Wonder Woman #794: Welcome to the Heraion

While last issue took a break from the madness, we’re plunged face-first back into the action as Wonder Woman and her allies face off against a trio of villainous gods who have pledged loyalty to Hera, Queen of the Gods. There’s a lot to unpack in this issue, and I’m thrilled to see the title return to a somewhat high-stakes plot after several smaller plotlines.

Let’s start with Cheetah, who steals the show as Wonder Woman’s reluctant new ally. While I originally didn’t buy Cheetah brushing past her rivalry with Wonder Woman to assist her, I have to say… Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan brought their A game for her depiction. She’s a wildcard, emphasis on wild. It’s interesting that Cheetah’s original motivations have been to kill the Olympian Gods, and by working with Diana, she’s sort of doing just that. I’m very excited to see where Cloonan and Conrad take the character.

We also see a trinity of evil gods: Deimos, Phobos, and Eros. Deimos and Phobos were the primary antagonists of Greg Rucka’s Rebirth run, and it’s great to see them back here. Artist Emanuela Lupacchino even drew inspiration from George Perez’s fantastical designs for the brothers which I appreciated. They eventually go full Kleinstock Brothers and bring about some really great action sequences, bolstered by Lupacchino’s fun art style.

The issue culminates with Eros’s appearance, leaving a cliffhanger that will surely be divisive with fans who aren’t fond of a certain Wonderverse character. I’m still not a huge fan of portraying Hera as a villain, particularly after the sensational Wonder Woman Historia story, but I’m looking forward to Hera finally revealing her ultimate plot.