Musical Mondays: Sing Street

      Sing Street was released in 2016. It is directed by John Carney and stars Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, and Jack Reynor. In it Conor (Walsh-Peelo), a boy growing up in Dublin in the '80s, escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress Raphina (Bynton), the girl he's attracted to.

     Sing Street is loosely based on Carney's own experiences growing up in Dublin. The director formed a band in his teenage year while attending Synge Street CBS High School. This helped him to deal with bullies, won him some semblance of approval from his parents and teachers and allowed him to date the girl he liked. Like most teen romances, this movie is filled with a lot of angst but its also, occasionally, a little corny, which isn't a bad thing. It reminds me of Richard Linklater's School of Rock but feels a lot more honest and down to earth then that film did.

    The cast all have great chemistry, particularly Ferdia Walsh-Peelo and Lucy Boynton. The performances are very naturalistic and the dialogue often has an awkward quality that it might in real life, especially during the romantic bits. The music is quite good and I appreciate how the songs get gradually more and more sophisticated as Conor matures and gains more experience musically. This parallels his emotional growth, as he learns to better cope with home and school.

     Though Conor's attraction to Raphina drives the films plot, his relationship with his older brother Brendan (Reynor) is really at the heart of the story. Brendan was successful in his youth. He was a good athlete, could play the guitar and he was popular with girls. But then he dropped out of college and became addicted to pot. He sees a lot of himself in Conor and wants to keep him from making the same kinds of mistakes. He tries to help him navigate the stressful environment at school and at home and he sparks Conor's interest in music. It seems clear watching this film that John Carney's older brother must have had a profound influence on him. In the closing titles there is a dedication: "For brothers everywhere."

     There are some plot elements that, as a Catholic viewer, I found morally questionable. Between Brother Baxter's physical abuse of and implied sexual interest in Conor and his parents loveless marriage, the film has some anti-Catholic vibes. It is important to keep in mind that Carney is drawing from his own personal experiences here. In an interview with Screen Crush he said, "There was a guy, Brother Byrne. I’m not even remotely scared of saying who he was because he was a vicious thug and I couldn’t care if he sues me. It was based on him." So these elements, though they might come across as harsh, come from a place of truth. They are also off-set by the films positive portrayal of the relationship between Conor and Brendan and also its inclusion of a redemptive arc for the school bully Barry (Ian Kenny). On a less moralistic note I have mixed feelings about the film's ending, which plays like a piece of fantasy/wish fulfillment but at the same time feels a little foreboding and ambiguous.

     Despite some of my reservations I think that Sing Street is really good. It's a deeply personal film that manages to find light amidst some rather bleak circumstances and it speaks to the power of music and artistic expression as a positive means of catharsis.

Score: 8.5/10

My Favorite Films: Spider-Man 2

"Too few characters out there, flying around like that, saving old girls like me. And Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero; courageous, self-sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they’ll tell how they stood in the rain for hours, just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them to hold on a second longer."

     I can name a fairly decent number of movie sequels that live up to or surpass the original. But, of these, there are but a handful that not only improve on the original film but retroactively increase its stature. Spider-Man 2 is one of those sequels. From the creative opening title, recapping the events of the first film via paintings by legendary comic book artist Alex Ross, you know your in for a treat. This is a film that builds on the original, expanding its themes and its scope. It juggles these themes through various subplots, often paralleling the first film by revisiting similar situations in a new context. Somehow, the writers manage to weave all this into a coherent narrative.

     The film opens with Peter Parker staring at a poster of Mary Jane Watson, who he's still secretly in love with. He then shows up late for work at his pizza delivery job, a job he subsequently loses. He's also struggling to keep up his grades in college and to pay his rent. His life as Spider-Man keeps interfering with his life as Peter Parker. Otto Octavius life, in many ways, represents the balance that Peter’s is missing. He’s a brilliant and successful scientist. Like Peter’s spider powers this is “a gift”, he says, to use “for the good of mankind.” But he also has a happy married life with his wife, Rosie.

     The scene where Peter meets Doctor Octavius, beautifully and economically establishes the relationship between he and Rosie. This helps us to really sympathize with Octavius when he later loses her as a result of his failed experiment. Octavius parallels Peter in many ways. Both men are interested in science and both attain superpowers in a tragic accident. Both make arrogant mistakes which cost them dearly. After the accident Octavius has lost everything and is a broken man. This is why the AI controlling his arms is able to control him, he has no real will to live anymore.

     In an earlier scene Aunt May, Harry and Mary Jane throw a surprise birthday party for Peter and the relationships between Peter and these three characters are reestablished. Harry is now head of special projects at his father’s company and about to make a breakthrough in fusion thanks to Octavius. Harry hates Spider-Man because he believes that he killed his father. He also distrusts Peter, who seems to have a relationship with the superhero, taking pictures of him for the daily bugle. Peter feels guilty for this and for his part in Uncle Ben’s death, which still haunts Aunt May.

     After the party, in a scene paralleling one from the first film, Peter once again talks to Mary Jane in his backyard. Mary Jane is starring in a successful play and is considering dating someone but is still holding out for Peter despite his rejection of her in the first film. When he promises to go see her play she decides to give him one last chance. Of course Peter ends ups missing her play because he gets distracted stopping a robbery. She finally gets fed up and starts going out with astronaut John Jameson (son of Jonah Jameson). Being Spider-Man has, once again, messed up Peter's personal life.

     As is brilliantly shown in the scene where Peter calls Mary Jane after missing her play, he wants to tell her his secret and explain why they can’t be together. Yet he still hopes that maybe they can be and is afraid of letting her go. Similarly MJ, like Peter, still wants to be with him. It is implied that she suspects that he’s Spider-Man but she refuses to act on this because she doesn’t want to accept the consequences of such an acknowledgement. But as Octavius tells Peter “If you keep something as complicated as love stored up inside, it could make you sick.” Peter begins to psychosomatically lose his powers because his desire to be with Mary Jane outweighs his sense of responsibility. MJ, on the other hand, accepts Jameson’s marriage proposal because it seems like the safe choice.

     This is the last straw for Peter, who’s already in doubt about whether he is actually meant to be Spider-Man. So, in a scene recreating an iconic moment from Amazing Spider-Man #50, he decides to give up his life as a superhero. He quickly regrets this decision however as MJ continues to reject him and he continually witnesses people in need of saving who he is no longer able to help. In another scene paralleling the first film, Peter saves a young girl from a burning building, but this time without his powers, only to find out that “some poor soul got trapped on the fourth floor; never made it out.” If he had had his powers he could have saved both.

     This is followed by one of the best scenes in the movie. In it Aunt May forgives Peter for his role in Uncle Ben’s death.Then, expressing concern over Spider-Man’s disappearance, she talks about the hope that heroes like Spider-Man represent, particularly to young children like her neighbor, Henry Jackson. “I believe there’s a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most, even our dreams. Spider-Man did that for Henry and he wonders where he’s gone. He needs him.”

     Meanwhile, Mary Jane has begun to reconsider her feelings for Peter. Jameson is a good, supportive partner for her, but she doesn’t really love him. She decides to trust her heart instead of her head and asks to see Peter again to see if he’s really willing to change. But Peter has changed his mind and once again chosen to sacrifice his happiness for the greater good. His powers are a gift not just for him but for others and he has no right to give them up. Yet he’s still unable to use his powers. This changes when Mary Jane is endangered. Harry, increasingly consumed by his need for revenge against Spider-Man, has hired Doc Ock to capture him. In order to do so Octavius kidnaps MJ, knowing that Spider-Man will come to the rescue. This situation, the girl he gave up being Spider-Man for being put in harm’s way, reignites his dormant spider powers.

     With Peter’s power back in place, we get one of the greatest action set pieces in movie history: the train fight between Spider-Man and Doc Ock. Not only is this a brilliantly shot and choreographed scene, filled with energy and innovation, it also serves to further solidify the films theme of heroism, as the passengers see that, beneath the mask, Spider-Man is just an ordinary guy and they are inspired to try and protect him as he did them. This theme is reinforced once more in the climax as Octavius, brought to his senses when Spider-Man reveals his secret identity to him, overcomes his tentacles and sacrifices himself to destroy the reactor.

     This is also an example of another of the movies themes: truth. Peter has continually lied to people to hide his identity, this is at the root of many of the character's troubles throughout the film. Because he won’t tell aunt May about his responsibility for uncle Ben’s death, she blames herself. Because he can’t tell Harry that his father was the Green Goblin, he blames Spider-Man for his death. And because he won’t reveal his identity to Mary Jane and she won’t admit her suspicions about him, they are kept apart and left feeling bitter.

     When he gives up being Spider-Man, Peter decides to tell Aunt May the truth about what happened the night Uncle Ben died in order to move past it. Though May is shocked by this at first she eventually forgives Peter and even thanks him for being honest with her. Similarly, when Harry finds out that Peter is Spider-Man, he is able to let go of his desire for vengeance, at least temporarily. Finally, when Mary Jane discovers Peter’s secret she finally understands the way he’s behaved toward her, and why he believes they can never be together. This is, of course, related to another theme that runs throughout the series: destiny.

     The conflict brewing between Harry and Peter over the course of the film has a feeling of inevitability. His father's death and the promise he extracted from Peter have set the two friends on a destructive path. Similarly, Uncle Ben's death and his words about power and responsibility weigh heavily on Peter, seemingly dooming him to a life of unhappiness. In the first film Aunt May tells Peter that Uncle Ben “never doubted the man you’d grow into, how you were meant for great things. You won’t disappoint him.” Peter believes that because of his gift he can never really be happy. Ultimately though, the film subverts this notion. In the end Mary Jane refuses to let Peter sacrifice their happiness for her safety. She is willing to take the risks associated with being Peter’s girlfriend and to accept the fact that he has commitments that will take priority over their relationship.

     Sam Raimi's really at the top of his game here. He once again brings his unique cinematic voice to this material. The scene where Doctor Octopus is born, as his limbs murder the doctors and nurses in the hospital, is straight out of Raimi's early horror films. The whole film is filled with this kind of creative energy. Raimi really brought out the best in his cast and crew to deliver a sequel that topped the original in almost every way. The two big set pieces, Spidey's fight with Doc Ock at the bank and the aforementioned train sequence, are just fantastic. The special effects for Spider-Man 2 have aged phenomenally with Doc Ock's tentacles, part puppetry and part CGI, and the Spydercam photography being highlights. Though he unfortunately had a falling out with Raimi during the production of this film, Danny Elfman, once again, delivers a superb score. Weaving together the musical themes established in the first film with new material for Octavius, Elfman's score really complements the storytelling and strengthens the films thematic weight.

     Tobey Maguire puts in an even better performance then the first film, if that's even possible. He really sells the Peter Parker's inner turmoil but also the characters sense of innocence and sincerity. James Franco also puts in his strongest performance of the series, as Harry becomes increasingly bitter and consumed with vengeance. Rosemary Harris and J.K. Simmons are dependable as ever in their supporting roles as Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson and both are given more material to work with. Kirsten Dunst imbues Mary Jane with a real sense of pathos and dignity, giving her decision to marry Jameson just the right amount of self-doubt. Of course I'd be remiss not to mention Alfred Molina, whose portrayal of Otto Octavius has rightly gone down as one of the best comic book movie villain performances of all time. He delights in playing the manic, over-the-top Doctor Octopus but also imbues Octavius with real personality and warmth. Not only is Octavius a sympathetic villain but, at the beginning of the film, he's a downright likable, nice guy.

     What really stands out about Spider-Man 2, beyond the great writing, acting and direction, are the moments of inspiring heroism on Peter's part: watching him save Aunt May from Doc Ock or the little girl from the fire or seeing the reaction of the people on the train when they see that Spider-Man is just a kid in a mask. By humanizing Peter, by putting him through the ringer physically, emotionally, and psychologically, this film gets at the heart of the character: a nerdy kid who got superpowers and struggles to use them for the benefit of others and, by doing so, inspires them. And that's the great thing about Spider-Man 2. It understands, perhaps better than any other film in the genre, why we're drawn to these stories in the first place. 

Western Wednesdays: Blazing Saddles (1974)

     Blazing Saddles was released February 7th, 1974. It is directed by Mel Brooks and stars Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, and Slim Pickens. In order to scare the inhabitants of Rock Ridges into abandoning their town, Attorney General Hedley Lamarr (Korman), appoints a black man named Bart (Little) as sheriff, hoping that this will offend the townspeople who will reject him. Leaving the town defenseless. Bart must win over the townsfolk and foil Lamarr's plans with the help of a washed up gunslinger named Jim (Wilder).

     Blazing Saddles is a parody of western movies. It contains a lot of allusions to earlier, classic westerns. In one scene, evoking High Noon (1952), the citizens of Rock Ridges gather together in the town church to decide what to do about the marauding bandits lead by Taggart. There is a similar scene in High Noon where Sheriff Will Kane goes to the church in Hadleyville to ask the people for help and they have a conference to decide whether or not to aid him. It also has similarities to Rio Bravo (1959), a film that was, in part, a response to High Noon. Jim, aka The Waco Kid bears is very similar to Dean Martin's character in Rio Bravo. Similarly Madeline Kahn's Lili Von Shtupp bears a striking resemblance to Frenchy (Marlene Dietrich) from Destry Rides Again (1939).

     This movie is uproariously funny. Cleavon Little is clearly having a great time playing this hip, black sheriff who seems to have a bit of self awareness. Gene Wilder contrasts this with his unique sense of comedic timing and straight faced sarcasm. He and Harvey Korman get many of the best lines: "What's your name?" "Well, my name is Jim, but most people call me... Jim."; "We'll kill the first born male child in every household." "Too Jewish." The movie pokes fun at western movie cliches and Hollywood cinema in general. There is a lot of fourth wall breaking, leading up to the climax where a fight between the townsfolk and the bandits literally breaks through the wall into another movie set and then spills out into the Warner Bros. film lot. This ends with Bart and Jim going to a theater to watch the end of their own movie!

     The main conflict in the film is Bart's struggle, being a that he's a black man, to win the approval of the racist white residents of Rock Ridges. This is meant as a commentary on the absence of African Americans in western movies, despite their contributions to the settlement of the west. It was also, perhaps, an indictment of the silence (largely) of Hollywood in regards to the history of racism within the United States. I appreciate this, as it adds a sense of maturity to the film.

     At the same time Mel Brooks sense of humor is a little too raunchy and juvenile for my tastes. There is a lot of crude sexual humor, particularly in the scene where Lili tries to seduce Bart. There's also a scene where a bunch of cowboys eating beans around a campfire fart cacophonously. As I said this is mainly a taste issue. There are also a few scenes that dragged for me, particularly Lili Von Shtupp's musical number.

     A critic (I believe it was Roger Ebert) once said that the best parodies are made by people who love the material they are satirizing (or something along those lines). Blazing Saddles feels like that. Though it savagely makes fun of many genre tropes it also seems to show affection for them. When Bart and the Waco kid ride out into the sunset at the end of the film in a limousine, it might be silly, but its also strangely heartfelt. So is the film itself.

Score: 9/10

Saturday Evening Cartoons: Batman - Beware The Gray Ghost

     "Beware the Gray Ghost" is the 18th episode of Batman: The Animated Series. It is directed by Boyd Kirkland and written by Tom Ruegger and Garin Wolf. In it a criminal calling himself "the mad bomber" plagues Gotham with a series of bombings that remind Batman (Kevin Conroy) of an episode from the television series The Gray Ghost, which he watched as a child. Meanwhile the former star of that show, Simon Trent (Adam West), struggles to support himself, having been typecast in the role of the Gray Ghost.

     From the beginning, producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini had Adam West in mind to voice Simon Trent. They were concerned that he might be offended because of the parallels between he and Trent's career but West was more then happy to play the character. After Batman ended in 1968 West was typecast as a camp, comedic actor and struggled to find other work. In addition to this, due to disputes between Warner Brothers, which currently owns the rights to DC television, and ABC TV, which originally broadcast the show, it was not released on home video until very recently. At the time this episode was made, the only way to watch Adam West Batman was to buy bootleg copies of episodes. Similarly, in this story, all the production copies of The Gray Ghost TV episodes were destroyed in a fire. These parallels add emotional weight to the episode, which serves, largely, as a tribute to West himself.

          The Gray Ghost is also a tribute to the pulp adventure heroes that inspired Batman in the first place, particularly The Shadow. Just as Bruce Timm and Paul Dini enjoyed the Adam West show as kids, and Bob Kane and Bill Finger drew influence from The Shadow, Bruce Wayne draws inspiration from The Gray Ghost when he takes on the mantle of the Batman. This helps to humanize the character in a way that had not been seen previously in the series. Bruce, like us, was a fanboy. He idolizes Trent and is saddened to see how impoverished he's become. By the end of the episode the case has become, for Batman, just as much about saving Trent as about stopping the bomber. By involving Trent in the investigation and revealing to him the impact he had on his decision to become Batman, Bruce helps Simon to find a new sense of self-worth. Trent sees that, even though he is unable to get more diverse acting roles, his career has mattered. He's had an impact on many young children who grew up with his show.

     Both West and Conroy put in really solid performances here. Even beyond the parallels between the real and fictional actors' careers, West really imbues Trent with a sense of humanity and pathos. The character could come off as pathetically tragic but West lends him an element of quiet strength and dignity. Conroy brings his usual moody, brooding quality to Batman, but is also able to express a sense of warmth and humor here that he's not often able to. Finally, Bruce Timm is clearly having fun lending his own voice to the Mad Bomber.

     The animation in this episode is up there with the best in the series. From the moody, noir-esque black and white opening, showing a young Bruce Wayne watching The Gray Ghost, to the explosive climax, where Batman and Trent (now dressed in his Gray Ghost regalia) confront the mad bomber, the animators deliver a lot of great visuals throughout the episode. The shows signature shadowy, art-deco visuals, with backgrounds painted on black paper, really serve this kind of nostalgic throwback well. Similarly, the score by Carl Johnson helps to set the tone and also adds an extra layer of emotional depth.

     Serving both as a nostalgic tribute to earlier material that influenced the show and as an exploration of how entertainment can shape the lives both of the performer and the viewer "Beware the Gray Ghost" is one of the best episodes of Batman: The Animated Series.

Score: 10/10

Saturday Evening Cartoons: Princess Mononoke (1997)

My fourth foray into the world of Miyazaki (I've also seen Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro) is much darker and violent then I expected...

     Princess Mononoke was released in 1997. It is written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It tells the story of Ashitaka (Billy Crudup in the English dub), an Emishi prince from medieval Japan who becomes cursed after killing a demon who attacked his village. He sets out to find a cure in the western lands and, along the way, becomes embroiled in a conflict between the residents of Iron Town, lead by Lady Eboshi (Minnie Driver) and the gods of the forest. He also meets and falls in love with San (Claire Danes), a young woman raised by the wolves of the forest.

     Princess Mononoke is a somewhat strange entry in Miyazaki's filmography. He made it at a time when he was feeling rather pessimistic about the state of the world. As a result, it's much more dark and violent than anything he's done before or since. People are decapitated, limbs are dismembered, death and destruction seem rampant and it's all shown in bloody detail. This violence and destruction of human life corresponds with the film's theme of ecological destruction.

     The film really handles this theme deftly. The technological progress represented by Lady Eboshi is pitted against the ancient, mystical, natural order represented by the spirits of the forest. Rather then being one-sided, as stories like this often are, Miyazaki portrays both sides as having positive and negative attributes. Lady Eboshi, though she serves as an antagonist, is not really a villain. She is a liberating figure to the brothel workers and the lepers who she brings to iron town. The progress she represents also offers liberation for figures like this, who would usually be marginalized. There is a purity to the world of the forest but there's also something to be said for Lady Eboshi's more "enlightened" and complex vision of the world. Ultimately Princess Mononoke is about finding a balance between the two. Minnie Driver commented, "Miyazaki gives a complete argument for both sides of the battle between technological achievement and our spiritual roots in the forest. He shows that good and evil, violence and peace exist in us all. It's all about how you harmonize it."

     The animation in Princess Mononoke is absolutely stunning. Utilizing mainly hand-drawn animation with some CGI enhancements, the animators at Studio Ghibli went all out with this film. The mixture of light and shadow, the fluidity of movement, and the sheer scale of many scenes is all just breathtaking. There's a real sense of awe and wonder in the scenes in the forest, particularly when the Great Forest God is shown. Joe Hisaishi's majestic score adds to this sense of grandeur, mixing Japanese instruments like the shakuhachi and Taiko drums with a traditional western orchestral ensemble to great effect.

     I do have a few issues with the film. The biggest problem is that the resolution feels rushed. After a rather exhausting climax, we're given almost no breathing room, no time to really appreciate what's just happened or to have any real closure. This is rather puzzling to me, as Miyazaki is generally a filmmaker unafraid to have slower, quieter moments in his films. With that said I do really like the films final image: a single kodama (a dryad-like forest spirit) emerging from the undergrowth of the newly restored forest. As a side note, I'd really like to hear the original Japanese audio, as the English dubbing doesn't sync that well with the characters faces. Billy Bob Thorton is a good actor but his southern drawl sounds unnatural coming from a short, fat Japanese man.

     Princess Mononoke is one of Hayao Miyazaki's most challenging films. It's complex narrative and stunning animation are sure to bring me back for more viewings despite the films darker nature and, at times, unforgiving pace.

Score: 9/10

Western Wednesdays: Forty Guns (1957)

So I guess I need to watch more Samuel Fuller movies...

          In the opening scene of Forty Guns a group of riders ride down a cliff, shot in low angle, bearing down on a solitary wagon, shot in high angle. Immediately the power dynamics and the basic premise of the story are established visually. The three men newly arrived in the wagon are thrown against the territory's established power. This kind of mastery of form is consistent throughout the film. It contrasts greatly with many, less proficient films made today, but is perhaps more common in a 50's western film. What is unusual is the fact that the forty riders are lead not by a man but by a woman.

     The woman is Jessica Drummond (Barbara Stanwyck), a local landowner who runs the territory. The men in the wagon are the Bonnell brothers, lead by Griff (Barry Sullivan), a U.S. Marshal and a famous gunfighter. On arriving in the town Griff meets the sheriff, Chisholm (Hank Worden). Chisholm is going blind and wants Griff to protect him from Brockie (John Ericson), Jessica's hard drinking, unstable younger brother. When Chisholm is killed by Brockie, Griff confronts and arrests him, only for him to be summarily bailed out by Drummond. This creates a conflict between Drummond and Bonnell. Brockie wants to kill Bonnell, while Griff is looking to arrest one of Jessica's men, Howard Swain (Chuck Roberson), for mail robbery.

     Despite being on opposite sides of this conflict, Jessica and Griff feel attracted to each other. Both have lived rough, violent lives that they now want to leave behind. Jessica love for Brockie, who she sees as more of a son then a brother, puts her at odds with her feelings for Griff. Griff, meanwhile, is hesitant to give in to his feelings for her since she is involved in illicit activity. To further complicate matters, Logan (Dean Jagger), the sheriff, is under Drummond's hire and also has feelings for her, making him jealous of Griff. Meanwhile, Griff's brother Wes (Gene Barry) begins courting Louvenie Spanger (Eve Brent), the daughter of the town gunsmith and his younger brother Chico resists Griff's attempts to keep him out of the conflict.

     I won't spoil the ending but I will say that it was unpredictable, both in its violence and its overall optimistic coda. Ultimately, Jessica's loyalty to Brockie is pitted against her love for Griff. While Griff's vengeful, violent tendencies threaten to tear them apart unless Jessica shows herself to be the "better man".

     In addition to the brilliant direction and writing from Samuel Fuller, Forty Guns also features solid performances. Barbara Stanwyck steals every scene she's in as Jessica Drummond moving effortlessly between the hardened cattle baron and the weary, vulnerable woman. Barry Sullivan feels world weary, yet supremely confident as Griff while Gene Barry's Wes provides a more relaxed, happy-go-lucky contrast. John Ericson is appropriately unlikable as Brockie and Dean Jagger does an excellent job in the films best supporting role of the tragically incompetent Ned Logan.

     Forty Guns is a subtlety subversive western written and directed with real panache. Rarely have I seen such a confident piece of film-making.

Score: 9/10

Saturday Evening Cartoons: Wonder Woman Rebirth

This week I'm tackling the first two volumes of Wonder Woman Rebirth. The stories collected in these volumes were originally published at the same time, with Volume 1 collecting the odd numbered issues and Volume 2 the even numbered ones. As the two stories inform each other in some ways and as I originally read them together, I'd figured I should review them both... 

     When DC began its New 52 relaunch way back in 2011, they tweaked the origins of many of their characters. For the Wonder Woman title writer Brian Azzarello changed the traditional story that Diana was formed from clay by her mother Hippolyta and given life by Zeus, instead she was born after an affair between the two, meaning that Wonder Woman was a demi-goddess. In addition to this she was also more headstrong and impulsive and generally more alienated from her Amazonian sisters while figures previously treated as villains, in particular Ares (the God of war) were treated as more sympathetic allies. Meanwhile, in the Justice League book, Wonder Woman and Superman became romantically involved, estranging both superheroes from their traditional love interests, Steve Trevor and Lois Lane respectively. These changes were quite divisive among fans. Personally I thought that Azzarello's run worked as a brilliant, self-contained story, but felt out-of-place in the larger DC universe. As far as the Superman/Wonder Woman romance goes, I simply wasn’t a fan.

     When last years Rebirth relaunch was announced Greg Rucka was slated as the writer for the new Wonder Woman title. Rucka had written Wonder Woman for a few years back in the early 2000’s. Being familiar with his work on the character I was excited to see what he’d do.

     The first arc, called The Lies deals directly with the changes brought about by 52. It seems Wonder Woman has been deceived by some unknown force who has changed her memories of the past, presumably part of the larger conspiracy affecting the whole DCU. In order to rediscover her past she sets out to find Themyscira, enlisting Barbara Anne Minerva, aka the Cheetah, to help her. Cheetah agrees to help only if Wonder Woman will kill the god who cursed her, Urzkartaga, thus freeing her of the curse. Along the way they cross paths with Steve Trevor, who is on a mission to take down a warlord named Cadula, one who, it turns out, worships Urzkartaga.

     Thematically, The Lies is about the damaging effect of deception and the liberating power of truth. Wonder Woman and Cheetah, it turns out, have both been greatly deceived in the past. Rucka’s new take on Cheetah is much more sympathetic than past versions. She is presented as an abusive partner to Urzkartaga. He made her feel responsible for her turning into cheetah and used this to manipulate her. Wonder Woman must not only free her from her curse but from her sense of guilt, liberating her both physically and psychologically.

     There are also themes of abuse and misogyny running through this story. In addition to the abusive relationship between Barbara Ann and Urzkartaga, Cadula is a power hungry misogynist who is using the girls he kidnapped to try and harness Urzkartaga’s power for himself. Steve Trevor is a good foil for Cadula, representing a more evolved sense of manhood. While Barbara Ann must cut her ties from Urzkartaga, Diana must reform her positive relationship with Steve.

     It is implied in this story that Steve and Diana are destined to be together. This feel a little like a corporate mandate conforming with DC’s overall program of returning characters to their roots. However, Rucka is a writer with an affinity for these characters and he makes it work really well. The scenes between the two characters are handled with great subtlety and are filled with genuine emotion. Indeed this run has been filled with moments of subtle, warm humor and character interaction.

     The art throughout this arc, by Liam Sharp and Laura Martin (colors), is pretty great. There's a real sense of atmosphere, particularly in all the jungle scenes and the way the book is plotted is really novel, utilizing vines, prison bars, and other objects for the panel separations. It’s also plotted really well. The action is well paced and has a good sense of urgency while the more intimate moments are given room to breath. Their are some real standout one and two page spreads, particularly one moment when Wonder Woman greets a bunch of people at a shopping mall because “she knows what it means to them.”

     This book is not without its problems. For one thing, while Sharp and Martin did the art for the majority of this volume the first chapter was done by two different teams. Matthew Clark (pencils) Sean Parsons (inks) and Jeremy Colwell (colors) did the first half of the story while Sharp and Martin did the second half. This change in art styles is rather jarring but, thankfully is restricted to the first chapter. It also has some pacing problems. Despite its thematic connection to the main plot of this run (Wonder Woman trying to determine her true origin) the whole Cheetah/Urzkartaga subplot can’t help but feel like a bit of a distraction from it, particularly since this volume is bookended by the main plot. The first chapter doesn’t touch on the cheetah plot at all and it’s wrapped up before the last chapter begins.

     The second volume, Year One, retells Wonder Woman’s origin. Essentially, Rucka sticks to the model set up by George Perez back in 1986. Steve Trevor crash lands on Themyscira, prompting the Amazons to break their self imposed exile from earth by sending an ambassador to them. Ultimately Diana, the daughter of Queen Hippolyta, is chosen to accompany Captain Trevor back to the world of men. What Rucka adds is a new motive for the Amazons. A seer senses that Ares has returned to earth to wreak havoc, so Diana is sent to stop him.

     Even more than The Lies, Year One fleshes out Barbara Ann Minerva. In a chapter dedicated entirely to her, we find out that she has been obsessed with the Amazons since she was a young girl, despite the discouragement from her cold, distant, widowed father. She became an archeologist in order to find evidence of their existence. She is called in by Argus to help them communicate with Diana and ultimately the two become friends. Diana’s relationship with Steve Trevor is also set up, as she helps him to investigate the mysterious terrorist organization Sear.

     Rucka does a really good job juggling all the characters. He really imbues Barbara Minerva, Steve Trevor and, to a lesser extent, Etta Candy, with a sense of real humanity. Wonder Woman herself has a real sense of wide eyed wonder and optimism. She is also a little naive, having been raised in the sheltered atmosphere of Themyscira. The bond formed between these characters feels really genuine.

     Once again the art is really great in this volume. Nikola Scott and Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colors) have a cleaner, brighter style than Sharp and Martin, one that really complements the lighter, more optimistic tone of this arc. It's also really well plotted, with the battle between Wonder Woman and the Sear goons in the mall being a standout. There's also a two page spread in chapter six that's just breathtaking.

    Year One informs The Lies in some really important ways. First and foremost is establishes the truth as an important aspect of Diana's philosophy and mission. It shows how much she misses her home and helps the reader understand why she wants to find it again. It also adds poignancy to her relationships with Steve and Barbara Ann.

     This volume mainly suffers from its place in the Rucka's larger story. Reading it in tandem with The Lies makes it hard to keep track of the story from month to month while reading it separately in trade, though somewhat better, is still awkward. Spending a whole volume away from the story set up in the first one for the purpose of establishing a back story is awkward, not to mention a little backward. In addition, the chapter covering Barbara Ann's background, though it's well written, interrupts the flow of the main story. It would have made more sense, to me at least, to parcel out this information more naturally, throughout the course of the story. Making matters worse, the pencils in this chapter were not done by Nikola Scott but Bilquis Evely whose art style is radically different. At least here its a flashback story and the art doesn't change in the middle of a chapter.

     Why the powers that be decided to publish this book in such a haphazard way is anyone's guess. Nevertheless, I think that Rucka's Wonder Woman is one of the stronger books in DC's relaunch. I would suggest reading it in trade, rather than monthly issues and I would also suggest reading Volume 2 first, as it informs the first volume in important ways and generally stands on its own better.

Score: The Lies - 8/10

Year One - 9/10