Review: Wonder Woman #26

In which Genocide walks the Earth

The DCU experienced a year without Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, and since the One Year Later return, things have not been so good.  Superman got his powers back, only to discover he is no longer the last son of Krypton thanks to the New Krypton story line.  Batman went on a spiritual journey in which he killed Batman, returned as Batman, only to “die” in the pages of the R.I.P. arc and Final Crisis (two different titles to kill Batman?  That’s one bad S.O.B.).  Now it’s Wonder Woman’s turn to experience the one thing that might be here undoing – Genocide.

Readers have seen the Secret Society of villains at work on something very bad for the last year or so.  They’ve been seen gathering ash, and artifacts from locations around the word where genocide has taken place.  In Wonder Woman #26, readers not only see what those villains have been up to, they also get to see Wonder Woman beat to within an inch of her life.

But before all that happens…

The gods of Olympus have returned from where ever it is they departed to when they abandoned Earth oh so long ago. And apparently, instead of using their god-like powers to port themselves back to their home, the need a sun destroying spaceship to get around the cosmos.  Why does a god need a ship?  I’m sure greater people than me have pondered that same question.

Star Trek references aside, the Olympians find their home trashed thanks to Granny Goodness and the rest of her gang during the Amazons Attack/Countdown arc, and they’re none too pleased by why they’ve discovered.  And oddly, they seem confused not only about where they are, but who they are.  Perhaps this will all play out in further issues, as this is the beginning of the Rise of the Olypian storyline.

Much like  Dr. Veronica Cale’s breakdown during 52, when the Four Horsemen were released, Doctor T.O. Morrow is having a similar crisis as he realizes just how bad his latest mad science creation is.  Genocide is aptly named as she is a non-remorseful killing machine.  I generally don’t mind a lot of killing and blood letting in comics, providing it moves the story along, but the death and destruction seen in this issue, make it quite clear whoever goes up against this monster is in some serious trouble.

Kudos to Aaron Lopresti, who did the art for the issue.  Even though the exploding heads, and body stomping action is kept off panel (for the most part), Lopresti has given just enough of a hint of what is occurring that the reader’s minds can fill in the rest with their own horrific imaging.

Which brings us back to the beginning of the review.  Diana and Department of Metahuman Affairs team are tasked to go find out what is going on.  Before they can depart, Sarge Steel pulls Agent Tresser (aka Nemesis aka Wonder Woman’s hunk of burning love) from the crew and after the team’s departure, attempts to arrest him as a traitor for getting it on with the Amazon.

Tresser is able to escape, and rejoins his team only to witness one gruesome reveal – Wonder Woman beat to within an inch of her life.  The fight scene leading up to her defeat is just as intense, and readers actually get to see the life being drained from Wonder Woman as her thought balloons get smaller and less coherent.   It’s very well done, and caused me to worry more for this character than I did when that helicopter carrying Batman exploded in Batman #681.

I’ve only been half reading Wonder Woman these last couple of months.  Sometimes I would read the entire issue, other times I’d flip though to get a general overview, and yes, more than a few times, I’ve moved the title to my not going to read pile.  Wonder Woman #26 is so well done, I read it twice. Gail Simone spins a great tale, and Lopresti’s art is great as well.  Wonder Woman #26 earns 4 out of 5 Stars.

56/56