Wonder Woman: Games of the Gods - DC Comics Graphic Novel | Superhero Adventure Story for Adults & Teens | Perfect for Comic Book Collectors & Gift Giving

This is not a "classic" by any means, but what Simonson and Ordway did with their rather small scale "Game of the Gods" story arc is exciting, tragic, funny and incredibly charming all at once. Even if you haven't read a Wonder Woman story before in your life this may be the perfect way to start. Without being steeped heavily in continuity, "Game of the Gods" is a self-contained six issue story that follows Diana on her quest to regain her powers and memories -- as well as to track down the big bad guy who is responsible for her condition. With the help of her boyfriend (sort of), the UN worker Trevor Barnes, she has to find out what's amiss in the pantheon of Gods where the divine personnel either mysteriously turned into statues or is missing altogether.As usual with Wonder Woman stories this one is embedded in Greek mythology, too. But don't worry. The fact that the book opens with Diana having no superpowers or any conscience of who she is makes her adventures surprisingly relatable. I have seen many writers of Wonder Woman struggle with her "God-like" quality that makes her more of an ideal than an actual person. If you think of her like this, naturally, your storytelling possibilities are very limited. Not so in this one! Simonson does a great job by telling a tale full of Gods, monsters and the whole universe at stake in a very down-to-earth way. In a wonderful scene we follow a confused Diana stumbling through the streets of New York City where she lands in the home of a dedicated fangirl. Stunned by all the Wonder Woman fan-merch surrounding her she doesn't want to draw any more attention to herself and decides to get a haircut!Adorable episodes like this balance the comic scale of the story perfectly. There are also subtle nods to Wonder Woman's history throughout the book: At the beginning Diana wears her white Diana-Prince-outfit, which is a nice call-back to the memorable 60ies/70ies period where she also had no superpowers. Ordway's art reimagines these details beautifully, without being too tacky.So before you dive deep into Greg Rucka's epoch-making run (he took over Wonder Woman's solo title directly after Simonson in 2003), revisit this more moderate take on the character and I promise you you'll have fun. Rucka is interested in big questions about truth, justice or the representation of female identity. You'll get only hints of these in Simonson's "Game of the Gods" but in favor of a fresh, witty and fast-paced story. Even though it's a story about regaining your memories, matters of Wonder Woman's identity/iconography (her looks and the ideas she represents), which are usually portrayed as inseperable from her charater -- those matters are not really at stake in this book. Maybe it's only me, but I think Diana looks incredibly sexy with short hair.