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Comments: |
The majority of this issue comprises of a re-print of issue
179, re-telling the story of how Wonder Woman renounced her super powers
and bade farewell to her mother and her Amazon sisters, before starting a new
life as plain old "Diana Prince" together with her mentor I Ching.
It is billed as being by "overwhelming demand" and presumably was
designed to act as a jumping on point for any new readers who had decided to
try out this new version of "Wonder Woman". This "flashback"
is depicted as Diana telling Ranagor about her past.
The issue also has an article on "Wonder Women Of History", telling
the story of Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska who was a pioneer in the movement for
the emancipation of women. She helped tear down the barriers of prejudice and
ignorance and open the way for members of her sex to practice medicine. Why
the editors felt this piece was necessary is unclear, but it may have been to
address some disgruntled rumblings about how Wonder Woman's focus on rights
for women had been stripped away along with her powers.
This of course would be the accusation issued by Gloria Steinham's famous first
edition of Ms. Magazine, that would eventually persuade DC that it was time
for their experiment to come to an end and for the Amazon Princess to return
to her heritage; to once again become the true "Wonder Woman" and
the role model that her creator William Moulton Marston had envisaged her to
be.
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Synopsis: |
Diana and Ranagor are led to where the joyful King Zangor awaits them. The Amazon Princess smiles as she watches the happy reunion of father and son, as Zangor tells Ranagor that he had feared his son was dead. Nobody had ever escaped from that accursed city before. Ranagor replies that he would not have had it not been for Diana who had saved his life. A grateful king tells her that everything they have is hers.
He suggests they should eat and make their battle plans and so long into the night the council of chiefs sit and plan, with Diana being accorded a place of honour among them. Finally after several hours the warrior chief named Thanagor rises to his feet and says that it is agreed - they will attack tomorrow!
The feasting continues
into the night and many of the soldiers know that this may be their last meal.
They raise a toast to Diana who struggles to stifle a yawn as the hours tick
by. Ranagor jokes that she may be brave in battle but apparently weak at the
table! She smiles back that the feast has been going on for hours now and that
she needs some rest.
Ranagor leads her away from the table as cheers ring in Diana's ears from the watching soldiers. As the two of them stroll through the woods Ranagor says he is curious about her. He has never met any woman like her before. He realises she is tired but if she would be kind enough to spare him just a few minutes, he would like to learn some more about her, as who knows what tomorrow may bring them both. She tells him not to think that way and sits down on the grass, gesturing for him to do the same. Wrapping her cloak about her against the night chill she begins to tell her story.
"It all started long ago...back when I was a super-being...back when nothing could hurt me. Then...I decided...but let me start at the beginning..."
She then recounts the events of issue 179.
By the time Diana finishes her story the sun is already rising. As they get to their feet she tells him it is now time for war and that she wishes they could solve things without such bloodshed. Ranagor replies that they have tried every way to avoid conflict but Queen Chalandor does not wish peace with them.
Suddenly Ranagor cries out and shoves Diana to one side just as a hail of arrows and spears hurtle from the sky and thud into the ground where they had been standing moments before. They look up to see one of the ships flying overhead and Ranagor yells a warning to the camp. But Ranagor's warning comes a moment too late and a rain of arrows, spears and burning oil pours down on the unsuspecting army encamped below!
By the time Ranagor and Diana rush into the camp they find a scene of carnage and death. But they also find an army fired up with a desire for revenge. However, Diana wonders to herself just how an army with the crudest of weapons can possibly fight and win against the superior might of Chalandor?
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