Wonder Woman: Bitter Rivals (Paperback)

~ Greg Rucka (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. Rucka continues his inventive effort to make Wonder Woman relevant to a generation whose grandparents may not have been born when she first appeared in 1941. The venerable superheroine now uses her role as ambassador from the Amazons' island, Themyscria, to spread her people's message of equality and unity. She faces protesters' hostility as well as physical attacks by superpowered villains, unaware that her opposition is orchestrated by businesswoman Veronica Cale, who has hired a PR firm to discredit the Amazon and instigated the reappearances of arch-foes Silver Swan and Dr. Psycho. When the protest leader is assassinated on the steps of the Themyscrian embassy, Wonder Woman turns to Batman to solve the crime. Rucka moves smoothly between multiple plotlines (another involves the gods of Mount Olympus) without neglecting dialogue and characterization. The implicit contrast of Wonder Woman's nobility and idealism and Cale's jealous deviousness is particularly effective. Several artists contribute fluid though straightforward visuals, with primary illustrator Drew Johnson's work shining a bit brighter than the others'. Gordon Flagg
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Product Description

When Darrel Keyes, head of the anti-Wonder Woman group "Protect Our Children," was murdered on the steps of the Themysciran Embassy, the ensuing riot was just one of a torrent of crises facing Diana. Now, with the changes that befell her island home drastically altering her responsibilities in the DCU, Diana doesn't have the time necessary to focus on the murder. Wonder Woman needs help... and who better to solve a mystery than the Dark Knight Detective? Batman quickly discovers the connection between Keyes's death and another murder, one orchestrated by well-respected businesswoman Veronica Cale. Is Wonder Woman finally going to learn that the Texas billionaire is the villain behind so many of her recent troubles? Or will another deception muddy the waters even further?

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401204627
• ISBN-13: 978-1401204624
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #87,382 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It is slow, but give it a chance..., December 20, 2005

By	M. Castro "Spacebutler" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bitter Rivals is the follow up to Down to Earth the first Wonder Woman volume written by Greg Rucka. Reading Down to Earth is not mandatory to understand this volume, but it helps a LOT. As Bitter Rivals starts we find Wonder Woman under attack from multiple fronts.

Wonder Woman has come under attack by the Silver Swan, she is being attacked in the press and she finds a murder at her doorstep. She has made a powerful enemy who is aranging the pieces on the board against her, even if, as we see with Dr Psycho, they are not always entirely controlable. Her enemy does come across as a female Lex Luthor, which struck me as rather peculiar, but I was able to move past it.

Meanwhile, as they say, things are not at all well in the world of the gods as Paradise Island has suffered a cataclysmic event and a newly freed Circe helps resurect an ancient threat.

Rucka builds his story slowly, very slowly. He first shows us Wonder Woman in her element, as more than just a superhero, but also a crusader and an ambasador. We get to see the forces that gather against her build and then strike, and we see Wonder Woman fight back and call on her allies for assistance. Rucka is pushing Diana towards a breaking point we will see later in the build up to Infinite Crisis and IC itself. Rucka s run on Wonder Woman is he road to IC.

Bitter Rivals is a middle chapter in his Wonder Woman saga and thats why it has some issues standing on its own. Its why I cannot give it five stars. It is great, but should be read as a part of the greater whole.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection, October 23, 2009

By	Dora (Memphis) - See all my reviews

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Gotta love Rucka's Wonder Woman- she had a solid sense of honor and purpose, something Gail Simone's Wonder Woman is severely lacking. If DC wants to know why WW title sales are down, G.Simone is the reason. Bring back Rucka!