Review: Wonder Woman #73
[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artists: Aaron Lopresti & Matt Ryan
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Reviewed by: Sean Blumenshine
Summary
As Wonder Woman and her compatriots travel through the broken realm, Diana relates the story of the real first time she left Themyscira…and traveled with her mother to a bizarre alternate version of their home, where Empress Hippolyta reigned with an iron fist! But the Empress didn’t take too kindly to their territorial incursion…and so Diana was forced to watch as her mother battled for her life against the worst possible version of herself! What other secrets did Dimension Chi conceal? And have any of them followed Diana back to our universe? Find out in this tale by guest-writer Steve Orlando that delivers a crucial piece of G. Willow Wilson’s epic storyline!
Positives
I like the interior art a lot. Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan work well with Romulo Fajardo Jr. to create a style that feels reminiscent of 80s post Crisis Wonder Woman. Everything looks great.
Dimension Chi is a fun concept. It’s basically the mirror dimension from Star Trek for Themyscira. The Chi-Themyscira is run by Empress Hippolyta who never had a child and gives in to the worst impulses of the Hippolyta that we know. It’s fun to have the two bicker back and forth. And it reveals some interesting stuff about Hippolyta. She had doubts about Diana. Should she have prioritized having a child over her duties as queen? Was that a selfish choice? The book doesn’t delve too deeply into this which is disappointing but it’s still interesting.
I appreciate this little stand alone story. Obviously, Chi will play a part in the next and have relevance to the larger story G. Willow Wilson is telling. But this manages to be interesting and fun on it’s own while still servicing the bigger picture. This can read as just a fun young Diana story and does.
It’s nice to see Steve Orlando back on the book even if it’s just for this issue. I enjoyed his issue and definitely thought he had a great take on Diana. There’s a compassion to his Wonder Woman that I love. Diana and Hippolyta have to team up with the Empress to fight an invading army. And Diana shows deserved compassion to this army that plays a major part in ending the conflict. I love that when she has to kick ass, she does but she knows when not to.
Negatives
I don’t love the cover. It’s not horrible but I think it looks weird. The proportions are a little off. The head and face look especially strange to me.
Verdict
I really enjoyed this issue. Orlando is a writer I enjoy especially when he writes Wonder Woman. I think he understands this character very well. It’s an interesting story that shows new sides of Hippolyta. This is a fun issue.
