Comic Review: Wonder Woman (2016-) #62

Wonder Woman #62

DC Comics

Writer: G. Willow Wilson

Artist: Xermanico

Wonder Woman #62 marks the end of G. Willow Wilson’s flawed but enjoyable debut arc on the series. I had a lot of fun reading through this arc, which has had some of the best character moments for Diana since the Rucka run. While I am happy with the conclusion, I find myself still wanting more.

Wonder Woman, Steve, and Aphrodite have successfully escorted the Prime Minister to the final site for peace talks. Now, a “righteous” Ares stands in the way. The final confrontation is built up as a roaring battle between the gods and starts promisingly enough. Unfortunately, the battle just ends way too soon. There were only a few blows landed, leading to a seriously underwhelming conclusion. Before the book is even halfway through, everything is over. Fortunately, there is quite a bit of foreshadowing that this isn’t the end of Diana and Ares’ conflict, but it is still disappointing considering how long it took to get to this point.

The rest of the issue is full of peace talks and reflection for both Ares and Diana. The end result affects Diana much more than it does Ares, leading to a strong look at the heart of the character. Wilson continues to write the characters exceptionally well. The take on war and peace and how the gods affect it fits the narrative perfectly. I do wish that Steve and Diana got a little more time together considering how half of the arc was them searching for each other, but their circumstances make this understandable.

Artist Xermanico ensures that the arc concludes with a good look. While Cary Nord isn’t a bad artist by any means, Xermanico is just a better fit for this title. Aside from a few rushed faces and expressions, this is an excellent looking book. Every emotion is full of weight due to the marriage of Wilson’s writing and Xermanico’s art, making the second half of the issue as heavy as it needs to be. Multiple panels are gorgeous, and I hope that this isn’t the last we see of this creative team on Wonder Woman.

I have some mixed feelings about the conclusion of this arc, but they are mostly positive. The final confrontation was underwhelming, the but resolution was nice. Wonder Woman is in good hands with G. Willow Wilson at the helm.