The Legend of
Wonder Woman
#18/Chapter 18
Writter Renae DeLiz
Pencils Renae DeLiz
Inks Ray Dillon
Colors Ray Dillon
Before she joined the Justice League, Diana Prince battled Nazi-Zombies in hot pants....
Contemporary superheros draw their origins from the cheap comics sold to entertain the troops during World War 2, so it's a real treat to be thrown headlong through the time vortex and back into the theatre of war under the watchful eye of a caped crusader. There's nothing better than fighting Nazis, right? Well, how about battling a force of undead Nazis, led by the evil Duke of Deception, with a star-spangled lady at your side? Now that's a party.
Although Chapter 18 of The Legend of Wonder Woman is quite a way into the story arc, it's easy to pickup the threads as the narrative cleverly revisits key elements of our hero's origin story. Diana Prince, the alter ego of Wonder Woman, is the female equivalent of Superman's Clark Kent. Renae De Liz deftly wields her pencil to portray Diana as both immensly powerful, but with a carefully masked vulnerability which is brought to the surface through the narrative. I'm particularly fond of the depiction of Diana on the inside cover where she's shown in the uniform of a Military Nurse; there's a twinkle in her eye which exudes palpable concern, but also a sense of resilience. De Liz's characterisations and the dialogue will appeal to a wide audience, and the supporting ink and colours provided by her husband, Ray Dillon, lift the comic to a totally different level. Spectacular colour and textural choices deliver a warm, rich and atmospheric palette, distinctly different from what we might expect from traditionally drab depicitions of WW2 combat.
I must admit that although I've always been physically attracted to the character of Wonder Woman (I'm only human, right?) I've never been a reader. The Legend of Wonder Woman has swayed my opinion, with it's refreshing spin on a comic icon. I've given this issue 4/5 stars as I'd like to see a little more action. That being said, I'm pretty sure that things are just about to heat up!
BUY
-Jim Picton
