Review: Wonder Woman '77 Volume 1

Special agent Diana Prince is hot on the trails of a Soviet scientist. With her trusted partner Steve Trevor at her side, she must go undercover at a disco where a certain silver-clad villainess throws a wrench in her plans. Then, she must do battle with the new Cheetah and contend with a wannabe Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman ’77 Volume 1 collects Wonder Woman ’77 #1-2, written by Marc Andreyko and illustrated by Cat Staggs, Jason Badower, Matt Haley, Drew Johnson, and more.

In the same vein as DC Comics’ Batman ’66, Wonder Woman ’77 acts as a continuation of the iconic television series starring Lynda Carter. As someone who had watched the television series long after it had finished airing, I had mixed feelings regarding its quality. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season, which was set during World War II and saw Wonder Woman facing off against Nazis, but found the second and third difficult to sit through due its inconsistent tone and unmemorable writing. The latter two seasons failed to adapt any villains from the comics, so the titular Amazon Princess faced off against generic villains in topical episodes that seemed to replicate the formula that made Charlie’s Angels a ratings juggernaut instead of focusing on what made Wonder Woman unique. With that said, Andreyko and company give readers the series we deserved all along with Wonder Woman ‘77. This first collection is ridiculously fun and is perfectly suited for fans of the show, as well as comic fans and newbies to Wonder Woman, since it really captures the essence of the character while also giving her adventures worthy of her status. Additionally, the artists working on the issues in this collection are immensely talented. They manage to gloriously capture the aesthetic of the time period and the stunning beauty of Lynda Carter.

From its very first story, Andreyko begins reimagining Wonder Woman’s rogues’ gallery to fit the tone and setting of the series. For instance, Silver Swan becomes a demented disco singer (in a fierce stage costume, I might add) serving the Soviet Union. He also introduces Cheetah as a villain outraged by a Wonder Woman exhibit at her museum and Doctor Psycho, who conjures up a faux Wonder Woman to trick the Amazon Princess into believing she is powerless. I really like Andreyko’s approach because he seamlessly introduces these characters into this world in a way that is believable and works for the era, but is somehow also timeless and would work for any time period. He also gets creativity props for doing a story with Solomon Grundy, which I felt was unexpected in a really great way.

For anyone looking for a great read, Wonder Woman ’77 Volume 1 is all kinds of fun. It never takes itself too seriously and embraces the camp that was inherent in its parent series while also doing its own thing. Marc Andreyko has a firm grasp on Wonder Woman’s character and really nails her voice. Just as importantly, he doesn’t disappoint on the villain front. He gives us Silver Swan, Cheetah, Doctor Psycho, Solomon Grundy, and a great new baddie named Celsia. Hell, we even get to see Giganta and Golden Age Cheetah! Even though the artists rotate, the art is of a high caliber throughout. This is especially important as the illusion of Lynda Carter is kept consistent from start to finish.

RATING: A-