‘Wonder Woman #74’ (review)

Written by G. Willow Wilson
Illustrated by Jesus Marino & Xermanico
with Romulo Farjardo, Jr.
Published by DC Comics

Wonder Woman kicks off a new story arc in Dimension Chi in Wonder Woman #74.

Last issue’s flashback to Dimension Chi and the Mirror Universe Empress Hippolyta pays off by having the Empress attack Diana until Atlantiades steps in to take the heat.

Truth be told, these were some of the best action pages I’ve seen in a while between the struggle of the evil step mother, Wonder Woman and her team.

And at the end of it all, the fall, seemingly to their deaths but in actuality a parallel world within Dimension Chi that is now housing the long lost Amazonians.

Being reunited with her people can’t hardly be the end of this storyline, and we are being teased that there is a longtime Wonder Woman rogue that may be behind all of this hostility.

The audience is inserted into the story with the every-woman character of Maggie. She is now the keeper of Antiope’s sword. The Thymysciran general is happy to have her hold on to it, deeming her worthy! With all of the Arthurian legend with Thor origin stories mixed in the blender to make something borrowed, I’m giving this side story my blessing. We get to watch Maggie grow into a hero as well, among the rarified air of immortals and Gods.

Onto the art, I have to get out the old soapbox for a minute. I don’t love double shipped books for this reason. Please do not put two all-star DC Comics artists on this single book! Splitting the art with Marino taking the first half and Xermanico wrapping up the last five pages, just made me want more of both incredible artists. Their styles match fine enough but why is this production problem affecting so many books? This is likely more of an industry wide question and not one specific to Wonder Woman, as this issue was fine.

Wilson’s world building of her version of Wonder Woman is imaginative, diverse, funny and well researched.

Now that she is reunited with The Amazons, she will do battle with her sisters by her side from Dimension Chi and rescue the good queen Hippolyta from the clutches of a surprising foe from Wonder Woman’s past.