WONDER WOMAN ’77 SPECIAL #2
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $7.99
Mark Andreyko brings back the magic ^_^ The digital first serves up a second heap of three all-new stories!! That’s one more than the first release >_< This is money well-spent since there are seventy pages of story and only ten pages of ads for eight buckaroos. Sweet treat that can’t be beat! Mr. Andreyko doesn’t need to state his veneration of the Amazing Amazon and her real-life counterpart portrayed by the drop dead gorgeous Lynda Carter. Teaser, opening credits. Plunge right in!
“The Cat Came Back” (30 pages)
Writer: Marc Andreyko
Artists: Drew Johnson & Richard Ortiz
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
Letterer: Wes Abbott
The Cheetah finally unsheathes her claws and spews her venomous hatred towards Wondy. The acknowledgment of the first incarnation is a respectful nod to the character. The new version is the most current in the comics, Dr. Barbara Minerva, who is a were-cat rather than a costumed criminal. Barbara is a respected archaeologist but her academic contributions are brushed aside when the museum’s curator Director Schultz wants to honour the star-spangled stunner to attract more numbers. The origin is purely accidental. However, coupled with bitterness and jealousy, the Cheetah is an unpredictable and vicious villainess. Her speed doesn’t compare to Diana’s who has Hermes to thank. Those bracelets don’t just deflect bullets, they work well against slashing! Creating an army of were-cheetahs and mind-controlling zoo cats are futile actions. Wonder Woman comes out on top!! The ferocious feline quickly retreats and is caged.
Bless Mr. Andreyko for maintaining the somewhat corny, feel-good vibe that characterized the TV series. There’s the right amount of action as well as drama but very little violence. The censors had a hand in that, or perhaps it’s because of the disco era. Wondy throws a few groan-inducing lines but she espouses peace, love, and understanding. She harbours no resentment towards Barbara. She finds a peaceful way to end the conflict. Plus, her ability to talk to animals is used to its full potential. There was only one episode where this was touched upon. Truth be told, despite being the ultimate fan for the past thirty-seven years, this ability is rarely demonstrated in the comics. As a result, I myself end up forgetting.
Barbara is a victim of misogyny, not so much by the director but by the guards who comment on her imprisoned status at the end. She is ridiculed for appearing to be non-threatening and the claims that she went against WW are dismissed and doubted. Ironically, Barbara is of the same mentality in her hatred of the red, blue, and gold crimefighter.
An institute by any other name: It’s obvious that this is a substitute for the Smithsonian.
Galileo! Galileo! Magnifico! A man of science who was considered a heretic and blasphemer in his time.
Ye gods who stand here:
- Anansi – the spider-god from African mythology
- Jubatus – referred to as the goddess that Barbara invokes. Interestingly enough, the scientific name for the cheetah is Acinonyx jubatus.
- Mafdet – Egyptian goddess, feline in appearance. She fended off scorpions and snakes, two venomous creatures consumed by cats.
Scat, cats!! Lions, tigers, and panthers! Oh, my!
Life imitates art: Cat People was a 1942 movie featuring Simone Simon and Tom Conway.
Mssrs. Johnson & Ortiz share art duties. I was ambitious enough to read the digital copies first. Drew covered the first ten pages whereas Richard penciled the other twenty. Mr. Johnson’s speciality is faces. The eyes are rich and piercing, the skin silky smooth. Barbara’s almond-shaped orbs and bun-ful hair are a precursor to her transformation. Mr. Ortiz doesn’t bedazzle WW as much but the Cheetah is a full-fledged furious felid!!! I’d love to her IRL on the small screen. The animals are as life-like as those on Wild Kingdom.
Romulo Fajardo, Jr. knows that orange is the new black ;-P Rather, he gives the Cheetah a beautiful coat in that colour. She steals every scene. Romulo is SPOT-on in his detailing. Natch!
Wes Abbott comes up with original onomatopœia like KISH and SHRIIIP. The font for Cheetah’s speech is more narrow and scratchy, especially when she yells at the top of her lungs. Her claws aren’t the only sharp objects!
The beauty of this concept is that Mr. Andreyko is embellishing the former show. The producers were too dimwitted in not bringing Diana’s rogue gallery. Instead, we were left with saboteurs, spies, shady industrialists, and aliens. I’m absolutely certain that the Cheetah would have worked in the program. If the FX didn’t warrant a full-on cat-woman then the suit worn by Priscilla Rich would suffice. They brought in the gorilla Gargantua. Therefore, why not a formidable female foe? I give this first entry 9 claws out of 10.
“Celsia 451” (30 pages)
Writer: Marc Andreyko
Artist: Cat Staggs
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
Letterer: Wes Abbott
A new player hits the stage: a young woman so hot and cold that the terms extend beyond her temperament. This metahuman targets corrupt corporate big-wigs and high-standing politicians acting as a vigilante. Steve and Diana are invited to stake out the fundraiser to re-elect the Senator of Ohio. The bait is set and the powered persecutor took it! She is Celsia, ready to dispense her dual version of justice. She is successful at snatching the Senator. Wondy’s bracelets are something real special: this time around they deflect the absolute zero as well as fiery blasts. WW gives hot [pun intended!] pursuit. A three-way battle takes place when the Atomic Knights are summoned!!! One of them has a change of heart when the trio is ordered to take down the two women. Celsia’s origin is revealed. The repentant Knight was smart enough to videotape her story and it was used as evidence against the three men who did her wrong. She accepts her prison sentence as atonement while the others await trial.
Creative licence: Celsius instead of Fahrenheit is an SI derived unit named after Swiss astronomer Anders Celsius. The anti-heroine’s name is a variation of this. How ironic, considering the Americans use Fahrenheit to indicate temperatures. German physicist Daniel Gabriel’s last name was given this distinction. Also, this is a deliberate allusion to Fahrenheit 451, the dystopian novella by Ray Bradbury.
Hey! How did Wondy’s lasso rematerialize? I thought it had turned to brittle. Plus, how did it not melt or freeze when it was around Celsia? Aside from this flub, Mr. Andreyko keeps in line with the tone of the ‘show’. The intensity is just as present as the first story. I’m afraid the limited budget wouldn’t allow for SFX but I’m over the moon that there’s a new member added to the rogues gallery especially on ‘TV’ rather than the comics. Diana asserts her special agent status but acts like a fawning feminist around Director Trevor. As is her nature, Wonder Woman keeps her head cool and her wits about her. There are always two sides to the story. She didn’t have to lift a finger against Celsia and caused no damage to the Knights. Lame lines and puns permeate but that is catered to this era.
Celsia has airs of Killer Frost with an elvish touch. The red in her costume reminds me of a Santa suit for some reason. It’s apparent that she is no true villainess but simply misunderstood. She may yet be an invaluable ally to the Amazon Princess. Cat Staggs portrays Lynda Carter in her super-hero guise. This is most evident in the very last panel of the story. Wonder Woman could not be more graceful nor heroic nor impressive than when she is struggling to hold up the crumbling ceiling. Steve maintains his dashing good looks and really struts his stuff with the tux. Diana Prince is all business with those enormous spectacles and pulled back hair.
I’m seeing stars. Literally!! I find the pointy objects in the background a hoot. Some are subtle, others are overt.
Mr. Fajardo, Jr. plays with two primary colours. Celsia is all aglow with the dual energies emanating from her. The military green fits the Atomic Knights’ armour.
Wes Abbott beautifully designs the logos for Wonder Woman and the Atomic Knights. The title has a groovy lava lamp rendition. He is a human sounding board with more eye-popping ear-popping noise.
The number 451. Add all three and you get 10. I’ll give this second tale 90º Celsius for an original character and the surprise appearance/insertion of the Atomic Knights, obscure and forgotten DC folk.
“Wisdom of Solomon” (10 pages)
Writer: Marc Andreyko
Artist: Jason Badower
Colorist: Brett Smith
Letterer: Wes Abbott
The hokeyness takes a backseat to a far more serious matter. This is revealed near the end of this third chapter. How apropos that on All Hallow’s Eve an honest-to-goodness zombie walks the Earth. It’s the chalk-white cadaverous Solomon Grundy!! Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but the worst monsters are not grotesque in appearance. Wondy meets Grundy when a young woman named Sarah is in danger. There’s a gross misunderstanding. Sarah is in no danger from the towering brute. It’s her boyfriend Thom. She is a victim of domestic abuse. After Thom admits to the despicable deed, Grundy returns from whence he came.
Tough decision: Solomon was a king that had to settle a dispute between two women who claimed to each be the mother of a baby boy. Each had a son but one had died and there was no way to verify the claim. He suggested splitting the infant in two so that each woman would have half. The real mother refused this suggestion, proof that she was the genuine article, her love for her son superseding everything else. Think of this as the first custody dispute.
Party like it’s 200 BCE! Bachanalia was a lavish, massive festival honouring Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. It was quite the party in its heyday. Diana equates it to Halloween. There’s no comparison!
I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting such seriousness in what has been lighthearted fare all the way through. No cheesiness nor preachiness here! I applaud Mr. Andreyko for tackling a universal issue that still affects many in the modern era. A young woman is the target of this tragedy but men also suffer, more so in silence due to shame and stigma. This has jarred Wonder Woman a bit but she is ever the eternal optimist and shows her million dollar smile.
Jason Badower is a mainstay at DC Digital Comics, having illustrated WW in SENSATION COMICS as well as working on ARROW: SEASON 2.5 and FLASH: SEASON ZERO. Grundy is a massive menacing brick house who means business. His urge to protect his descendant is akin to the Golem. I wonder if the artists are assigned due to their uncanny ability in authentically interpreting Lynda Carter on the pages. My jaw dropped at her exquisite features and graceful poses, expertly done by Mr. Badower.
Brett Smith uses watercolor that makes the ex-pat from Paradise Island shine. Literally!! Grundy’s alabaster skin stands out in the chill of the night.
Wes Abbott is a trooper. He keeps a steady hand as he delivers amusing sound effects. I’m surprised that the title ‘Solomon’ has the same font as ‘Celsia’. ‘Wisdom’ evokes a neon sign.
My surprised reaction is twofold: (1) when reading the solicitations, I never associated ‘zombie’ with Solomon Grundy, and (2) the subject matter, as I previously mentioned. I may be too generous but I give this 9 out of 10.
I’m gushing yet again!! Casting aside my personal preference in stating that Wonder Woman is my first love and most beloved DC character, I am thrilled that a second edition has hit the shelves. I base my judgment on the atmosphere maintained in these chapters. Mr. Andreyko makes the transition seamless as if this is an extension of Season Four. A vast improvement over the television program. The fact that a third story has been inserted is a real bonus. Mr. Andreyko brings in Wondy’s opposite number but also throws a curve by inserting Solomon Grundy. The originality of Celsia reminds me of Formicida from Season 3, who was a wronged scientist and not inherently evil. It is unfortunate that BATMAN ’66 ends its two-and-half year run in the next three months. Mr. Andreyko had big plans making a crossover. Fingers crossed!!!
One minor criticism: we were only treated to a half-executed spin. I never tire of watching those scenes as I replay them on my Blu-ray player. One kudo: Wonder Woman’s presence was nine-tenths!! Very little time as Diana Prince. I like both but I’m overjoyed at the marvelous maiden of might!
