FUTURES END has finally arrived at this week’s issue of SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN. Continuing from the end of Wonder Woman’s Futures End, we finally figure out the truth behind the mystery that has plagued the two heroes for the last five years.
With the whole story just in their heads, our two heroes find themselves battling demons from the mouth of Hell itself. Superman and Wonder Woman join together as the dynamic duo to pull simultaneously as the Goddess of War becomes the Goddess of Peace. For a Futures End, it was one of the better, more solid story lines that flowed and worked with the original premise. With the cleverly scripted issue, I was surprised at the easy following transition between not only the 5 year gap that had shattered the story but also the relationship Superman and Wonder Woman continuing on. The ebb and flow between the two was consistent and matched just as it had throughout the series.
The artwork in the issue has jumped from the normal smooth lines to an old school feature. Superman returns to his original physic and the immense blue saturates the pages in the patriotic colors. Blond does amazing work melding around the extreme poses and ink work to create living art. The most important part about these veteran characters is making them as big and as bold as their reputations and this issue certainly lives up to that with costume changes galore.
Positives
It wasn’t a bad FUTURES END, finally I got to say it. After reading one bad issue after another, I finally found one that made some plausible sense. Being thrown a curve ball, Charles Soule had to be quick on his feet and recovered the five year gap very well. I also liked the link from Wonder Woman’s into this story, as much as you have to buy that volume, all the Future Ends should have linked together and this one definitely fit the profile.
Negatives
The over tones of masculine penciling have really created a strange vibe to the characters. I can see the old school look that Bart Sears is trying to deliver but he missed the mark a little. Making Wonder Woman look so human really took away that shining light she usually emanates. I don’t like when artists almost strip her of that godly nature to push her into a more humanistic style. Her clothes and even her amour seemed to lack the luster between the goddess forms and her Wonder Woman form. Once again, artists don’t have to make strong women look like men. They have curves and features and yes muscles too but that doesn’t mean they have to compete with the guys for hard chiseled jawlines and manly features.
Verdict
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN saga now wraps up with a teasing twist to the wonder couple as we now get to rewind the clock and go back to the aftermath. It was a solid story and if you want a FUTURES END worth reading this one is it.
Rating
