This week from DC Comics we get Diana’s next step in her journey. She saved Asgard and rescued the gods of Olympus. Now in Wonder Woman 776, Diana finds herself in Elfhame as she chases the evil half of Janus. Welcome to fairyland where all that is beautiful is not good.

The first thing that stood out Fairyland was the new art. It looks neat at first, but as I read the issue it quickly lost quality. The colors looked more and more like a water color orgy that lost control. The highlights lost their purpose and became mere blobs and the detail lessened with each panel. At times it looked good, but too many times it just lost integrity. As the issue went along I grew used to it and realized this new style fit the story they were trying to tell. As an ongoing form I don’t know that I would be a fan, but for this issue in the realm of Elfhame the art helps the story immensely. It gives it that child-like fairy tale quality. Some Brothers Grimm tales use this same style long ago.

Of course in this magical world everything works differently. Food of course curses the consumer with some change. When Ratatosk eats something it makes him human. Hideous of course. I love the child bawling face the artist created in the next panel. Then we discover why the pixies hate her so much. Janus already went through and killed their queen, and Janus, as we know, wears Diana’s visage now. It’s not until they capture Diana that she finds her salvation…sorta. In the Tower she finds Deadman through a magic puddle. How quaint. Then Janus hacks into the magic puddle and does the one thing you do not do – piss her off.

Fun, Formulaic Fantasy

It helps Diana that who should fall through the roof but Siegfried from Asgard. A few gallant Asgardian words and the two bust out of the tower and begin their adventure, and what an adventure it becomes. The story from here on gets pretty formulaic for a short fairy tale type story. The two travel the countryside seeking help from the native creatures to complete their quest to find Janus. Despite the formulaic feel, the fact the writers and artists do a wonderful job nailing the fairy tale points makes this a rather fun little issue. Diana deposes the evil ruler, and puts the deceased Queen’s sister in charge. Yay. Happy Endings.

The one thing that really intrigues me with this issue is Siegfried. He makes a great partner in butt-kicking crime, but it’s starting to feel like more than that. Diana and Siegfried really look like they are creating a chemistry. The subtle touch the writers put in is the fairy tale law that any promise made in Elfhame must be honored and kept. Period. I kept waiting for this to be relevant. Would Diana make a promise she would regret? No. As it turns out, Siegfried makes the promise to Diana. He promises to stay by her side until they defeat Janus. Touching (and now binding), but does that now mean a situation is due up where Siegfried must choose between Diana and something else? At the cost of his life? We shall see.

I really liked the ending to this fanciful little jaunt. When it comes time to continue the journey they must squeeze through a tiny little door at the base of a tree. This story used a lot of Alice in Wonderland references. Diana, Siegfried and Ratatosk, once more a fuzzy little squirrel, emerge from the other side to find themselves on Earth – at last! This means the fight with Janus will strike close to home. It will interesting to see who Janus targets here.

Welcome to Fairyland – Let’s End on a Good Note

Let’s leave this issue at Fairyland shall we? I glanced through the young Diana story and it was positively atrocious. They really need to cut it out of this title, and in fact they could do well to drop it. While it’s meant for a younger audience, I wouldn’t even let my kids read it. It’s poorly written, overly dramatic and in fact makes all of the characters overly whiney and one dimensional. Let’s just pretend it doesn’t exist.

What did you think of Wonder Woman 776? What adventures await Diana and company on Earth? Will Diana and Siegfried become an item, or does that promise spell his doom? Head over to DC Fanatics and leave a comment on where you think issue #777 will take us.