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Wonder Woman Archives #5
Wonder Woman Archives, Vol. 5
A volume curated from my personal collection. Single owner.
- GenresComicsWonder Woman
240 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2007
74 people want to read
About the author
William Moulton Marston
134 books51 followersDr. William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen names Charles Moulton and William Marston, was an American psychologist, feminist theorist, inventor, and comic book writer who created the character Wonder Woman. Two women, his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston and Olive Byrne (who lived with the couple in a polyamorous relationship), served as exemplars for the character and greatly influenced her creation.
He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006.
He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 10, 2012
More early Wonder Woman. I have to say, I appreciate how faithfully DC seems to be reproducing these issues, down to having the "crawl" on the bottom of the page urging readers to buy war bonds and donate scrap.
February 29, 2024
I began my Wonder Woman marathon around the New Year, and have been savoring these Archives. Marston's writing is superb as usual. His health was failing, and he brought in an assistant, Joye Murchison to write a script he obviously had already plotted. Harry G. Peter's artwork is a delight to the eyes, with his Gilded Age influences making this title look like nothing else on the stands at the time. The quality of both the writing and the artwork has been remarkably consistent thus far, and remarkably high.
The S & M, bondage, dominance and submission overtones are as rampant as ever, and make me chuckle. The fact that this was scooped by children as well as adults is comical. The adults undoubtedly got into the kinkier aspects of it, while little girls found a strong female role model that they could aspire to be. To put this in historical perspective, these issues were published during World War II, and Rosie the Riveter was fresh on people's minds. The woman's suffragette movement was only 20 or so years old, so a rise in feminism was beginning to take hold.
Wonder Woman's trip to Venus provided some of the more outlandish, surrealistic imagery in this book. H.G. Peter really shined here, as he could draw very lovely ladies. While these stories can be somewhat formulaic and repetitive, when taken in smaller “doses”, these are remarkable reads.
The linework and color restoration are much improved over Volume 5, with the integrity of the artwork better preserved. Volume 5 had much of the linework washed out by shoddy computer recoloring, rather than doing it by “hand” on computer, which was likely the case here. The paper is a dull matte finish coated stock, and is absolutely wonderful. This has sewn binding and lays pretty flat overall. DC Archives are great.
The S & M, bondage, dominance and submission overtones are as rampant as ever, and make me chuckle. The fact that this was scooped by children as well as adults is comical. The adults undoubtedly got into the kinkier aspects of it, while little girls found a strong female role model that they could aspire to be. To put this in historical perspective, these issues were published during World War II, and Rosie the Riveter was fresh on people's minds. The woman's suffragette movement was only 20 or so years old, so a rise in feminism was beginning to take hold.
Wonder Woman's trip to Venus provided some of the more outlandish, surrealistic imagery in this book. H.G. Peter really shined here, as he could draw very lovely ladies. While these stories can be somewhat formulaic and repetitive, when taken in smaller “doses”, these are remarkable reads.
The linework and color restoration are much improved over Volume 5, with the integrity of the artwork better preserved. Volume 5 had much of the linework washed out by shoddy computer recoloring, rather than doing it by “hand” on computer, which was likely the case here. The paper is a dull matte finish coated stock, and is absolutely wonderful. This has sewn binding and lays pretty flat overall. DC Archives are great.
June 10, 2017
This book collects Wonder Woman stories from September 1944 to Spring of 1945 in Wonder Woman and Sensation Comics as the war was ending.
Mostly, the stories are still pretty good, although there's some repetitiveness and formula worked in.
The good stuff is mostly in Wonder Woman #10 and #11. The first of which focuses on the Saturn Men's attempt to invade Earth and then the second focuses on a plot against a newly formed peace with the Saturn. They're focused and solid stories. Also of note is Sensation Comics #35 which has her helping out a poor little boy who's unfairly being labeled as slow as well as being bullied. It's a sweet story that shows Wonder Woman at her kindness.
The other Sensation Comics tales tended to have more problems. There was repetition. Both Sensation Comics #33 and #40 featured multiple Wonder Women at a costume party. In addition, a story where Wonder Woman plays Santa Claus is derailed by her facing off against a garden variety thug who happens to be the father of two kids. Sensation Comics #36 is advertised as a battle with six former foes and turns out to be far less than advertised. These comics aren't necessarily bad but they're below the quality of previous books.
Issue 12 of Wonder Woman is the issue that capture Wonder Woman at its weirdest as she discovers a new league determined to start a new third World War and so Wonder Woman makes them prisoners of the Venusians who keep them in line with golden nets and girdles.
Overall, this book is still solid golden age work, but at this point, William Moulton Marston was leaning heavily on some go to tropes so there's a lot more of a repetitive nature. Overall though, these are still enjoyable and there are some very good stories still mixed in.
Mostly, the stories are still pretty good, although there's some repetitiveness and formula worked in.
The good stuff is mostly in Wonder Woman #10 and #11. The first of which focuses on the Saturn Men's attempt to invade Earth and then the second focuses on a plot against a newly formed peace with the Saturn. They're focused and solid stories. Also of note is Sensation Comics #35 which has her helping out a poor little boy who's unfairly being labeled as slow as well as being bullied. It's a sweet story that shows Wonder Woman at her kindness.
The other Sensation Comics tales tended to have more problems. There was repetition. Both Sensation Comics #33 and #40 featured multiple Wonder Women at a costume party. In addition, a story where Wonder Woman plays Santa Claus is derailed by her facing off against a garden variety thug who happens to be the father of two kids. Sensation Comics #36 is advertised as a battle with six former foes and turns out to be far less than advertised. These comics aren't necessarily bad but they're below the quality of previous books.
Issue 12 of Wonder Woman is the issue that capture Wonder Woman at its weirdest as she discovers a new league determined to start a new third World War and so Wonder Woman makes them prisoners of the Venusians who keep them in line with golden nets and girdles.
Overall, this book is still solid golden age work, but at this point, William Moulton Marston was leaning heavily on some go to tropes so there's a lot more of a repetitive nature. Overall though, these are still enjoyable and there are some very good stories still mixed in.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews