kapatelis slowly communicating with each other. 

Like in the first two issues, there is also a nice build-up of suspense which is connected with the fusion of both fantasy elements and Greek mythology. This comic book cleverly reminds readers what is happening behind the scenes in the fantasy realm (within the story that is) just as Wonder Woman and the people in man’s world move on with their respective exploits. Such suspense is very well used on adding depth to the plot while paving the way for sub-plots.

Also worth mentioning here is the introduction of professor Julia Kapatelis and her teenage daughter Vanessa as supporting characters who will prove to be crucial to Wonder Woman’s adjustment into their society. Personally, I just love the way the creators showed that Wonder Woman does not speak English and had yet to learn the language which added some depth into her first encounter with Julia.

Conclusion

I really had a great time reading Wonder Woman . This is a significant comic book as it marked Wonder Woman’s first arrival in man’s world during the Post-Crisis era (after Crisis on Infinite Earths) and a true modernization of the icon as well as her literary story during the Reagan years. As many true Wonder Woman fans already know, George Perez’s leading on reintroducing Wonder Woman in the 1980s is better and more dramatic than the Golden Age Wonder Woman.

4
Steve Trevor recovering and Wonder Woman and Hermes arrive at Harvard University.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $24 while the newsstand edition’s near-mint copy is priced at $51. As for the edition that does not have the month printed on the cover, the near-mint copy is worth $77.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at What If #9 (1990)

A Look Back at What If #9 (1990)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Long before the renaissance of Hollywood-produced superhero movies even started, the X-Men established itself as one of the most popular franchises of Marvel Comics. What some readers do not know was that while the X-Men indeed started in 1963 under Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Marvel’s mutants actually started getting successful in the mid-1970s with the 2nd X-Men team (Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Sunfire, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Banshee and Thunderbird) handled by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum.

That new team literally made a splash with readers with the release of Giant-size X-Men in 1975. That comic book, which is very valuable now, saw Charles Xavier recruiting new mutants to form a new team with Cyclops being the only pioneer remaining. Subsequently the X-Men monthly series of that era saw lots of stories of this particular team solving problems and fighting evil. Along the way, Chris Claremont got hired as the new writer and then the rest was history.

In this retro comic book review, we will take an interesting look at what would have happened had the 2nd team of the X-Men died on their first mission.

This is What If written by Roy Thomas, drawn by Rich Buckler and published by Marvel Comics in 1990.

Cover
The cover.

Early story

The comic book begins with the Watcher of Marvel’s universe explaining what actually happened during the X-Men’s mission in Giant-size X-Men . Then he offers an alternate version of the events asking “What if…the new X-Men had died on their very first mission?”

The new reality begins in Scotland where Moira McTaggert receives a telegram from the United States. The message read that her friend Charles Xavier is ill which compels her to leave immediately. Before leaving, a little girl named Rahne comes to Moira followed by Craig who asserts his authority on her. Subsequently Moira and Rahne arrive at Salem Center, New York, greeted by Hank McCoy/Beast who confirmed that he was the one who sent the telegram to her.

Moira finally meets Xavier who expressed surprise to see her. As it turned out, Xavier had isolated himself in a room using Cerebro. After separating from Xavier, Beast explains to Moira what happened previously to Cyclops, Jean Grey, Havoc, Polaris and Ice Man on a far away island (read Giant-size X-Men ). Cyclops was fortunate enough to survive and return to Xavier who was compelled to use Cerebro to trace mutants around the world (note: the 2nd X-Men team).

2
When trouble hits the world…

This leads to events told in Giant-size X-Men but something drastic happened…

Quality

Storytelling is easily the strongest and most defining element of this comic book, especially if you are fortunate enough to read what happened in Giant-size X-Men from 1975. The alternate plot by Roy Thomas is pretty intriguing and highly dramatic, and yet it still manages to add some spectacle to maintain balance.

What If strongly delivered on what it promised what would have happened had the 2nd X-Men team died on their first mission complete with the narrative shifting dramatically through the eyes of Moira McTaggert, Xavier and Beast.

In terms of characterization, I really enjoyed the dramatization of the close friendship between Xavier and McTaggert. Having read lots of X-Men comic books through the decades, I should say that McTaggert was often limited to supporting roles or guest appearances. As seen in this comic book, she and Xavier made a solid pair of mentors. Lastly, the portrayal of Xavier being somewhat broken and regretful is wonderfully executed. Adding to that, the portrayal of McTaggert as a strong provider of direction and support for a fragile Xavier is memorable.

When it comes to the visuals, Rich Buckler scored nicely. The characters are all recognizable (with Beast looking a bit more visceral than how he actually appeared in the 1970s to 1980s) and their facial expressions were nice to see. Buckler also proved to be good with visualizing the action and the suspenseful parts.

Conclusion

1
Very nice artistic presentation by Rich Buckler. Readers of 1975’s Giant-size X-Men will be able to relate with this.

Overall, What If is a great comic book to read. It is the closest thing you can get when it comes to seeing Marvel’s mutants led by Xavier with McTaggert working behind the scenes together. Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler really scored a homerun with this non-canon X-Men story!

For the comic collectors reading this, based on the rates at MileHighComics.com as of this writing, a near-mint copy of this comic book’s regular version is $24 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition is priced at $51.

What If (1990) is highly recommended!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back At Wonder Woman #9 (1987)

A Look Back At Wonder Woman #9 (1987)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Very recently, Warner Bros. announced that due to the ongoing coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic, it has decided to reschedule the release of Wonder Woman 1984 to August 2020.

While fans, geeks and moviegoers have to wait a bit longer for the much-awaited movie, we can take time out to look back to the year 1987 when DC Comics published the comic book Wonder Woman written (plot) and illustrated by the legendary George Perez with scripting done by the late Len Wein.

Remember seeing Dr. Barbara Minerva (Cheetah) played by Kristen Wiig in Wonder Woman 1984? This comic book marked the debut of the post-Crisis Cheetah whose civilian personality is Dr. Barbara Minerva (her literary debut was in Wonder Woman ). To make history short, the original Cheetah that appeared in 1943’s Wonder Woman was Priscilla Rich while the second Cheetah was Deborah Domaine (Priscilla Rich’s niece). Dr. Minerva is the third and arguably the most modernized and most popular Cheetah.

With the history talk over, here we go with Wonder Woman !

WW9a
The cover drawn by George Perez.

Early Story

The story begins with a ritual performed by a short, old man with a knife. He cuts the skin of a naked woman and collects some of her blood. He uses the blood to feed a plant he believes to be a god (the plant-god). Afterwards he returns to the naked woman and covers her with the cloth.

The next morning, at another location, Wonder Woman flies happily in the air. Below her were publicist Myndi Mayer, Julia (Diana’s host and personal educator) and teenager Vanessa.

It turns out, Wonder Woman, who strongly values honor, was happy to have received a letter from Dr. Barbara Minerva. Julia however is not confident and based on her research, she described Minerva as “shady as your average weeping willow.”

Myndi, who is looking for the next great scoop, dismisses Julia’s concern and remains focused on accompanying Wonder Woman to meeting Minerva.

Quality

Apart from marking the first appearance of Cheetah (no longer a lady wearing a silly costume) in the post-Crisis era of DC Comics, Wonder Woman is still a very compelling and fun comic book to read. Its great quality combined with a solid concept can be attributed to George Perez.

On storytelling, Perez and Wein delivered a solid balance between spectacle, characterization, plotting and mystery. The presentation of Dr. Minerva as an accomplished yet arrogant archaeologist is a clever concept of having her involved with Wonder Woman who in turn also has a personal interest in relics and evidences of established cultures and societies (given the Amazonian society Diana came from). Minerva’s transformation and first action as Cheetah is indeed excellent to read.

WW9b
Diana/Wonder Woman and Dr. Minerva/Cheetah meet for the first time ever.

Being one of the greatest comic book illustrators ever, it is no surprise that this comic book still looks great! Even though Perez used a lot of panels per page, the amount of visual details as well as the maintenance of his art style remain high.

When it comes to the first-ever battle between Cheetah and Wonder Woman, Perez pulled no punches back with the spectacle. There is a good amount of brutal action which so enjoyable to see and I can only hope that director Patty Jenkins took inspiration from the comic’s action scenes for Wonder Woman 1984 (a conflict between the Queen of Superheroes and the animalistic villainess on the big screen is inevitable).

WW9c
Brutal action between Cheetah and Wonder Woman!

On characterization, this comic book continued to deliver the good and believable development of Wonder Woman who is still adjusting to Man’s World. To put it short, it is not exclusively focused on Cheetah and Wonder Woman (whose encounters were the highlights). You will get to see how much Diana adjusted with modern society, what she thought about how modern society’s members perceived her and how close she got with Julia and Vanessa while still keeping strong with her Amazonian values.

Going back to Cheetah, the development of Dr. Minerva changing into her animalistic form is very well handled by the creators. There are enough details that explained her physical transformation and her uncanny abilities, not to mention showing her being able to give Wonder Woman a good amount of trouble. This way of modernizing the literary Cheetah is, indeed, very compelling and definitive. By reading this comic book, you will realize why this particular version of Cheetah was chosen to be part of Wonder Woman 1984.

For the collectors reading this, if you are serious on getting an existing copy of Wonder Woman , be aware that, as of this writing, a near-mint copy costs $77 according to MileHighComics.com

Overall, Wonder Woman (1987) is highly recommended! It’s a great collector’s item too!

In ending this, watch this first official movie trailer of Wonder Woman 1984.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com