What do you think?
Rate this book
Wonder Woman by George Perez Omnibus
Wonder Woman by George Perez Omnibus Vol. 1
One of the most popular artists working in comics over the last 30 years, George Pérez's resume contains a who's-who of the most popular characters in comics. From his co-creation, with Marv Wolfman, of THE NEW TEEN TITANS in the 80s and his work on CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS and WONDER WOMAN to his mega-successful JLA/AVENGERS, George's work has thrilled comics fans for over 3 decades.
This omnibus collects the first two years of George Perez's revolutionary run on WONDER WOMAN in premium format, containing WONDER WOMAN #1-24 and WONDER WOMAN ANNUAL #1.
This omnibus collects the first two years of George Perez's revolutionary run on WONDER WOMAN in premium format, containing WONDER WOMAN #1-24 and WONDER WOMAN ANNUAL #1.
640 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1988
42 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
George Pérez
1,496 books208 followersGeorge Pérez (June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic books artist and writer, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 25, 2015
This is one of only two stories/collections that I've read that were purely Wonder Woman. I've always heard about this legendary run and was glad to finally have a chance to read it because George Perez is one of the top artists of all time, IMO.
The first 10-12 issues deal mainly with updating WW's origin for the then modern time and much of it has to deal with the Pantheon of gods she was born from. These were the most interesting stories for me, but after that everything seemed mundane. There certainly wasn't a lot of action and fighting villains (which arguably is what a WW story should resist) and primarily either dealt with the supporting cast and some other aspect of Diana's role and fitting into our world.
It's all well done, and while Perez's art has looked better since then, it's still way better than most artists today, but In the end though the stories weren't that captivating to me. There was a time when I would have thoroughly enjoyed the Greek mythology ties, but much of my knowledge of that has been forgotten, and I'm not sure if it would have helped or not.
Do keep in mind that there is quite a bit of text, dialogue and captions which does slow the reading down.
The first 10-12 issues deal mainly with updating WW's origin for the then modern time and much of it has to deal with the Pantheon of gods she was born from. These were the most interesting stories for me, but after that everything seemed mundane. There certainly wasn't a lot of action and fighting villains (which arguably is what a WW story should resist) and primarily either dealt with the supporting cast and some other aspect of Diana's role and fitting into our world.
It's all well done, and while Perez's art has looked better since then, it's still way better than most artists today, but In the end though the stories weren't that captivating to me. There was a time when I would have thoroughly enjoyed the Greek mythology ties, but much of my knowledge of that has been forgotten, and I'm not sure if it would have helped or not.
Do keep in mind that there is quite a bit of text, dialogue and captions which does slow the reading down.
December 3, 2017
So - this was a READ. For an artist, George Perez loves to pack his pages with word balloons and caption boxes and as many words as possible. I always thought artists liked the more minimalist word approach, so as not to cover the art, but not Perez. It's also still in the old style of comics, which means it's very condensed comics, but what's weird is that at times things would wrap rather quickly or just seemed to not be addressed at all. There's a few plot threads that just seemed to be forgotten about (or happened off panel).
But as a Wonder Woman book, it's good. Never realised until reading the intro for this, but this is to Wonder Woman what Year One and John Byrne were to Batman and Superman (respectively). The first post crisis book for the character. I liked the use of the Greek mythology stuff, made it feel cinematic, and the artwork is amazing. It's just so many words. So many.
But as a Wonder Woman book, it's good. Never realised until reading the intro for this, but this is to Wonder Woman what Year One and John Byrne were to Batman and Superman (respectively). The first post crisis book for the character. I liked the use of the Greek mythology stuff, made it feel cinematic, and the artwork is amazing. It's just so many words. So many.
October 5, 2015
Didn't hold my attention as much as I hoped it would. I ended up starting and finishing a couple other books after starting this one.
The closest analogue I can think of is Simonson's Thor. Perez also resets the characters and grounds them in their backstory going back into the mythic side of the DC universe to tell the origin story and explain the motivations of Wonder Woman. I just enjoyed Simonson's Thor more. Perez has some good art and some excellent full or dual page spreads but the book is mostly smaller panels with plenty of dialog and talking heads. There are a number of supporting characters but only a couple feel like they get developed.
Ares is a decent main villain. One new villain (new origin story post-crisis appears in this book) was the Silver Swan. She was the most interesting villain as she doesn't really want to be bad, she is dominated by a man using her and her abilities for his own gain and her villainy is a result of her insecurity.
Worthwhile if you don't mind older style writing and you can find at a reasonable price.
The closest analogue I can think of is Simonson's Thor. Perez also resets the characters and grounds them in their backstory going back into the mythic side of the DC universe to tell the origin story and explain the motivations of Wonder Woman. I just enjoyed Simonson's Thor more. Perez has some good art and some excellent full or dual page spreads but the book is mostly smaller panels with plenty of dialog and talking heads. There are a number of supporting characters but only a couple feel like they get developed.
Ares is a decent main villain. One new villain (new origin story post-crisis appears in this book) was the Silver Swan. She was the most interesting villain as she doesn't really want to be bad, she is dominated by a man using her and her abilities for his own gain and her villainy is a result of her insecurity.
Worthwhile if you don't mind older style writing and you can find at a reasonable price.
July 31, 2025
George Pérez's iconic run on Wonder Woman is, without a doubt, a must-read for any fan of the character, and this omnibus perfectly sums up why it's a legendary run. Pérez makes Wonder Woman not only a strong, powerful, and beautiful warrior, but also a deeply caring one, who loves fiercely. Her journey in these 24 issues is a masterful balancing act between epic god fights and small, grounded murder mysteries, all while she’s figuring out how to be a celebrity. The sheer scope of Diana's growth is honestly fucking incredible.
The run's ability to pivot from a high stakes battle on Mount Olympus to a grounded detective story in Man's World is a testament to Pérez's brilliant storytelling. Diana goes through so much in these issues, I can't help but care for her already.
This volume is a definitive statement on the Wonder Woman mythos. It's a goddamn knockout, and it's a testament to its quality that I'm now eager for DC to one day reprint volumes 2 and 3 so I can complete this amazing run. For its sheer ambition, emotional depth, despite some very minor drawbacks, this gets a 4.5 out of 5. I'll bump it to a 5 for Goodreads.
The run's ability to pivot from a high stakes battle on Mount Olympus to a grounded detective story in Man's World is a testament to Pérez's brilliant storytelling. Diana goes through so much in these issues, I can't help but care for her already.
This volume is a definitive statement on the Wonder Woman mythos. It's a goddamn knockout, and it's a testament to its quality that I'm now eager for DC to one day reprint volumes 2 and 3 so I can complete this amazing run. For its sheer ambition, emotional depth, despite some very minor drawbacks, this gets a 4.5 out of 5. I'll bump it to a 5 for Goodreads.
October 11, 2017
This collection presents the first chunk of Wonder Woman's story following her rebirth in the wake of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, an event that reorganized the continuity of the DC universe. However, it's not necessary to know anything about that. It's a fresh start, a clean slate, and while that makes this book a good jumping on point for new readers, it also presents some "problems."
As this is Diana's origin story, and she hasn't been off the island till now, much of the book is taken up with her learning about the rest of the world. She's essentially a blank slate, passive (except when in combat)...and just not very interesting. Unfortunately, her supporting cast doesn't do much to make up for it. There's far too much of a domestic focus for my tastes, particularly regarding a couple of Diana's friends, an archaeologist and her teen-aged daughter.
In 600+ pages, I never really felt a strong urge to pick the book back up again and find out what happened next.
George Pérez has always been one of my favorite comic artists. I loved his work on The Avengers and Justice League of America when I was a kid, and I think during this period he was at his peak. He's not very good with monsters, though. Creatures like Phobos, Euryale and Decay look more cartoonish than threatening. Otherwise, the art is superb.
There are a couple story gaps that might confuse new readers, and seemed jarring to me. One involves a crossover event called Millennium, in which various characters' supporting cast members turn out to be robot sleeper agents; in this case, the god Pan. Here we find out about his duplicity in one issue and in the next it's all been resolved "off panel." If they didn't want to include those issues or pages, they could have at least inserted a text page letting us know what happened, as Marvel sometimes does in their compilations.
The other concerns Darkseid's assault on Olympus. They definitely should have included the main story from Action Comics #600, especially as Pérez had a hand in the art. It wouldn't have taken up much more space and this part of the book would have flowed much better.
I believe this was George Pérez's first full-time writing job (Len Wein scripts the first half or so) and it's not bad; I just wish Diana's "baby steps" had been compressed somewhat and her transition into fully-realized character had occurred sooner. If you're a Wonder Woman fan and don't mind a lot of "downtime," it is worth a read.
As this is Diana's origin story, and she hasn't been off the island till now, much of the book is taken up with her learning about the rest of the world. She's essentially a blank slate, passive (except when in combat)...and just not very interesting. Unfortunately, her supporting cast doesn't do much to make up for it. There's far too much of a domestic focus for my tastes, particularly regarding a couple of Diana's friends, an archaeologist and her teen-aged daughter.
In 600+ pages, I never really felt a strong urge to pick the book back up again and find out what happened next.
George Pérez has always been one of my favorite comic artists. I loved his work on The Avengers and Justice League of America when I was a kid, and I think during this period he was at his peak. He's not very good with monsters, though. Creatures like Phobos, Euryale and Decay look more cartoonish than threatening. Otherwise, the art is superb.
There are a couple story gaps that might confuse new readers, and seemed jarring to me. One involves a crossover event called Millennium, in which various characters' supporting cast members turn out to be robot sleeper agents; in this case, the god Pan. Here we find out about his duplicity in one issue and in the next it's all been resolved "off panel." If they didn't want to include those issues or pages, they could have at least inserted a text page letting us know what happened, as Marvel sometimes does in their compilations.
The other concerns Darkseid's assault on Olympus. They definitely should have included the main story from Action Comics #600, especially as Pérez had a hand in the art. It wouldn't have taken up much more space and this part of the book would have flowed much better.
I believe this was George Pérez's first full-time writing job (Len Wein scripts the first half or so) and it's not bad; I just wish Diana's "baby steps" had been compressed somewhat and her transition into fully-realized character had occurred sooner. If you're a Wonder Woman fan and don't mind a lot of "downtime," it is worth a read.
December 8, 2021
I heard the the very terrible news of comic book creator George Pérez currently dying of pancreatic cancer today and my mind wondered back to when I first got into reading sequential art. One of the first comic book titles I read was Pérez's take on Wonder Woman. I read the first 24 issues in which George Pérez both drew and wrote the script (rare in western comics). He was just coming off of his long tenure with Marv Wolfman working on The New Teen Titans and they had completed what folks considr to be Pérez's magnum opus: Crisis on Infinite Earths. In aftermath of the hard-reset they tasked Pérez with re-introducing Wonder Woman into the DC Universe and it was an amazing success. I was amazed by how could the story was and od course the superb artwork. This being part of my introduction not only to Pérez, but to comic books as a format it left a very good impression. I read this collection and have been a fan of the character of WW ever since (Batman is still my favorite DC Comics character). This is a book about a heroine getting her start in the world and I guess it is fitting to reminise now that the writer is getting ready to leave it. I suppose I'll read another George Pérez book soon to take in the artist one more time before his time is up, but I suppose this is a short little pre-in memoriam rather than a preoper review.
Here are my reviews of the trade paperback volumes that make up this omnibus:
Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Gods and Mortals
Wonder Woman, Vol. 2: Challenge of the Gods
Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: Beauty and the Beasts
Wonder Woman, Vol. 4: Destiny Calling
Here are my reviews of the trade paperback volumes that make up this omnibus:
Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Gods and Mortals
Wonder Woman, Vol. 2: Challenge of the Gods
Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: Beauty and the Beasts
Wonder Woman, Vol. 4: Destiny Calling
August 22, 2017
Lesenotizen
Was Perez aus der Geschichte der popkulturellen Ikone herausholt, ist wirklich beachtlich. Er beginnt seinen Run mit der Entstehung und Verbannung der Amazonen auf Paradise Island in frühgeschichtlichen Zeiten und fügt alle Elemente sinnvoll und gut erzählt zusammen, so dass ein regelrechtes Epos entsteht. Prinzessin Diana wird zu einer packenden Hauptfigur, die zwischen Menschen und Göttern steht und letzlich beide Seiten retten kann, wenn sie die Machenschaften des machtgierigen Kriegsgottes Ares unterbinden kann.
Die Story wird vielschichtiger und bildmächtiger erzählt als bisher, und auch Trevor wird zu einer komplexeren Persönlichkeit; er stellt sich, obwohl Soldat, dem Wahnsinn des Krieges entgegen, der von Ares mit dem Ziel der Weltherrschaft über Götter und Menschen entfacht wird,
Perez erzählt im eigenen Rhythmus und läßt sich nicht hetzen, dadurch wird das Epische des Stoffes sehr schön spürbar.
Ich hatte deutlich geringere Erwartungen an diesen Omnibus, der inhaltlich mit Qualität richtig punktet (nur die buchbinderische Qualtität und das Papier halten leider nicht mit den Omnibussen der großen Konkurrenz mit).
Was Perez aus der Geschichte der popkulturellen Ikone herausholt, ist wirklich beachtlich. Er beginnt seinen Run mit der Entstehung und Verbannung der Amazonen auf Paradise Island in frühgeschichtlichen Zeiten und fügt alle Elemente sinnvoll und gut erzählt zusammen, so dass ein regelrechtes Epos entsteht. Prinzessin Diana wird zu einer packenden Hauptfigur, die zwischen Menschen und Göttern steht und letzlich beide Seiten retten kann, wenn sie die Machenschaften des machtgierigen Kriegsgottes Ares unterbinden kann.
Die Story wird vielschichtiger und bildmächtiger erzählt als bisher, und auch Trevor wird zu einer komplexeren Persönlichkeit; er stellt sich, obwohl Soldat, dem Wahnsinn des Krieges entgegen, der von Ares mit dem Ziel der Weltherrschaft über Götter und Menschen entfacht wird,
Perez erzählt im eigenen Rhythmus und läßt sich nicht hetzen, dadurch wird das Epische des Stoffes sehr schön spürbar.
Ich hatte deutlich geringere Erwartungen an diesen Omnibus, der inhaltlich mit Qualität richtig punktet (nur die buchbinderische Qualtität und das Papier halten leider nicht mit den Omnibussen der großen Konkurrenz mit).
August 21, 2015
Absolutely the BEST EVER version of Wonder Woman. This is THE graphic novel to read if you're a fan of the Amazon Princess, and if you're a fan of ancient Greek mythology.
April 10, 2021
This was a big one! 4 stars
Over 600 pages of Wonder Woman stories and art spanning a very long time coming to a pretty good book. This Omnibus spans the re-imagined story of Wonder Woman's Origins and her adventures is Man's word. With a modernized origin and a greater emphasis on her mythological roots this is arguably one of WW's greatest comicbook runs.
With over 600 pages and 24 issues there are wobbles in quality of the writing and art, but overall this was a book I very much enjoyed reading. WW is and inherently interesting character, but also seemingly one who is difficult to write. There is a balancing act to writing her as a compelling character, making her relevant in the world she inhabits and prevent her from coming off as silly. George Pérez and his collaborators did a wonderful job of all three of these.
In short this omnibus defined WW for a new generation and remains as one of the best runs for this character. Don't miss-out on this adventure.
Over 600 pages of Wonder Woman stories and art spanning a very long time coming to a pretty good book. This Omnibus spans the re-imagined story of Wonder Woman's Origins and her adventures is Man's word. With a modernized origin and a greater emphasis on her mythological roots this is arguably one of WW's greatest comicbook runs.
With over 600 pages and 24 issues there are wobbles in quality of the writing and art, but overall this was a book I very much enjoyed reading. WW is and inherently interesting character, but also seemingly one who is difficult to write. There is a balancing act to writing her as a compelling character, making her relevant in the world she inhabits and prevent her from coming off as silly. George Pérez and his collaborators did a wonderful job of all three of these.
In short this omnibus defined WW for a new generation and remains as one of the best runs for this character. Don't miss-out on this adventure.
dnf
July 2, 2017Read the first complete story arc in this bind up. It started off a little rocky, but I liked it by the end. Going to have to return and finish out the collection at a later date.
Read
December 29, 2016After reading this I have even more respect for Wonder Woman. This collection of stories addresses feminism and several other social issues while still being entertaining. A tip of the hat!
January 12, 2023
Sure, there are things that are part of their time in here, but I can see why this beloved classic.
August 30, 2025
4.5 stars. This is a beautiful relaunch of WW post-COIE by George Perez. The characterization is easily the highlight, as this run explores Diana and her supporting cast in incredible depth. The art is fantastic as expected from Perez. There is so much lore in here, especially around Greek mythology, and I find it so interesting in that regard; it makes this stand out compared to other titles or runs. I was a little worried at first because this is pretty wordy, and yet I ended up liking it that way because I felt I got to explore the characters that much more.
Generally each issue feels relatively self-contained and yet there is continual progress and overarching narratives. Each issue you feel like you get a very complete story. So much is explored here, starting with the origins of the Amazons themselves before getting into Diana's origin. Eventually Diana wins the contest against her mother's wishes to be the one to go to man's world. She is there to stop Ares' plans, and also has to contend with his sons Deimos and Phobos. Diana ends up living with Professor Julia Kapatelis and her young daughter Vanessa. Those two are great. Julia is an excellent, smart mentor who it later turns out was rescued by the Amazons as a child and Vanessa is a lot of fun. We also get introduced to Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, although they play a smaller role in the back half of this, and surprisingly have a budding romance between themselves.
A lot of other villains are explored such as Cheetah, Circe, Silver Swan, and others. The publicist Myndi Mayer is also an interesting supporting character before her death. There is solid action in here but really not too much, and I like that about this book. So many layers to every character but especially Diana. We also learn that she was named after a woman named Diana from man's world who was a pilot and crashed into Themyscira and ended up being a brave warrior there who died in service. That Diana was actually Steve Trevor's mother. An incredible collection here that is highlighted by the characterization and art.
Generally each issue feels relatively self-contained and yet there is continual progress and overarching narratives. Each issue you feel like you get a very complete story. So much is explored here, starting with the origins of the Amazons themselves before getting into Diana's origin. Eventually Diana wins the contest against her mother's wishes to be the one to go to man's world. She is there to stop Ares' plans, and also has to contend with his sons Deimos and Phobos. Diana ends up living with Professor Julia Kapatelis and her young daughter Vanessa. Those two are great. Julia is an excellent, smart mentor who it later turns out was rescued by the Amazons as a child and Vanessa is a lot of fun. We also get introduced to Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, although they play a smaller role in the back half of this, and surprisingly have a budding romance between themselves.
A lot of other villains are explored such as Cheetah, Circe, Silver Swan, and others. The publicist Myndi Mayer is also an interesting supporting character before her death. There is solid action in here but really not too much, and I like that about this book. So many layers to every character but especially Diana. We also learn that she was named after a woman named Diana from man's world who was a pilot and crashed into Themyscira and ended up being a brave warrior there who died in service. That Diana was actually Steve Trevor's mother. An incredible collection here that is highlighted by the characterization and art.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2017
I think my favourite incarnation of Wonder Woman for the depth of the lore, the characterization and the 'Wonder' of it all. There are a few things that I find problematic, and it also has an annoying tendency to introduce or resolve threads from other books even more so than I'm used to from a DC book (and in this collection there's not editor notes pointing to the correct book to see the rest of the story), and that's why it got one star knocked off.
But Perez was spot on with his symbolism, he really knew what he was doing with the Greek myth, more so than the Golden Age writers.
But Perez was spot on with his symbolism, he really knew what he was doing with the Greek myth, more so than the Golden Age writers.
December 28, 2020
A triumphant piece of work that has aged gracefully--clearly a work far ahead of its time. Excellent writing, art, representation of different ethnicities/sexual orientations/body shapes/ages/etc., storytelling, character development, friendships. I love that this Wonder Woman is single as well. She has so much to do, anyway! and chooses to spend her little free time devoted to her mentor and mentee (so to speak). I love the mythological fables. Just such a rich collection.
July 13, 2021
Ça c'est du comic, ça. Sans aucun doute la meilleure série de Wonder Woman et qui se lit comme du petit lait.
March 30, 2024
I started reading Perez' run when it first came out and collected many, but not all, of the issues in this volume. The artwork is detailed and beautiful. Perez's conceptualization of Themiscyra, the Amazons, and the Olympians is thoughtful and fully realized. His use of Greek mythology as primary antagonists is terrific, whether its the Ares arc that starts the run, the challenge of the gods, or Circe and her disciples. The secondary characters in "Patriarch's World," are often well-done, the Julia and Vanessa, in particular. I like Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, but they don't figure as much in the narrative as they might be expected to (particularly with all the references to Diana's great bond with Steve).
Diana's characterization is very well-done. She is young, naïve, and idealistic, but not foolish. She understands that she needs guidance to function in "Man's World." Sometimes, she gets it wrong, but she's able to accept and learn from those situations. Her compassion and empathy are her greatest strengths. The stories in this volume include plenty of fights, but there is also great character development and exploration of themes such as the nature of faith, the pain of trauma and power of forgiveness, the importance of repentance, and the power of strong, loving relationships, of which only one is romantic.
Perez spends time with the supporting cast. I think the strongest work in that area is in the depiction of 14 yo Vanessa's world. She's clearly a kid who was never popular with the in-crowd, but, like most teenagers, really wants to fit in and be popular. Her relationship with Diana gives her fame that, of course, garners attention from the kids in the popular crowd. She's not a bad kid, but she's often self-absorbed and thoughtless regarding the feelings of her old friend who isn't included in the "cool" crowd.
Even characters that are more stereotypical, such as Myndi Mayer, get fleshed out. Myndi, who appears the soul of shallow commercialism, is revealed to be a more loving and compassionate character than portrayed in most of her appearances. To Perez' credit, the reveal doesn't re-write the character or strain credulity; it just reveals some depths that Diana would not have ordinarily seen.
Overall, Perez does a good job of respecting the women and Amazonian society. But there are a few moments in this volume that hit with a thud.
There's also a problematic characterization of an African character, Chuma, who is Barbara Minerva's/Cheetah's assistant/servant. His speech pattern is a stereotype: using the "d" sound for "th" (e.g., "de Madam") and some weird, Yoda-like grammar. Also, he's an old black man serving a white woman who treats him badly. Yet he's apparently devoted to her. Minerva/Cheetah's's introduction lasts only a handful of issues, and she'll be back, so (hopefully) this master/servant dynamic will be explained in a way that makes it less icky (though I'm sure the dialogue won't improve).
Diana's characterization is very well-done. She is young, naïve, and idealistic, but not foolish. She understands that she needs guidance to function in "Man's World." Sometimes, she gets it wrong, but she's able to accept and learn from those situations. Her compassion and empathy are her greatest strengths. The stories in this volume include plenty of fights, but there is also great character development and exploration of themes such as the nature of faith, the pain of trauma and power of forgiveness, the importance of repentance, and the power of strong, loving relationships, of which only one is romantic.
Perez spends time with the supporting cast. I think the strongest work in that area is in the depiction of 14 yo Vanessa's world. She's clearly a kid who was never popular with the in-crowd, but, like most teenagers, really wants to fit in and be popular. Her relationship with Diana gives her fame that, of course, garners attention from the kids in the popular crowd. She's not a bad kid, but she's often self-absorbed and thoughtless regarding the feelings of her old friend who isn't included in the "cool" crowd.
Even characters that are more stereotypical, such as Myndi Mayer, get fleshed out. Myndi, who appears the soul of shallow commercialism, is revealed to be a more loving and compassionate character than portrayed in most of her appearances. To Perez' credit, the reveal doesn't re-write the character or strain credulity; it just reveals some depths that Diana would not have ordinarily seen.
Overall, Perez does a good job of respecting the women and Amazonian society. But there are a few moments in this volume that hit with a thud.
There's also a problematic characterization of an African character, Chuma, who is Barbara Minerva's/Cheetah's assistant/servant. His speech pattern is a stereotype: using the "d" sound for "th" (e.g., "de Madam") and some weird, Yoda-like grammar. Also, he's an old black man serving a white woman who treats him badly. Yet he's apparently devoted to her. Minerva/Cheetah's's introduction lasts only a handful of issues, and she'll be back, so (hopefully) this master/servant dynamic will be explained in a way that makes it less icky (though I'm sure the dialogue won't improve).
September 3, 2024
After finishing the Legion of Super-Heroes Volume 1 Omnibus I look forward to starting something new. I love the LSH but those old silver age stories can be a bit tiring. I love the Buck Rogers science fiction aspects, but some of the plots are downright dumb. I don’t need to see Superboy cry again anytime soon!
So taking a look at what’s next I had some really good (and much shorter) prehistoric series available (Devil Dinosaur, Tor, Anthro, Cavegirl, Caveman, and a few others, etc.) and even the entire Spider-Man clone saga! But what I grabbed was George Perez’s run on Wonder Woman which I had never read before but I’m. a definite fan of his art from the New Teen Titans (which I also plan to get to someday!). With Len Wein doing some writing I’m looking forward to this one!
”Despite some creative high points during its four decades of publication, there had been far too many lows along the way, and the character had been revamped so many times that her continuity had become a muddled mess.”
He’s not wrong.
And of course, it’s a wonderful start! The art of course, is amazing and the tale is told as a myth of the Greek gods.
Wow! Even as old as this series is, it’s pretty damn dark! All suggested of course, but still pretty strong! It definitely gives it power!
It’s actually a great retelling of Wonder Woman’s origin. They’re sticking with the ‘made of sand’ story, but it’s still very well done.
So it is that the infant princess knows the care of a thousand mothers…
Very clever that in the tournament, all participants are masked, which makes much more since than only Diana (as it’s usually told)!.
That was a great first issue! They are a little weak on why WW has stars on her panties, but they still did a great job and the art is amazing!
Man, I LOVE reading an ‘old’ comic! The amount of story, pound for pound is quadruple new comics! You’re so getting your money’s worth! I wonder if anyone’s ever actually measured the difference?
And George Perez is even better in this comic than he was in the Titans! The detail is right up there with Giordano or Adams.
For years we have watched helplessly as this great nation has been overrun by imbeciles… by those who do not love this country as we do… by those who seek to subvert all that which we believe! If this nation is to be strong, we must be strong… strong enough to crush those who would defy us!
Holy, f’ing s’it! Donald Trump is an f’ing SUPERVILLIAN! An ARES GOD OF WAR supervillain! It’s so obvious now!
A fun, nice artistic touch is that whenever the gods are shown at Mount Olympus, the place always looks like an Escher drawing. Everything at odd angles and the gods walking and standing on the wall at different angles from each other. But all in Greek temple architecture!
” THIRTY-TWO DOLLARS? Thirty-two dollars for one sack of groceries! I think I’m gonna be sick. ”
I love the fact that every Wonder Woman writer knows to get us to fall in love with Etta Candy!
Wonder Woman is finally learning a bit of english as she and a scholar are figuring out the secret of an ancient amulet. Then Ares God of War shows up.
This dialog almost sounds like Kirby wrote it! And that’s a good thing!
Honestly I can’t believe they haven’t tapped this story for a Wonder Woman movies! It’s got zombies and all sorts of great visuals!
That was a great story! And completely unexpected ending! And of course, amazing art work!
It’s a neat twist that not only is Wonder Woman fighting magical ancient Greek foes, she’s also getting a publicist for her introduction into the modern world!
”Unfortunately, Diana soon discovered that, in some backward countries of this supposedly ‘enlightened’ world, the words of a woman no matter how meaningful or true, simply will not be heard.”
Hrm. I wonder what ‘backward countries’ she’s talking about?
The story I’m reading is the origin of the Cheetah and while she’s never been that great a villain, this story is definitely more interesting than the Wonder Woman II movie was!
— Paradise Island will be no one’s brothel!
Pretty amazing story actually! Deals with sexual assault in a very sensitive and yet straight forward way. Ballsy as hell story. What do you do when your god tries to rape you?
Beauty of the soul can be a great weapon, Aphrodite — if it can remain uncorrupted.
Boy! This comic - Wonder Woman #11 - would make a FANTASTIC movie!
The story also explains why Wonder Woman is wearing red-white-and-blue and also how the Amazons learned to use guns!
It’s fascinating to me that the Wonder Woman adventures here are not your typical superhero fare, but adventures unique to Wonder Woman and her connection to the gods. We’ve got a comic her different from anything else!
I’m really gonna try not to cry about Heracles on Paradise Island but it’s unbelievably cool for a comic book (#14).
Honestly a writer/artist in a comic book is as fearful as a writer/director in a movie, but this book is amazingly cool. Wow. This is the joy.
It looks like what Wein/Perez is doing is reinventing all of her most famous villains. It’s a good job, because all of her traditional villains were notoriously lame.
This pitiful circus has not concerned itself with the needy children of this city - - but with promoting this princess diana as some sort of feminine ideal no real woman could ever hope to become! Thus, you can consider this robbery a formal protest against the crass commercial venture you call Wonder Woman!
Okay, my dream to see Wonder Woman snapping her towel at another woman has finally been realized.
In Wonder Woman #17, Dick Giordano is inking George Perez and it immediately shows! Talk about a dream team!
Apparently Darkseid attacked Olympus but Wonder Woman and Superman fought him off. And of course that story isn’t in this reprint. :/
I can imagine a TV series of this book. Lots of great characters, lots of twists, nothing that couldn’t be done with special effects.
I’m not sure why, but I think it’s great that Wonder Woman wears a wide variety of outfits, some based on her old outfits and some brand new.
Though it’s a little weird when someone calls her traditional costume (not the modern Gal Gadot interpretation but the Linda Carter costume) her “Armor”!
I also appreciate the fact that the backgrounds are so beautifully and completely detailed. There’s not a lot of short-cuts in a Perez book!
We also see a new power of the Golden Lasso. She can use it as ‘circle of mystic flame’ to protect another.
A fantastic thing that I haven’t seen very often is that despite Wonder Woman being mixed up in all these divine shenanigans, human beings can still take part and make a difference without being totally out-powered. This makes the action suspenseful even though it involves divine beings and magic.
That’s a pretty vicious plan. Circe plans to reduce Wonder Woman back to the clay she came from. That’s harsh.
Now that classy, expensive face was splattered all over the room, courtesy of some nutcase’s gun.
Okay and somehow Wonder Woman’s got the power to put someone to sleep?! I call shenanigans!
God! Save me from illiterate artists!
Princess, we’re NOT talking about justice. We’re talking about the LAW.
A great noir story thrown into the middle of Wonder Woman.
They have been putting what I believe are the covers of the Wonder Woman books between the stories and they have been amazing! They’ve removed all the cover elements beside the Wonder Woman banner and truly showcased the art. Fantastic stuff. I can’t believe I missed this back when I was reading comics!
”She doesn’t know the gods as I do.”
Amazons has WW taking Julia and Nessie to Paradise Island. The first few pages are not illustrated by Perez and it’s definitely a let down, but the next few pages are illustrated by Arthur Adams and it’s an appreciated change of pace! Even Julia’s looking a little sexy!
Wow! Arthur Adams on a Wonder Woman book? Why did they EVER allow him to leave?!
John Bolton takes the next chapter and it has a kind of cool “Classics Illustrated” style.
The whole style of these stories is kind of legendary, bringing a different flavor to WW stories than anything else I’ve read.
Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez takes chapter 3 and it kills it. It’s a wonderful dramatic bunch of pages.
Though there is a weird coloring error on page 20!
Part 4 goes to Curt Swan, not a favorite of mine personally, but a classic artist.
Part 5 goes to Ross Andru and George Perez. And all-star team if there ever was one.
Etta candy hits a guy with a shoe who is trying to escape.
There is a great human interest story in the funeral of WW’s publicist.
Interesting! A mystery woman is looking for Wonder Woman’s sister — Donna Troy!
But you saw the crow. History has shown that reward is the cornerstone of faith, whether it be the promise of an afterlife… or something more immediate.
Suddenly, hope streaks through the sky like a star-spangled comet.
Menopause. I’ve read about that.
That was soooo much fun! Wonder Woman as she was always meant to be!
Over 600 pages just blazed by! The art was amazing the stories were fantastic!
Whether you ever had any affection for the character or not, this was an amazing series! 5 starts and a definite keeper! I can’t wait to get to the other two volumes!
As a bonus, you get the “Who’s Who: The Definitive Guide to the DC Universe” entries for Wonder Woman, Ares and Decay. I LOVED reading this stuff when I was a kid.
And I STILL do!
Wonder Woman by George Perez was better than I expected it to be by far! Though I’ve read some good Wonder Woman stories over the years this was the first time that it felt like she not just a female Superman. Plus, it has evil sheep!
5 stars and a definite keeper. I can’t wait to get to the other volumes. Reading this zoomed by!
So taking a look at what’s next I had some really good (and much shorter) prehistoric series available (Devil Dinosaur, Tor, Anthro, Cavegirl, Caveman, and a few others, etc.) and even the entire Spider-Man clone saga! But what I grabbed was George Perez’s run on Wonder Woman which I had never read before but I’m. a definite fan of his art from the New Teen Titans (which I also plan to get to someday!). With Len Wein doing some writing I’m looking forward to this one!
”Despite some creative high points during its four decades of publication, there had been far too many lows along the way, and the character had been revamped so many times that her continuity had become a muddled mess.”
He’s not wrong.
And of course, it’s a wonderful start! The art of course, is amazing and the tale is told as a myth of the Greek gods.
Wow! Even as old as this series is, it’s pretty damn dark! All suggested of course, but still pretty strong! It definitely gives it power!
It’s actually a great retelling of Wonder Woman’s origin. They’re sticking with the ‘made of sand’ story, but it’s still very well done.
So it is that the infant princess knows the care of a thousand mothers…
Very clever that in the tournament, all participants are masked, which makes much more since than only Diana (as it’s usually told)!.
That was a great first issue! They are a little weak on why WW has stars on her panties, but they still did a great job and the art is amazing!
Man, I LOVE reading an ‘old’ comic! The amount of story, pound for pound is quadruple new comics! You’re so getting your money’s worth! I wonder if anyone’s ever actually measured the difference?
And George Perez is even better in this comic than he was in the Titans! The detail is right up there with Giordano or Adams.
For years we have watched helplessly as this great nation has been overrun by imbeciles… by those who do not love this country as we do… by those who seek to subvert all that which we believe! If this nation is to be strong, we must be strong… strong enough to crush those who would defy us!
Holy, f’ing s’it! Donald Trump is an f’ing SUPERVILLIAN! An ARES GOD OF WAR supervillain! It’s so obvious now!
A fun, nice artistic touch is that whenever the gods are shown at Mount Olympus, the place always looks like an Escher drawing. Everything at odd angles and the gods walking and standing on the wall at different angles from each other. But all in Greek temple architecture!
” THIRTY-TWO DOLLARS? Thirty-two dollars for one sack of groceries! I think I’m gonna be sick. ”
I love the fact that every Wonder Woman writer knows to get us to fall in love with Etta Candy!
Wonder Woman is finally learning a bit of english as she and a scholar are figuring out the secret of an ancient amulet. Then Ares God of War shows up.
This dialog almost sounds like Kirby wrote it! And that’s a good thing!
Honestly I can’t believe they haven’t tapped this story for a Wonder Woman movies! It’s got zombies and all sorts of great visuals!
That was a great story! And completely unexpected ending! And of course, amazing art work!
It’s a neat twist that not only is Wonder Woman fighting magical ancient Greek foes, she’s also getting a publicist for her introduction into the modern world!
”Unfortunately, Diana soon discovered that, in some backward countries of this supposedly ‘enlightened’ world, the words of a woman no matter how meaningful or true, simply will not be heard.”
Hrm. I wonder what ‘backward countries’ she’s talking about?
The story I’m reading is the origin of the Cheetah and while she’s never been that great a villain, this story is definitely more interesting than the Wonder Woman II movie was!
— Paradise Island will be no one’s brothel!
Pretty amazing story actually! Deals with sexual assault in a very sensitive and yet straight forward way. Ballsy as hell story. What do you do when your god tries to rape you?
Beauty of the soul can be a great weapon, Aphrodite — if it can remain uncorrupted.
Boy! This comic - Wonder Woman #11 - would make a FANTASTIC movie!
The story also explains why Wonder Woman is wearing red-white-and-blue and also how the Amazons learned to use guns!
It’s fascinating to me that the Wonder Woman adventures here are not your typical superhero fare, but adventures unique to Wonder Woman and her connection to the gods. We’ve got a comic her different from anything else!
I’m really gonna try not to cry about Heracles on Paradise Island but it’s unbelievably cool for a comic book (#14).
Honestly a writer/artist in a comic book is as fearful as a writer/director in a movie, but this book is amazingly cool. Wow. This is the joy.
It looks like what Wein/Perez is doing is reinventing all of her most famous villains. It’s a good job, because all of her traditional villains were notoriously lame.
This pitiful circus has not concerned itself with the needy children of this city - - but with promoting this princess diana as some sort of feminine ideal no real woman could ever hope to become! Thus, you can consider this robbery a formal protest against the crass commercial venture you call Wonder Woman!
Okay, my dream to see Wonder Woman snapping her towel at another woman has finally been realized.
In Wonder Woman #17, Dick Giordano is inking George Perez and it immediately shows! Talk about a dream team!
Apparently Darkseid attacked Olympus but Wonder Woman and Superman fought him off. And of course that story isn’t in this reprint. :/
I can imagine a TV series of this book. Lots of great characters, lots of twists, nothing that couldn’t be done with special effects.
I’m not sure why, but I think it’s great that Wonder Woman wears a wide variety of outfits, some based on her old outfits and some brand new.
Though it’s a little weird when someone calls her traditional costume (not the modern Gal Gadot interpretation but the Linda Carter costume) her “Armor”!
I also appreciate the fact that the backgrounds are so beautifully and completely detailed. There’s not a lot of short-cuts in a Perez book!
We also see a new power of the Golden Lasso. She can use it as ‘circle of mystic flame’ to protect another.
A fantastic thing that I haven’t seen very often is that despite Wonder Woman being mixed up in all these divine shenanigans, human beings can still take part and make a difference without being totally out-powered. This makes the action suspenseful even though it involves divine beings and magic.
That’s a pretty vicious plan. Circe plans to reduce Wonder Woman back to the clay she came from. That’s harsh.
Now that classy, expensive face was splattered all over the room, courtesy of some nutcase’s gun.
Okay and somehow Wonder Woman’s got the power to put someone to sleep?! I call shenanigans!
God! Save me from illiterate artists!
Princess, we’re NOT talking about justice. We’re talking about the LAW.
A great noir story thrown into the middle of Wonder Woman.
They have been putting what I believe are the covers of the Wonder Woman books between the stories and they have been amazing! They’ve removed all the cover elements beside the Wonder Woman banner and truly showcased the art. Fantastic stuff. I can’t believe I missed this back when I was reading comics!
”She doesn’t know the gods as I do.”
Amazons has WW taking Julia and Nessie to Paradise Island. The first few pages are not illustrated by Perez and it’s definitely a let down, but the next few pages are illustrated by Arthur Adams and it’s an appreciated change of pace! Even Julia’s looking a little sexy!
Wow! Arthur Adams on a Wonder Woman book? Why did they EVER allow him to leave?!
John Bolton takes the next chapter and it has a kind of cool “Classics Illustrated” style.
The whole style of these stories is kind of legendary, bringing a different flavor to WW stories than anything else I’ve read.
Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez takes chapter 3 and it kills it. It’s a wonderful dramatic bunch of pages.
Though there is a weird coloring error on page 20!
Part 4 goes to Curt Swan, not a favorite of mine personally, but a classic artist.
Part 5 goes to Ross Andru and George Perez. And all-star team if there ever was one.
Etta candy hits a guy with a shoe who is trying to escape.
There is a great human interest story in the funeral of WW’s publicist.
Interesting! A mystery woman is looking for Wonder Woman’s sister — Donna Troy!
But you saw the crow. History has shown that reward is the cornerstone of faith, whether it be the promise of an afterlife… or something more immediate.
Suddenly, hope streaks through the sky like a star-spangled comet.
Menopause. I’ve read about that.
That was soooo much fun! Wonder Woman as she was always meant to be!
Over 600 pages just blazed by! The art was amazing the stories were fantastic!
Whether you ever had any affection for the character or not, this was an amazing series! 5 starts and a definite keeper! I can’t wait to get to the other two volumes!
As a bonus, you get the “Who’s Who: The Definitive Guide to the DC Universe” entries for Wonder Woman, Ares and Decay. I LOVED reading this stuff when I was a kid.
And I STILL do!
Wonder Woman by George Perez was better than I expected it to be by far! Though I’ve read some good Wonder Woman stories over the years this was the first time that it felt like she not just a female Superman. Plus, it has evil sheep!
5 stars and a definite keeper. I can’t wait to get to the other volumes. Reading this zoomed by!
October 22, 2015
The book itself is lovely. The dust jacket has illustrations in bright clear colors. The book itself has striking wraparound artwork in full color. The book has a glued binding with what looks like spine fabric to reinforce the spine. It seems fairly supple and has held up to the opening and closing of the book. A great hardcover edition.
First Arc Issues 1-7
Issue 1 starts with an introduction to the Amazons: how they came to be, who they are, what their lifestyle is like and Diana’s creation story. It’s a pretty intense beginning and does a great job of giving you an introduction to the world of the Amazons. The rest of the 2-7 issues focuses on Ares goal of domination. We are introduced to some the villains: Decay, Deimos and Phobos. Furthermore, we get a look into Wonder Woman’s powers: tiara throw, lasso of truth (forged from the girdle of Gaea), flight and strength. These beginning issues handle the naiveté of Wonder Woman very well and the difficulties she faces when engaging with a world not her own. Overall, I feel this is a strong introduction to Wonder Woman.
Second Arc Issues 8-14
This second arc tackles some pretty heavy issues. Wonder Woman rejects the advances of Zeus and his rage at the refusal results in Wonder Woman having to prove her worthiness in the eyes of the Gods. Zeus threatens that should Wonder Woman fail it will be the end of the Amazons. As a result of this challenge Wonder Woman learns about the past of the woman who is her namesake. The conclusion focuses on a message of forgiveness and moving on from past mistakes.
Third Arc Issues 15- 19
The third arc begins with Wonder Woman return to the world of man. Here is the main problem with this section: there is a gap that should be filled with Action Comics #600 about Superman and Wonder Woman's "date” and the fall of Olympus. You can kind of fill in the blanks, but it is a glaring omission. Other than that the story telling is pretty well done. In this story arc we get introduced to foes Silver Swan and Circe.
Fourth Arc Issues 20-24
The fourth arc begins with the mystery of Myndi. Wonder Woman seeks to discover the murderer, but the conclusion demonstrates Wonder Woman’s innocence as she is shocked and shaken by the truth. The Gods leave Olympus in this arc, but Hermes returns to meddle in mortal affairs. Hermes meddling results in much destruction and Wonder Woman has to save the day.
This book is great value for the price (I picked mine up for $50 on Amazon). This colorful collection is full of strong artwork and good story telling. I have a few qualms about this book, but recognize in part some of my issues are influenced by the time in which this collection originally came out. Any fan of Wonder Woman would find this book a good addition to their collection.
First Arc Issues 1-7
Issue 1 starts with an introduction to the Amazons: how they came to be, who they are, what their lifestyle is like and Diana’s creation story. It’s a pretty intense beginning and does a great job of giving you an introduction to the world of the Amazons. The rest of the 2-7 issues focuses on Ares goal of domination. We are introduced to some the villains: Decay, Deimos and Phobos. Furthermore, we get a look into Wonder Woman’s powers: tiara throw, lasso of truth (forged from the girdle of Gaea), flight and strength. These beginning issues handle the naiveté of Wonder Woman very well and the difficulties she faces when engaging with a world not her own. Overall, I feel this is a strong introduction to Wonder Woman.
Second Arc Issues 8-14
This second arc tackles some pretty heavy issues. Wonder Woman rejects the advances of Zeus and his rage at the refusal results in Wonder Woman having to prove her worthiness in the eyes of the Gods. Zeus threatens that should Wonder Woman fail it will be the end of the Amazons. As a result of this challenge Wonder Woman learns about the past of the woman who is her namesake. The conclusion focuses on a message of forgiveness and moving on from past mistakes.
Third Arc Issues 15- 19
The third arc begins with Wonder Woman return to the world of man. Here is the main problem with this section: there is a gap that should be filled with Action Comics #600 about Superman and Wonder Woman's "date” and the fall of Olympus. You can kind of fill in the blanks, but it is a glaring omission. Other than that the story telling is pretty well done. In this story arc we get introduced to foes Silver Swan and Circe.
Fourth Arc Issues 20-24
The fourth arc begins with the mystery of Myndi. Wonder Woman seeks to discover the murderer, but the conclusion demonstrates Wonder Woman’s innocence as she is shocked and shaken by the truth. The Gods leave Olympus in this arc, but Hermes returns to meddle in mortal affairs. Hermes meddling results in much destruction and Wonder Woman has to save the day.
This book is great value for the price (I picked mine up for $50 on Amazon). This colorful collection is full of strong artwork and good story telling. I have a few qualms about this book, but recognize in part some of my issues are influenced by the time in which this collection originally came out. Any fan of Wonder Woman would find this book a good addition to their collection.
November 21, 2023
After crisis on infinite earths , WW got a whole new origin story , this could be considered “WW year 1” a perfect mix of action and what it’s like to be wonder women entering the patriarchy world while also dealing with Backstabbing God. Got some great villains in Circe’s, cheetah, and Silver Swan.
February 4, 2017
A wonderful compilation of the first 24 issues of Wonder Woman when they were revamped in the 1980's by George Perez. It was delightful getting so much history of the Amazons as well as going into Diana's transition into the 'man's world' and eventually trying to build a bridge for both of her homes now. I appreciate all the feminism and strong, powerful women in this series. Unfortunately, that is not promoted or seen enough but I love that these stories empower women so much and everyone should read them! The only downside is that the second omnibus does not come out until May!!!! I have to wait so long to finish this wonderful series! I'm very glad that Wonder Woman continues to live on though and is often seen as the most widely known female super hero. Bravo Wonder Woman, keep it up :)
March 12, 2017
Despite its flaws (clunky narration and the problem of bringing ancient Greek myths to 'da masses'; Marvel was better at this kind of thing w Thor and Dr Strange, one of the few ways they had DC licked), I cannot help but love this book. It's the art, maaan; every line, every curve is glorious and says more about humanity's sense of agape in the face of mythology than all the words herein. Buy it for the pictures.
January 7, 2017
Amazing story and art - a genuinely original origin for Wonder Woman.
The only shame is that this Omnibus Edition misses some of the crossovers that took place during Perez's run. I was especially looking forwards to the crossover with Superman. Without the crossover material, there are some odd gaps in the story, with cliffhangers and teasers leading to nothing.
The only shame is that this Omnibus Edition misses some of the crossovers that took place during Perez's run. I was especially looking forwards to the crossover with Superman. Without the crossover material, there are some odd gaps in the story, with cliffhangers and teasers leading to nothing.
May 16, 2017
I expected beautiful art. I also got dense, well-plotted stories combining Greek mythology with hefty modern concerns. Perez created a Wonder Woman that makes sense.
Full review: https://hannahgivens.wordpress.com/20...
Full review: https://hannahgivens.wordpress.com/20...
August 1, 2017
beautiful art
February 17, 2018
The first in a series of omnibuses collecting George Perez's work on Wonder Woman. it is one of the great defining runs on the character. A must-read for any Wonder Woman fan.
October 14, 2019
It's an amazing book, Perez did an amazing job rethinking Wonder Woman. Definitely one of favorite books.
March 6, 2021
amazing stories, and i can see their influence today
October 26, 2016
A masterpiece, plain and simple!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews