Wonder Woman #754 // Review
Diana is surprised to find a princess from another world in her kitchen. It’s okay: they know each other. Princess Maxima has come to ask Diana for her help in reclaiming the throne of a distant world in Wonder Woman #754. Writer Steve Orlando hastily moves along a quick, little tale of a search for truth in heart and history that’s rendered for the page by Gleb Melnikov with color by Romulo Fajardo Jr. Wonder Woman’s own psyche is reflected in a quick, little jaunt across space to Almerac to straighten-out the small matter of a man looking to take over an entire planet. It’s a light emotional journey that casts a glance into Wonder Woman’s inner emotions.
Princess Maxima of Almerac is about to lose it all. Her betrothed tried to have her killed. She doesn’t love him...and not just because he’s the type of guy who would have her killed. She can’t give him her heart because it belongs to another: a woman. To complicate matters, Almerac isn’t exactly progressive enough to accept a couple of women in charge of things. Wonder Woman agrees to help. After a quick deep space Transformer-like upgrade to the invisible jet, Wonder Woman and Maxima head off to Almerac to set things straight. It’s not going to be easy. Maxima’s betrothed is set to usurp the throne in haste. Even if Wonder Woman, Maxima, and her partner Primaa can get by the usurper’s guards, they still have to convince those of Almerac that the planet can be ruled by two queens. In the end she’s helping Maxima, but phantoms of a distant love shadow the corners of Diana’s adventure.
Orlando rushes through the tale of political turmoil on a distant planet. A story that could have gone deeper and explored the nature of romantic connection amongst warriors on a distant planet gets a quick rush-through fewer than 20 pages. Orlando likely has quite a bit to get through before summer hits and he wraps his work on the series. (Mariko Tamaki takes over with issue 759.) All the same, it would have been nice to see Orlando let this story play out a bit more. The pulpy fantasy adventure romance on a distant planet would have made for an interesting journey if it had more room to breathe.
Melnikov and Fajardo Jr. bring some magical moments to the page. The transformation of the invisible jet into an invisible spacecraft is a flashy, little opener to a story that is weighted heavily in drama and intrigue that isn’t given much time on the page. There’s action in the issue, but it plays out in quick, decisive, little panels. The tension and intensity of the story play across the faces of three warrior women. The main villain and flashbacks of Diana’s lost love Steve in a story that’s every bit as much about the happiness hero is keeping from herself as it is the happiness that she’s looking to help secure for Maxima.
A one-shot story shoots across the page with little glimpses of ongoing story around the edges. Still, it’s a bit of a rush for a story centering around emotional drama and being true to oneself against a tapestry of history. Had this been a lighter story, it might have been more at home with the brisk pacing. Covering the kind of deep emotional ground it does, an issue like this can’t help but feel rushed.
