What do you think?
Rate this book
Wonder Woman: Odyssey
Wonder Woman: Odyssey, Vol. 1
Due to mysterious circumstances, Diana must track down the truth behind what’s happened to her timeline and face the biggest stunner of all: Who destroyed Paradise Island?If you think you knew who Wonder Woman was – think again! All bets are off in this all-new direction for the long-running series that’s perfect for new readers as Wonder Woman embarks on an odyssey to find her past and gets a new costume, a new set of foes, and a new tone from the ground up!
168 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2011
16 people are currently reading
1765 people want to read
About the author
J. Michael Straczynski
1,372 books1,280 followersJoseph Michael Straczynski is an American filmmaker and comic book writer. He is the founder of Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Studio JMS and is best known as the creator of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1993–1998) and its spinoff Crusade (1999), as well as the series Jeremiah (2002–2004) and Sense8 (2015–2018). He is the executor of the estate of Harlan Ellison.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
December 13, 2011
I'm smitten with new Wonder Woman and this retool is certainly pleasing progress...with qualifications.
Princess Diana gets a much needed infusion of kickassery to complete the 21st century makeover that has seen her transformed from 40's, non-inspiring Betty Crocker meets Betty Boop clad in frilly skirt and high heals...yes, I said high heals:
…('ooh...I must hurry and stop the bad guys because I’ve got a pot roast in the oven.')
...to modern, awe-inspiring Sydney Bristow meets Ellen Riply clad in leather, attitude and uber nutSTOMPability.
She is Woman, hear herroar ripping your ears off and shoving them up your poop dispenser.
As he did so well with Thor, JMS has taken a fading comic icon and revitalized it with a fresh look and an intriguing new direction. While not as stellar as his work on the thunder god, there is quite a bit to like here. As with most of Stracyznski’s work, the writing is good and his story-line is well-crafted. It didn’t strike me as “ah, shitsnacks, another in an endless series of transitory reboots so we can call this a #1 issue for marketing purposes.” I may be ignorantly optimistic about that, but I thought there was solidity to this new foundation that gave me hope this world would be nurtured and developed. Only time will tell if my interest is rewarded or casually shoved aside in favor of another quick retool.
Here's a quick snapshot of the story-line:
In a nut's shell, the basic premise is that Diana finds herself in hiding in the modern world following the complete destruction of Paradise Island and the death of most of the amazons, including Diana’s mother. With her home destroyed, the favor of gods seemingly retracted and Diana just coming into her powers, she must find a way to protect the scattered group of surviving amazons from the powerful, mysterious enemy that continues to hunt them down. Here’s the rub…this reality I have just described is not necessarily the reality that should be...someone, most likely one of the mettlesome deities, has altered the time line and Diana must find a way to set things right.
The above may make it sound like my earlier optimism was incredibly misplaced, but the story really does unfold with a nice sense of establishing a new lasting storyline and I found it, for the most part, entertaining.
However…
Along with the positives, there are some gripes that keep me from rating this higher than 3 stars. As I mentioned above, the writing is good. However, it is just that and no more. I have read much better work from JMS and I didn’t feel that he was as inspired by this character as he was previously on Thor.
Also, while the background/world-building for the story-line is well done, the plot itself is a bit too jumbled in its layout. Given that the multi-world, multi-reality spin that Straczynski took with this arc inherently injects a certain chaos to the narrative, I think he would have been better served by slowing the pace of the story a little to allow the reader to better maintain a sense of equilibrium. Too much action and jumping from scene to scene does not always equate to excitement…rather it leads to boredom as your attention blurs and slides away from the plot.
Still, overall, I thought this was good and I will certainly pick up the next volume to see how the Odyssey storyline concludes. I just hope JMA works out a few of the kinks and pours a little more of himself into the writing.
3.0 stars. Recommended.
Princess Diana gets a much needed infusion of kickassery to complete the 21st century makeover that has seen her transformed from 40's, non-inspiring Betty Crocker meets Betty Boop clad in frilly skirt and high heals...yes, I said high heals:
…('ooh...I must hurry and stop the bad guys because I’ve got a pot roast in the oven.')
...to modern, awe-inspiring Sydney Bristow meets Ellen Riply clad in leather, attitude and uber nutSTOMPability.
She is Woman, hear her
As he did so well with Thor, JMS has taken a fading comic icon and revitalized it with a fresh look and an intriguing new direction. While not as stellar as his work on the thunder god, there is quite a bit to like here. As with most of Stracyznski’s work, the writing is good and his story-line is well-crafted. It didn’t strike me as “ah, shitsnacks, another in an endless series of transitory reboots so we can call this a #1 issue for marketing purposes.” I may be ignorantly optimistic about that, but I thought there was solidity to this new foundation that gave me hope this world would be nurtured and developed. Only time will tell if my interest is rewarded or casually shoved aside in favor of another quick retool.
Here's a quick snapshot of the story-line:
In a nut's shell, the basic premise is that Diana finds herself in hiding in the modern world following the complete destruction of Paradise Island and the death of most of the amazons, including Diana’s mother. With her home destroyed, the favor of gods seemingly retracted and Diana just coming into her powers, she must find a way to protect the scattered group of surviving amazons from the powerful, mysterious enemy that continues to hunt them down. Here’s the rub…this reality I have just described is not necessarily the reality that should be...someone, most likely one of the mettlesome deities, has altered the time line and Diana must find a way to set things right.
The above may make it sound like my earlier optimism was incredibly misplaced, but the story really does unfold with a nice sense of establishing a new lasting storyline and I found it, for the most part, entertaining.
However…
Along with the positives, there are some gripes that keep me from rating this higher than 3 stars. As I mentioned above, the writing is good. However, it is just that and no more. I have read much better work from JMS and I didn’t feel that he was as inspired by this character as he was previously on Thor.
Also, while the background/world-building for the story-line is well done, the plot itself is a bit too jumbled in its layout. Given that the multi-world, multi-reality spin that Straczynski took with this arc inherently injects a certain chaos to the narrative, I think he would have been better served by slowing the pace of the story a little to allow the reader to better maintain a sense of equilibrium. Too much action and jumping from scene to scene does not always equate to excitement…rather it leads to boredom as your attention blurs and slides away from the plot.
Still, overall, I thought this was good and I will certainly pick up the next volume to see how the Odyssey storyline concludes. I just hope JMA works out a few of the kinks and pours a little more of himself into the writing.
3.0 stars. Recommended.
March 2, 2022
"The only way back [to the surface of Earth] is through a passage guarded by the three-headed Cerberus, whose only task it to prevent souls from escaping and does so with a terrible force." -- exposition by Charon, the boatman of Hades who transports the newly dead across the river Styx
"Great. Terrific. I love it . . . Isn't anything ever easy?" -- Wonder Woman, literally trapped in Hell without weapons or any means of assistance
Odyssey, Vol. 1 was a great reminder of Wonder Woman's sometimes forgotten role or place in DC's 'trinity.' Superman is the powerful peacekeeper, Batman is the dedicated crimefighter, and WW is . . . the absolute badass warrior! This volume features her taking on all sorts of enemies - a platoon of evil soldier-for-hire mercenaries in the desert of Turkey, winged demons populating the bowels of Hell, and Cernunnos the centaur and his minions on the rough streets of Washington D.C. (When the brutally vicious Cernunnos finally 'meets his maker,' courtesy of an injured WW, it is a swiftly harsh but otherwise oddly satisfying moment of rough justice.) The storyline here is a little bit uneven at first - or maybe even all over the place to some - but when it finally settles into an exceedingly action-oriented groove it was a great 21st century reintroduction for the character.
"Great. Terrific. I love it . . . Isn't anything ever easy?" -- Wonder Woman, literally trapped in Hell without weapons or any means of assistance
Odyssey, Vol. 1 was a great reminder of Wonder Woman's sometimes forgotten role or place in DC's 'trinity.' Superman is the powerful peacekeeper, Batman is the dedicated crimefighter, and WW is . . . the absolute badass warrior! This volume features her taking on all sorts of enemies - a platoon of evil soldier-for-hire mercenaries in the desert of Turkey, winged demons populating the bowels of Hell, and Cernunnos the centaur and his minions on the rough streets of Washington D.C. (When the brutally vicious Cernunnos finally 'meets his maker,' courtesy of an injured WW, it is a swiftly harsh but otherwise oddly satisfying moment of rough justice.) The storyline here is a little bit uneven at first - or maybe even all over the place to some - but when it finally settles into an exceedingly action-oriented groove it was a great 21st century reintroduction for the character.
June 23, 2012
Loved it!
Well, it was a little confusing at first. I thought I was reading a What-If story for a while, but everything gets clearer as the story goes on. Just make sure you also read volume two.
Let's face it, Wonder Woman needed a reboot. Even with Gail Simone's wonderful take on her, there were quite a few things that could have benefited from a well done update. While some people were sad or angry to see her old costume go, I thought it was high time to get rid of it. I actually loved her new look in this.
Also gone is the saintly soccer-mom image that she's managed to maintain over the years. Yay! She's young and impulsive!
I haven't had a chance to read any of the New 52, but I'm hoping this is a foreshadowing of good things to come.
Well, it was a little confusing at first. I thought I was reading a What-If story for a while, but everything gets clearer as the story goes on. Just make sure you also read volume two.
Let's face it, Wonder Woman needed a reboot. Even with Gail Simone's wonderful take on her, there were quite a few things that could have benefited from a well done update. While some people were sad or angry to see her old costume go, I thought it was high time to get rid of it. I actually loved her new look in this.
Also gone is the saintly soccer-mom image that she's managed to maintain over the years. Yay! She's young and impulsive!
I haven't had a chance to read any of the New 52, but I'm hoping this is a foreshadowing of good things to come.
October 18, 2021
This serves as a reboot of the WW character.
JMS reimagines her and her origins here and we get Diana in her early years starting over and we follow her as she battles people and stops criminals and we pick up with her trying to rescue the rest of the Amazons who have been trapped and fights men, goes to Underworld and battles dead spirits and Cerebrus and then comes back to the world and goes to meet a mom and her son whom she rescued but its when she is attacked by Cerunnos and Minotaur and a friend is sacrificed does she understand the threat of the MORRIGAN.
Its a great start and a little confusing but read vol 2 and more will be clear and I love the way JMS does it and he throws ancient greek challenges at her and tests her character and its awesome. Plus the new villains being sent by the Morrigan are awesome and just sets up an interesting confrontation later on and also Diana's new costume looks sleek and better and the artist does such a great job drawing it and also great focus on her friendship with the other amazons. Its a must read volume for sure.
JMS reimagines her and her origins here and we get Diana in her early years starting over and we follow her as she battles people and stops criminals and we pick up with her trying to rescue the rest of the Amazons who have been trapped and fights men, goes to Underworld and battles dead spirits and Cerebrus and then comes back to the world and goes to meet a mom and her son whom she rescued but its when she is attacked by Cerunnos and Minotaur and a friend is sacrificed does she understand the threat of the MORRIGAN.
Its a great start and a little confusing but read vol 2 and more will be clear and I love the way JMS does it and he throws ancient greek challenges at her and tests her character and its awesome. Plus the new villains being sent by the Morrigan are awesome and just sets up an interesting confrontation later on and also Diana's new costume looks sleek and better and the artist does such a great job drawing it and also great focus on her friendship with the other amazons. Its a must read volume for sure.
August 16, 2017
This is the first Wonder Woman book I’ve ever read. I didn’t read many comic books as a kid, and—honestly—as an adult, I’ve found the idea of reading WW a bit embarrassing. I hate the original comic book star-spangled cheerleader costume and don’t like the TV version star-spangled swimsuit (a version of which, I think, has been used ever since). My knowledge of Wonder Woman/Diana Prince as a character comes mostly from watching the Lynda Carter series as a kid; and thus my idea of her is of someone honourable, honest, helpful, kind, and strong. I’ve seen Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and liked WW’s part in it, so I’m hopeful about the WW movie. *
Overall, the art here is very good. Diana’s outfits in this book are a big improvement over past fashions. Still too much cleavage IMO (but I don’t understand people’s obsession with breasts), though at least the top has straps to hold it up; and she often wears a jacket. The leggings look painted on, but at least they offer coverage. The boots are very nice, with low heels practical for running and kicking. Of course, she’s beautiful and has fabulous hair. I’ll admit that I think of beauty as almost a type of superpower in itself, one I don’t wield; so my opinions about the ways comic book art idealises women are complicated. I’ll leave it at that.
Straczynski comments in the “Behind the Scenes” segment: “I wanted to free her up from the weight of a lot of her supporting universe so that we could see who she was. Guys tend to see women in terms of what role they play—mother, girlfriend, wife—instead of who they are on their own terms.” I think he and his co-writer did a good job doing showing Diana as a person trying to figure out who she is and what she can do, and she isn’t defined by any relationship with a male character. She’s still a good and heroic person, but there’s also some anger and rebelliousness. She’s up against a lot. She’s lost people dear to her and continues to do so.
Although I’ve always liked certain kinds of action movies (much to the dismay of some of my female relatives and friends over the years), the violence in this felt somewhat excessive to me. I preferred some of the smaller moments, such as when Diana finds out she can fly (her expression of surprise turns to pure joy) and when she confronts a sleazy pawn shop guy while hocking an artifact for money to help a friend trying to escape an abusive relationship.
BTW--did anyone else think of Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch when they saw the talking cat? That was kind of cutesy.
*Comment added July '17: I am very pleased with the Wonder Woman movie. The character is everything I'd hoped she would be, along with some things I didn't quite expect. To use the obvious adjective, she is wonderful. ...Now I certainly don't want to read any version of her story in which she's a brat or anything less than amazing.
Overall, the art here is very good. Diana’s outfits in this book are a big improvement over past fashions. Still too much cleavage IMO (but I don’t understand people’s obsession with breasts), though at least the top has straps to hold it up; and she often wears a jacket. The leggings look painted on, but at least they offer coverage. The boots are very nice, with low heels practical for running and kicking. Of course, she’s beautiful and has fabulous hair. I’ll admit that I think of beauty as almost a type of superpower in itself, one I don’t wield; so my opinions about the ways comic book art idealises women are complicated. I’ll leave it at that.
Straczynski comments in the “Behind the Scenes” segment: “I wanted to free her up from the weight of a lot of her supporting universe so that we could see who she was. Guys tend to see women in terms of what role they play—mother, girlfriend, wife—instead of who they are on their own terms.” I think he and his co-writer did a good job doing showing Diana as a person trying to figure out who she is and what she can do, and she isn’t defined by any relationship with a male character. She’s still a good and heroic person, but there’s also some anger and rebelliousness. She’s up against a lot. She’s lost people dear to her and continues to do so.
Although I’ve always liked certain kinds of action movies (much to the dismay of some of my female relatives and friends over the years), the violence in this felt somewhat excessive to me. I preferred some of the smaller moments, such as when Diana finds out she can fly (her expression of surprise turns to pure joy) and when she confronts a sleazy pawn shop guy while hocking an artifact for money to help a friend trying to escape an abusive relationship.
BTW--did anyone else think of Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch when they saw the talking cat? That was kind of cutesy.
*Comment added July '17: I am very pleased with the Wonder Woman movie. The character is everything I'd hoped she would be, along with some things I didn't quite expect. To use the obvious adjective, she is wonderful. ...Now I certainly don't want to read any version of her story in which she's a brat or anything less than amazing.
October 14, 2012
For the most part, Odyssey reads like an Elseworlds story. Instead of growing up on Paradise Island, Diana and a handful of Amazons flee when she was a child, escaping from an overwhelming invasion. So her mission becomes one of vengeance instead of peace. The resulting Diana feels younger, more unsettled, and more reckless by far than the one we knew. You know what? I'm cool with this. Comic books should get a nice shake up every ten or twenty years or so, and Diana was due. And this setup was fantastic, intriguing, and most of all, different.
But the execution... Here some issues popped up. Mostly the fact that the storyline as written felt disjointed, almost like a much shorter storyline had been stretched out, and the writer had to add a bunch of meaningless episodes to compensate. And the transition between one episode to the next is usually shaky. In the end, most of these things add up to something, and the individual scenes are usually well-written. It just felt like the overarching plot hadn't been nailed down enough before it went to press.
But probably the most talked about aspect of this version of Diana will be her costume. I love it, almost unconditionally. I love that she's wearing pants, I love that she finally has something holding her top up, and I love that she has the jacket option. Now, there's some kind of overcomplicated business on her arms, under her jacket, that I could do without, and there's a lot of lines on her top that I think are meant to indicate boning (this is in the New 52 costume, as well) that don't look terribly helpful. But overall, it does look a lot more like something that a woman would choose to wreak some havoc in. Shame it didn't last longer.
But the execution... Here some issues popped up. Mostly the fact that the storyline as written felt disjointed, almost like a much shorter storyline had been stretched out, and the writer had to add a bunch of meaningless episodes to compensate. And the transition between one episode to the next is usually shaky. In the end, most of these things add up to something, and the individual scenes are usually well-written. It just felt like the overarching plot hadn't been nailed down enough before it went to press.
But probably the most talked about aspect of this version of Diana will be her costume. I love it, almost unconditionally. I love that she's wearing pants, I love that she finally has something holding her top up, and I love that she has the jacket option. Now, there's some kind of overcomplicated business on her arms, under her jacket, that I could do without, and there's a lot of lines on her top that I think are meant to indicate boning (this is in the New 52 costume, as well) that don't look terribly helpful. But overall, it does look a lot more like something that a woman would choose to wreak some havoc in. Shame it didn't last longer.
May 31, 2021
This book was about a new incarnation of Wonder Woman whose homeland the Paradise Island was destoryed and her mother The Queen Hippolyta was killed by invedars (when Wonder Woman was a child) for some reason because Amazon's lost Aphrodite's favor for some reason... I was like, i think this book would be medicore halfway through but some interesting things happened as the story went on... This new incarnation of Wonder Woman kind of robbed an antique store. She went there with a piece which she totally stole from her people (!) and threatened antique store owner to buy it to the price that she wanted...then gave that money to some people in need... but did this justify her actions ? i don't think so cause the store owner had a family to feed as well, i guess... and she totally stole the object which she sold, from her people, her Amazonian Sisters... this was really interesting to see and then when Amazons discovered The abondened Morrigan Tample,(This Morrigan War Goddesses were the main villains of the story) they found some Wonder Woman action figures (which had different Wonder Woman costumes on them, the golden age, modern etc) at there... Were we breaking the 4th wall or what ? and there was someone mysterious in a robe who took one of these action figures and put it in his/her robe's pocket...who was he/she ? This was another interesting part of the story that made me look forward to the 2nd volume (which i just ordered)
July 6, 2017
I don't know what I was expecting, but I couldn't get into this one. I felt like I didn't get where she was, why, or that it made sense. Maybe that was the idea, so we could find ourselves at the same time she did, but after 50ish pages of nothing making sense to me and the lecture failing to catch my eye, I decided to stop. There was a lot of jumping between places and moments, and being in a multiverse story this can get fuzzy if not properly grounded... maybe that was what throw me off.
Maybe I'll revisit again sometime.
Maybe I'll revisit again sometime.
February 17, 2018
I might be in the minority, but this is my favorite WW costume, just saying.
It's an interesting idea, and I like the Amazons in here as well as the references to various myths. Diana is well done here, even if sometimes her boobs are too big.
It's an interesting idea, and I like the Amazons in here as well as the references to various myths. Diana is well done here, even if sometimes her boobs are too big.
September 18, 2023
This has nice twists, and costume is good, especially when the jacket is off.
August 15, 2012
I wish I never purchased this book because unfortunately the talent on the title did not meet my expectations. For all the flack JMS took for his alleged sedate Superman story (which I've yet to read) this book is a complete bore-fest that I assume had fewer eyes looking upon it so it fell through the cracks. I didn't mind the controversial costume change since I am sure it won't be too long before WW reverts back to her traditional look and colors, but reading about an amnesiac-like heroine without a good mystery seemed awfully pointless. I usually tend to enjoy works by JMS but there's not much to like on his short lived turn as a writer of Wonder Woman. Even artist Don Kramer, a fine artist in his own right, gets art assists and it took me out of the story because it seemed as if he and his helpers were unable to stay on model. On some pictures within panels W.W.'s breasts are so exaggerated it's not only distracting, but a grave disservice to the character to be represented that way.
One saving point on this title would be the slick covers by Alex Garner.
IMHO, this book got better when Phil Hester co-wrote, but even then this book is not without fault. Spoiler alert here: there's one scene where WW wants to sell an artifact to raise money to help another person, but she bullies a pawn shop worker and vandalizes his counter top during a sales haggle. So not only is WW a great warrior, but she's also in need of anger management, what a respectable hero she is.
I'm looking forward to the eventual collected material of Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello so I'm going to dismiss any more collections by JMS's immediate replacement. I especially liked Greg Rucka and Allan Heinberg WW's stories in the past. Also, Gail Simone wrote an interesting year worth of stories, but I lost interest after Terry Dodson left and her four remaining WW books still sit at the bottom of my to be read pile.
Buyer beware for JMS or Wonder Woman fans. I wish I waited for the Public Library to order a copy.
One saving point on this title would be the slick covers by Alex Garner.
IMHO, this book got better when Phil Hester co-wrote, but even then this book is not without fault. Spoiler alert here: there's one scene where WW wants to sell an artifact to raise money to help another person, but she bullies a pawn shop worker and vandalizes his counter top during a sales haggle. So not only is WW a great warrior, but she's also in need of anger management, what a respectable hero she is.
I'm looking forward to the eventual collected material of Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello so I'm going to dismiss any more collections by JMS's immediate replacement. I especially liked Greg Rucka and Allan Heinberg WW's stories in the past. Also, Gail Simone wrote an interesting year worth of stories, but I lost interest after Terry Dodson left and her four remaining WW books still sit at the bottom of my to be read pile.
Buyer beware for JMS or Wonder Woman fans. I wish I waited for the Public Library to order a copy.
August 16, 2024
A soft reboot that modernises Wonder Woman both visually and narratively. There's a lot of gritty action, and Diana's depiction is a fresh take that slots in with the darker tone. Best to recommend to those who aren't a fan of the traditional characterisation, it has strange pacing issues at times, but it is an overall pleasant experience if you can ride the bumps.
actual rating 3.5 stars
actual rating 3.5 stars
May 7, 2019
Got so bored half way through I stopped.
I guess there's only a few Wonder Woman stories I actually care about. Has nothing to do with artist/writer, just some strike me as interesting and some don't. This is a snooze fest for me.
I guess there's only a few Wonder Woman stories I actually care about. Has nothing to do with artist/writer, just some strike me as interesting and some don't. This is a snooze fest for me.
April 4, 2018
Better than I was expecting. I loved the illustrations and Diana's new outfit. I wish my library had the next one though.
July 30, 2011
Sort of a reboot of Wonder Woman, this was not amazing but still a lot stronger than I expected it to be. I felt like there was an opening chapter that was missing, but essentially Diana somehow "remembers" her heritage and gets pulled into defending the few remaining Amazons from a group of mercenaries who are hell-bent on destroying them. I've always had trouble connecting to Diana's millitant attitude and overpowering sense of justification in everything she does, but the story in this part worked for me in that it at least gave that attitude some basis. Pitted against modern-day warfare she has to deal with the idea that she's about to lose everything she holds dear: her religion, her values, the way of life of the Amazons. The opening chapters are great, but unfortunately the drive of the story really slowed down for me after she beats the leader of the mercenaries. The story then moves into Diana being hunted down by Morrigan, a Celtic warrior goddess. The whole purpose behind the attacks isn't really explained; while it might be explained in later volumes I found myself not caring and, frankly, kind of bored.
The art is really strong. And despite all the bad press when the images initially came out, I actually do like her costume/uniform more here than the traditional swimsuit with highheel boots. It just makes more sense to me....or at least as much sense as any other modern-day superhero costume.
The art is really strong. And despite all the bad press when the images initially came out, I actually do like her costume/uniform more here than the traditional swimsuit with highheel boots. It just makes more sense to me....or at least as much sense as any other modern-day superhero costume.
July 19, 2011
I'll be honest -- I never really followed Wonder Woman. She just never really appealed to me. I read this book because I noticed that my library had just gotten it, and decided to give it a try. Regardless of (or perhaps because of) the fact that they have completely rebooted Wonder Woman, I really liked this graphic novel. The artwork is fantastic, and the coloring is beautiful. There were several pages that I would have liked to have printed out in copies to hang on my wall. I also liked the story, though it ends with a cliff-hanger (which was to be expected).
There were several lines of cheesy and occasionally flat out bad dialogue throughout the comic, but I think that even with these cringe-worthy moments, this is a book worth reading, especially if you are a comic reader who always felt that Wonder Woman just wasn't your cup of tea.
There were several lines of cheesy and occasionally flat out bad dialogue throughout the comic, but I think that even with these cringe-worthy moments, this is a book worth reading, especially if you are a comic reader who always felt that Wonder Woman just wasn't your cup of tea.
September 2, 2011
J. Michael Straczynski does the impossible - successfully rebooting Wonder Woman. The first volume of the Odyssey introduces us to a familiar yet different Diana. Having grown up away from the destroyed Paradise Island, this tougher, streetwise Wonder Woman finds herself targeted by a group of war dieties. Intent on eliminating all traces of the Amazonian culture, Diana must unravel the secrets of her past and battle for her future. Straczynski is able to craft memorable - if fleeting - threats for this new Diana by drawing fully from mythology and modern times: a fire-baptized general, half-human centaurs and minotaurs, and even a revamping of Cheetah, Giganta, and Artemis into credible threats. Nicely played - too bad the DCnU will most likely ignore it.
October 10, 2014
Excellent story, great characters, good art, though not a fan of all the male gaze fan service. At one point, Diana has melons for breasts that are easily the size of her head.
Now I need Vol. 2!!
Now I need Vol. 2!!
November 23, 2016
Interesting 21st century version of Wonder Woman while she is a young woman.
October 26, 2017
Not exactly digging the revenge-oriented story framework for a heroic goddess of compassion. I realize this is its own version of her story, born from serious trauma and with a younger, more impulsive Diana, I'm just not confident it's well-enough written to pull it off.
On the upside, I love the costume change they did here, it's fantastic. And I do like the presence of other Amazons by her side at times (and not just used as cannon fodder). In any case I'm reserving final judgment and giving the second volume a chance, to see if her rage/revenge issues get complicated or matured any; rating subject to revision depending on the outcome, I think.
On the upside, I love the costume change they did here, it's fantastic. And I do like the presence of other Amazons by her side at times (and not just used as cannon fodder). In any case I'm reserving final judgment and giving the second volume a chance, to see if her rage/revenge issues get complicated or matured any; rating subject to revision depending on the outcome, I think.
July 12, 2017
I like Straczynski's brief run, mostly because of his take on the Amazons as a persecuted minority. Both this and his parallel run on Superman were completed together with additional scripting help. In this case, the talented Philip Hester comes in on the last script in this collection. Wonder Woman is an effective paramilitary combatant with a more effective costume, i.e., pants! Art duties led by Don Kramer are pleasing enough. A lot of these themes recur in a more sustained way during the Azzarello/Chiang "New 52" run, with more graphic storytelling success. But it's great to have many versions of the character in print. I'm looking forward to reading the concluding volume of this, and more, the rest of the just-completed "DC Rebirth" series scripted by the returning Greg Rucka.
Has Craig Russell ever drawn a Wonder Woman story? That's one I'd like.
Has Craig Russell ever drawn a Wonder Woman story? That's one I'd like.
December 27, 2014
I am having a very hard time swallowing this recent retooling of Wonder Woman.
I am not sure why it is so hard for people to understand that writing Strong Female Characters is different than strong female characters. The all-caps type, as evidenced here, seems to be all about taking a female character and making her talk, act, and resolve matters like a stereotypical lovechild of Bruce Willis, Kurt Russell, and Stallone in a manner I could only imagine as a sweatier, angrier Three Men and a Baby situation. I am sure this would have been what spawned this particular Wonder Woman, if it hadn't already been explained about the TRAGIC DEATH OF HER MOTHER AND PEOPLE~! *dramatic reverb* Apparently, all you have to do to make a character "cool" is kill off some relatives and make them sulk around the set of Blade Runner or a Whitesnake video. Making a strong female character, however, is as simple as writing an interesting character and not making a huge issue over what is or isn't in their *now equally available!!!* pants. It is in this area that Part I falls short. I wonder if there was just some kind of drinking game with Stracz and the fellas that made every line out of her mouth directly ripped from a bad 80s cop show, because if so, I can understand how one of my favorite comic writers fell so terribly short. Is this really the same guy who brought Thor back to the big leagues?
Okay, time to address that costume: I can't tell you how excited I was when I first saw it. Yeah, it hearkens back to a strange time in comics when hair was huge, leather was rampant, and the more dramatic "Death ofs" we did, the gritter and gnarlier we were! I like that Wonder Woman was finally being seen as the heavy-hitter she is and allowed to be a little more than a swimsuit with bracelets. Sadly, the attitude that came with it was hardly an improvement.
That, I think, is a huge part of DC's current mindset, and I think it reaaaallly shows lately.
I am really hoping that I like her by the time I finish part II.
I am not sure why it is so hard for people to understand that writing Strong Female Characters is different than strong female characters. The all-caps type, as evidenced here, seems to be all about taking a female character and making her talk, act, and resolve matters like a stereotypical lovechild of Bruce Willis, Kurt Russell, and Stallone in a manner I could only imagine as a sweatier, angrier Three Men and a Baby situation. I am sure this would have been what spawned this particular Wonder Woman, if it hadn't already been explained about the TRAGIC DEATH OF HER MOTHER AND PEOPLE~! *dramatic reverb* Apparently, all you have to do to make a character "cool" is kill off some relatives and make them sulk around the set of Blade Runner or a Whitesnake video. Making a strong female character, however, is as simple as writing an interesting character and not making a huge issue over what is or isn't in their *now equally available!!!* pants. It is in this area that Part I falls short. I wonder if there was just some kind of drinking game with Stracz and the fellas that made every line out of her mouth directly ripped from a bad 80s cop show, because if so, I can understand how one of my favorite comic writers fell so terribly short. Is this really the same guy who brought Thor back to the big leagues?
Okay, time to address that costume: I can't tell you how excited I was when I first saw it. Yeah, it hearkens back to a strange time in comics when hair was huge, leather was rampant, and the more dramatic "Death ofs" we did, the gritter and gnarlier we were! I like that Wonder Woman was finally being seen as the heavy-hitter she is and allowed to be a little more than a swimsuit with bracelets. Sadly, the attitude that came with it was hardly an improvement.
That, I think, is a huge part of DC's current mindset, and I think it reaaaallly shows lately.
I am really hoping that I like her by the time I finish part II.
December 24, 2015
This actually didn't feel like a Stracynski book. I'm not sure why but it didn't have that contemplative, self-examining read I normally get from his work.
I don't quite understand exactly what brought about this "new" Diana. This isn't a completely new origin but sort of takes place slightly in the future (and this is pre New52 IIRC.)
Something terrible has happened at Paradise Island and WW is hellbent on getting revenge. She's pretty angry and rightly so, but that's almost all of what we see of her. There isn't much characterization at all, and maybe she's still the "old" Diana, just "angry". This results in a fairly basic revenge story and not filled in with a lot of details either on why there was conflict to begin with.
The art is halfway decent. There are about 3 artists that are all similar so it isn't a jarring change.
I'm actually not opposed to the costume change. I'm pretty sure DC knew they were going to reboot the Universe at this point and decided to just go ahead and try the new costume to see what people think. I think it's still sexy, yet modern and contains most of the elements of her original, albeit more subdued. The jacket doesn't seem to fit though. In the end, it doesn't feel like a costume, just some fancy clothes from some exotic place.
Also keep in mind, you don't get the full story in this one volume. It leaves you with a cliffhanger and without resolution to her main conflict.
I may try the second volume to at least see the end of the story.
I don't quite understand exactly what brought about this "new" Diana. This isn't a completely new origin but sort of takes place slightly in the future (and this is pre New52 IIRC.)
Something terrible has happened at Paradise Island and WW is hellbent on getting revenge. She's pretty angry and rightly so, but that's almost all of what we see of her. There isn't much characterization at all, and maybe she's still the "old" Diana, just "angry". This results in a fairly basic revenge story and not filled in with a lot of details either on why there was conflict to begin with.
The art is halfway decent. There are about 3 artists that are all similar so it isn't a jarring change.
I'm actually not opposed to the costume change. I'm pretty sure DC knew they were going to reboot the Universe at this point and decided to just go ahead and try the new costume to see what people think. I think it's still sexy, yet modern and contains most of the elements of her original, albeit more subdued. The jacket doesn't seem to fit though. In the end, it doesn't feel like a costume, just some fancy clothes from some exotic place.
Also keep in mind, you don't get the full story in this one volume. It leaves you with a cliffhanger and without resolution to her main conflict.
I may try the second volume to at least see the end of the story.
February 4, 2015
2.75? Nearly 3? It was an interesting reboot and I do appreciate the costume change, but the character design otherwise was almost groan-worthy with all the fanservice posing and proportions. It's a wonder how she gets any fighting done, let alone that awesome fight versus the Huntsman, with a chest that big. She does seem to leap chest-first at all of her enemies (and there are quite a few). And there's another particular scene where she dives off an airplane (in flight) and lands. But she's so powerful, she doesn't just land, creating a crater in the ground from the impact, she can land in a sexy pose, too!
I wish the alternate universe aspect had been expanded upon, but perhaps that'll be discussed in the second volume. All the different iterations of Wonder Woman popping up in flashback / vision form was interesting but they didn't really show enough to do more than tease. The highlighted mythology was well-done though, not that I'm an expert or anything. But I could see fans of Percy Jackson appreciating this volume.
Wonder Woman alternated between being kick-ass and just being silly. Charging an army barehanded when there are shields, swords, and spears? You're not bulletproof... But yes, I did like her. I wish her fight scenes were expanded so you can see how strong she is, especially how she chucked that tank through the air. Her flying scene was possibly my favorite, tied with her leaping off a building during the Huntsman fight. That was amazing.
I wish the alternate universe aspect had been expanded upon, but perhaps that'll be discussed in the second volume. All the different iterations of Wonder Woman popping up in flashback / vision form was interesting but they didn't really show enough to do more than tease. The highlighted mythology was well-done though, not that I'm an expert or anything. But I could see fans of Percy Jackson appreciating this volume.
Wonder Woman alternated between being kick-ass and just being silly. Charging an army barehanded when there are shields, swords, and spears? You're not bulletproof... But yes, I did like her. I wish her fight scenes were expanded so you can see how strong she is, especially how she chucked that tank through the air. Her flying scene was possibly my favorite, tied with her leaping off a building during the Huntsman fight. That was amazing.
July 1, 2017
In this book, Wonder Woman does not know who she is, or where she’s from. She, by tagging along with the military, finds a community of Amazons in Turkey. This was not satisfying. I borrowed this from interlibrary loan.
September 10, 2011
The most unnecessary and tangential reboot I have ever come across. With Thor (and to a lesser extent Superman Earth One), JMS modernized the character, but never in an over-the-top way. The Wonder Woman seems to be 'intense' foe intense-nesses' sake. I wanted to like this, but I felt no connection to the heroine or her mother, or her homeland. It is all so vaguely presented to the reader, that I am not sure if it is more confusing the less you know about the history of Wonder Woman, or the more you know about her.
July 27, 2024
This was all right I wasn’t a huge fan of how it was written or how the characters are represented. I definitely prefer a more mature and serious wonder woman in control of her powers rather than the impulsive violent young version we get in the story. Also, I don’t really care about any of the Amazons they’re killing off because they just don’t get enough screen time. Seeing wonder woman’s mother die is semi impactful, but the rest of them are just background extras that are being killed for shock. Telling me they have a super deep relationship is not the same as showing me that relationship.
March 30, 2018
While I love the redesigned costume and appreciate the intent to freshen up Diana's personality, the writing doesn't hit for me. Some things feel a little too out of character, and my overall feeling is Straczinsky doesn't know his own version of Diana well enough, or isn't conveying it adequately. A forgettable read.
January 31, 2019
Very fun read. Fast paced, and loads of Amazonian battle scenes. The only con i see with this series so far is that it was very, VERy, clearly drawn by men. Other than that, I would highly recommend.
May 12, 2012
There is a small group of people who have a specific opinion on J. Michael Stracznski, that is the thousands of people in the world who are his comic book fans.
There is an even smaller group of people who actually read Wonder Woman comics.
Many people can say they are Wonder Woman fans, but not all of them actually read her books. She is like Thor, she works better as part of the Big team, than she does in her own solo book. That is strange, considering she has this super involved Mythology, like Thor, that actually (like Thor) includes parts of Mythology.
This run of Wonder Woman was very controversial. Rebooting, and starting fresh, which we all should have seen as a precurser to the company wide DC reboot.
It is a neccesary reboot. For titles like Green Lantern, or Batman, DC didn't need to change anything (well maybe except Make Jim Gordon younger. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. On the other hand, Wonder Woman was broke in a certain way. A lot of people considered her to be unsexual, and boring. Some people thought of her as her Grandmother. They couldn't believe when she could tell a joke, or flirt.
That sounds like a broken character, in need of a reboot.
This new wonder Woman is minus the one thing that always turned me off of the character- the holier than though, attitude. Gail Simone wrote a wonder woman that seemed more human, that had self doubt, but in the end she was still bordering on Holy.
The JMS reboot Wonder Woman is a warrior, that has to be a Warrior, because if she stops fighting she will be slaughtered. that is what works with this Reboot, the world that Wonder Woman exists it. It is like the recent Star Trek movie. Someone went back in time, and altered One part of Wonder Woman's history. It is significant enough to change her present completely. It is a good thing they did, because they made Wonder Woman's story so much more interesting. JMS also keeps her away from all of her Justic League buddys, which is refreshing. In DC you tend to have a lot of cameo appearances. This can detract from the suspense, since in the back of your head, you know that the character you are following has a built in Deus Ex Machina- Superman.
The second volume is turning out to be even more exciting.
There is an even smaller group of people who actually read Wonder Woman comics.
Many people can say they are Wonder Woman fans, but not all of them actually read her books. She is like Thor, she works better as part of the Big team, than she does in her own solo book. That is strange, considering she has this super involved Mythology, like Thor, that actually (like Thor) includes parts of Mythology.
This run of Wonder Woman was very controversial. Rebooting, and starting fresh, which we all should have seen as a precurser to the company wide DC reboot.
It is a neccesary reboot. For titles like Green Lantern, or Batman, DC didn't need to change anything (well maybe except Make Jim Gordon younger. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. On the other hand, Wonder Woman was broke in a certain way. A lot of people considered her to be unsexual, and boring. Some people thought of her as her Grandmother. They couldn't believe when she could tell a joke, or flirt.
That sounds like a broken character, in need of a reboot.
This new wonder Woman is minus the one thing that always turned me off of the character- the holier than though, attitude. Gail Simone wrote a wonder woman that seemed more human, that had self doubt, but in the end she was still bordering on Holy.
The JMS reboot Wonder Woman is a warrior, that has to be a Warrior, because if she stops fighting she will be slaughtered. that is what works with this Reboot, the world that Wonder Woman exists it. It is like the recent Star Trek movie. Someone went back in time, and altered One part of Wonder Woman's history. It is significant enough to change her present completely. It is a good thing they did, because they made Wonder Woman's story so much more interesting. JMS also keeps her away from all of her Justic League buddys, which is refreshing. In DC you tend to have a lot of cameo appearances. This can detract from the suspense, since in the back of your head, you know that the character you are following has a built in Deus Ex Machina- Superman.
The second volume is turning out to be even more exciting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews