The Legend of Wonder Woman

As we contemplate the world of comics (and the world at large) in 2016, and the unfortunately inevitable controversies to come, it seems appropriate to be concerned about the recent events surrounding the cancellation of Legend of Wonder Woman, and the environment that's created when those making comics are afraid to express concerns for fear of losing their jobs. It's troubling enough that very few comics creators have job security or benefits, but expecting them to watch what they say at all times for fear of unemployment can only make that lack of security feel that much worse.

The Legend of Wonder Woman #1, by Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon, is the first chapter of an extended take on Wonder Woman’s origin. The book opens with a history of the Amazons and Queen Hippolyta, leading up to Princess Diana’s birth. It then begins a story about Diana as a child, in which she has a preternatural sense that there’s something mystically askew on Paradise Island, and it may be causing horrifying monsters to attack. De Liz and Dillon’s take on the young Diana is a delight for Wonder Woman fans. With her voluminous black hair and big blue eyes, the girl who would be Wonder Woman is immediately recognizable among the other young Amazons. She’s a very serious child who strains against the expectations of her royal mother, less interested in learning how to rule Themyscira than how to defend it.