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This issue is part of the "War of the Gods" crossover event and follows on from War of the Gods #1 and is a companion issue to Wonder Woman #59.
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Summary: |
Wonder
Woman, dressed in civilian clothes so as not to draw attention to herself, walks
down a street in a poor suburb of New York. She has come here to meet Doctor
Fate and knows she is in the right general area, but wonders how will she know
if she is close enough to make contact with the mystic? Even the Justice League
do not know how to actually find her!
As she looks around the neighbourhood she thinks that she has been foolish to come here on the assumption that Doctor Fate was constantly patrolling the streets.
Just then she sees a flock of sheep being herded down the street and realises that she is indeed close! She asks a passerby who is dressed in traditional quaker clothes if he knows the whereabouts of Doctor Fate but the man does not understand her, replying in Dutch. Another man overhears the exchange and seeing the puzzled look on Diana's face, explains that the man is in fact from 16th Century New York and it is taking a while for these "old timers" to adjust! Wonder Woman nods in understanding as she remembers how Doctor Fate had freed a number of lost souls from a cursed building recently. She then asks the helpful stranger if he knows where she can locate Doctor Fate and he responds by yelling at the top of his voice into the sky "Doctor Fate! Please help me!"
Wonder Woman is surprised that it is simply a matter of calling for the mystic and sure enough a small glowing globe of power descends to the street and asks how it can be of assistance! He points towards the Amazon Princess and explains that it is she who needs the help! The globe then asks her how it can be of assistance and she says that she needs to speak directly with Doctor Fate. The globe acknowledges her request and asks her to state her name and whatever details of the meeting she is comfortable sharing. Wonder Woman simply replies "Diana of Themyscira. I...just need to talk to her." The globe instructs her to wait here and someone will get back to her shortly. With that it shoots back up into the sky...
In an empty, run down apartment a few blocks away, Inza Nelson, otherwise known as Doctor Fate, is cleaning the inside of an oven. She is in heated conversation with her husband Kent when suddenly the globe materialises and tells Inza that there is a "Diana of Themyscira" waiting to speak with her, located at 7th and 2nd Avenue. Inza thinks that the name "Themyscira" sounds familiar but cannot place it. Kent remarks "Isn't it the name of that newly opened Greek restaurant?" and Inza nods in recognition. She adds that the management have been after "Doctor Fate" for ages now to make a publicity appearance - something she does not want to do!
Kent suggests that perhaps she can tell them she is too busy cleaning the oven. He than asks her why she is even bothering. Why doesn't she just have "Doctor Fate" magic it clean for her? He then walks out leaving her pondering his suggestion. She lifts her hand and summons her powers but instead of cleaning the oven she blows it up instead! Cursing, she stares at the smouldering pile of metal.
Just then one of her friends, a police woman named Debbie, enters the room. She hurriedly tells Inza that she had just come over to fetch her, because there was a weird ceremony going on over on Straten Island that needed investigating. Looking at the ruined oven though, Debbie asks if Inza had broken it. The mystic nods and says that she does not know how to put it back together. Debbie smiles bemused and says that that as Doctor Fate, she does not have to know but simply "think" about it with a clear mind.
Inza tries it and instantly the oven rebuilds itself good as new! Debbie then asks how it had happened in the first place, wondering whether Inza had had another row with Kent? Inza replies that men can be so stupid sometimes. Debbie smiles and responds it would be so much easier to live on Themyscira where there were no men! As soon as she hears this, Inza instantly realises what the message had been about! Of course! How could she have been so stupid! Diana of Themyscira! Wonder Woman!
No far away Diana waits impatiently as another passerby prattles on to her. At last Inza, now wearing her Doctor Fate costume, appears overheard and Wonder Woman is thankful for the chance to escape the boring conversation. Doctor Fate apoligises for being late and says that there had been a mix up. Wonder Woman tells her that there are terrible things afoot and she needs the mystic's help because the Earth could be in great danger. As the ears of the passersby in the street prick up she asks Doctor Fate if they can go somewhere a little more private?
Doctor
Fate thinks for a moment and then has an idea. She clicks her fingers and the
two women are instantly transported to the surface of the moon, standing inside
a protective air filled bubble! Inza, now back in her civilian attire, tells
the surprised Amazon Princess that the Moon Goddess had been named "Diana"
so she thought it would be quite apt! Wonder Woman then spends the next several
minutes explaining recent events and how the various Gods had all gone mad,
her mother and Troia have vanished and others have died. Diana firmly believes
that the next attack will be on the Earth itself.
Inza replies that this would explain the weird mystical seizure she had experienced the day before. She asks Diana if she has any idea why their enemies are doing this and Wonder Woman shakes her head. The Amazon Princess then sighs and remarks how peaceful it is on the Moon. Inza says that she often comes up here to relax and unwind when the tension between being Doctor Fate and having a regular life gets too much. She then asks Wonder Woman if she ever worries that they may doing too much good? Helping people too much? Diana replies that there is so much suffering in the world she actually worries about doing too little.
She then thanks Inza for being so trusting and appearing before her without her mask. The mystic replies that she had thought it pointless wearing the costume as Wonder Woman would know she was Inza Nelson..using her Amazon mental powers. Diana smiles and replies that she does not have any such powers and cannot read people's minds. Inza meekly says "Oops!". Wonder Woman assures the embarrassed Inza that her secret is safe.
Suddenly a globe of power appears and says that Doctor Fate's presence is requested immediately as there is an extreme emergency back in New York. Another globe appears with the same message and then another and another until they are surrounded by them! Inza says that whatever the problem is...it must be affecting an awful lot of people! Wonder Woman suggests they had better go and investigate...
Back in New York, a huge Egyptian War God named Thoth, with the body of a man and the head of a bird, towers over the city streets, bellowing that all should worship him! Below, Debbie and a fellow officer cower by their police car. As the creature fires a blast of deadly energy at them the car explodes into flames but luckily for them, the two police officers are protected by a force field projected by Doctor Fate. She apologises for being late and says that she has brought a friend. Wonder Woman then swoops down and with her lasso unfurled, loops it around the beak of Thoth. She realises she cannot hold him long and hopes the distraction is enough for Doctor Fate to do her thing.
For her part, the
mystic casts a spell but it appears to have no effect, apart from sending the
God into a rage and smashing the buildings beneath his feet. As he thrashes
around Wonder Woman is thrown wildly and the lasso slips free. She hurtles head
long towards the ground and Doctor Fate casts another spell just in time to
cushion her fall. As the mystic prepares to cast another spell though she is
grabbed by Thoth and hurled against a wall.
Wonder Woman grabs her and lifts her clear as Thoth unleashes another godly blast of energy, leveling the building. As Thoth towers over the two women, Doctor Fate realises she has to try and siphon of his power and clears her mind as she had done earlier with the oven. She envisions a power drain sucking away his strength and powered by his own energy. Sure enough, a whirlwind appears and envelops the God. As Thoth fades from view Doctor Fate triumphantly announces he is gone.
A short while later Wonder Woman helps Inza rebuild and repair the shattered homes. Diana says that she is pleased to see that like her, the mystic believes in restoration of a battleground. "So many of the 'heroes' of this Earth seem not to care." she remarks. As they finish the last building Wonder Woman comments that nobody seemed to notice them working. Inza explains that she had worked a spell so that anyone would simply see twenty men in hard hats working on the site!
The Amazon Princess than says that now they know that all the Pantheons of Gods are involved they need to act quickly. She asks if Inza will call a mystical convocation...a meeting of the most powerful mages...and use Doctor Fate's Tower as the Power Nexus. Inza agrees and Wonder Woman says that she will leave to make the necessary contacts and will return in twenty four hours. The mystic replies that she will ask Kent's advice as he has had a lot of experience battling mad Gods.
As she steps into her apartment and grabs a note left for her, she casually tells Diana that even though the two of them fight a lot, she loves him. But as Inza reads the note she realises it is from her husband, who writes that he is tired of their constant bickering and cannot stand what she is becoming...or the frightened nag he has become. He has decided to take the offer of joining a dig for the university and will be away for two months. He suggests that it will give them both a chance to think. He signs the letter off by writing "I love you, but no longer know you.".
Wonder Woman places a comforting hand on Inza's shoulder as she cries...
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