Wonder Woman: Rebirth (2016) #1

Wonder Woman (2016) (Single Issues)

by Greg Rucka (Writer), Matthew Clark (Illustrator), Liam Sharp (Illustrator)

After suffering an unimaginable loss, Wonder Woman must rebuild her mission as Earth's ultimate protector and champion.

DON'T MISS: New York Times best-selling writer Greg Rucka returns to Wonder Woman with a tale that will forever alter the DC icon.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Wonder Woman, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Superheroes

27 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 8, 2016

About the author

Greg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B) 75% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: A lore invective, introspective, existential panic—all "Who Am I?" and "What's Been Lies?"—feels muddy/inorganic.

*Progress update

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story keeps changing...



Ok, so love it or hate it, at least this Rebirth issue had something to do with...well, Rebirth.
Diana is suddenly overcome with the feeling that nothing is what it seems, starts to remember stuff n' things, and begins to question her many origin stories.



This one basically takes you through WW's originalish origin story, and the New 52's origin story, so you can see how both stack up. She is, of course, questioning which (if either) is real, and why she's just now remembering that there was another timeline.



I thought it was cool that she used the Lasso of Truth on herself to sort of find out that something strange was happening.



Unlike some of the other Rebirth issues, this one actually made me want to read the new title, so I'd say it did its job.
I have to say thanks (again), because this was another one that Josh gave me!

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This right here + that right there =



The End.

P.S. Yes, I do happen to think Mary Poppins is way cooler than Wonder Super Silly Woman (WSSW™). So sue the fish out of me and stuff.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright, time to jump in for some more Rebirth and see what shenanigans DC are up to this week!

Wonder Woman Rebirth #1 literally starts with Diana being reborn over and over again which is kinda amusing. THE STORY KEEPS CHANGING says Diana (and DC Fans the world over) - and we’re off!

Greg Rucka begins his run by drawing a firm line under what went before. Is Diana Ares, the God of War? Nuh-uh! How about her New 52 outfit? So over! Because you know, what better way to start than by flipping off the previous character/storyline that emerged from Brian Azzarello/Cliff Chiang’s well-received run (the less said about Meredith/David Finch’s run the better!)? Ach, I know, it’s a new start, etc. still I can see more than a few fans not feeling great about that choice.

So we know who she is NOW but what about her past and what happened to the other versions of her? And that’s the story of the first two arcs. Why two? Because Rucka’s going to do two alternating storylines with Wonder Woman #1 uncovering the mysteries of her present and Wonder Woman #2 revealing the secrets of her past and continuing in that manner - that won’t get confusing!

I know it’s set up to be a jumping-on point for new readers but it could’ve been a more exciting issue. Rucka gives us a workmanlike retelling of Diana’s various origins and has her do something conventionally heroic: rescuing innocent women who’re being exploited for their bodies by evil men, booo! I like that she went all Indiana Jones with her lasso though!

Besides setting up her character we find out things are rotten in the state of Olympus - but what’s going on?! There’s no hint of it here but if you’ve read DC Universe Rebirth #1 (or follow comics news) you might know who’s behind all the hubbub.

It’s basically an entire issue with one idea behind it: something’s up in Wonder Woman’s world and she’s a-gonna find out what it is. Feels very slight and kinda pointless, like this could’ve been covered in a two or three page prologue in the main series #1 - until you see the 17 pages of ads and then you see why DC dunit! That said, the splash page tribute to Darwyn Cooke, who passed away last month, was very sweet.

The art is DC house style - slick but ordinary and unexciting - though it’s impressive that with three pencillers (Matthew Clark, Jeremy Colwell and Liam Sharp) there’s a uniformity to the visuals throughout.

Did Wonder Woman Rebirth #1 set up the new Wonder Woman series well? Yeah sort of, though I expect the next #1 will provide a summary that’ll render this issue redundant. Was it a fun read? Not really. Did it make me want to pick up the series proper? Nope! Good job, Greg Rucka/DC!

[Siona Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting start, but not very much happened. Hopefully the ongoing story will be better.

[Marisa Carpico · Rating 2 out of 5]

Artistically unremarkable and narratively a little opaque. Perhaps the only Rebirth book that requires you read Justice League #50 first. Would have liked a little more about the emotional fallout of Clark's death rather than a reiteration of the Jason tease without any forward movement, but oh well. Definitely didn't convince me to pick up the new series.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greg Rucka is probably the best writer of all time for Wonder Woman because of his 2002-2006 run. This one was just kinda boring though. Maybe I am being unfair, it is only 1 issue after all and I did like the art. Although I have hope for the future of this series, this one just didn't really wow me.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received in a Comixology bundle that came with my advanced ticket for Wonder Woman

This was a great addition to the bundle. I like Rucka's work with Wonder Woman so far and I need to read more of it. This one issue explored a lot of her differing origin stories. It also adds a dimension of depth to her that hasn't always been there (something that became evident when I read Sensation Comics #1 by William Moulton Marston). The other issues in the bundle did touch on some of her depth as a character, but none did it so much as this one. Most people's ideas about Wonder Woman may not take into account that she has inner turmoil just like Batman and Superman do. I'm really glad this was included in the bundle. I can't wait for this movie.

Bundle included:
Wonder Woman (2006-) #1
The Legend of Wonder Woman (2015-) #1
Wonder Woman: Rebirth #1 (Wonder Woman 2016, #1)

[Batastrophe]

Okay, after reading this issue, I am pumped for Rucka's Wonder Woman run!

This was a really interesting issue for me to read. I'm pretty familiar with with Preboot Wonder Woman--her origin, her personality, etc, but I never actually picked up N52 Wonder Woman at all. Like how I felt about Superman, I didn't like what I saw of Diana during crossover events and in Justice League--she seemed very war-hungry, which seemed like the opposite of what Diana is supposed to be to me. But, I never did pick up her N52 series, so I won't judge that here. My feelings aside, this issue does some really interesting things with the disparity of how Diana was portrayed between preboot and N52, carrying through some great motifs and themes.

The first thing I love about this is just how Rebirth #1 felt very meta, this issue also feels meta for the same reasons. The issue begins by Diana becoming aware that she has conflicting memories of her history, but she can't distinguish which is true and which is false. This really reflects the fans' confusion about Diana's history after it was dramatically changed in the N52--one of the reasons I never picked up Diana's N52 series was because I was so offended that they changed her from being formed of clay to being another child of Zeus. Not that there's anything wrong with being one of Zeus's children--it's Cassie Sandsmark's origin, after all. But why do we need to take Cassie's origin and force it on Diana? Furthermore, Diana's made-from-clay origin was so perfect. She was a daughter of all the amazons, born of no man. It's an origin I love, and I was really angry when they stripped Diana of it.

As I mentioned above, I also didn't like how war-hungry Diana seemed to be in some of the Justice League issues I read. Diana is a diplomat, a peacemaker, and also a warrior, but she doesn't seek out violence. She is above all a champion of truth, and that's a theme that's really heavily focused on in this issue. This issue also nicely sets up the theme that truth and war are natural opposites, using the famous saying "the first casualty of war is the truth." It's especially troubling to Diana that she can't remember the truth of her story, and it even causes her to doubt her own purpose. It also seems to cause her to realize that the path she's on isn't necessarily true to who she is.

All that aside, I loved how we get the two versions of Diana's story side-by-side--all their conflicting details included. Hippolyta's hair color even changes between black and blonde depending on which version of events you're in, which is a detail I loved, especially considering Hippolyta's magically changing hair color throughout the entire history of Wonder Woman. These segments were also great for me to understand a bit more about the N52 history of Wonder Woman.

Finally, my favorite moment was probably Diana's costume change. It didn't escape me that the abandoned pieces that were emphasized were hallmarks of her N52 outfit: the silver tiara, the 'W' choker, and the blue boots. No more blue boots! It's really petty, but I'm happy about that.

All in all, I thought this was a tightly told issue. It had clear themes (which I always love) and really seemed to be ramping up to something really cool. It really does feel like a "rebirth" of sorts for Diana, so I for one am very excited.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very interesting start of a new take on Wonder Woman. The art was really good and I like what they're doing with the character.

I have to continue reading to see where this new path takes Diana.

[Cassie ♠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a nice storyline and I can't wait to see how everything turns out. Although I have to admit that the flashpoint confuses me a lot. Are all characters aware of the changes in their own past or is it just Wonder Woman who tries to find the truth? Is she made out of clay or daughter of Zeus? I hope it will all be explained in the next issues.

[Different Is Beautiful · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong four stars

[The Sapphic Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rucka may not be a stranger to writing Wonder Woman, but I (unfortunately) haven't read his version of Diana until now. I've loved most of his previous work writing female leads (Batwoman, and Renee Montoya in The Question, Convergence: The Question, and Gotham Central are some of my favourite comics, period) so when I heard he'd be taking the reins for this run, I was thrilled. He's playing it smart with Rebirth, introducing audiences to a Wonder Woman who, in the midst of all the different stories and retold origins, feels like she's lost herself. She's going back to the basics, intent on figuring out who she really is.

I don't think Rucka likes the vision of Diana as the God of War any more than I do. There are enough battle-hungry bruisers in the superhero universe, and Wonder Woman is so much more than that. Gail Simone manages to balance the different layers to Diana's identity (diplomat/emissary, leader, warrior, princess, peacemaker, friend, etc.) while keeping her character compelling and full of heart. That Diana only uses violence as a last resort, and actually takes punches to prove her priority is peace. However, when there's no other option, she will take up arms, and she'll fill you with awe at her formidable brains and brawn in combat. Brian Azzarello's Diana loses the first part, and as a result, the second part loses effectiveness. There's only so much beating up a character can do before they feel flat and get boring. Rucka seems to recognize that, and I'm all for it. This is a solid start.

No complaints about the art. It switches between artists and both are good, though I prefer the first artist. The first style is closer to what you'd usually find in comics. The second is more detailed and realistic in comparison. Either way, she cuts an imposing figure.

I'm very interested in seeing where Rucka takes Wonder Woman.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first time that I have experienced Wonder Woman and I feel like I was thrown into the deep end without being able to swim. This issue was confusing to me because Diana is struggling with her identity and her origin. I guess with Rebirth they are resetting Wonder Woman's origin story and they are doing this odd thing where she doesn't really know who she is. I think they could have done this with more ease for newer readers and made Diana less confused. I wasn't the biggest fan of this.

[Sahej · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5*
It was really just description but yes, good.

[Nẹdu · Rating 5 out of 5]

everyone should read this!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 as an average: 3 for the story; 4 for the art. I fully admit that I'm no regular aficionado of the graphic novel. (Though comic books for The Archies and Caspar the Friendly Ghost were my "thing" at ages 5 & 6... lol.)

The cover of this edition tempted me at the library yesterday, especially as I'm very eager to see the new Wonder Woman movie. It's about time that we had a feature film with this greatest of all female superheroes!! (And no, "Electra" just didn't work. And Cat Woman is more of an anti-hero, is she not?) We need a hero that today's girls can admire for her strength, her passion, her truthfulness, and her energy to "get the job done." Wonder Woman is not strong "like a man." She is strong like a woman, and stronger than many men in her story: good guys and bad guys alike.

Perhaps one day our young daughters (and sons!) will admire many actual people, women and girls like Malala Yousafzai, Aung San Suu Kyi, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Ellen DeGeneres, or Jazz Jennings. The feminist in me really hopes so!

Sometimes, though, childhood admiration starts with larger-than-life characters who happen to be fictional. I admit that I'm out of touch with the graphic novel genre... but I've always liked Wonder Woman. She came from Themiscyra, land of the Amazons, but adopted America as a place she wanted to defend and protect. (If only she'd leap off the page and fly to D.C. right about... now. Whip in hand, and boot heel on the throat of certain misogynistic politicians... that list would be l-o-n-g!)

This novel's storyline was rather confusing to me, as WW has flashbacks, possibly hallucinations, and many characters from former issues pop in and out. The basic plot was mostly chronological, and the bad guys were defeated, except for the cliffhanger ending, of course. However, I'm not up to date on all of the adventures, so I was a bit lost. But the art was striking and vibrant and the energy and action exploded from each illustration. I really admire the process that artists go through, from pencil sketch, to ink, to color, to create art for graphic novels. The end of this edition showed some examples of that process, and some alternate cover designs. With five total artists contributing to this issue, it was also interesting to see the meshing of their complementary designs.

Overall, I recommend this issue, especially to those more versed in the features of good graphic novels. I may even continue to read them more often!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freebie when I brought tickets to the movie.

Interesting issue of the whole Rebirth and constantly changing of stories. Liked that.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so she sees the story keeps changing... so now we are going to follow her being rebirth again on the Rebirth series. Let's see how it rolls!

[Kay ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was intriguing and it definitely had me interested while reading. Once I finished, I realized that I truly don't care about this origin story. Art work was amazing though!

[Arturo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retelling of her origin, mostly in narration boxes, that was written well enough not see it as another boring origin story. Wonder Woman seems somewhat aware of the big glitch between her regular origin and her New 52 origin, that has her have a little introspection. With her new costume change in the middle of the comic (and I really liked that silver armor, ..at times), we see a different artist take over, I don't know if that's a hint of things to come with the 'next issue' line stating issue 1 will alternate in origin story with issue 2. But I find this is going to be really interesting.

[Joe Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I was unknowledged about the storyline details of Wonder Woman and what she endured during the new 52 (aside from becoming the God of War, the outfit change and the coupling of her with Superman). Glad to see I won't have to worry about that, with "the story keeps changing" as the run on theme for this issue to help set-up her truth and identity crisis she will confront very soon. I wonder if this will coincide with the main storyline in DC or something different. But so far this was a great start with excellent artwork.

[Eugene Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Hera! Now that Wally is back and everyone knows that something *cough* Doc Manhattan *cough* has messed with the past 10 years, we see Wonder Woman struggling to find out her true self. In the mirror scene, we see Diana and glimpses of past versions of her. The DC Universe knows, they're coming for you, Dr. Manhattan.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a first episode in a soft reboot this really doesn't rock the boat or offer anything but a giant tease of things to come. This was okay and far from bad, just wanted something a little more interesting to set the tone of this so called rebirth. Just felt a little underwhelming.

[Angélica · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know me, you must know how much I love Diana and how high my expectations were towards this... and I was not disappointed, this was AMAZING.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good recap featuring the character and the ongoing DC universe mystery. I would recommend this to new readers who haven't picked up the main DC Rebirth Special.

[Ariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Greg Rucka and his previous works with wonder woman, he's amazing, and this issue was awesome. I was expecting not less from him.

[Münevver · Rating 3 out of 5]

WW hayatın ne hale geldi be kızım?

[Arsnoctis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could be a good introduction to Wonder Woman and hers backstory.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really love the artwork!