Wonder Woman #24: What Do Mice Have?

Wonder Woman #24 will remind you of two things constantly:

1. Mice have ears.
2. Mouse Man knows.

That’s it, that is the review… just kidding, but for real, you will hear those two phrases A LOT across this issue.

In all seriousness, Wonder Woman #24 picks up with Diana and Lizzie deep within Mouse Man’s island, searching for Etta and Emilie. At the end of the previous issue, Diana had saved a little girl who responded with fear, shouting the two aforementioned phrases over and over again. This issue continues to explore what exactly those phrases mean, why they are said, and what it means to live on this island, as Diana traverses the area with her daughter and this little girl.

As the two phrases get repeated ad nauseum, a clear picture starts to form as to what is actually going on here and what it all means. While not explicitly stated, Tom King and Daniel Sampere do a wonderful job depicting Diana as she reads between the lines and uses context clues to figure out what is actually happening. For the most part, the two phrases act as a constant reminder that everything anyone says or does is under surveillance by Mouse Man or his military. In a lot of ways, this is a “safety through oppression” scenario, as all of the folks on the island are there to escape from the madness of the world around them. This begs the question, why does freedom have to come with a cost? That is rhetorical, as everyone knows that man’s greed is the downfall of everything.

The way that these creators are able to explore these topics through this lens is a testament to Sampere’s art specifically, as much of the deciphering of events is done through the ways he details the facial expressions of characters. This becomes equally as powerful as he depicts Diana’s growing frustration with the situation, exemplified by the extra caution she has to take to ensure that Lizzie is safe. In many ways, this is emblematic of the frustrations everyone faces when a seemingly simple job turns out to be endlessly complicated. But, more so, it is emblematic of how even the most patient and caring hero can be brought to her wits end while still being able to maintain her composure. This depiction of Wonder Woman helps showcase this creative team’s true understanding of the character on a fundamental level.

While this is not exactly the intent of the story arc, there seems to be a large amount of parallels between Diana’s journey on Mouse Man’s island and her new journey into motherhood. For example, Diana is having to decipher these repeated phrases to learn more about this culture in the same way that she has to learn the wants and needs of her infant daughter who has limited communication capabilities. This feels very reminiscent of Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s Superman run where Superman had to learn to raise a son as a superhero and navigate that new style of parenting. The parallels are fun for long-time DC fans and make this arc even more enjoyable.