Wonder Woman #198
Published and © by DC, January-February 1972
Title: “Return to Paradise Island!”
Synopsis: Princess Diana inspires some of history’s greatest heroes to help the Amazons repel Ares’ invasion of Paradise Island.
Writer: Mike Sekowsky
Penciler: Sekowsky
Inker: Dick Giordano
Review: This issue is a surprisingly epic romp. While many of the Amazon’s adventures from this era are fun as relics of their time, this one has a mythic quality to it. Mike Sekowsky’s story taps into something primal here: Wonder Woman is cast as a bold, heroic figure, and her battle against the god Ares wrestles with the nature of both heroism and family. Though told in simple strokes, there’s some surprisingly sophisticated storytelling going on here. Sekowsky’s visual storytelling delivers nice moments, too. Note: This story originally appeared in Wonder Woman #183-184, but it’s worthy of a second read.
Grade: A-
Cool factor: Seriously, this one starts with a cool cover and never lets up!
Not-so-cool factor: Why the reprints less than three years into the “Diana Prince as Wonder Woman” run?
Character quotable: “Fight well – if we must – die well!” – Princess Diana, a depowered Wonder Woman doing her best Klingon impersonation
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Sept. 29, 2010.
