Wonder Woman #771 // Review
Diana's adventures in Asgard continue in the second issue of a whole new era penned by writers Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan. Aided by the magical little squirrel Ratatosk, Diana will travel to both ends of the Tree of Life in order to save it in an adventure brought to the page by Travis Moore. Writer Jordie Bellaire tells another tale of young Diana at issue's end that explores some of the world of Themyscira with artist Paulina Ganucheau. Diana's early intellectual life is explored in some detail, with the first in a series that rounds out Wonder Woman #771 quite well.
An amnesiac Diana of Themyscira teams up with one of the highest-profile squirrels in the history of mythology to try to save the tree of life. It's an adventure that will find her gathering an egg from the eagle high atop the tree to give it to the snake that lurks in its roots. What could possibly go wrong? Then in the mists of the past, a 14-year-old Diana decides to seek out a theoretical text of Aphrodite that may have gone missing from the library of the Amazons as she seeks both knowledge and adventure.
Conrad and Cloonan are wise to recognize the great potential in a story featuring a legendary warrior and an often-overlooked squirrel of legend. The amnesiac warrior and her fuzzy, little companion are deeply enjoyable characters wandering around the edges of an Asgard that have spent decades on the comics page over at Marvel. Bellaire returns the narrative to Themyscira in style in a story that allows the curiosity and rebellious tenacity of a young demigoddess to discover a quest for discovery. The interest in history is a remarkably appealing motivation for Bellaire's promising story.
Moore's art contrasts heavily rendered detail with the dark shadows of heavy inking. There's an energetically expressive reality pulsing through the adventure that captures a very distinct sense of adventure. The villainous serpent looks sinister. The valiant hero looks steely and determined. The squirrel looks...furry. (Conrad and Cloonan are kind of taking a chance with Ratatosk. Some artists can do cute stuff. Some artists can do aggressive action. It's only the very rare artist who can manage both with realism. Ratatosk is adorable in Moore's hands.) Ganucheau's art in the Young Diana story is emotionally engaging with a strong sense of drama beneath an anime-inspired cuteness. 14-year-old Diana's subtle emotions are very vivid. Given that the first chapter in this new story is mostly just conversation, Ganucheau's ability to render that inner complexity on Diana's face is absolutely essential.
The new direction for the main Wonder Woman title seemed a bit disappointing at first glance. Still, as the creative teams settle into the second issue, the title seems to be gaining some creative momentum that is breathing a bit of fresh air into the character by placing her as an amnesiac in Asgard and showing her sophisticated emotional energy in early adolescence.
