By Taylor Pechter — “When a lie is confronted, there are three choices. Admission, and thus honesty. Perpetuation and thus feeble deceit. Or hostility, the child of fear.” Diana of Themyscira, postulating about her current situation. The examination of lies, and said confrontation of them, is brought forward during the first 25 (technically 26 with the Rebirth one-shot) issues of Wonder Woman’s 2016 ongoing series during DC Rebirth. Marking the return of legendary Wonder Woman scribe Greg Rucka — joined by the artistic talents of Liam Sharp, Nicola Scott, and Bilquis Evely, with colorists Laura Martin and Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letterer Jodi Wynne — this run is seen as one of the most unique, and most critically acclaimed of the early Rebirth era.

Truth is a central tenant of Wonder Woman’s character. What happens when that tenant is challenged? Throughout the run, Rucka uses three separate characters to explore the power of lies: Wonder Woman herself; her friend, turned enemy, Cheetah; and the nefarious Veronica Cale. With these three characters, the three choices of how to confront a lie are brought to bear. The question then becomes, how will each of them confront the lies?

Wonder Woman: Admission, and thus honesty

“The story keeps changing” is the phrase that starts the run. As Diana sorts through her memories trying to find something to latch on to, it all starts flooding back. Was she a baby molded from clay out of a desperate mother who deeply wanted a child? Or, is she the child of the consort of her mother and the king of the Gods, Zues? More importantly, why can’t she access Themyscira? It is, or it was her home.

She has been able to access it before, many times in fact, but now, she is locked off. To find the source of this lie, Wonder Woman must confide in her closest allies, and also confront her patrons, the Gods that gifted her life and her powers. As stated above, this series was one of the most unique of the Rebirth. To combat the harsh deadlines of double shipping, Rucka employed a structure of alternating issues being present day and flashbacks. This allowed for great range of character development. This is shown tantamount with Diana, as we see her growth as a wide-eyed Amazon on Themyscira in her early years, to the aspiring hero of the current day, and everything in between. As the story unravels, so does Diana’s mind. If she was never truly returned home all these years, what parts of her story are true. As the halfway point is reached, Diana finds herself in a mental asylum. She is well a truly lost. No home, no friends, no patrons. As she descends, she begins to hallucinate. A snake emerges from her wrist, from a bite that persisted since he formative years on Paradise Island.

The snake converses with Diana, “Woman of wonder and wondering woman. Ambassador of peace and God of War and Goddess of Truth. Friend and lover and vengeance and rage”. All things, over the years, that have come to define Diana. She does, however come to her senses, thanks to an old friend, her faithful Kythotaur, Ferdinand. As Diana’s arc rockets towards its conclusions, she comes to terms with the lies thanks to being bound by the golden perfect. She confronts her patrons and has a final reconciliation with her mother Hippolyta. As they both stand by the interdimensional gateway of Themyscira, Hippolyta gives the affirmation, “My daughter… you have always a made me proud.” As Themyscira fades, Diana accepts her new home, at the side of Steve Trevor. Her heart now in firmly in Man’s World.

Cheetah: Perpetuation and thus feeble deceit

Betrayal is the bitterest of pills to swallow. Thus, is the story of Barbara Ann Minerva. Infatuated with myths and legends by an early age, Barbara Ann lived out her fantasies on her father, Lord Cavendish’s, estate. As she grows up, she becomes a determined, if a bit impulsive, archaeologist. Her goal, to find proof of the existence of the Amazons. While she finds proof, it gets blown up by the secretive and elusive SEAR group. As the years go by, she gets a break of a lifetime, as she is brought in to Coronado Naval Base, by orders of lieutenant Etta Candy, to translate a mysterious woman that brought back the missing, presumed dead Steve Trevor.

As time passes, Diana and Barbara become close friends. However, it is one excursion, that would lead to Barbara’s downfall, the search for the god Urzkartaga. As Diana objects to the trek, fearing for Barbara’s safety, Barbara rebuts saying she will be fine. As the big begins, Diana visits the camp site, giving Barbara a keep sake, a signal watch, not unlike the one Jimmy Olsen has for Superman. However, the signal never reaches Diana. “You missed my wedding”, Barbara growls from the shadows as she attacks a Diana. A friend betrayed, turned bitter rival. However, years down the road, as Diana is on a trek of her own to find Themyscira, she has to confide in Cheetah.

They form an uneasy alliance that eventually lead them to confront Urzkartaha himself. A being of immense power that feeds of corruption. As he is bound the golden perfect, and transformed into a harmless potted plant, a reunion is in order. With her curse lifted, Barbara now fully helps Diana in her quest to find home. However, this is short lived as she is forced to make choice in order to save her friends. As Diana reunites with Ferdinand, Barbara meets with Veronica Cale. Cale gives her an offer, in order for her to call of her personal mercenary team, Team Poison, she must become the savage Cheetah once again. Thus, Diana loses her friend once again. In the end, Barbara’s arc is one of betrayal begat by lies, whether it be the false promises of Diana, the machinations of Veronica Cale, or the corruption of Urzkartaga.

Veronica Cale: Hostility, the child of fear

Last comes Veronica Cale. While being a familiar face, she is much different than she was the last time we saw her. Much more cunning and less focused on the politics of Wonder Woman’s arrival, but a more personal, the restoration of her daughter, Izzy. Tricked by the sons of Ares, Deimos and Phobos, Izzy’s featureless face haunts Veronica. In order to make her daughter, she must help the brothers of terror and panic to find Themyscira, information they failed to attain during their first confrontation with Diana, posing as their father. The other wrinkle added to the mix is Adrianna Anderson, Ronnie’s loyal colleague, no the enigmatic Doctor Cyber.

An AI of construct of Adrianna’s consciousness, made after a botched attempt with the unstable cyberwalker technology that killed Adrianna. These events compound Veronica’s growing hostility towards Diana. It all comes to head when she and Diana finally walk through the gate leading to Themyscira. There, they find Ares. The God of War has been bound by Aphrodite’s love. Along with Ares is Izzy’s essence. With her daughter whole again, she has become successful in her endeavor, however, it is not that simple. In order for Izzy to stay whole, she must remain on Themyscira. This moment mirrors Diana departure from her home, her mother knowing she will most likely never see her daughter. It’s heartbreaking having to say goodbye to a loved one, especially a daughter.

As Veronica and Diana return to the normal plane, Ronnie is grieving. As she sees Diana embrace Steve, her face wrought with grief, as she returns to her Empire Industries building. However, the worst was yet to come. Not only is the FBI breathing down her neck, but Adrianna deactivates, leaving her all alone. In a final encounter with Cheetah, Barbara exclaims that Veronica has to live the lies she has wrought and it being “time to accept who she really is… A villain”. Her selfishness, ultimately leading to hostility, and self-destruction.

The Art

Providing the art for the run are Liam Sharp, Nicola Scott, and Bilquis Evely. As stated before, the structure of the series led to great thematic and narrative moments, thanks to clashing art styles. With his work in the modern-day story, Liam Sharp provides heavy inks that adds a layer of foreboding atmosphere. One of my favorite aspects is his resign of Cheetah. With a more feline type appearance, it helps show how tortured she is. Joining him on colors is the legendary Laura Martin, who’s muted hues of dark browns help ground it even more.

There are moments that are also accentuated by warm oranges that help give a ray of hope in a dark situation. On the other hand, you have Nicola Scott. Her bright pencil work adds a layer of innocence, curiosity, and naiveté to Diana’s early years. Joined by Romulo Fajardo Jr, whose use of luscious blues, warm oranges, and bright yellows bring forward the hopefulness and growth in Diana. Lastly, there is Bilquis Evely, who is a great mix of the of both Sharp and Scott, both bright and intricately detailed, Evely’s linework expertly showed the dichotomy of the bright and hopeful Diana and the calculating Veronica Cale. Fajardo also joins Evely, but uses slightly muted colors to show sorrowfulness. Rounding out the creative team is letterer Jodi Wynne, whose use of different fonts and bubble placement and borders, help add a nice flow to each issue.

Conclusion

In conclusion, with Rucka’s return to the Wonder Woman title at the start of Rebirth injected new life into a series that had been struggling. With his deft grasp at themes and flawless characterization, he explored a core tenant of Wonder Woman, truth and the confrontation of lies, big and small. Not to mention the structure, which melds past and present, to fully encapsulate the journey of the characters so expertly. Rucka, along with his artistic collaborates Liam Sharp. Nicola Scott, and Bilquis Evely, along with colorists Laura Martin and Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letterer Jodi Wynne craft a run for the ages. One that is described so well by the title of its final issue, Perfect.

Taylor Pechter is a passionate comic book fan and nerd. Find him on Twitter @TheInspecter.