Wonder Woman #7 is written by Tom King and published by DC. Artwork is by Guillem March, colours by Arif Prianto and letters by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is by Daniel Sampere and Tomeu Morey.
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Synopsis
For the Batman who has everything! Amidst their adventures as Superman and Wonder Woman, Clark and Diana take a thrilling journey into space to get a birthday gift for their dear friend Bruce.
Review
If you’ve been keeping up with both the Superman and Wonder Woman titles then you’ll know that both Clark and Diana are facing hard times. Whilst Clark has been dealing with a boisterous group of Anti-Lex villains. Diana has seen the entire US government turn against her leading to near all-out war. So this month Tom King is providing us with a chance to catch out breath, giving both characters a sweet and sentimental break from their complications.
King doesn’t go in to issue #7 wanting to ignore what’s going on elsewhere in the world. Instead it’s tackled in a meaningful way. Neither character is without burden. But through their decades of friendship and unique experience they’re both eventually able to somewhat come to terms with their current situations and put that aside to deal with the mission at hand.
That mission is finding a birthday present for Bruce. So the two venture to an intergalactic space mall which feels like something from Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s a cool setting which feels like King dipping his toe back in to a more outwardly sci-fi setting, certainly much more out there than the Earth-bound Wonder Woman book we’re used to seeing. It may take regular readers a second to adjust to the more outlandish setting. Tonally issue #7 is also a marked change from the more somber mood of the series.
But therein lies King’s trap.
At face value Wonder Woman #7 feels like it could be a comedy caper with these two heroes simply shopping for a birthday present. An early snafu with finding a parking space for the invisible jet certainly signposts a more straight up comedic approach. But scratch beneath the surface and both characters are carrying emotional burdens which King occasionally pulls at in order to remind us that despite their powers, they are both “human”. There’s also a zippier approach to the dialogue in this issue. King taps straight in to the history between Diana and Clark to capitalise on the dynamic between them. It’s instantly recognisable as a sibling bond and never comes across as jarring or misplaced.
There’s a wonderful sentimentality and whimsy to this issue which is able to cut through the looming threats both face. It never overwrites or smothers them. It simply allows both this moment of focus on their friend. It’s also oddly enthralling to see them doing such monotonous tasks as arguing over the right gift and stopping for coffee. That’s where King taps in to a Gunn-like sense of genre and tone. Who would have thought we’d ever see the Man of Steel having a pedicure?
The whole story is tied up neatly with a Bat-shaped bow as Bruce receives his gift and does with it exactly as we would expect. On one level it’s testament to King’s fundamental understanding of each of these characters. But more importantly it’s a love letter to their friendship which is perfectly communicated through the final two panels.
Guillem March provides the artwork for issue #7 with colours by Arif Prianto. The space-mall is packed with vibrant characters and full to the brim with life. It has all the hallmarks of somewhere we would recognise on Earth but just enough tweaks and changes to fit the extraterrestrial setting. March is able to go wild with creature designs, pulling alien races we’ve seen before and plenty which we haven’t. This issue is easily an artists dream and that’s fully comprehensible on the page. Both leads look great to boot. March’s style is expressive and easily matches the journey in King’s script.
Verdict
A fun side quest for Clark and Diana. King writes a pitch-perfect day out for two characters facing uncertain futures back home on Earth.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
