Wonder Woman – Volume 5 – 38

Synopsis

The issue is mainly recounted from the perspective of Vanessa Kapatelis, whom Wonder Woman has saved during a confrontation with the villain Major Disaster who was attempting to rob a bank. During the fight the bank began to collapse on top of where Vanessa was lying and Wonder Woman has held the building long enough for Steve to retrieve her, before dealing with Major Disaster and taking him down.

After he had been taken into custody Diana had accompanied the medi-vac chopper to the hospital and sat by the girl as she it was diagnosed that she would never walk again. She visited Vanessa often as the girl slowly recovered as best she could from the rest of her injuries and they became friends, with Vanessa calling her “Diana”.

Vanessa had taught Diana all about Ballet steps and how to play Dungeons and Dragons, while the Amazon Princess taught the girl about the Greek Gods. Vanessa reflects on those good times and how, although she was sad that she would never be able to dance again, took up drawing instead and loved spending hours with her new best friend.

She even f=started to draw her fantasy about being a graceful heroine herself, called the Silver Swan, who flew with Wonder Woman on missions to do good in the world.

The one day she got some good news when she was selected for a brand new experimental treatment using nano-technology injected into her, based on studying Cyborg. Slowly and surely she began to take her first few steps and over the months she steadily improved and could actually walk again.

But Diana’s visits became less frequent and initially Vanessa told herself that the Amazon Princess has a busy like to lead, often seeing her on the TV. But as the months passed and Wonder Woman never seemed to drop by anymore the girl began to feel more and more alone – particularly when her mother passed away. The shock of this tragic loss affected Vanessa and she stopped being able to walk again. Back to square one.

She had expected Diana to show up when her mother had died but she is not even sure how the Amazon would even know about the fact. Still, Vanessa felt angry and hurt. And as she watched yet another family on TV thanking Wonder Woman in person for having saved their lives she became jealous too…

Meanwhile as Wonder Woman arrives home at her secluded beach house she finds the place in a mess and several young people passed out stone drunk around the room after what appears to have been a party thrown by Jason.

She tells him that she has suggested he stay with her for a while so they could get to know each other a little more – not to invite the whole city round! He apologises and says he was intending to tidy up and had not been expecting her home so early. Jason then ushers out the revellers leaving the two of them alone.

He says he will clean things up but she replies she is not worried about the mess – she is worried that she is a heroine and she cannot just have anyone come round to her house as they could be an enemy. She will now have to get A.R.G.U.S to sweep the whole place for any hidden bombs, listening devices etc.

She then asks him if he is till sure he wants to be hero like her – and no longer be in her shadow? If so, this is not the way to behave. As they continue to discuss she gets a call from Steve who is on route with the odd Fellows to the location that had been given up by Giganta of the last artefact that Darkseid has been after. He tells her that headquarters relayed a message to him for her, from the the family she had recently saved – asking her to go and see them and saying it was important.

She then bids her goodbyes to Jason who promises to have the place spotless by the time she comes back and she says that he should spend the time considering whether being the party animal is really the life he wants.

She then flies to the home of the family and finds the front door ajar. As she steps inside the house is dark and silent. As she steps into the lounge she is horrified to see that the family is lying dead on the floor, having been slaughtered.

She then hears a voice behind her and turns to see Vanessa, now wearing a costume and calling herself the Silver Swan, telling Diana that just like this family, the Amazon Princess is about to become a nobody too by the time she is finished with her!