Tom King is a writer known for his structure. Most of his series — and individual issues — are built like a house of cards that will rarely fall down, and more often reveal a majestic palace when the final panel unfolds. Nowhere is that more on display than in Wonder Woman #17 from DC Comics, along with (as always) stellar art from Daniel Sampere.
It’s difficult to talk about what makes this issue so special without spoiling major facets of it, so I won’t do that. Instead, the gist is that Wonder Woman continues her slow destruction of The Sovereign — the King of the United States, who killed Steve Trevor a few issues back — by sending the Wonder Girls after the cadre of villains The Sovereign has assembled to protect him.
As the monumental action unfolds, not only is there a full, exhilarating arc to the main fight between these two teams… And not only does he also show a clarity of focus about the three women Diana has inspired… But it also becomes abundantly clear what the whole focus of this arc is: as The Sovereign is broken down, Wonder Woman is building something new. The Sovereign is a singular entity all focused on fealty to himself; Wonder Woman’s love has infused every single person she has ever met.
When this series first debuted, I expressed a little bit of reservation over the use of The Sovereign, as the secret King of America seems like more of a villain for, say, Captain America, than Wonder Woman. Yes, she wears the stars and stripes, but that’s more a function of history than anything necessarily present in the character. But that, it seems, is exactly what King and company were counting on. This is a story about American exceptionalism versus how giving back to the world – creating, not destroying – can win even in the most dire circumstances.



I also do not want to underemphasize Sampere’s contribution here, because the action is stunningly staged throughout here. It’s kinetic and iconic. His character acting is exemplary, too, showing the differences between Yara Flores, Cassie Sandsmark, and Donna Troy when lesser artists might boil them down to “different hair.” And even scenes of Diana taking her newborn Trinity to different environments is jaw-dropping in its own way.
We’re very close to the end of this arc, and with how things are panning out, this may indeed be an all-time run on Wonder Woman. We already know how it will end, given the whole thing is being narrated by The Sovereign from the prison he’s been rotting in. But even with the ending telegraphed from the beginning, this story has, this issue in particular, been a true wonder.
Wonder Woman #17 Rating:
Wonder Woman #17 Official Synopsis:
THE BATTLE OF WONDER BEGINS! After revealing the Sovereign and his plans to the entire nation, Wonder Woman sends in her girls to wage war against his army. Will these sidekicks have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with their mentors’ most fearsome foes?
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