Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: The Lies

Eisner-winner Rucka tries to uncover who Wonder Woman is as a person, beyond her powers and her association with fellow superheroes. Rucka is a Wonder Woman veteran, having written the character off and on for more than a decade. Rebirth, a massive reboot that redefined every DC Comics superhero, theoretically gives Rucka the opportunity to rebuild the character from the ground up; unfortunately, like many other writers, he fails to make Wonder Woman an interesting personality. Rucka’s narrative follows her as she attempts to reconcile her erratic memories and track down the suddenly missing Themyscira, the island where she’s from. Unlike Batman or Spider-Man, Wonder Woman’s motivation for superheroism isn’t clear, and consequently her quest lacks urgency. Sharp’s (Testament) rich art, which wonderfully depicts Wonder Woman’s battles against monsters and demons deep in the jungle, slightly redeems the book. (Feb.)