Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 40, Green Arrow 30, Firestorm 95

Wonder Woman 40 coverWonder Woman #40 – “Divided We Fall” – George Perez, Mindy Newell/Chris Marrinan/Robert Campanella

Last issue, Lois Lane found out why some of the Amazons (specifically Diana, Menalippe, and Penelope) have been acting so weird lately: they’ve been influenced (or captured and replaced) by Eris, Goddess of Discord. Eris also had Menalippe serve Apples of Discord at the big feast, causing strife between the Amazons and the guests from the outside world. Lois and a couple of other guests (who avoided the Apples) made their way into Doom’s Doorway and found Diana being held in a giant tree while Erisdisrupting Eris's plans celebrates her triumph. Eris sends out some snakes to grab Lois, Lin Koo, and Cantwell, but Rovo avoids being caught. Lois tries to get through to Diana, but her spirit is trapped in some kind of limbo. Elsewhere, Hermes is trying to break through the barriers to rose Diana, but not having much luck. Diana does manage to contact Rovo, urging him to head back to the village. Eris sends Menalippe a message to stop Rovo, but Cantwell disrupts it, earning Eris’s wrath. Rovo reaches the village, where everyone is fighting each other. When everyone comes to their sensesMenalippe tries to kill Rovo, it shocks Hellene and Hippolyte enough to almost break Eris’s hold. Hermes uses all his strength to appear before Menalippe and Penelope, shocking them back to their senses by showing them how evil they’ve become. Hipployte realizes what they have to do … combat hatred and mistrust with forgiveness and understanding. They all stop fighting and stand together in peace, which breaks Eris’s hold on them. Diana musters hers strength and breaks free, but chooses not to pound Eris, telling Lois that the peaceful path is the best way to end Discord. Without hatred and anger, the Apples lose their substance, so Lois and the others concentrate on peaceful thoughtsDiana fights Eris while Diana fights defensively against Eris. Hippolyte shows up to deliver Diana’s lasso, which she wraps around the Tree of Discord. Hestia’s blessing dissolves the Tree and causes Eris to fall into the abyss and explode. Lois congratulates Diana for defeating Eris, but Diana reminds her it was a team effort.

 

 

Green Arrow 30 coverGreen Arrow #30 – “Coyote Tears Part II” – Mike Grell/Dan Jurgens/Dick Giordano, Frank McLaughlin

Last issue, an oil tanker owned by a company called Argon Oil crashed on the Alaskan coast (sound familiar?) and spilled millions of gallons of oil into the sea, polluting the shoreline and endangering animals and birds for miles. The captain (Springsteen) was rumoured to be drunk, so Argon sent him to a remote cabin up north to keep him out of the public eye (and have him stashed in case they needed a fall guy). Two weeks later, Green Arrow headed to Alaska to find Springsteen and tracked him tocoyote driving Springsteen crazy the cabin, where Springsteen greeted him with a loaded rifle. This issue starts with Argon Oil trying to spin the disaster and pretending they don’t know where Springsteen is. The CEO (Chandler) decides it’s time to bring Springsteen back, but a snowstorm delays his plans. At the cabin, it turns out Springsteen isn’t gunning for Green Arrow, it’s a coyote outside that’s got him worked up (the same coyote who’s kinda been narrating the story). Springsteen is going a little crazy from being cooped up in the cabin, so he isn’t happy when Green Arrow tells him they’ll have to wait out the storm there. Chandler figures out a way to get out of the mess by passing the buck: Argon will ask Argos Oilthe other oil companies to join them in giving the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline to the Inuit tribes whose land it crosses. Chandler figures that’ll make Argon look good and since the Inuit know nothing about running a pipeline, they’ll end up coming to argon for help … allowing Argon to keep doing business as usual, but at a heftier profit because of the goodwill generated by their “selfless gesture”. Green Arrow leaves Springsteen to be picked up by his corporate masters (who Springsteen is sure will protect him to make themselves look good) and we see that Argon Oil has now rebranded itself as Argos … almost like the whole thing never happened.

Firestorm 95 coverFirestorm #95 – “Rolling Thunder” – John Ostrander/Tom Mandrake

This one starts with Firestorm in Ogaden, mourning the Eden he created and was forced to destroy after it became corrupted. Firestorm cries out to the heavens, asking where the gods of this land are and why they let their people suffer. He actually gets an answer when a god named Shango shows up. Back in Pittsburgh, Emily Rice (Dean of Vandermeer University) has just been told that the city wants no more meta-humans inside city limits, so the university will have to close down their meta-human institute. A rep from Sunderland International shows upShango gets mad (coincidentally) to offer them some space outside the city for the institute … as long as they support the Captains of Industry, the in-house super-group Sunderland wants to build. In Ogaden, Shango quickly dismisses Firestorm to go look for his fellow god Obatala, but Firestorm challenges him, demanding to know why the Orisha have allowed the people to die so readily. Firestorm holds his own briefly, but Shango is a god and blasts Firestorm right out of existence before continuing on his search. Firestorm finds himself elsewhere … in Ife, a paradise inhabited by the Orisha. The Sky God Firestorm swallowed by shadowsOlorun welcomes him, but soon advises him to flee as a great shadow comes creeping across the land. Firestorm tries to fight the shadow, but it’s immune to his flame and swallows him up.

Noticeable Things:

  • The Orisha are Yoruba gods; Shango is one of the best known (and apparently has mortal analogues) and Obatala is the god who created humanity. The Yoruba are a West African tribe, but Ogaden was said to be in East Africa, near Ethiopia, so I’m not sure why the Orisha would be hanging around there.