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After many months of build up, both in "Wonder Woman" and across
other titles in the DC Universe, the "War of the Gods" crossover event
is finally unleashed on unsuspecting fans, with the promise that Diana will
feature prominently in the wide ranging storyline and guest star in other DC
titles. This issue is a companion story to War of the Gods
#1.
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Synopsis: |
Diana
kneels at the altar in the Temple of Athena on Themyscira, asking her Gods to
provide answers to her many questions. She asks what she has done so wrong that
her Amazon sister, Hellene, had to die for it? And what is the fate of her mother,
Hippolyta, as well as Phillipus, Epione and the others? Where also is Julia?
Diana has tried in vain to make contact with Lord Hermes but he no longer answers
her. She does not know what else to do and begs the Gods' help.
Just then Pythia and Euboea interrupt her prayers and apologise, adding that they have been so worried about her. The Amazon Princess has been here in the Temple for almost two days and they offer her some food and drink. She declines, thanking them and assuring them that she is fine. But Pythia disagrees, replying that Diana is not fine. The Amazons can feel how disturbed the Princess is. Euboea agrees, adding that it is the same trauma that she feels when thinking about her soul child Julia, whom she is sure is in some sort of grave danger.
Diana responds that if Julia is in trouble then she doubts the Gods even care. She immediately apologises to them for her negativity and says that this whole situation is so overwhelming. It is as if her own box of demons has broken open and sent al her enemies against her at once; the warrior women of Bana-Mighdall; Circe; The Cheetah; Dr. Psycho. They are all involved in this conspiracy somehow, she is certain. Euboea then asks why would such diverse factions want to destroy her and the other Amazons? What mutual benefit could they hope to gain? Diana replies that she does not know and has been praying for answers to such questions.
Euboea then says that she must unfortunately add to the weight of Diana's shoulders. In the Council Chamber, Iphthime is apparently stirring the other Amazons with talk of vengeance for Hellene's murder. She has even donned her bracelets again as a symbol of mankind's aggression towards the Amazons. She wants war! Diana strides out of the temple saying that the time has come and like it or not, she is now the ruler of Themyscira. Where her sisters go she must lead them...
Meanwhile on the Island of Healing, a worried Penelope asks the healers attending to the unconscious Menalippe whether there has been any improvement yet? She is told that the Oracle's injuries go far beyond merely the physical. Her very spirit is wounded and to heal that they need the Oracle's assistance. Penelope asks if they are implying that Menalippe is actually willing herself to die and is told that that it simply seems the Oracle has lost the desire to live.
Suddenly Menalippe sits up with a start and tells the stunned Amazons that she must speak with Diana immediately! Penelope tries to reason that Menalippe needs to rest but the Oracle says that there is no time and that the Gods have finally returned!
Back in Patriarch's World a violent storm rages in the skies above Hanscom Air Force base. Lt. Etta Candy accompanies General Hillary as they make their way towards the office of General Yedziniak. Etta says that she does not understand why she has been called back from her mission so abruptly. Hillary says that those were her orders and suggests she keeps her military composure throughout all of this and all being well they will get through relatively intact! She responds that she is always professional but he says that things may be about to get a lot tougher for her.
As they both step inside Yedziniak's office the General smiles back from his desk and says that he has been expecting them. General Hillary replies that he can cease the mock civility and that Etta has been brought here as per his request. Etta then asks her commander what this investigation he has ordered is all about? Yedziniak smiles and barks an order for a prisoner to be escorted in. Etta is shocked to see it is Steve, his hands manacled together and accompanied either side by armed Military police!
A furious General Hillary snarls at Yedziniak that putting Steve in chains is completely unnecessary! But Yedziniak is unrepentant and snaps back that Steve has a history of escaping military custody - especially where Wonder Woman is concerned! He refuses to take any chances, particularly when the entire world is on the brink of a war started by "those lying, murdering Amazons!"...
Elsewhere
on an isolated stretch of road somewhere in New Jersey, a military convoy is
taking Amazon prisoners to a secure facility. The afternoons skies have suddenly
turned almost black and the driver of the truck carrying Mnemosyne, Epione and
Timandra becomes uneasy. Meanwhile in the back of the truck three armed guards
discuss how using an entire convoy of armed soldiers to escort three women in
chains is a waste of taxpayers money!
As the soldiers continue their conversation, Timandra asks Mnemosyne why she has been so quiet during the journey? She replies that she has been trying to assimilate all the insane events that have befallen them and praying for guidance so that she can make some sense of it all. Epione adds that the authorities had not even let her try and treat the wounded Menalippe when they had been arrested. The soldiers meanwhile continue their own conversation about how the Amazons' peace act had been bogus. They will not fool anyone again though and will reveal where their murdering Queen is hiding once questioned - or else they will join the one called Hellene in the morgue. On hearing the name, Timandra stop short her own dialogue in shock and the soldiers laugh, seeing her reaction.
Suddenly without warning the lead jeep explodes as it hits a mine ad the truck is turned over by the resulting shockwave. As the groggy driver stares out of the shattered windscreen he sees a couple of Bana-Mighdall Amazons standing over him, swords raised. He lest out a scream as they decapitate him! Inside the back of the vehicle, the three Amazons wonder what is going on while the three soldiers ready their weapons, realising they are under attack. They raise their guns at Mnemosyne and the other two, snarling that the Amazons knew about this ambush and they had orders that in case of an escape attempt, shoot to kill! Mnemosyne tries to reason as she realises what they intend to do, but before she can react a Bana-Mighdall Amazon named Marita bursts in and slaughters the soldiers in cold blood!
Mnemosyne recognises Marita's accent as Themysciran and asks who she is while outside, the sounds of another massacre can be heard as the other warrior Amazons deal with the remainder of the convoy's troops. But Mnemosyne gets no reply to her question and she, Epione and Timandra are knocked unconscious by gas grenades. They are carried out by Marital and orders another Amazon named Shalir to ensure that at least one of two survivors are left behind. Shalir protests that it goes against everything they have been taught but Marita replies that it is Circe's will. The dead cannot bear witness to the events of this bloody night. There must be survivors...
Back on Themyscira meanwhile, the Amazons at the council chamber look on in shock after having seen Wonder Woman whisked away to New Olympus by Hermes, leaving Heracles to remain. Menalippe asks why he had not followed and he replies that the Gods felt he would be of better use here on Earth - a trade off - one champion for another. Menalippe gives thanks that the Gods have finally returned to aide the Amazons in their darkest hour but Iphthime is not convinced. She asks bitterly why the gods have taken so long to appear. Did it require an "Amazon sacrifice" to deem them worthy of Olympus' attention? Pythia warns Iphthime to hold her tongue and to be thankful that they have at last returned. Now perhaps they will be able to learn the fates of Queen Hippolyta and Julia Kapatelis. But Heracles seems surprised by this revelation that the Amazon Queen is missing and the Amazons realise to their horror that the all powerful, all seeing Olympic Gods have no knowledge of Hippolyta's whereabouts!
Menalippe cannot believe her ears as Pythia suddenly gets to her feet. Euboea asks her where she is rushing off to and Pythia replies that she cannot stand idly by while Julia is in danger and that even the Gods cannot help them now. As she runs to the palace Euboea shouts after her that none of them can cross over into Patriarch's world without the aide of Diana. Pythia replies that there is one way, although risky.
Suddenly the ground trembles and cracks begin to appear in the buildings as an earthquake hits the entire Island! As rubble falls around them the terrified Amazons hear a thunderous sound, like laughter, and Heracles recognises the voice. He immediately orders them to fetch him a horse and says there is no time for explanations if he is to save Themyscira from toppling into the sea! Within seconds he is mounted on the fastest steed and gallops out of the city towards Doom's Doorway.
Back in Diana's chambers in the Royal Palace, the Amazon Myrrha watches worriedly as a frantic Pythia dons her armour and places the Winged Sandals of Hermes on her feet. She tells Myrrha that she is going to rescue Julia and is told that she is insane, as only Diana can use the sandals and Pythia cannot even fly! But the Amazon is determined and replies that the sandals will carry her and that she must at least try! It is her only hope of breaching the Chaos which separates them from Patriarch's World and she begs Myrrha not to try and stop her. She asks her Amazon sister to pray for her before launching herself up into the sky! Myrrha watches as Pythia rises up until she is consumed by the clouds above...
At Doom's Doorway Heracles dismounts and pulling aside the rubble that blocks the cavern's entrance. He races into the gloom, ready to face the challenge of the individual he now seeks. But he suddenly finds himself plummeting off a ledge and falls before landing with a thud on the top of a marble column. As he gets to his feet he sees Atlas towering above him, smiling and hefting the Island above him on his mighty shoulders. A resolute Heracles warns Atlas that he had thought his opponent had learned his lesson since their last encounter, although there appears to be something different about him this time. Atlas crows that the puny Heracles must be wondering how and why Atlas has come here, bearing the weight of the island on his shoulders. He continues that in truth, he does not know himself but if it causes Heracles just the slightest bit of consternation then he cares not! Heracles bellows back that Atlas is a fool and commands him to release Themyscira. Atlas asks what then? He is all that stands between the Island and oblivion! If Heracles even dares strike him he might lose his grip and drop it!
He then taunts the helpless Heracles more by shrugging his mighty shoulders, sending another devastating shockwave through Themyscira, toppling even more statues and buildings! Up above the desperate Amazons try to dodge the falling masonry and stay alive!
High up in the Chaos Portal, Pythia struggles to navigates the turmoil around her. She suddenly sees two figures tumbling through the black storm clouds and not believing her eyes, sees what appears to be two Lord Hermes fighting each other! Before she can even react a bolt of lightning appears from nowhere and knocks her unconscious. When she finally opens her eyes she finds herself lying on a stone floor in some sort of Aztec temple. She slowly gets to her feet and recognises a familiar sensation - Julia is close by! She also hears a woman's voice chanting modern Greek in the distance. "By the power invested in you by Hectate most high, I bid you go and set forth upon creation a new Genesis!". Hearing Hectate's name mentioned, Pythia draws her sword, realising that Wonder Woman was right about Circe's involvement...
At
that moment beneath Themyscira, Atlas yawns and mocks Heracles, asking whether
he intend to stand there all day. He then casually flicks a boulder at the demigod
who stands his ground. Heracles warns Atlas that "no mere pebble will deter
the Son of Zeus!" The rock shatters harmlessly on Heracles' torso but its
force is enough to dislodge him from the column. As he clings on desperately
a puzzled Atlas wonders why he has referred to himself as the son of Zeus?
As more quakes rack the island, Heracles manages to clamber back onto the column's
top and chastises himself for thinking with this biceps! Atlas is confused and
refers to him as "Hercules". Heracles assumes he is simply trying
to trick him and spits that his name is Heracles! Atlas replies that
here lies the enigma. Neither of them are who they believe the other to be.
In fact the two of them are strangers who have never even met!
Suddenly Atlas' legs begin to fade away and as he slowly disappears, he cries out "It is the boy! The boy! yes! I remember now!" As he finally vanishes the island, no longer supported by anything, begins to fall. Heracles desperately hurls himself forward to catch it...
Back in Patriarch's World in the untidy apartment of Inspector Ed Indelicato, the slightly tipsy policeman reads through his case files. He had buried his partner today and he remembers June Shand's last words to him, asking why he had not listened to Mike and his theory? Mike had always been a cool, logical type and Ed knew that he would never have proffered his theory if he did not feel it was justly founded. But Ed had let his blind devotion to the Amazon princess undermine his trust in Mike.
Ed knew everyone at the funeral today blamed him. Even Captain Ablamsky. Letting Wonder Woman escape in Gotham City had been the last straw and Ed had been forced to hand in his gun and badge with immediate effect. However, he had managed to sneak out Mike's case files before he departed as he knew his dead partner would have wanted him to finish what he had started. He owed Mike that at least.
Ed studies the files, trying to piece together the puzzle. One thing he was certain of was that everything that had happened was not a coincidence. The Museum Murders; the Amazon attack at the Gotham Grand; the murder of Hellene by the Cheetah; the disappearance of Hippolyta and Julia; Diana's assertions about her having confronted a dwarf named Dr. Psycho, and all the preternatural disturbances that have been rocking the planet in the last few days.
Suddenly he hears his name called and sitting up with a start sees Wonder Woman standing there! He asks her where she has been and she replies that she has been on New Olympus, where a holy war has broken out! A War of the Gods! She explains how she had been tossed into the Chaos void before being blasted back to Earth, with no way of returning to Themyscira! She holds her head in her hands and apologises for having come here but she had nowhere else to turn to. He gets to his feet and assures her that she is safe. He continues that he wants to help her but she has to tell him exactly what is going on. But Wonder Woman becomes apprehensive and responds that she was wrong to have come here and that too many other innocents have been hurt because of her. She thanks him for his kindness but adds that it is just too dangerous to involve him.
A defiant Indelicato replies "Like Hell Princess!" and smiling, says that the only way she is getting away from him this time is over his dead body!
To be continued in Doctor Date # 32 and War of the Gods #2
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