Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka—Volume 1

Comic Info

Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia

Reprints Wonder Woman:  The Hiketeia and Wonder Woman (2) #195-205 (June 2002-August 2004).  Wonder Woman is the representative for Themyscira at the United Nations but is discovering being a super hero and a political figure isn’t the easiest job.  When she finds herself bound to protect someone who wanted by Batman, she finds herself at odds with her Justice League teammate.  As Wonder Woman’s celebrity grows, Wonder Woman also finds herself the target of a new enemy…Veronica Cale wants Wonder Woman shamed and will take any action to do it.  Ares also is playing his own game that could have dangerous consequences for Themyscira.

Written by Greg Rucka, Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka—Volume 1 collects the DC Comics acclaimed run on Wonder Woman.  Following Wonder Woman by Walt Simonson & Jerry Ordway, the collection features art by Drew Johnson, J.G. Jones, Shane Davis, Stephen Sadowski, and Linda Medley.  The issues in the collection were also featured in Wonder Woman:  Down to Earth, Wonder Woman:  Bitter Rivals, and the original collection Wonder Woman:  The Hiketeia.

Wonder Woman is a tough character for writers.  She needs to come off as strong and independent and she has to be likable for an audience that is largely male.  This also is a challenge when she’s being tackled by a male writer (yes, writers of other genders can write characters of other genders, but I do think it is tough and more conscious though has to be put in).  Greg Rucka found a nice balance, and especially in this volume gives Wonder Woman a full and rounded character.

Wonder Woman (2) #205

The book is essentially two parts.  Wonder Woman:  The Hiketeia was Rucka’s intro to the character and is virtually a stand-alone.  It has a great tie to the myth and practices of the Amazons, and it also presents a great Batman-Wonder Woman story.  You see how the two interact and the best is when Batman tries to play the situation by setting up his own Hiketeia…and is promptly shut down by Wonder Woman who accuses him of abusing the ritual.

The second part of the collection is Rucka’s main story and thrust which ran through the Wonder Woman series.  I like the Themyscira stuff, but Veronica Cale is a tricky character.  She comes off as kind of catty and petty.  It is brought up that she should support Wonder Woman’s actions for female equality but instead she blames her for an unattainable goal.  It seems counter-productive for the potential empowering aspect of the comic (but times have changed as well).

Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka—Volume 1 collects one of the better Wonder Woman runs.  It is a solid and decent portrayal of an old character.  I think Wonder Woman is a good happy-medium between Batman and Superman, and Rucka writes toward that medium.  She has a softness and kindness like Superman, but also is able to find the harder “mathematical” edge that Batman often takes.  The collection is worth seeking out.  Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka—Volume 1 was followed by Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka—Volume 2.