REVIEW: ‘Wonder Woman’ Issue #2

Wonder Woman #2 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom King, art by Daniel Sampere, colors by Tomeu Morey, and letters by Clayton Cowles. There is also a sneak peek of the upcoming Amazon Attacks series, written by Josie Campbell, art by Vasco Georgiev, colors by Alex Guimaráes, and letters by Becca Carey. Wonder Woman faces an entire battalion of US soldiers, but even that may not be enough to bring her down. 

This is a book filled with steel. Split between two time periods, King ensures that both of them move simultaneously, all focused on the same theme of Wonder Woman’s fierce determination. There is a prolonged build-up to both battles, detailing that something huge is coming. The balance of emotions is phenomenal in this opening. Despite the threat, a calm attitude quashes the tensions and the dread that others feel. All of that pent-up tension, both on the modern battlefield and in a gladiatorial arena, leads to an exhilarating duo of fights that are very different in their circumstance yet similar in their framework.

One is a showdown between two elite warriors, with one much younger. The second is Wonder Woman against wave after wave of military onslaught. It’s an epic confrontation, elevating the fight scene of the first issue into a display with much larger and more volatile weapons. These fight scenes take up most of the comic, yet it is impossible to get tired of them. It is relentless and powerful, either fight showing the stages of Wonder Woman’s life and how she has grown as a warrior and a person. There aren’t many surprises in the book, but the constant combat is extremely satisfying.

Much of the dialogue in this issue happens in the historical scene between Wonder Woman and her combatant, but the same mannerisms and personality shine through into the present. The book’s crux revolves around Diana’s resilience and defiance in the face of anyone trying to take control. She will not back down in the face of danger or someone trying to assert themselves over her.

King has turned Diana into the face of resistance and is the perfect representative of the “no, you move” mentality. The start of the book features a poignant conversation between Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor, who has been selected as part of the force to put Diana down. The complicated history between the two is captured beautifully, but the vast differences in their age and experience set them on opposite sides of the battlefield. With the US Army on one side and Diana on the other, Trevor’s loves are split as literally as possible.

The art is sensational, creating two scenarios that run parallel. There are many times when Sampere mirrors movements and stances across periods, detailing brilliant storytelling and panel layouts. Diana now looks older, but the growth is subtle. The design of the young Diana is gorgeous, with some spectacular armor design within the Themyscira arena. Sampere superbly establishes the battles and scenarios before they begin. The scale of what Wonder Woman is about to face is huge, and the scale of the tanks, helicopters, and other heavy equipment is imposing.

And then carnage is unleashed. It’s a glorious guttural depiction of destruction. Wonder Woman smashes through the military forces with a force that would make the Hulk shake. She is presented as tiny on the page compared to the missiles and machines at many points, but that only makes the feats more impressive. She walks through the explosions like they aren’t there. It isn’t just mindless violence. There’s cause and effect with the progressive changes of opponents. Then, in the past, the combat has changed completely. It’s one-on-one swordplay, computing the grace and ferocity of the Amazons.

The colors are stunning. As a rule, the naturalistic tones are consistent except when it comes to Diana herself. She is larger than life, so the glowing gold of her lasso and the rich red and blue of her costume should be brighter than anything around her. The chrome effect on the Amazonian armor is extremely effective. The lettering could be considered slightly too small, especially in the blue background of the caption boxes.

The snippet of Amazons Attack is very inviting, as trouble seems to be brewing within the Brazilian Amazons. The art is fantastic, capturing the separation and adaptation from Themyscira. They are being drawn into the conflict alongside their kin, but there are more mysticism and prothetic mysteries within that group.

Wonder Woman #2 is a show of strength and steel. Wonder Woman has often been presented as a being of compassion and love, but King is also hammering home the point that she is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. Once the fighting starts, it never stops, demonstrating both parties’ aggression toward one another. The battles are phenomenally crafted and could be considered immediately iconic. But it is also a comic that is steadfast in its character development. The action does not sideline the storytelling, with everything that happens within it depicting the main character’s fearlessness and refusal to relent. 

Wonder Woman #2 is available now wherever comics are sold.