Having read writer Greg Rucka and artist Liam Sharp’s very strong first volume of Wonder Woman since the DC Rebirth re-launch I was looking forward to seeing what Rucka would create with Nicola Scott on art duty. The result is a book that feels very much in line with the rest of the DC Rebirth titles but for all of the right reasons.

What Scott and Rucka have managed to create is a ‘meat and potatoes’ retelling of the origin story of Wonder Woman. Rucka structures the book well initially cutting between the military and masculine world of Steve Trevor and the all female island where Wonder Woman resides. Scott’s skilful clean style aids the nature of the story as it is always clear and economical in selecting the action. When the story plot threads merge early on in the book, things really get into gear. Rucka streamlines the story with a satisfying mystery building towards a fulfilling climax while Scott provides some terrific action sequences.

Ultimately Wonder Woman Year One is no reinvention of the wheel it is a highly effective sincere and exciting superhero comic.

The thing that I have noticed with comic book is that either the storyline is amazing, or the art work. Hardly ever do they manage to both be amazing. Unfortunately Wonder Woman Volume 2: Year One suffered this as well.

Lets start with the good, the storyline. I have never read of Wonder Woman’s origin, so I found it very interesting to see how she decided to come to the human world and first interacted wiht us. Their is an overlying storyline about Sear, a terrorist organisation who’s motivations have been left unclear. Whilst this Sear group are a driving factor in how events occur, I found them to be secondary to seeing how Wonder Woman becomes Wonder Woman.

I have said it before and I will say it again, if you are unable to tell what a character is trying to say by just their face then you are doing something wrong. This is my main gripe with Wonder Woman Volume 2: Year One. Majority of the art work was amazing, it showcased Themyscria beautifully; but once again the facial expression took me out if everything. Maybe I am just very fussy about this, but the facial expressions never seemed right. Not being an artist, I cannot say what it was that bothered me but this would have easily been a 5 star read if the facial expressions worked. I hope that they are fixed for the next volume.

A good storyline if you want to understand Wonder Woman’s origin story.

The Lesbian (even if some of it is subtext) is strong in this TPB. Heh, suffering Sappho, I have to remember that one. I have no doubt that the next writer will undo it all, but, it's nice right now, and it added a level of enjoyment while I was reading it too. I mean, just the fact that Rucka acknowledges that on an island of only women there might just be some women loving women who live on it (Kasia; Hippolyta; Philippus; etc?)

As for the TPB itself, it's basically what it says it is. Wonder Woman's origin story, again. I mostly liked how it was done. It's mostly the normal story with just some slight tweaks and such here and there, most of which I did like.

We get to meet Etta Candy, Steve Trevor, Barbara Ann Minerva, and more. Some are much as they were, others are slightly, or very different. But, each of the meetings played out in a very organic way, and even the introduction of Steve Trevor didn't make me want to throw the book across the room (I've had Wonder Woman Origin stories where I definitely wanted to throw the book when he was introduced, more than once). And, I totally loved the look that Diana had on her face in the panel after she saw the high heels that one of the women was wearing. Heh. Priceless.

It was a really cool TPB (not surprising since it was by Rucka) and I can't wait for volume three!

I got this ARC through Netgalley on behalf of DC Entertainment.

ARC REVIEW

The story: I don’t know if Greg Rucka is really annoying or a freakin’ genius breaking up the story like he is, back and forth between the past and present with each issue. All I know is I am glad I wait for the graphic novel comes out in volumes grouped by the timeline. The story, as the name implies, is the first year the very beginning. We see side by side Diana and Steve a few years before up to the point when Steve ends up on Themyscira and all that jazz. It’s a good point of reference if you have no idea about how that got started and to point out differences from the past origin stories. Once Diana leaves and is confronted with the realities of our modern world she is astounded with the wonders of it and dismayed at all the violence. The Gods have gifted Diana with special abilities, to aid her on her mission, as she goes on she discovers what they are; super strength, flying, ect…
The problem all leads back to the terrorists, The Sear Group. The mission Steve was on when he crash landed was to stop the Sear Group from obtaining a deadly chemical. Now that have it and they are threating massive attacks around the world. Barbara Ann Minerva who was contacted because her knowledge and ability with languages and is so far the only one who can communicate with Diana, connects the dots between The Sear Group and Ares. Big fight ensues.

Art: Nicola Scott did a great job with it. I love the differences between past and present. Liam Sharp has a great visual of the desperation and sadness Diana feels while Nicola Scott is lighter and you can see the happier, younger more naïve side of Diana before it all changes. I especially like the more 70’s retro feel to some of the illustrations. The action is well done and the coloring fantastic. The variant covers pretty awesome.

Characters: The cast of characters is basically the same as vol. 1 but you have the added Amazons. Diana is a young and hopeful woman, sees the good in things and she genuinely wants to help. Steve was the sole survivor of the plane crash and feels the loss of his best friend and his brothers in arm, especially since his best friend just had a baby Steve is feeling a bit of survivor's guilt but his need to stop the Sears is stronger. Diana and Steve bond through their grief. Barbara Ann Minerva also has her little pre-origin type story in this volume as well which shows her obsession with finding the real life Amazons and a bit on her background. Etta Candy is also here but not as prominent yet.

Review: Overall, I don’t know how much I love the back and forth the story is going with past and present and I am hoping the end result is as good as I think it could be. I love origin stories so this was a good read for me. I like knowing the who, what, where, why, and how’s of the character. It is definitely a well thought out story with beautiful art.

Even though this is volume 2, this is another origin story for Wonder Woman. Not much new here, but a fresh story once she actually gets to modern day America. There is a mysterious group of terrorists who leads to a familiar foe. And I enjoyed the new characters that befriend Diana. Steve’s story is pretty similar with a bit of a heart-breaking twist. And it was pretty funny that during each action scene, he manages to lose his shirt. The artwork was great, with vibrant colors. And I really like Wonder Woman’s modernized costume. I look forward to the next in this series reboot.

One of the freshest takes on a classic superheroine. This Wonder Woman enters our world with wide eyes and an eagerness that befits a young enquiring mind. I particularly liked was Diana receiving her powers from the gods in a visitation from animals like a fairy tale princess because it emphasizes that she is a young woman not yet the warrior that she must become by the end of the story. Beautiful art work complements this terrific tale.

Well I am a big fan of Wonder Woman comic books so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this volume.

I enjoyed it very much. I love the story of all the comic books that were in this volume and I enjoyed the illustration as well.

I will be reading this one again in the future for sure.

I highly recommend Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One.

I am giving this 5 out of 5.

As Greg Rucka was writing two Wonder Woman storylines simultaneously, probably to keep the same artist for the duration of each arc, allowing them extra time to draw the issues while also sticking to DC’s double-shipping schedule, his second Wonder Woman Rebirth book doesn’t follow on from the first - instead it’s a retelling of her origin. For the umpteenth time. Sigh. While the title “Year One” references the classic Batman book of the same name, Wonder Woman: Year One is unfortunately nowhere near the same quality.

Wonder Woman and the Amazons live on Themyscira, la la la, female paradise, etc. Then Steve Trevor crashes his plane near the island and Princess Diana learns of the outside world. Stevie boy gets healed up, Diana proves herself to be Champion of the Amazons, and the two head back to our world where she develops her powers and becomes Wonder Woman. In other words, the usual by-the-numbers story!

I don’t know what DC are thinking when they commission books like this. Last year we had two high-profile Wonder Woman origin books (both of which were better than this one): Grant Morrison/Yanick Paquette’s Wonder Woman: Earth One and Jill Thompson’s Wonder Woman: The True Amazon. So Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott’s Year One makes the third Wonder Woman origin in just over twelve months! How many origin retellings do we need?! And you know the Wonder Woman movie is gonna be more of the same – bah!

Scott’s artwork was high quality as always and the sniper shootout in the mall was an interesting scene but for the most part I was immensely bored reading this. Standard characterisations – check, dreary exposition galore – check, arbitrary villain - check, rushed, lame final fight – check; Wonder Woman: Year One is an uninspired, unexceptional, uninsightful and unnecessary re-tread of Diana’s origin. Maybe those readers who’ve never read her origin before will get more out of this book but Earth One and The True Amazon do the job far better anyway - check those out instead of this tedium.

A plane goes down in Themyscira and out of the team of soldiers, only Steve Trevor is left alive.  As the Amazons heal his wounds it becomes apparent that not only has their island been breached, but they must send out one of their own to protect the world.  Diana, Princess of the Amazons, wins that right.  With the lasso, a gift given the islanders by the Gods, she sets out to take Steve and his fallen team home.  There is only one catch- once you leave, you can never return to the island.  Diana must learn her new home and help protect it's people while a great threat looms.... she is not without her own allies though.
My thoughts:
         I received an eARC of this graphic novel from Netgalley and DC Entertainments.  I feel like I need to review in two parts.  First I am going to talk about this book as a stand alone and not part of the series.  As someone fairly new to the Wonder Woman comics, this was easy to get into.  This is the origin story for Wonder Woman, and while a bit choppy in parts, I found it extremely well done.  The story drew you in, and the characters were interesting and unique.  I liked the art work in this book as well.  I had hoped to read her origin story at some point, so I was pleased with this book. 
           On the other hand, it seemed to have nothing to do with Wonder Woman, Rebirth #1, Greg Lucas except that the characters are the same.  In fact, I feel like this one ought to have been first, and then move to the other story eventually.  Because of this, I could not like it as part of the series- due to placement.  Now, it is possible that the third book will explain why it was done this way... but it is doubtful.  Due to this alone, I have to drop a star from my review.  This is a four star book for me.   
         On the adult content scale, there is violence.  I would say that this book is geared toward teens and adults, but could be for a younger audience as well.

Another 'beginning' story for Diana, because that's about all DC know to do with her, it seems. Exiled with Steve, one minute she's learning she has gifts from the Gods, the next she's beating off [redacted], who's learnt the power of the anagram, and formed a very woolly bunch of nutjob terrorists. Meanwhile anyone and everyone who can be a lesbian, is. The whole thing is very ropey, and while it's not as pathetic as the parallel 'beginning' story in the odd-numbered issues, you just leave here convinced WW deserves so much better.

The second volume of Greg Rucka’s popular Wonder Woman: Rebirth run collects the even numbered issues that comprise the Year One storyline, illustrated by Nicola Scott and Bilquis Evely. I admit, even though Rucka is a franchise veteran, I was concerned when DC put another male writer at the helm of a strong female title, especially considering the backlash they faced with the choice of writers on the film. Retooling Diana’s origins wouldn’t be an easy task and I was afraid DC was poised to miss the mark on revamping Wonder Woman’s image. But by Wonder Woman #2 Rucka had really set the tone for what he wanted to do with the character. Shedding light on the truth of who she is and what she represents was quickly established as the driving force of the series, and each thread in the web of lies leads back to Year One.

In Wonder Woman: Rebirth Rucka manages to deliver two tandem storylines, simultaneously establishing Wonder Woman’s true origins in Year One and dismantling the inconsistencies in her character, remnants of countless reboots, in The Lies (which is collected in Volume 1). Initially both could be read separately as Rucka focuses on laying the groundwork in the opening issues, but eventually the loose threads from one are picked up in the other and he weaves a strong narrative that aims to detangle the Gordian Knot that is Diana’s origin by diving head first into its heart instead of just cutting the cord. It’s basically turning into the skid. Rucka questions everything we knew about Wonder Woman through the lens of her self discovery and empowerment. It’s honestly a refreshing read and is certainly my favorite Rebirth title. Both storylines are solid and they really fill each other out, but from the get go I’ve been more partial to Year One as I felt it offered a more consistent throughline and bigger payoff than The Lies.

Maybe it’s the air of anticipation building up for the new Wonder Woman film, but going back to her true roots felt almost therapeutic in our current climate of misinformation and doubt. Even though the story mainly tackles the theme of deception in The Lies, it’s in Year One that the cloud of doubt is lifted and we get to see Diana’s true character. Her integrity, her strength, her resolve as she fights for the honour of being the champion of Themyscira, to leave her home forever to protect the outside world. It isn’t until her climactic fight with Ares in the final leg of the story, which echoes the shattered image of herself as the God of War early in The Lies, that we truly understand the piece of herself that Diana sacrificed.

I’ve always loved the mythology in Wonder Woman, and Year One is precisely what Diana’s origin always should have been. It feels true, it feels authentic. Rucka takes an honest approach at depicting the society of fierce and loyal Amazons in which Diana was raised and doesn’t tip toe around establishing her as a queer character (which he later confirms in an interview with Comicosity, not that it needed confirming.) Rucka also takes a lens to our own society through Diana’s fresh eyes by revisiting origin story staples, such as taking her out to a shopping district for her first outing, where this time she uncomfortably eyes the foreign representations of modern day femininity that surround her. Rucka isn’t hitting the reader over the head with it, but unlike many of his peers, he knows how to keep his footing when writing a strong female lead. Though there were a few encounters with Steve that screamed out to the straight female audience a little too loudly in my opinion.

Nicola Scott simply blew me away in Year One, her depiction of Diana is so wonderfully authentic. Her aquiline nose, her long face, her muscular frame; she is every inch an Amazonian princess. As Diana tests the limits of her new powers, gifted to her by her patron gods, Scott puts her raw power, agility, and grace on the page. Her fight with Ares featured some particularly stunning spreads. The “Interlude” issue illustrated by Evely was placed at the end, despite being published midway through the run. This is likely because the series was handed off to Evely as Scott finished up Year One, so this works as a better transition when the next volumes are released. It’s a wonderful little issue that plants a few narrative seeds and really gives a richer backstory to Barbara Ann’s character, who rivals Diana’s strong presence on the page with her compelling character arc. It’s almost like her own mini-Year One issue and Evely’s rendering of Barbara Ann as a roguish and fervent archaeologist is my favourite yet!

Verdict
Buy it! You should be reading this title. Right now. Seriously. Though I do prefer Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One to The Lies, they are kind of a package deal. You can certainly get away with only reading Year One, but the reverse isn’t completely true even though The Lies is the first volume as it relies on some key plot points revealed in the flashback storyline to fill in the narrative gaps. So whether you’re coming off the first volume or simply interested in a solid Wonder Woman origin story, you should absolutely be looking to pick up Year One this week!

Great story introducing Diana to the world outside of her homeland. I only wish there was more action!

Rucka is a great Wonder woman storyteller . This one is a continuation from one and tells the story of how Diana came to earth. even though I am familiar with her basic story I loved reading this one. It was exciting and artwork beautiful

With the movie coming out in a few months it’s nice to find a decent novel to keep us entertained until then. Rucka does a wonderful job by providing us with a great adaption of the perfect female icon. It was obvious he really put some effort into providing a story that would grab your attention and keep you flipping through the pages. I liked how there was a good balance between more modern updates and elements of the original classic storylines plus the humorous moments thrown in added some fun. What was nice about how Rucka wrote this is it works well as a standalone, separate from the other volumes, and you could easily read this prior to Volume 1 without feeling like you’re missing much if anything at all.

The art work certainly does justice to Rucka’s writing as it brings his words to life and breathes some vibrancy into the story.

Probably the best DC Rebirth book I've read thus far. Rucka's writing for Wonder Woman is the best I've read for the title in a good while, and this updated take on her origin story was very enjoyable. I think the way that the story is moving back and forth between the past and the present is very enjoyable as well, though I wonder if collecting the titles in publication order rather than lumping a volume with each storyline together is the best choice-- I feel like there are things that I would have gotten out of volume 1 that I didn't because of the way it was collected. The art is also very good. One critique: I thought the number of times Steve lost his shirt started to get a bit absurd by the end of it.

"We are in the presence of gods. Actual gods."

This Wonder Woman rebirth/origin story is steeped in ancient Greek mythology, which actually struck me as an interesting way to go.

Now, this is a review by a casual Wonder Woman reader. I knew the TV show, I've read the occasional Wonder Woman comic; I've seen a number of the serious and scholarly deconstructions of what Wonder Woman "means". But, I haven't followed her recent publishing history, or her development in the hands of different writers, in any detail. That means I can't compare this Wonder Woman Rebirth to the past, and I can't be either disappointed or thrilled in comparison.

So, where are we in terms of just picking this up and reading it? Well, the WW Rebirth comes in two volumes. Volume 1 collects issues 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, while this Volume 2 collects issues 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14. This volume has a complete story arc and I understand that Volume 1 had a complete stony arc, so they must have issued the two stories in alternating issues, for no particular reason that I can see, (apart from hooking people on two parallel stories at the same time). What that means, though, is that you can start at this Volume 2 and not have missed anything important. Indeed, given that this Volume 2 is more of a classic Wonder Woman, I'd read this before reading Volume 1, which is more modern and plays around more with Wonder Woman's story.

We start with Wonder Woman on Themyscira , and she eventually ends up in Metropolis, with Steve Trevor, the soldier, and Barbara Ann Minerva (Cheetah), the academic. She has lots of powers that are revealed as needed. There's a threat has to be confronted, and an appearance by a mighty guest villain, and a fair amount of derring-do after we get through Wonder Woman's fish-out-of-water adjustment to our world. We still get the invisible airplane, (in a clever angle), and the lasso and the bracelets. So, this is a foundational, streamlined, and tidied up Wonder Woman that tries to leave the gaudy and campy aspects behind.

To me, Wonder Woman was treated with respect. She has a sense of humor. She's a bit of a goody-goody innocent. She isn't all hanging out of her bustier and laughably bosomy. She's earnest in a "truth, justice and the Themyscirian way" fashion. The supporting characters are predictable and restrained. Barbara Minerva was a bit of a pill in the main story, but she gets her own origin tale at the end of this Volume that actually sets her up as an interesting and sympathetic character in her own right.

The drawings were fine. Pencils and colors were crisp. Action was easy to follow. The characters were very expressive. Backgrounds didn't get a lot of attention, and non-major characters were interchangeable. The appeal here, to me, was mainly the story, not the art.

So, I liked this Wonder Woman and was reasonably engaged by the tale. The underlying action story wasn't all that compelling, but in an origin Volume that's not really the point. I was happy to have come across this. (Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I particularly like the portrayal of the relationship between Diana and her mother, as well as the fact that Diana is not without her inabilities in the modern world to understand language and the subtle ways she disapproves of certain aspects of the treatment of women. This is especially true when Steve and Etta take her to a mall and she sees what women are, or aren't, wearing.