Many critics dismiss superhero comic books as a genre for males to fulfill their adolescent power fantasies, but the past few weeks have proven that nothing could be further from the truth.
Over the last two weeks the success of female superheroes and female comic book creators has shown that there is a place for strong women in the superhero genre, and championing the cause are none other then the first superwoman, Wonder Woman and her spiritual successor Buffy.
Last week DC Comics released a solidly put together "Wonder Woman # 7," written by best-selling author Jodi Picoult with art by Drew Johnson. Picoult's second issue of her run finds Wonder Woman at a crossroads in her life. In DC Comics' "Infinite Crisis" crossover, Wonder Woman killed a man to save the world, which led many, including her, to question her ethics.
So to understand humanity, Wonder Woman decides to live among them as Diana Prince, a secret agent for a government agency that monitors superheroes. It is here that Picoult's story begins with Diana adjusting to this new life when all of a sudden she receives an assignment to bring in Wonder Woman for questioning in relation to the events previously mentioned. To make matters worse, one of her old enemies, Circe, has come of out hiding.
For Picoult and Wonder Woman fans alike, this comic book and the issues preceding it are must-haves. Picoult is very at home inside the characters' heads and really makes the reader feel Diana's struggle in trying to become human. That emotion is written so well that it becomes easy for artist Johnson to convey the meaning.
She also knows that the "Wonder Woman" title of the comic means that readers are paying to see the title character in action, but does it naturally so that it feels powerful, exciting and natural rather than forced.
So far Picoult's Wonder Woman is truly living up to the spirit of her creator, former AU professor and polygraph inventor William Moulton Marston, so it will be very exciting to see where Picoult's story will take her in future issues.
Wonder Woman isn't the only super female taking names in comics. A literal dark horse has emerged in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the new series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8," written by series creator Joss Whedon and drawn by Georges Jeanty from Dark Horse Comics.
The eighth season picks up as the title implies, where the last season of the TV show left off and takes place approximately two years after the final episode. Buffy is now the leader of an army of Slayers and Xander coordinates the whole affair while sporting an eyepatch. Dawn is once again a giant-sized problem.
The plot for the first storyline revolves around the government's reaction to the destruction of Sunnydale and classification of Buffy as a terrorist however, as always, there is more going on than meets the eye.
What make this series stand out from Buffy comics in the past is Whedon. The creator of the show is writing this comic book. When one reads an issue it's like reading an episode's script with storyboards. All the trademark drama and humor that made Buffy a hit is there. However, while these characters are the characters you remember they are also very different because they have grown up.
The world around them has changed and their relationships with each other have changed but the way they react to change is perfectly in sync with how their characters have been portrayed over the years. Having Whedon write these changes helps add legitimacy to them, especially for dedicated Buffy fans that would otherwise be resistant to change.
It is also because of Whedon that the first issue of this series sold out immediately after publication through Dark Horse Comics. Sales-wise its numbers rivaled Marvel's "Death of Captain America." This is phenomenal for an independently published comic book and it really speaks to the quality of the work.
Reprints are available for those still in search of these issues. The only real complaint is that Whedon is only on for six issues, but have no fear, as he has lined up some of the best writers in comics, novels and TV to carry the torch when he leaves. Female superheroes are here to stay.
