Reviewer: Chris Delloiacono
Story Title: The Game of the Gods: Part 4 – Sisters’ Sorrow
Written by: Walter Simonson
Penciled by: Jerry Ordway
Inked by: P. Craig Russell
Colored by: Patricia Mulvihill
Lettered by: John E. Workman
Editor: Ivan Cohen
Publisher: DC Comics
The Game of the Gods has been an interesting, if albeit an unsatisfying read to date. That’s not as bad as it sounds though. The storyline has followed an amnesiac Wonder Woman as she slowly regains her identity after waking up in a grave surrounded by demonic forces in issue 188. By placing us mid story, Simonson makes the reader feel like they’re in Wonder Woman’s shoes. A similar technique was used to solid effect in last years RESIDENT EVIL film. While frustrating at times, the story is coming together and I’m anxious to see what happens next.
During the story Wonder Woman has had to protect a clay idol, which is inexorably linked to her well being, and gone to her home Themyscira to find everyone turned to stone. Upon defeating the mighty hydra-like beast Scylla last issue Wonder Woman set off for Earth to find her lover Trevor Barnes.
Things are becoming clearer this issue as Wonder Woman finds Trevor, and has a flashback. We learn that a doppelganger of Trevor was behind her memory loss and abduction that started the storyline. The two travel to Olympus for answers, and find only a deserted city being plundered by the goddess Diana. Diana until recently was a part of the goddess Artemis, but struck a deal with the still unknown enemy behind this story, known as the Shattered God to retain her identity.
Walt really has a handle on the character of Wonder Woman, as well as her much maligned love interest Trevor. While the story has dragged at times, it’s been an overall exciting read. Walt has teased GL fans with the fact that Oa is going to be at the heart of the adventure, but has yet to deliver more than a page or two each issue. It seems the answers to many questions will come next issue.
The art has been outstanding each of the issues of this storyline, and the current book is no exception. Jerry Ordway and P. Craig Russell’s work is very detailed and a pleasure to behold. The only thing that I don’t like is the silly punk hairstyle that was given to Wonder Woman in issue 189 to help her hide from the evil forces pursing her. Wonder Woman doesn’t look right with her new coif, but that’s not the artist’s fault, they can only do what the writer writes.
I thought about dropping WONDER WOMAN quite a few times leading up to the Simonson/Ordway/Russell run. I’ve never been a big WW fan, and as I mentioned in an earlier review of the series the only reason I’d been picking it up was recent appearances by my favorite character the Warlord. Thankfully I stuck with the book; I’ve enjoyed this run greatly, and look forward to the final two issues. After that Greg Rucka takes over the writing, and I’m sure I’ll be collecting WONDER WOMAN for quite some time.
