I’m not an expert on Wonder Woman creator, William Moulton Marston, but I knew a little bit about him going into this book. Marston was very passionate about Wonder Woman and wanted her to be differentiated from the other super heroes at the time. He really wanted to use her as inspiration for what women could be in a time when the woman’s liberation movement still had a lot left to accomplish. Note that Wonder Woman’s two main weapons were her bracelets and Lasso of Truth, both defensive weapons that set her apart from the two fisted male heroes. Marston was actually the creator of the polygraph which clearly inspired Wonder Woman’s lasso. He also had a bit of an obsession with female bondage and you can see it reflected in the cover of Wonder Woman: Earth One with the heroine bound in chains.
I love that DC has the most iconic of all female super heroes but I’d be lying if I said I was a huge fan. Perhaps if DC had stuck with Marston’s original intent the character would have been more interesting to me but the modern Wonder Woman is all sword, shield and aggression. In fact Grant Morrison complained about the portrayal of Wonder Woman in the Batman v. Superman movie as the warrior princess. The reason I got this book was because I wanted to see Grant Morrison’s take on the character and he didn’t disappoint. Clearly, Morrison wanted to bring the character back to Marston’s original vision with the bondage, submission to loving authority and the usage of the Lasso of Truth as a polygraph. The lasso is literally used in a trial on Paradise Island to force out truthful testimonies.
Fans who are looking forward to seeing Wonder Woman kick ass will be disappointed, she does no real fighting. There are no villains. This is the retelling of the classic Wonder Woman origin story and it doesn’t really diverge from the canonical origin that much. What Grant Morrison does is take inspiration from Marston and add his own twists. For instance what would a woman do when looking for love on an island exclusively populated by females? Only one choice. Morrison’s Steve Trevor is black and in one scene Wonder Woman presents him with a spiked collar and tells him to kneel and submit to loving authority. There is no indication of racism on Wonder Woman’s part and she is simply a reflection of her culture. In fact the culture clash when Wonder Woman arrives in the United States was my favorite part. She is appalled to see the short, often overweight and in her mind sickly looking females. Not that men fare any better and she says, “THESE are men? They look to ME like GIRLS.” This is right after she picks up a jeep over her head.
I really enjoyed this book and I would love to see where Morrison takes it in future volumes. Morrison clearly tried to capture the spirit of Marston and I can understand why he might be dismayed by the modern portrayal of Wonder Woman. The art of Yanick Paquette is gorgeous. It’s bright, it’s cheery and Wonder Woman actually smiles. *gasp* The 2017 Wonder Woman movie is probably already set in stone but I hope it’s more along the lines of Earth One and less of the scowling ass kicking Wonder Woman of modern comics. This is one strong and sexy heroin.
To those who don't like this story I suggest reading it a second time. The story is told out of chronological order and can be somewhat confusing on the first read through. I found it much more understandable and enjoyable the second time
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Reviews with images
Grant Morrison's Masterful Wonder Woman Origin Story
DC's Earth One books are a great concept started in 2010. New fresh takes on DC's Iconic characters done in a series of original graphic novels. Unfortunately DC seems to be to busy rebooting it's Universe every couple of years to ever devote the time and attention to this project it deserves. Seven volumes in six years is a travesty.Scottish writer Grant Morrison has always been a "hit or miss" creator for me. I think he always swings for the fences, and strikes out as often as he hits. This is a bonafide Home Run.Canadian artist Yanick Paquette has always delivered excellent art but this is his best work yet. Rich in details and intricate line work.The format is a Hard Cover with slick glossy paper and no dust jacket with a partial laminated illustration on the cover. You also get a gallery of sketch design drawings and alternate covers.The story itself does not revolutionize Wonder Woman's origin but takes many elements from previous stories and blends it into a cohesive whole. It draws heavily from the George Perez era and those stories that emphasize the Greek Mythology of her origins. It is so good that it is should instead be the definitive Origin of the regular DCU version of Wonder Woman.Something that makes perfect sense is spelled out here for me. That is that the Amazon's are of course a Lesbian Society. As a pre-teen reader that concept escaped me.I liked the importance Hercules now plays in this new origin.Steve Trevor is given an ancestry facelift as he is now African American. Both Trevor and Diana exist in a society where they don't trust their leaders. You can see the sympathized bond developing.Etta Candy is restored to her original zaftig body shape. As Megan Trainor and Christina Hendricks and other current Icons are beginning to revolutionize our outdated concepts in beauty.This is an excellent Graphic novel and well deserving of your support. Now if DC would start to direct more support to this concept I would truly be happy.Highly Recommended.
Top reviews from other countries
Lennox Braithwaite
Start of a good series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2024Daniel Pizarro
Una gran obra por un par de genios.
Reviewed in Mexico on May 17, 2017Comicguy
Great read, well worth the time and expense
Reviewed in Canada on December 24, 2016