By popular demand (well, one reader asked - that's popular enough for me!), here's a review of an issue of the "New" Wonder Woman - this one is dated November - December 1972. I picked up this issue not long ago at a convention for $2.50 - it's always great to find an old comic that costs less than today's comics (though admittedly that's a jump from the original cover price of 20 cents).
At this point in Wonder Woman's career, she had been changed from superhero to a non-powered adventuress - basically, she was Mrs. Peel (from the TV show The Avengers - no relation to the Marvel comic).
I picked it up mostly because I thought the cover was funny - above the title is a banner that proclaims this to be a "Special Women's Lib Issue" - and the bondage cover features a helpless blonde. Mixed messages, anyone?
I was surprised to realize the author of the issue was Samuel R. Delany, who had already made his name as a science fiction writer.
The story is something of a time capsule, focusing on Women's Liberation - an issue that was heating up at the time, and still exists today, though I'd like to think some progress has been made. The issue is a "small" adventure, with no costumed supervillains to deal with.
Instead, Diana Prince finds herself dealing with man's condescending behavior towards women - from "fresh" guys ogling her as she walks down the street to a businessman who hopes to take advantage of the "new" women's lib movement, and tries to exploit Diana and her image for his benefit.
Of course, there are several real fights along the way, and Diana gets to demonstrate her (relatively new) mastery of the martial arts (though her sensei, I Ching, is nowhere to be seen).
It's a "small" story, but an effective one. It's dated, of course, but it still has a message for today's audience.
The art for the issue is provided by the always-excellent Dick Giordano, and while he's always had a great reputation as an inker, this issue shows he's also among the best when it comes to penciling. Outstanding work, and he brings a realistic edge that the story needs. His fight scenes are also believable and efficient.
This was an amazing period for the Amazon Princess. It's not so rare today for characters to undergo some degree of "remodeling" - a new costume, new supporting cast, change in location, deals with the devil - they're all the norm these days, but in the '70s it was extremely rare.
I don't know if the move was made in desperation, or if it was just a spark of inspiration, but the idea of changing Wonder Woman's costume (and dressing her in glamourous fashions of the day), making her a normal woman (albeit one with incredible martial arts skills) and doing away with her supporting cast and putting her in a brand new setting - well, it was a courageous stunt.
The character was almost completely cut off from the DC Universe - I think she appeared in Brave and the Bold a couple of times, and in Justice League of America once - but otherwise, she didn't interact with the regular DC heroes.
Ultimately, it didn't work, and not long after this issue she was back in her red, blue and gold swimsuit (and repowered, of course), but for a while there, her comic was about a "real" woman, and not a mythological Amazon mish-mash.
It was fun while it lasted!
Grade: B
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