Delirium by Javier G. Pacheco

Katniss Everdeen by Patti Dineros

Sweet Tooth by Skottie Young

Gown NOT designed by Vera Wang.

G3 has had some issues with Wonder Woman lately. Not the character, but her title. V. summed it up very well in a heartfelt post about her frustration with the comic book’s direction in recent months.

I was OK with writer Brian Azzarello’s dark vision for the Amazons and his revamp of Wonder Woman’s origin, so this isn’t about being anti-change. However, after seeing Diana do something ridiculously gullible in issue #8 and slogging through a disappointing #9, I wonder what happened to the thrilling reboot that came leaping flawlessly out of the gate.

One problem is that the Greek gods have started to crowd Diana out of her own comic, making Wonder Woman more of an ensemble affair than a solo book with a strong central character. You might as well call it Wondy & the Gods. Every superhero needs a good supporting cast to play off of, but the key word is “supporting.” A little bit of Lennox goes a long way.

Azzarello seems barely interested in Diana who, having been shot with a love-drug bullet from Eros’ gun, is being prepped for her wedding to Hades. She’s basically inert here, making bland, tearful conversation with Persephone and playing the role of a dutiful bride-to-be. She’s just plain boring. Most of the airtime goes to assorted deities and Zola, the pregnant woman Diana traveled to hell to save. That’s fine if you didn’t sign up to read a comic book about Wonder Woman.

Cliff Chiang’s only visible contribution is the stunning cover, luminously colored by Matthew Wilson. Most of fill-in artist Tony Akins’ work is perfectly fine, especially the scenes showing the lean, mean Strife, and Hades’ grotesque throne. However, something goes awry in the rendering of Zola. Her face changes from panel to panel, resembling that of a bratty child in some places and a frumpy, middle-aged woman in others.

What troubles me more than disliking an issue of Wonder Woman is not caring — and I’m beginning to worry it may come to that. Like Action Comics, this title got off to a rousing start, then began morphing into something very different from the comic book I fell in love with. Nine issues in, I still don’t have a clear idea of who the character is beyond an awe-inspiring warrior given to bouts of naiveté. There’s a lot happening around her and to her, but it’s deeply frustrating that Diana herself remains at arm’s length. Grade: D+

Morgan le Fay by Jessica Oyhenart-Ball

Cassandra Cain by Jen Zee

Loki by Phobs

Writer-director Joss Whedon swung for the fences, and the result is a consistently fun, exciting action movie that makes the most of a strong cast. The Avengers doesn’t just throw a bunch of comic book characters onto the screen and then blow stuff up real good. Whedon takes care in defining the players and showing how they come together to execute their first mission.

The objective is to take down that villainous Asgardian diva, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who pays S.H.I.E.L.D. an unwelcome visit to steal the Tesseract. The glowing cube is central to his plot to rule humanity via alien invasion, and Nick Fury, played by the stoically cool Samuel L. Jackson, knows he’s going to need more than one big gun to stop him. One by one, the future Avengers begin assembling, but it’s a bumpy ride.

Could it be otherwise? Powerful people have big egos and generally are not given to compromise, so Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) are not going to un-puff their chests to work toward a collegial solution. At least not at first. Not everyone is wild about taking on the job, either. Most reluctant is Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), whose priority is keeping his raging inner Hulk at bay. Formidable as the heroes’ combined power is, prickly relationships threaten to undermine the cause.

Killer action sequences and impressive special effects? Check. More importantly, The Avengers is driven by top-shelf performances. No one will be surprised that Downey has some of the movie’s best one-liners and that he nails them. Chris Evans remains earnest as Captain America, but the strain of adjusting to life in a new century is apparent. Hiddleston, with his dazzling but scary smile, is perfectly haughty and petulant. Hemsworth gets to show that the mighty Thor has an unexpected, deadpan sense of humor.

The newcomers are no slouches, either. What a relief that Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow shines as a highly skilled combatant with a sharp mind, not stereotypical eye candy. Mark Ruffalo does a particularly outstanding job, playing Banner as a scarred man who is calm but subtly dangerous. I wish Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye had a little more to do, and there are a few head-scratchers — most notably a decision to leave Loki unattended (!) during what amounts to a hero hissy fit.

Though it clocks in at two hours and 22 minutes, The Avengers doesn’t have the bloated, indulgent feel of many blockbusters. It’s so well paced and frequently witty that the time flies. Let’s hope this inspires something of similar quality from the other member of the Big Two.

P.S.: Sit tight after the credits roll. There are treats. Grade: A-

Black Cat by W. Scott Forbes

Mind the Gap #1

Image Comics is on fire. Week after week, it’s churning out some of the most interesting and innovative comic books around, and Mind the Gap #1 is no exception. On one level, it’s a tantalizing mystery about how a young woman named Elle Peterssen wound up gravely injured and comatose in a hospital bed. But there is an otherwordly aspect to the proceedings that makes Mind the Gap more than a well-written whodunit.

Though Elle can’t move or speak, she is very much aware of the people around her: the best friend and boyfriend, the disapproving Tiger Mom and worried dad, and the detached younger brother who can barely be bothered to pay a hospital visit. She drifts back and forth between reality and a dreamlike limbo that serves as a stopover between life and death. Turns out that purgatory has a sizable population, and at least one tour guide.

There are so many tasty layers to Jim McCann’s story: Elle doesn’t know what happened to her, and there’s something rotten in the medical explanation. Who is the shadowy figure who keeps having ominous phone conversations about a “package,” and what is up with the frosty dynamic in the Peterssen family? As much as I’m itching to learn the what and why behind Elle’s circumstances, I really want to see how writer Jim McCann develops his cast of players.

This issue is perfectly paced, unexpectedly funny in places, and meaty. For $2.99, you get nearly 50 pages of story with nary a bit of filler — quantity and quality. Even better, those pages are graced by Rodin Esquejo and Sonia Oback’s sophisticated, comely art. It’s the little details that catch the eye, like strands of Elle’s hair intertwining or a pivotal character emerging not out of thin air but curling, white cigarette smoke. The artists obviously took a great deal of care in defining the characters and their surroundings.

With a strong story and a striking visual presence, Mind the Gap #1 makes an excellent first impression. Grade: A

Black Widow by Chrissie Zullo

Enchantress by Stephanie Hans

See, when I started buying comics, Wonder Woman was the first and only title on my pull list. I somehow fell into a group of friends who had collections of comics and trades to borrow for YEARS (I still haven’t read all of their libraries), but I wanted to support Wonder Woman. It helped that Gail Simone would be writing the character soon after, but I did it for Diana. Since then, many books have come and gone from my pull list. Wonder Woman is the only title that has been constant. For better or worse (JMS), I have been buying and reading Wonder Woman every month since I jumped down the comic book rabbit hole.

I am also one of many who, as a little girl, watched episodes of the TV series and did my damndest to spin into something more wonderful than my four-year-old little self.

"When I grow up, I want to have an invisible plane!"

The character and qualities of Wonder Woman inspired me then and has come to mean something very special to me today.

In the last three issues of Azzarello’s Wonder Woman, I find myself less than inspired. What started off strong is now bringing diminished returns in the form of Diana’s intellect, or lack thereof. Diana is repeatedly being tricked or lied to in some monumental way, and she’s falling for it.

I recall a conversation I once had with my grandmother. As matriarchs do, she had questions about the guy I was dating at the time. I answered her questions, but she was skeptical about him. While she would never dictate who I date, she did look me square in the face and say, “You are very smart, Vanessa. Don’t you dare dumb down for him!”

I didn’t.

We aren’t together anymore.

Now, everyone isn’t my ex-boyfriend, and I am certainly not Wonder Woman. As Azzarello’s Wonder Woman is selling better than the title has in a very long while, I wonder: Is a naive and easily manipulated Diana more palatable to the masses? Do we like our Wonder Woman better stupid?

"OMG! Did Hades just trick me?"

"Yup. Hades totes tricked me."

"I was born yesterday. The Amazons have been doing what for centuries?"

"What's Stockholm Syndrome?"

"Dead people attacking me. In hell?"

Yeah, Diana. I'm shot through the heart too ... with that damn look on your face. Also, Hades tricked you. Again.

I know there are various methods in fiction writing that make the protagonist interesting. One of them is creating conflict and struggle in order to build the character back up, and to give the audience something to root for. But Azzarello’s “deconstruction” of Diana’s personality is irritating the living shit out of me. Diana of Themyscira as a dumbass has got my goat far worse than the vilification of the Amazons. Apparently being one of Zeus’ bastards throws Athena’s wisdom out the door. Perhaps it’s a punishment from Hera.

How do you grow up in a culture and not know the Amazons give away their sons? How do you worship, study and interact with these gods, yet not know how treacherous they can be? How do you go to hell and be duped in such a grand way when you once walked through Hades blind? Why the fuck did you hand Hades Eros’ guns!!!?

At the beginning of Azzarello’s run, I was singing the praises of his Wonder Woman. She seemed capable and self-possessed. Even with the revelation that her birth was not divine magic, I did not feel that was forced or incongruent with the Diana that we know and love. But the barrage of naiveté in Wonder Woman is just plain disappointing.

I look at her counterparts in the DCU. Batman is inherently flawed, so maybe that’s why the masses worship him so. Superman’s easy. Corn-fed white boys are always in style in America, even if they don’t know it. But Wondy’s key persona has been put through the wringer over the past two years in an attempt to sell books or reinvent the character, and I am tired of it.

Let me make it easy for you. Wonder Woman is compassionate. She is skilled at war and diplomacy. Wonder Woman is brave. She is strong – physically and mentally. She is fair. Wonder Woman is determined. She is regal. Wonder Woman is wise.

Azzarello, you may very well be a genius writer. OR … you could be a Blorgon in disguise. I sure as hell don’t know. I don’t know you. But I want you to know what you are dealing with. Yes, Bat-followers are just about every dude in America and Supes fans are far and wide. But Wonder Woman fans are different. She is our leading lady, and there are few in all of fiction as powerful as her. So, we are invested in her future.

Kevin Smith can write Bruce admitting to pissing his pants, and it gets laughed into the ether. We’ve all but forgotten about Superman walking. But I have a feeling what you are doing with Wonder Woman is going to stick. You are moving books for DC on this title for the first time in a long time (save #600), and that means money. Money means power. Power to do what you will with Diana. I know you’ve got the ending planned already, but I hope to see her offered a bit more wisdom and grace along the way.

Please take care of our Amazon Princess. Not for her (because she can take care of herself), but for us.

Cyclops by Zachary Flagg Baldus

The deal was that the rights to Watchmen would revert to Moore and Gibbons once the trade went out of print for a year. It became a huge success, so guess what? It never went out of print. Moore has been scathingly critical of DC ever since, though Gibbons’ attitude toward the 2009 movie and the prequels is much more charitable. Neither is participating in Before Watchmen, which will be written and illustrated by some high-profile creators — some that we adore.

Still, that smiley face with the bleeding bullet hole seems a perfect symbol of the shiny happy spin on an ugly story. Moore isn’t the most sympathetic character given his tendency to say that the comics industry has gone to shit since his heyday. But that isn’t the issue. If he and Gibbons were essentially cheated, regardless of whether they should have negotiated a better contract, is any project connected to Watchmen defensible without their combined blessing? Some say Moore is beating a dead horse, but he’s not the one who keeps bringing it back to life.

Other pertinent questions:

• Does a reader who buys this book, and any artist who signs on, cosign DC’s actions? Most of us buy stuff from (and have probably worked for) companies that do sketchy things.
• Does the fact that many creators have gotten a raw deal from the comics industry make this case less noteworthy?
• As long as we get the comics we want, do fans care about the way creators are treated?
• What is to be gained, besides money, by revisiting a work that most people agree is brilliant and perfectly self-contained?

The new comics might so amazing that they shut up all the skeptics, though the bar for critical success seems almost impossibly high. So now we ask you a question, dear reader. Does Before Watchmen deserve a chance? After voting, please feel free to elaborate in the comments section.

Hermione Granger by Chrissie Zullo

Amid all the geeking out, the movie — filmed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2010 — acknowledges the elephant in the room: Comics have been relegated to the background of a giant convention with “comic” in the name, and that is now largely about mass entertainment. It’s unreal to look at old photos of the first Comic-Con in 1970 and compare those images to the huge scene it is today.

But Spurlock goes intimate, focusing on people with the kind of specific, heartfelt passion that defines fandom. Whether or not you’ve been to a major con, you’ll likely see a bit of yourself in the central characters and relate to the comments from anonymous con-goers and well-known creators like Joss Whedon and Kevin Smith.

Comic-Con IV: A Fan’s Hope follows a set of interesting players: Aspiring comic book artists Skip Harvey and Eric Henson, Mile High Comics owner Chuck Rozanski, gamer and amateur costume designer Holly Conrad, action figure enthusiast Anthony Calderon, and lovebirds James Darling and Se Young Kang, who met at Comic-Con the previous year. They all represent different facets of the event, but they’re united in their devotion to the things they love. Tone is important, and Spurlock never mocks his subjects or their pursuits.

Harvey and Henson bring their lifelong dreams and their portfolios to the Comic-Con, and despite their talent, there are critiques and hard realities to endure. Depending on your perspective, it’s either funny or a tad troubling to see Kang refuse to let Darling leave her side so that he can pick up the “Lord of the Rings”-inspired rock for the proposal.

Rozanski, who has been to Comic-Con 38 years in a row, talks about trying to sell comics at a convention where he can’t even use the loading docks at the back of the building (LucasFilm owns them now). Making a decent profit would be nice, but he’d really like to sell an extremely rare, mint Red Raven comic with an asking price of $500,000 to alleviate his financial burdens. Rozanski also has the most memorable line of the documentary:

“When a woman tells you to grow up, that’s God’s way of telling you to get new woman, especially if she tells you to get rid of your comics. There’s three billion women on the planet and not a lot of great comics, so it’s an easy choice.”

What Comic Con IV: A Fan’s Hope does well is to tap into the child-like glee that fans get from temporarily living out their fantasies, meeting their favorite creators or acquiring something cool. Calderon has a sparkle in the eye as he talks about his quest for an 18-inch Galactus figure. When he says he’s not leaving without it, you believe him. Conrad wants to bring Mass Effect alive by re-enacting a scene from the game before a con audience. There are happy and hopeful endings, and some tears.

I do wish the documentary had devoted more time to Comic Con’s evolution from a comics-focused event to the wide-ranging juggernaut it is today. Rozanski hints at the conflict between the old-timers and the Hollywood machine that has overtaken the event, but it’s mostly glossed over. And while I certainly understand the fan mindset, some viewers might be left wondering why someone would spend countless hours preparing to do a five-minute skit based on a video game, or devote an entire room in their house (and a safe) to toys. But maybe Spurlock wanted to avoid pathologizing his fellow geeks by psychoanalyzing them. Is it really that big a deal if someone wants to be Deadpool for a few days out of the year?

Will con veterans learn anything new from this movie? Probably not. Still, as someone who has been in hotel lobbies full of Stormtroopers, Steampunkers and Snapes, I found it charming and full of satisfying human drama. If you’ve never been to a con, don’t be surprised if you have the urge to dig up a cape and get to one soon. Grade: B

Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios, Malta, 1983

“What are the consequences for women when they are strong, and when they are the central actors of their own lives?”

It isn’t hyperbole to say that every comic book fan should see “Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines,” the excellent documentary that premeired last month at the South by Southwest Film Festival. But you needn’t own a single comic book to fully enjoy this film. Thought-provoking and frequently moving, “Wonder Women!” examines the history of fictional heroines in popular culture, and how their highs and lows have reflected the lives of real American women since the 1940s.

It’s full of insightful commentary from activists, artists and scholars like Gloria Steinem, Trina Robbins, Lynda Carter and Bikini Kill lead singer Kathleen Hanna, as well as the stories of everyday men, women and children who are inspired by the most iconic heroine of all — Wonder Woman. Director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan graciously provided Girls Gone Geek with a copy of “Wonder Women!,” which is not yet in wide release. It’s so good that V. and I are on a mission to spread awareness in the hopes that it eventually becomes available for all to see. In the meantime, you can view a clip on the movie’s website.

“Wonder Women!” delves into Wonder Woman’s backstory as well as that of her eccentric creator, William Moulton Marston. Imagine being a kid, especially a girl in 1941 and seeing this powerful superheroine flying an invisible jet and knocking bad guys around like bowling pins. “She was the only hero who made you feel good about yourself,” Steinem said, reflecting on her own girlhood discovery of the character.

On the homefront, American women discover their own power by making and even flying planes while the men fight World War II overseas. But after the war, as women are expected to put down their rivet drills and go back to the kitchen, Wonder Woman’s commanding image suffers.

It’s not just her. Lois Lane dreams of becoming Mrs. Superman. Batwoman, who fights crime with a special makeup compact, is portrayed as incompetent and is frequently lectured by Batman. Even Catwoman is tamed, temporarily renouncing her career as a jewel thief.

Steinem shares a great anecdote about Ms. magazine’s campaign to restore Wonder Woman to glory after the character was de-powered and turned into a clothing boutique owner/martial artist in the late 1960s. (Wonder Woman famously appeared on the first issue of Ms. magazine in 1970, striding across the landscape in her original costume.)

“I remember the person in charge of Wonder Woman calling me up from DC Comics, and he was so annoyed,” Steinem recalled. “He said, ‘OK, she has her magical powers back, her lasso and bracelets; she has her invisible plane back and she has a black, African sister named Nubia. Now will you leave me alone?’ ”

Carmela Lane, an immigrant from Brazil, draws inspiration from Wonder Woman.

It’s fascinating to see the progression of the heroine in comics, television and film over time — characters like Buffy, Xena, Ellen Ripley and the Bionic Woman, all represented here. Lynda Carter, who is Wonder Woman for a generation of fans, tells some interesting stories about her time that role. She was stunned by one person’s opinion that female viewers would end up hating her, a prediction that obviously turned out to be dead wrong.

“Wonder Women!” has a strong point of view, and it isn’t afraid to embrace feminism or to ask hard questions about the treatment of women in the fictional realm and the real world. Modern-day sexism in comics doesn’t get a pass, and I want to high-five author Jennifer K. Stuller for putting to rest, once and for all, the old chestnut that male and female characters are similarly portrayed.

“People who say that men are just as hypersexualized or hyperidealized in comic books, in movies and/or television – that’s just bullshit,” Stuller said. “I would say that men may be drawn as muscular and handsome, but they’re also shown being active. They’re shown saving the day. Women are shown in very little clothing and being tortured, raped and murdered, so (men) are not subjected to that same sort of treatment of their bodies.”

But what gives “Wonder Women!” emotional depth is the commentary of fans like Katie Pineda, a fourth-grader whose confidence shines above her speech impediment; Andy Mangels, founder of the annual Wonder Woman Day project, which has raised more than $89,000 for battered womens’ shelters; and Carmela Lane, an immigrant from Brazil who is trying to making a better life for her daughter in the U.S. — and possesses some epic Wonder Woman tattoos. When you look at the footage of women and girls of all races and body types in Wonder Woman cosplay, it’s clear that they feel empowered just by wearing the costume. The Amazon Princess is more than a character in book; she’s a real source of inspiration for people of all genders and ages.

The question remains: Where did Wonder Woman go? She still has an ongoing comic book, but she hasn’t occupied the general public consciousness in a major way since the 1970s. We’re inundated with stories about male superheroes. Wonder Woman remains a unique and important symbol of female strength, one that — to echo Steinem — can make girls feel good about themselves.

“It’s time for DC to come forward. We’d love to have a full feature, live-action Wonder Woman movie,” said one fan, proudly dressed in full Wonder Woman regalia at a convention. “It’s time.”

Namor by Gerald Parel

Last summer, when the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender announced a new series - The Legend of Korra – I was beyond ecstatic. And after almost a year of anticipation, I am happy to say that it is everything I hoped for and knew it would be. The first two episodes of The Legend of Korra qualify as the most joyous 46 minutes I have had in the past month.

Metal Bending, a lovable polar bear-dog, and a hint of steampunk are just a few things that make The Legend of Korra just as magical as its predecessor. But most importantly, the characters are endearing. The same light-hearted charm and emotive eyes of Avatar can be found in the descendants of Aang and friends.

The new Avatar, Korra, is a 17 year old head-strong girl, fresh off the boat in Republic City. She has a lot to learn besides just Airbending. Super-serious Tenzin is Aang’s son and Korra’s Airbending master. His three children, Ikko, Jinora, and Meelo will steal your hearts immediately … and make you laugh. The brothers Mako and Bolin will make for great companions on Korra’s path as the Avatar. I’m dying to know more about Amon, the leader of the Anti-Bending Revolution. As great as the new characters are, the fangirl in me loves every nod to the original and just how interwoven this new series is with its ancestors. I may or may not have shed a tear of joy .. or two.

The Legend of Korra is set to be a thoughtful coming-of-age story with plenty of battles and belly-laughs on the horizon. I know exactly what I will be doing on Saturdays. Who’s with me?

P.S. You can watch the first two episodes RIGHT MEOW!

Episode One - Legend of Korra: “Welcome to Republic City”
Episode Two – Legend of Korra: “A Leaf in the Wind”

In case you were wondering what a polar bear-dog is.

Wiccan by Kevin Wada

Miss Martian by Olga Ulanova.

In comics, every teen hero reaches a point where he or she wants to prove capable of saving the world, or at least the day, without adult supervision. It’s a timeless theme that has fueled many excellent stories.

But what if the elders are completely out of the picture, maybe for good? What becomes of the sidekicks, to say nothing of the world, that they left behind?

Those questions are at the center of Danger Club #1, which is yet another top-notch offering from Image Comics. The Earth’s young capes are in a dark place after the disappearance of their mentors, who were last seen departing for space to fight a yet-unnamed evil. Apollo, a super-teen with a god complex, has exploited their fears so well that some are falling all over themselves to follow him. But the members of the Danger Club, led by Kid Vigilante, are not having it. Actually, Kid Vigilante isn’t having much of anything. Confident and extremely tough, he provides the book’s most shocking moments. The first rule of Danger Club? Do not make him hit you.

Writer Landry Q. Walker sets a fast pace and doesn’t waste a lot of time with setup or character introductions. This is an efficient, action-packed story that makes the most of the comic’s premise. Left to their own devices, a bunch of agitated, powerful youngsters are fighting among themselves, jockeying for position and abandoning their ideals. With apologies to The Who, the kids are not alright. I’m thinking “Lord of the Flies,” only with teleportation, giant robots and sonic blasts. Walker has created quite an interesting cast of characters to develop.

Eric Jones’ art here is fantastic. Check the opening page, done retro style. The scenes in the arena where Apollo holds his messed-up auditions for sycophants hum with energy. Most importantly, Jones never lets us forget that children are the players. Everyone looks about 14, tops, making the violent scenes uncomfortably unforgettable. The color scheme is too heavy on blues, purples and grays for my liking. However, there are bursts of color that burn brightly against the moody backdrop.

With a smashing first issue to its credit, Danger Club has all the makings of a high-quality hit. Join up.

A version of this review appeared previously on Newsarama.com.