Wonder Woman #756: Wonder Women

Wonder Woman #756 packs one heck of a wallop, as outgoing writer Steve Orlando pulls out all the stops to give Diana the slam-bang finish she deserves under his tenure. Though superficially an all-action issue, there are some deeper philosophical and moral underpinnings at work here, that elevate the issue beyond standard superhero punch-’em-up fare.

The core questions is, is it okay to lie to someone in order to protect them from pain? Wonder Woman’s intentions in hiding Helen/Paula von Gunther’s true past and parentage were undoubtedly noble at the time, but the repercussions that have been wrought because of them have put Diana in a sticky moral quandary and ultimately resulted in Paula’s latter-day actions. Of course, Paula is responsible for her own choices and actions she’s made as a result of uncovering the truth, but it was Diana who ultimately planted the seeds that have lead to this situation. (It might seem a little too comic-booky that upon learning the truth of her origins, Paula would immediately turn into a bloodthirsty supervillain, but hey, comics.)

The other half of the issue is dedicated to forgiveness. Donna Troy has had her issues with Diana as well, but when the attempt is made to recruit her to von Gunther’s cause, she chooses to forgive Wonder Woman for past indiscretions rather than turn against her. Because she’s family! In that way, she’s the opposite side of Paula von Gunther’s coin: the path she could have taken, rather than the one she chose. (Bonus: it’s ALWAYS great to see Donna portrayed in an unambiguous, pure superhero light. Given how much continuity baggage she has, that all-too-often gets lost.)

On the art side of things, Jesus Merino, Vicente Cifuentes, and Romulo Fajardo Jr. continue to work minor miracles. This is the best-looking Wonder Woman has been in ages thanks to their deft hands. Diana looks powerful yet compassionate, strong yet warm. Even when she’s punching people! Merino’s linework, in particular, hearkens strongly to master artist Mark Bagley. I sincerely hope DC keeps these three working together in some capacity once Orlando’s tenure ends, regardless of what book it’s on!