Wonder Woman #753 Review

Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Max Raynor
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 11, 2020

DC announced this week that Mariko Tamaki would be taking over this book this summer, and it's a shame because while I don't love Steve Orlando's Wonder Woman, a lot of people do, and more importantly, it is evident that Steve Orlando loves Wonder Woman.  He always ends up being the stopgap for the next prominent writer, and he deserves better.  Maybe that's why he is writing at Marvel now?!?  That's for future us to worry about, though, as we jump into this issue.  Is it any good?  Let's find out...


We open with the continuing fight against the Chromium Minotaur that ended the last issue, but now we're told it's not chromium, but quantum metal and it only seems to matter so that Diana gets nothing accomplished here.  The setup of the whole thing was out of left field, involved unnecessary explanation, and then got even more confusing as it went on.

That confusion continues as we head off to Canada to see Von Gunther recruit another Horsewoman. Instead of a natural progression, we get Paula explaining to the new character who she is.  I don't mean Paula introducing herself (we do get a little of that too), but a character being told who they are.

Back with Wonder Woman and Valda,  it is evident that Orlando wants to stress that Wonder Woman will protect anyone and everyone even when it means particular harm to herself, but you don't have to force situations to show it.  We all know that's the case, so the fact that he keeps going to that well is a bit tiresome by now.  

We end with Valda making the hero's choice, but she is still a killer, and someone has to pay that price with her now gone.  It looks like Diana will be paying the piper and boy, that already seems forced as well.  We do get a cool cliffhanger with a character that I like showing up, but with Valda just in and out of this book for no great reason, I am going to reserve judgement on whether it's a good thing or not.

I did not like this issue much at all.  Steve Orlando throws characters and concepts at the reader and then tries to make them work on the backend, and it mostly just ends up a confusing mess.  There is supposed to be tension here, but without proper setup and a lot of telling instead of showing, it all falls flat.  Most of all, though, is that Valda didn't matter much at all in the overall story... at least not yet.  So far, she was just a prop to allow us to see Wonder Woman's compassion and then set up some future conflict...that goes against everything Wonder Woman is about.  I loved the art, but I hope Orlando turns this mess around the next issue. 

Bits and Pieces:

I like the idea of the Four Horsewomen, but I also like the idea of a story that I can follow and one that seems to have real consequences.  I didn't see much evidence of those two things, and while I did like the art, there wasn't much else that tickled my fancy here. 

5.0/10