Last month's issue of Wonder Woman ended with a huge reveal -- Donna Troy is back, and she is primed and ready to fill the void left by Wonder Woman. Sadly, we don't see the payoff here in issue #38, an issue that is more concerned with addressing Diana's new role as the God of War.
The issue opens with a dramatic battle between the Amazons and a two-headed dragon. Amazons are dying left and right, with Wonder Woman nowhere in sight to aid them. Diana finally appears only to find her friend Dessa dying from her wounds. Wonder Woman vows to avenge her and dives head-first into battle with the dragon, only to discover a mysterious warrior (possibly Diana's God of War aspect?), who lectures Diana about what it means to be God of War.
Just as Diana is about to be cut down, she awakes from a nightmare. Surprise! It was all a dream. She meets with the very much alive Dessa to talk about what it means now that Diana is God of War. Somehow, Wonder Woman doesn't seem to think much will change. Dessa isn't so sure, and soon Wonder Woman joins up with the Justice League to continue investigating the natural disasters that have been destroying various villages around the world.
Batman makes small talk with her about being the new God of War and whether or not he should be worried. Diana is probably getting tired of being asked that at this point, but to be fair she honestly has no idea what being God of War will mean for her and those around her. All the while she is playing hero with the Justice League, the Amazons are electing a new queen in the form of Donna.
All in all, this issue doesn't deliver much. We don't get many details on what exactly Diana being the God of War means, we don't get any revelations about the mysterious disasters, and we don't see Donna's rise to power and what it will mean for the Amazons. Half the issue is a dream sequence that establishes what we already know -- Diana is never around for her people, and the God of War aspect of her personality is destined to show up when Diana least expects it. At least it all looks pretty, thanks to David Finch's widescreen art.
Issue #38 looks to set the stage for issues to come as Donna becomes queen and the League dives deeper into the mystery of the natural disasters. At the end of the issue, the story is in nearly the same place as it was before, and that's never a positive.
Story
★★★☆☆
Art
★★★★☆
Overall
★★★☆☆
