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Mild Mannered Reviews - Superman/Wonder Woman Comics

Superman/Wonder Woman #8 Superman/Wonder Woman #8

Superman/Wonder Woman #8

Scheduled to arrive in stores: May 14, 2014

Cover date: July 2014

"Evolutions"

Writer: Charles Soule
Penciller: Tony Daniels
Inker: Mat Banning with Sandu Florea
Cover: Tony Daniel and Tomeu Morey

Reviewed by: T.A. Ewart (aka liheibao)

Click to enlarge



Superman/Wonder Woman #8 Wonder Woman is looking for Clark Kent, and her first stop is Cat Grant. Diana tells her that she, Diane Prince, is Clark's girlfriend to gain quick access. Cat relates her last encounter with Clark, in which he acts very much like a troubled man. Wonder Woman next encounters Lois Lane, who is about to be arrested by the US military for breaking and entering. Diana displays a new ability, the power to speak telepathically to soldiers and compel them, and thus secures Lois' release. Lois informs Diana that while Clark made a queer call akin to a drunk dial-up, she hasn't seen Clark in weeks. The Batman is Wonder Woman's next stop. Batman tells Wonder Woman that Clark is changing into another Doomsday or something like it. He asks Wonder Woman if she checked Clark's home. Wonder Woman responds that she has checked the Fortress of Solitude, and Batman leads to check Clark's apartment, something she hadn't thought on. Wonder Woman enters Clark's apartment to find it damaged, dark, and disheveled. Clark speaks to her in a lurid tone, making accusations and attempting to goad Wonder Woman into action. Clark continues to accuse Diana, saying that she doesn't believe he's good enough to be with her. Clark then tells Wonder Woman that she'll have to kill him, as he's slowly transforming into something resembling Doomsday. She refuses and Clark lashes out. Batman arrives to assist, but Wonder Woman has him leave off so that she can get through to Clark. Wonder Woman implores Clark to use his mind, to control the disease as it respond to his will. It takes a hideous effort of will, and a scream that shatters windows for streets that abound, but Clark sets himself to right. However, Clark tells Diana that while he was successful, what was possessing him isn't gone, and it's waiting to come back.

2Story - 2: If the point of this installment for "Infected" was to remind the reader why Wonder Woman and Superman shouldn't be together, then it was accomplished. If the point of the issue was to remind readers that Wonder Woman has no concern for Clark Kent and what that means to Superman, it was done with aplomb. Aside of that, there's little else to the chapter. Wonder Woman is looking for Clark Kent... Ok, she's looking for Superman, but can't find him, so she settles for finding Clark if she can. The fact that it takes her so long to realize the obvious isn't telling, humorous, or even pitiable, it's just odd. Really odd. We're uncertain to the amount of time that has transpired between the events of Action Comics and this chapter, but it seems that Clark has been in and out of people's lives for a while, and yet he hasn't. Worst of all the offenses that are committed this time around, is that yet another excuse is made to shoe-horn The Batman into the story. Why? Why is any of this happening and does any of it matter? Yes, it most certainly does. There has been speculation for years about Wonder Woman and Superman being together, and now that it's happened, there is an undeniable force behind the stories to demonstrate why it should not happen. It would have been simpler to leave well-enough alone.

It's been established that Wonder Woman doesn't believe that Clark Kent is a needed part of Superman's life. The fact that she calls him Clark even comes across as a moniker, but not his true name. However, for her to introduce herself to Cat Grant as Clark's girlfriend was confounding. Wonder Woman, according to Azzarello's run on her title, doesn't have a secret identity. Introducing herself to Cat Grant is equivalent to saying that Clark is Superman. She's not disguised in any manner, not even a pair of glasses, and it seems that she just doesn't care if she outs Clark. What is more, Cat doesn't make the connection, or just doesn't want to. It's a serious blunder on Wonder Woman's part, which she commits again with Lois Lane. The same Lois Lane who hasn't seen Clark in weeks. Diana's search for Clark is misguided at best, as someone with access to the resources to she has shouldn't be doing the hard-boiled pulp novel thing. Then she drops that act to go to an actual detective, and no she doesn't call him, she drops on his plane and yells at him through soundproof glass. Why doesn't Diana just go to Clark's apartment? She had the common sense to check the Fortress of Solitude, so why not there? Why would she solicit Clark's friends and not think of going to where Clark lives? It's another reminder of how ill-at-odds these two are and how Diana truly sees Superman.

If Diana's depiction is of a reckless and thoughtless partner, Superman's rendering here is borderline disturbing. It's not the comments that he makes about Wonder Woman and Batman, those are actually good points. No, it's the rapist overtones that he's given while under the influence of the Doomsday spores. "Maybe we cannn...have a little fun." While Diana's coat has magically been blown open to reveal her outfit and, of course, her hot body. The drunk-dial on Lois doesn't make it any better either. It could be chalked up to the Doomsday spores, only Doomsday wants to destroy everything, and has never shown any proclivity to being a creep. Fortunately Diana is able to help Superman sort it out by telling him Clark to fight, and roll over and show his belly. Yes, when in doubt, don't tell the man you love him, insulting his ego will work just as well. And it does.

Fortunately, Wonder Woman and Superman don't cause any major destruction this issue. Superman just yells in intense pain, which shatters the windows of buildings for street on end. It's OK though, because it's not his fault, that was the Doomsday spores. Don't expect any clean-up on it either. Superman just saved the world from Doomsday, and just saves Metropolis from himself, and he just saved Diana from being violated. He's not cleaning anything. Perhaps Batman can do it, as he seems to show up where called for or not. He's in Metropolis looking for Superman, and flying around in the Batplane no less. He's certain that Superman has gone to ground and is flying around for what purpose? Why doesn't he just go to Clark's apartment as he advises Wonder Woman, something that a plane is totally unnecessary for? Well, if he did that, how else could we have Wonder Woman landing on the plane, and the interaction between Diana and Doomsday Clark? It all makes perfect sense, if you just don't think about it. Superman feeling sorry for himself, Wonder Woman being clueless, and Batman being for the sake of being. It's a trinity of silliness, and there's just no reason for it. However, as said above, there is... except for Batman. Just read the excerpt below from a recent interview with Charle Soule:

    MSG: And of course, we also had a callback to Diana's "Han Solo" moment in Superman/Wonder Woman #6 as well...

    CS: I think that the idea is to keep accessing these moments. Superman is realizing that he's turning into something that he doesn't want to turn into, and he's very scared of that. He's trying to get Wonder Woman to an emotional point where she might be willing to do what has to be done. He's goading her by saying, "You don't even love me anyway. You can't even say it. Why is it such a big deal to you?"

    It's also just nice continuity. I think that moment was one that a lot of people have been talking about in this series and you don't want to let that drop. The fact that she still hasn't, to this day, said, "I love you" back is kind of a big deal. When you're building a series that has a horizontal and vertical continuity - in other words, you want it to cohere in and of itself with callbacks within, but it also has to be in continuity horizontally across the entire crossover - you have to find these main characters moments that instantly bring people back to what you did earlier in the series.

There are no moments of love to draw back on, no positive moments at all. Love doesn't move Superman from his condition but will. Diana looks for Clark out of duty, not love. Batman? Sweet Grace, he's appeared in almost every issue of this series. Is he jealous or what?

3Art - 3: I miss Siquiera.

4Cover Art - 4: A nice, dynamic look at Wonder Woman and her creepy boyfriend.


Mild Mannered Reviews

2014

Note: Except for digital first releases, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

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