Ricky Church reviews Wonder Woman: Rebirth #1…
After suffering an unimaginable loss, Wonder Woman must rebuild her mission as Earth’s ultimate protector and champion.
DON’T MISS: New York Times best-selling writer Greg Rucka returns to Wonder Woman with a tale that will forever alter the DC icon.
SEE ALSO: Check out a preview of Wonder Woman: Rebirth #1
If there is one title that is gaining a lot of attention in DC Rebirth, its Wonder Woman with renowned writer Greg Rucka returning to the title. It should also go without saying that Wonder Woman’s presence in mainstream pop culture has risen quite a lot in recent months, due in no small part to her role and Gal Gadot’s performance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The Amazonian Princess has a lot to live up to, so does Wonder Woman: Rebirth #1 meet expectations and leave enough to be excited for the future? In short, yes, yes it does.
Throughout her publication history, Wonder Woman has had a rather convoluted continuity and this issue deals directly with that point. The New 52 significantly altered her backstory and Rucka gives a little meta-commentary on this by discussing Wonder Woman’s conflicting memories, stating “the story keeps changing”. It goes through much of her history, both pre-Flashpoint and New 52, before Wonder Woman realizes that something is amiss and begins searching for the truth, whatever that may be.
Its an intriguing set-up and, much like DC Universe Rebirth, posits that something or someone is behind “the lie” that has been her life. Whether or not this ties into Rebirth’s shocking revelation or if its Rucka’s own creation isn’t revealed, but either way it should prove interesting, especially since the upcoming series will alternate issues between the past and present. Rucka’s presentation of the story deconstructs Diana, examining the many contradictions not just between her memories, but how the world and herself view her. She’s a warrior yet considered an ambassador for peace, known for her ferocity yet also compassion. Rucka’s got a good handle on her character and his examination of her in the post-New 52 should excite new and longtime fans alike as she continues to draw attention.
The artwork is done by Matthew Clark for most of the story and then Liam Sharp for the last few pages. Clark’s artwork is detailed and evokes much of The New 52 style while the brief flashbacks is similar to 90s-era artwork. There are, however, some points where his character work seems a bit off. In certain panels her proportions don’t seem quite right (and I’m not talking about her breasts), such as her shoulders being the size of her head. Clark’s artwork is still good though for the majority of his pages.
The transition from Clark’s artwork to Liam Sharp’s is a very stark contrast that steps away from The New 52 in an unsubtle manner. Wonder Woman’s garb is suddenly no longer the version of The New 52, but much closer to her more classic costume while adopting the few additions from Batman v Superman. His artwork is much darker with thicker inks than Clark’s and its quite detailed, particularly during the action climax. As with Clark though, there are a couple panels where Wonder Woman’s proportions seem a bit off, but overall is very impressive to look at it.
The Wonder Woman title hasn’t been quite as stellar as it was when Brian Azzarello wrote the book, but with Greg Rucka at the helm good things lie ahead. Wonder Woman: Rebirth serves as a great call back to her history and to a very uncertain future. Though he had a couple iffy spots, Sharp is quite adept at bringing to life Rucka’s great script. As I said, good times are ahead for DC’s leading lady.
Ricky Church
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Originally published June 10, 2016. Updated November 10, 2019.
