Exclusive DC preview: War rages in Azzarello and Chiang’s penultimate Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman underwent a dramatic resurgence in the New 52 under the guidance of writer Brian Azzarello, artist Cliff Chiang, and colorist Matthew Wilson, gaining a new origin that placed her firmly in the pantheon of Greek gods. Combining superhero, horror, and pulp adventure elements into one sprawling narrative, the creative team (along with fill-in artists Tony Akins and Goran Sudzuka) has delivered three years of excellence on Wonder Woman, but the series’ landmark run comes to an end with the release of two issues this month.

Azzarello’s story has kicked into high gear with this final arc, which has seen all-out war break out between the First Born son of Zeus and the combined might of the gods and the Amazons. Things look bleak for the heroes based on the preview for next week’s Wonder Woman #34—the titular heroine is bound as the First Born’s prisoner, and the First Born has invaded Paradise Island with an army of soldiers equipped with the latest in modern weaponry. The stakes are incredibly high, and Azzarello has masterfully built to these climactic issues over the course of the last three years.

While Azzarello has delivered a captivating overarching plot for this series, the style of Chiang and Wilson’s artwork is what truly sets this title apart from the rest of DC’s New 52 line. Chiang’s crisp, animated line and edgy yet refined designs are given added impact by Wilson’s high-contrast coloring, embracing a more figurative palette that beautifully reflects emotion and atmosphere while making the art pop on the page. Chiang’s linework has plenty of character on its own, but these preview pages wouldn’t have the same kind of tension without Wilson’s clash of warm and cold shades on the page. A Big Issues on Wonder Woman #22 called it “the most focused, confident, and consistent title of The New 52,” and the creative team has maintained that quality all the way to the end.