Have you caught DC Comics' new take on the classic "Wonder Woman" TV show yet? The Wonder Woman '77 Special issues 1 and 2 are out and bringing you new tales based on the popular 1970s series. The series follows the successful Batman '66 title based on the Adam West TV show, and the Wonder Woman art is even more amazing -- especially that of Nicola Scott, Annette Kwok and Jason Badower. Sooooo much like a photograph of Lynda Carter.
Each volume collects a couple tales, which were initially released electronically. Issue No. 1 has "Disco Inferno," where Steve and Diana go undercover at Studio 52 to protect a defected Russian scientist who's in danger. The second story is "Who is Wonder Woman?", a lively romp back in time that offers up images of Debra Winger as Drusilla / Wonder Girl and an earlier TV Wonder Woman with blond hair and the red-and-blue skirt costume with leggings who strangely does not actually look like Cathy Lee Crosby. This is an alternate reality that Diana has to figure out.
In the second special issue, "The Cat Came Back" takes place at the "Madisonian" Institute in Washington, D.C., where Dr. Minerva is upset that her work is being shoved aside for a new Wonder Woman exhibit. It's wonderful because it's a Cheetah origin story, going to where the TV show for the most part never did -- with WW battling an actual comic book villain. And it's a supernatural alteration, a mutation for Dr. Barbara Minerva that changes her into Cheetah. Then, in the second story, "Celsia 451," our hero investigates the murder of the CEO of a nuclear energy provider whose plant explosion caused a radioactive disaster in Ohio. A new villain is introduced, named Celsia, a victim of the disaster who now has radioactive powers. And the story makes reference to more villains in WW's "rogues gallery," again taking the printed page where the TV screen did not go. A bonus story in that second special issue, "Wisdom of Solomon," features DC villain Solomon Grundy in a case highlighting domestic abuse.
These tales occur in the continuity of the second and third seasons of the show -- the 1970s seasons, of course, as WW is adorned in her updated costume rather than the '40s version. There is a reference to her battling Hitler, though. (Thanks; we were always partial to the first season.) And Steve Trevor is featured -- now a director at the IADC -- whereas he was being written out of the show as it coasted to its stop at the end of the third season.
No comments:
Post a Comment