Wonder Woman #55

This was extremely hard to get through.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I tried to at least be somewhat optimistic in the first two issues and say they were okay issues except for the Artemis stuff. That Diana was at least written well but last issue and this one made me dislike Diana in this story. Yes Artemis and Diana can be at odds but the reason continues to make no sense if you've read her in RHATO. Artemis saw Bizarro was acting weird and confronted the issue. She searched for a life of her own after spending most of her life devoted to her people. Artemis has said her time in Bana-Mighdall has passed, encouraged her people to accept a new path and brought refugees to live with them. Making her get guilted into fighting a war using falsehoods about Artemis' past is a great disservice to her character. Diana comes off almost like she's patronizing Artemis by making her see the obvious.

Orlando doesn't know how the Bow of Ra works and doesn't seem to get what happened with Artemis in RHATO. It's beyond frustrating especially because this isn't the first time a writer used something from that series that was only really in one arc previous (*1) and gets so much wrong. Tynion did it. Writers that used the All Blades did it (although they weren't explained as only working on magic before those writers used them.) Tynion and Orlando not only use the wrong information they make it a point to destroy what came before so it can't be used again. And they greatly diminish what previously happened to do it. Tynion got rid of the the deadly Untitled by having them act like morons that raced towards their own death instead of the calulating immortals they were supposed to be. The Bow of Ra, a weapon that chooses it's warrior and is a gift from the gods is reduced to an easy to break weapon that will now burn any one that uses it. (The power of the axe isn't even mentioned and its treated like it's a normal axe.) Taking all the untapped potential it had and Artemis' worthiness with it.

Instead the weapon that could shoot down stars is cut in half and Artemis has to be saved after Diana proves her retconned point about it being too dangerous for one person to use. Artemis doesn't have to look like a fool for Diana to look good. At the very least she should have shown reluctance like she did in fully believing Akila again. Even the other amazons should have thought twice after Akila brought them to war.

Why? I think that's a fair question. Why was Artemis and her lore needed in a different title by a writer who was just doing a fill in arc? Artemis was a big part of these four issues and her portrayal wasn't that positive for a good portion of it. Did the fact she had such a powerful weapon worry the writer(s) and/or editors? If so why? Artemis doesn't have the same power as Diana, Donna or Cassie. The Bow of Ra wasn't being overused or turned on every foe she came across.

The queen blames Artemis for not being there for them but what about their gods? Why does she need to bear the weight of that? Diana once again has to get Artemis to make what she deems is the right choice but I wish Artemis was written with the depth she previously had. Not just in RHATO either. She rationally talked to a hostile Huntress about their opposing religious beliefs. She's been the one who her people looked to for leadership in two different canons. Under Rucka she helped run two sets of Amazons when Hippolyta stepped down. This feels like such a great step back in her characterzations.

Atalanta sadly felt as tacked on as Faruka 2. Diana teaches Artemis about letting the people chose? Uh, Artemis told her people they needed to chose a new path in RHATO. This is why I feel that it's important to keep good continuity, because it's retreading the same idea but at the expense of Artemis' character development. She decides AGAIN that she can't stay only this time it feels more petty since she can't abide Faruka ruling. And despite her talk to Jason on Luthors' roof about the three of them being together for each other and how much that means Artemis says that like Diana she is alone in the world.

That's beyond maddening. Surely Diana would feel like that rather than Artemis since she's seperated from her people.

Diana claims Artemis is one of her closest sisters but I recall differently. Didn't Simone have Diana admit she doesn't know if their even friends? Or Phillpus saying the two were never that close which Artemis agreed with? (I want to say that was Rucka or right before his run.)

Look, I love Diana, in fact I have a hard time deciding if I like Artemis better than her or if their equal. But I don't like the idea of destroying what makes Artemis unique to make her carry another golden lasso. I know I'm in the minority judging by what I've read from fans that read this but I didn't like these issues because of how Artemis was used. That's a huge part of the story. It was forced, out of character and felt disrespectful. Her team is never mentioned and never a factor which definitely feels insulting given their strong bond. Sure I can do with that in most cases but not when Artemis acts like they don't exist when dealing with her people again and talking like there's nothing that ties her to the outside world.

Booster Gold had a two part arc where the fill in had Booster learn he will have a son which Jurgens ignored since it didn't fit. I can only hope this is ignored but given the history RHATO has with its canon being ignored I doubt it.


*1 The bow turned up briefly in the annual and the Untitled were in a back up story.