Review: Wonder Woman #80
[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artists: Jesus Merino, Tom Derenick, Vicente Cifuentes & Trevor Scott
Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Reviewed by: Sean Blumenshine
Summary
After failing to save her friend, Wonder Woman must find the power within to vanquish her most powerful foe…who’s only gotten more formidable! But only Diana, who knows Cheetah best, can stop her god-killing spree!
Positives
Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn’s cover is very cool. I love the decapitated statue. It’s a solid way to show that stakes are high without being gratuitous or gory on the front cover. It implies the intense violence without putting it on display.
The interior art is solid. Romulo Fajardo Jr’s colors are vibrant and engaging as always. Diana looks good; she’s expressive and I like the design. It’s a little strange to see her without tiara so much but I’m getting used to it.
I appreciate that Diana is finally more active in the story. She’s gotten over the moping thing and is actively trying to stop Cheetah. That’s more interesting and fun.
Negatives
There’s some narration at the beginning in which Diana talks about how villains often drive the story. And that is true to a certain extent with superheroes; if Joker doesn’t poison the water supply, what is Batman supposed to do? But that doesn’t mean the protagonist should just sit around which is how the past issues of this issue felt. And while Diana is trying more, the story is still entirely driven by the choices of other characters. It’s hard to be invested when Diana is practically a puppet that the villains manipulate.
The other issue is that it is painfully obvious that Cale is going to betray Diana. The narration about villains driving the story is said on a panel of Cale and Cheetah flat out tells Diana that she’s walking into a trap. Diana ignores because a lack of love makes Diana an idiot for some reason.
Verdict
I did not care for this issue at all. Until this story, I have really enjoyed G. Willow Wilson’s take on Diana. But in this story and this issue especially, it never really feels like Diana. She’s dumb, easily manipulated and ineffective. Obviously, there needs to be a great challenge for a character like Wonder Woman. But she’s practically inept and it kills a lot of the fun for me. At this point, I just want this story to end already.
