Wonder Woman #778 // Review
Diana is chasing a villain willing to destroy everything. Her pursuit takes her through diverse points in the DC Multiverse in Wonder Woman #778. Writers Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan continue the “Afterworlds” series in a chapter brought to the page by artist Travis Moore and colorist Tamara Bonvillain. Meanwhile, in Wonder Woman’s past at issue’s end, Young Diana confronts her mother about hidden history in the next chapter of a dramatic serial written by Jordie Bellaire with art by Paulina Ganucheau and colorist Kendall Goode. Even with the narrative being as scattered as it is in 778, there’s a strong sense of cohesion between the two covers.
Having chased half of Janus through yet another slice in the fabric of reality, Wonder Woman, the Asgardian ally, and her companion squirrel find themselves in the Phantom Zone. A tangle with forces there finds them plunged into the Fifth Dimension and beyond into a confrontation with the villain herself. Elsewhere, Young Diana tries her best to understand why it is that her mother has been hiding details from the history of Themyscira. Her concerns guide her to stand up to her mother in a way that she never has.
Conrad and Cloonan whisk Diana through a few different dimensions with impressively brisk pacing. All too often, a multi-dimensional adventure can feel rushed. This is particularly impressive as the narrative manages roughly one Dimension every five pages. They’ve nailed the perfect rhythm, though. The adventure feels blindingly paced in a good way. Bellaire’s Young Diana story continues to serve as a more thoughtfully emotional counterpoint to all of the action in the main feature. Bellaire’s delicate sense of nuance holds its own kind of bravery in the shadow of a story of multiverse-spanning adventure. Diana’s coming-of-age feels no less intense, thanks to clever work by Bellaire.
Moore is handed the unenviable challenge of rushing through everything and making it all feel distinct. The Phantom Zone and Gemworld are pleasant enough, but the sharp simplicity of the. Fifth Dimension is easily the most fun as Wonder Woman returns to her classic costume and teams up with Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk. There’s a rather cute moment where the Dark Mite is delivering a cliche-ridden monologue as Diana places a hand over the gutter from the corner of the panel, trying to get his attention. Ganuchau’s clean lines in the Young Diana story once again provide an open canvass for Goode’s colors. An elegant simplicity in the art amplifies the drama beautifully.
By the time that the issue arrives at the story of Young Diana, the chapters have already been so many different places. Still, the installment is actually surprisingly well-constructed from beginning to end. The balance between the two features somehow manages to hold everything together despite a wide range of different settings and revelations. It works. Wonder Woman 778 feels more wide-ranging and intrepid than most titles manage to be in a year.
