Wonder Woman #68 // Review
The aptly named “Giants War” arc comes to a conclusion in Wonder Woman #68, written by G. Willow Wilson, with pencils by Cary Nord, art by Ronan Cliquet, inks by Mick Gray, and colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr., but can it be considered a satisfying conclusion? Previously, Diana’s new friends discovered giant stone creatures that they believed to be Titans, walking the woods, and attacking people. Wonder Woman decided to recruit the only giant she knew, her old enemy Giganta, to help take them down, working out a deal with Amanda Waller to cut time off of her sentence for helping out. Working together surprisingly well, the two discovered that the creatures weren’t Titans at all, which left their motivations in question. Meanwhile, Diana's friend Maggie discovered what appears to be a magical sword in a lake nearby. Now, Wonder Woman and her pals must find out what the creatures want, before they do any more damage to the surrounding area.
A light and airy read from the get-go, this arc has rested entirely on the crux of Wonder Woman and Giganta’s ability to work together. Instead of fighting like cats and dogs, as one might expect them to do, they have gotten along well. This issue sees that change a little, with the two women challenging each other’s views of themselves, and Diana being left on unsure footing. Though, there are a few moments where Wonder Woman seems out of character, such as when she doubts that she and Giganta could ever be more than enemies, overall, the relationship between the two of them is played very well. You might even find yourself wishing Giganta would be added to the cast as a supporting character.
Speaking of supporting cast, Wilson’s additions to Wonder Woman’s gallery of friends have been a constant highlight during her run. This issue, in particular, gives hints of how important Maggie might become to the book moving forward and provides the readers an intriguing glimpse at her potential. Hopefully, Wilson won’t forget the other new cast members as Maggie’s role grows, because they have been a source of great fun, so far.
The duties of art and pencils get split down the middle in this issue, with Nord providing pencils on the first half, and Cliquet doing double duty on pencils and inks in the second. Typically, a switch in artists in the middle of an issue might be jarring to readers, but the transition was nigh seamless this time. Mick Gray does an excellent job on inks in the first half before being relieved of duty in the latter pages, but Fajardo lends his signature palette to the entire issue, being the most consistent part of the art team on this book for some time now.
This might not have been the most exciting story, but in it, Wilson might have defined her tone on this book. She tells enjoyable, light stories best, and she has flexed that muscle big-time on Wonder Woman. Adding a ton of humor, while still keeping the big action pieces that this book is known for, Wilson has carved out a nice, memorable niche for herself, so far. Is it ever going to be the most exciting take on Wonder Woman? No. But it is a unique and satisfying take on the character that is carefully crafted, with exceptional attention to Diana’s inner workings, and that’s worth applauding.
