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It was around the time that this issue hit stores that the announcement was made regarding Gail Simone’s departure from the book. Rumours had been rife since the previous month’s announcement that she would once again take up writing chores on “Birds of Prey” and together with “Secret Six”, having three books on her roster each month seemed a little too much even for her. Further speculation had been rife that perhaps someone like Grant Morrison might be taking on the title ever since it was announced that DC would be re-numbering the title from #44 on-wards as #600 – in recognition of the fact that like her peers Superman and Batman, the Amazon Princess has been continually published in her own book since 1942.

Dan Dido had stated that if he received 600 or more postcards from fans asking for the re-numbering then it would happen. While the number of responses could hardly be described as overwhelming (approx 800 or so) it was still good enough to make it happen. And even if many fans had not actively taken part in what many deemed merely a publicity stunt on the part of DC to get some press, the majority were pleased that Diana would finally get the recognition she deserved as far as her place in comic book history is concerned.

Many had never liked the changes brought about by “Crisis on Infinite Earth” and the fact that the title effectively started from scratch in a Volume 2, and this was certainly the case as far as the misguided decision to end Volume 2 at #226 and “re-launch” the character yet again in Volume 3. During Rucka’s run, Diana was finally finding her feet and getting some continuity with some interesting story developments ahead of her – only for this to be disrupted and undermined by the requirements of the “Infinite Crisis” crossover and the “Sacrifice” storyline – as well as the lure of having Alan Heinberg re-launch the book.

As we now know, this was a disastrous re-launch and Heinberg only managed about 5 (usually late) issues – completely undermining the launch and throwing away all Rucka’s excellent work at the end of Volume 2 by delivering a disjointed, confusing and muddled set of issues which far from re-defining the character – only served to confuse the hell out of everybody. Some fans(including myself) are still left wondering why DC could not have simply left things alone.

With the imminent arrival of #600 – another “new dawn” for Wonder Woman was being touted and this time fans were praying that DC were not going to screw this one up…