“Love and Murder: Part 3”
Writer: Jodi Picoult
Artists: Terry and Rachel Dodson
Publisher: DC Comics
By now, everyone knows that Wonder Woman has had a tough break as of late. But best-selling author Jodi Picoult has managed to begin Diana’s turnaround. The first two issues of Picoult’s arc, which came out in the same month (take that Heinberg!), were a bit slow and fell victim to the editorial decision not to re-launch the series and to re-establish Diana after Heinberg’s arc fell apart. Picoult firmly established that Diana was not hunted or looked down upon by society but by the Department of Metahuman Affairs who ultimately have ulterior motives. She also began to set up the latest highly anticipated “mega-event,” Amazons Attack. Picoult’s done a decent job but has yet to really blow the roof off of the house.
As a result of the latest issue of Wonder Woman, the roof is currently being replaced. I’ve held out a lot of hope for Jodi Picoult and felt she was getting a tough break in comics by having to pen the Amazon Princess. While I liked her first two issues, they did move slowly, and they explored Diana’s insecurities about how human she really is and how humans accept her after she killed Max Lord. Many readers, including myself, may have thought that this issue serves primarily as a set-up for Will Pfeifer’s Amazons Attack, but we are all sorely mistaken. Not only is this the best issue of Wonder Woman since Greg Rucka's tenure, but this issue makes Amazons Attack look pointless. Amazons Attack has a lot of angry women destroying Washington D.C. Wonder Woman #8 has got the emotion, the substance and the motivations behind Pfeifer’s story. Of course, this issue of Wonder Woman is a set-up for Amazons Attack, but it should really be the first issue of Amazons Attack. Picoult does an amazing job covering multiple plot points coherently, consistently and managing to tie them all together. Not only does this issue blow Amazons Attack out of the water, it also makes me believe that Picoult should have written the mini-series as well. Will Pfeifer does a fantastic job with superheroes and may very well be underrated, but the way that Picoult crafts the beginning of the Amazons attack on America just makes me question why I bought Amazons Attack.
All of Picoult’s slow-building over the past two issues most definitely pays off in this issue. Finally, the time has come to move past the death of Max Lord and into the new era of Wonder Woman. Diana has been imprisoned by the Department of Metahuman Affairs, and it was revealed last issue that this was not because she killed Lord, but because the DMA believes she can obtain the Amazonian purple death ray for them. Circe sees opportunity knocking, and her true motives are unleashed immediately in this issue. It is Circe who wants to wage a war against man’s world, and she does the unthinkable to make it happen. She resurrects Wonder Woman’s mother, Queen Hippolyta, and uses images of Wonder Woman’s imprisonment to get the Queen and the Amazons really riled up. Amazons Attack immediately dives into the Amazonian invasion while Picoult gives readers the real meat of the story. I don’t know if it’s bad editing decisions or if Picoult and Pfeifer didn’t communicate, but this issue of Wonder Woman clearly delivers a first round knock-out of Amazons Attack.
And talk about a B-list superhero quickly becoming top players in major characters' lives, Nemesis has all of a sudden become a favorite of mine. He’s got no super-powers, just Bond-like spy abilities and finally Picoult delivers the romantic tension between him and Wonder Woman. With the many plot lines playing out through this issue, Nemesis is definitely a major focus as he helps free Wonder Woman from the DMA prison. They share a few moments, and with Picoult giving the relationship the jumpstart, it could turn out to be one of the finest love stories seen in the DC universe in a while. I love the way Picoult writes their interactions; they are playful, and there is definitely love in the air.
Circe is playing many different cards: she has the Amazons on her side, and she’s got Sarge Steel manipulating the DMA and even Batman to get what she wants. But there’s something about Circe that is revealed in this issue that will definitely have a major effect on where this story goes from here. Picoult has delivered the best Wonder Woman issue since Greg Rucka and for me, she definitely lives up to the anticipation.
While the story in this issue is near flawless and eclipses Amazons Attack, it doesn’t end there. The Dodsons return to provide artwork for this title and let me just say, “wow.” With Picoult’s script they break away from Heinberg’s folly and show off their talents in this issue. While their work on Heinberg’s arc is stellar and possibly their best to date, it might get lost in the fray as Heinberg’s arc faded away to obscurity. But they absolutely shine in this issue. What a great team Picoult and the Dodsons could be.
After reading this issue, I understand why Picoult’s first two issues were a bit slow. Her first job in comics was cleaning up a mess, and she did so admirably. She delivers what should have been the first installment of Amazons Attack, moves beyond Max Lord’s death and begins to further Diana’s character development. I know many readers are happy Gail Simone is coming back to write Wonder Woman, but I hope that after Picoult’s arc ends, she begins to plan her second, longer story arc. Wonder Woman is finally getting back some prestige, and Jodi Picoult definitely delivers. This is my Pick of the Week.
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