2012 Wonder Woman color art by Marcio Takara

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Check out the original black & white art here

Marcio Takara

• Patrolwoman Diane Meade @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• The Huntress @ DC Bloodlines
• Captain Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Zatanna @ Justice League Detroit

2012 “JLA by George Perez” Wonder Woman Commission

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Aric Shapiro is a comic art collector with the good taste to pursue a series of Justice League of America member spotlight commissions by the always incredible George Pérez. An online acolyte of Pérez, Mitch Ballard, then colored some of the pieces with Shapiro's consent.

"Wonder Woman by the greatest artist to ever draw her!!!!! This piece is a huge trip down memory lane and now proudly hangs in my daughter's room. Brilliant is an understatement. Thanks to Mark for picking this up for me"

Pérez's uncolored original can be viewed here.

Seeing as I've featured a lot of posts spotlighting the art of Brian Bolland (who only provided covers for about 3½ of the Amazing Amazon's lowest selling years,) and comparatively few for Pérez (who rebooted the character, drew her comics for a couple of years, and wrote them for five,) I continue to swim against the current of Princess Diana fandom. I'm glad Pérez stuck with his own nifty Post-Crisis costume, but then he gives Diana that weird Ross Andru-ish face that started cropping up in his work in the late 90's. I'm not a huge fan of the moonfaced maiden Pérez invented in the mid-80s either, so I guess I'd rather set the Wayback Machine to Pérez's flirtations with the character during the Bronze Age, back when she had an Invisible Plane and Steve Trevor as a love interest and wasn't just Supergirl in a bathing suit working at a Greek Whataburger.

2012 “JLA by George Perez” Commissions

• The Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Elongated Man @ Justice League Detroit
• Firestorm @ DC Bloodlines
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

1992 Wonder Woman #70 Preliminary Cover Sketch by Brian Bolland

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I appreciate subtlety, but still prefer a stalking Diana in the background over Jek Porkins.

Sensational Comics for December, 2012

There are softcover trade paperbacks of the first issues of New 52 Justice League and Wonder Woman offered this month, but I couldn't be bothered to cut and paste.

Wonder Woman

WONDER WOMAN #15
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art and cover by CLIFF CHIANG
1:25 Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG

On sale DECEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• Who is Orion — and what are the New Gods?!
• Massive changes are coming for Wonder Woman and the entire DC Universe!
• Get ready for round 1 of Wonder Woman vs. Orion!

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.

This was a good month to remind me that I'll never get to write certain comics. Since the first Bush administration, my pet pitch for a Captain America relaunch has been to make him a freedom fighter in another dimension where being an American was a whole 'nother thang, and Rick Remender seems to be tapping that vein for his relaunch. Meanwhile, I've wanted to see the clash between the Greek pantheon and the Fourth World elaborated upon since John Byrne's hamfisted attempts, and now Kirby's properties are being revived under the Amazonian aegis. By extention, it stands to reason that I'll just unfavorably compare my pure wants for the executions with whatever other people pull together, and who needs that frustration? For instance, did the New 52 really need Superman, Captain Marvel, and Orion to all be white males again, while re-offering Cyborg and Vibe as their premier heroes of color? Would Captain Atom be in any way diminished as a woman, or using the Post-Crisis template of a parent separated from their children by decades, would it actually have made the property much stronger and more relevant to modern audiences? Meet the new business, same as the old business.

BATWOMAN #15
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art by TREVOR McCARTHY
Cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
1:25 Variant cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
On sale DECEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.

• The Batwoman/Wonder Woman team-up continues!
• The action is out of control as Bones, Chase, the DEO, Abbot and the Religion of Crime all descend on Gotham City to take part in the fight against Medusa!
• And then at the end of the issue the all-new…ah…we can’t tell you but it’s awesome!

JUSTICE LEAGUE #15
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
Backup story art by GARY FRANK
Variant cover by BILLY TUCCI
1:25 “Throne of Atlantis” Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:100 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
On sale DECEMBER 26 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• Part 1 of “THRONE OF ATLANTIS,” crossing over with AQUAMAN!
• Don’t miss the debut of IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO (AQUAMAN) as the new JUSTICE LEAGUE art team!
• Can the Justice League band together to battle the forces of Atlantis?
• And in the backup feature, Shazam comes face to face with Black Adam, and Billy makes a decision that will shock his friends!

This issue’s 1:25 “Throne of Atlantis” Variant cover connects with the AQUAMAN #15 1:25 “Throne of Atlantis” Variant cover to form a single image. This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.This issue will ship with five covers. Please see the order form for more information.

I grew out of Jim Lee a long time ago, and very much prefer Ivan Reis, but not so much as to tolerate Geoff Johns' threadbare writing. It is nice to see Aquaman get so much TLC and Ocean Master treated as a world class threat (just as Cheetah seems inclined toward in the Tony Daniel two-parter,) but I can't overcome my not giving a crap. How many variant covers does a book need to hit #1, anyway?

TEAM 7 #3
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN
Art by JESUS MERINO
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT
1:25 Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
On sale DECEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.

• From the pages of RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS, the mysterious Essence joins the team’s battle against the Heart of Darkness known as the Black Diamond!
• Before he was Deathstroke The Terminator, Slade Wilson was possessed by Eclipso! Is this the secret origin of a super villain?
• The secret history of the superhuman cold war is here!

AQUAMAN #15
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by ARDIAN SYAF
Cover by EDDIE BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
1:25 B&W Variant cover by EDDIE BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
1:25 “Throne of Atlantis” Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
“We Can Be Heroes” Blank variant cover available
On sale DECEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T


• Crossover with JUSTICE LEAGUE!
• Part 2 of “THRONE OF ATLANTIS!”
• Atlantis invades the surface world!

Retailers: This issue will ship with four covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format. This issue’s 1:25 “Throne of Atlantis” Variant cover connects with the JUSTICE LEAGUE #15 1:25 “Throne of Atlantis” Variant cover to form a single image.

No one will ever replace Ivan Reis on this book, but I do like Barrows, and kind of wish I'd given his Nightwing a chance. Syaf is a more specialized taste, and not really what I had in mind for Aquaman, though he can probably woo fans.

JLA VOL. 3 TP
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by HOWARD PORTER, JOHN DELL, MARK PAJARILLO and WALDEN WONG
Cover by HOWARD PORTER and JOHN DELL
On sale JANUARY 16 • 344 pg, FC, $24.99 US

• Collecting tales from JLA #22-26, 28-31 and 1,000,000!
• The JLA’s very first foe, Starro the Conqueror, returns in this title now in trade paperback!

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA VOL. 6 TP
Written by LEN WEIN, DENNIS O’NEIL, CARY BATES and others Art by DICK DILLIN and others Cover by NICK CARDY On sale JANUARY 23 • 528 pg, B&W, $19.99 US • In this new, value-priced collection of stories from the 1970s, the JLA faces foes including Felix Faust, the Shaggy Man, Eclipso, Amazo, the Injustice Society and more. • Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #107-132.

Wonder Girl

TEEN TITANS #15
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
1:25 B&W Variant cover by BRETT BOOTH and MARK IRWIN
On sale JANUARY 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.

• A “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in!
• Red Hood and Red Robin team up against The Joker!
• Will Arsenal take over the Titans?
• Guest-starring Batgirl!

THE CULLING: RISE OF THE RAVAGERS TP
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL and TOM DeFALCO
Art by R.B. SILVA, PETE WOODS, BRETT BOOTH, IG GUARA and others
Cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
On sale JANUARY 23 • 176 pg, FC, $16.99 US

• The Teen Titans and the teen heroes from LEGION LOST are trapped in a deadly arena where young teen metahumans must fight each other to the death for survival! Can they defeat the teen death squad known as The Ravagers?
• Collects LEGION LOST #8-9, SUPERBOY #8-9, TEEN TITANS #8-9 and TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #15
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by TIMOTHY GREEN II
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale DECEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• A “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in!
• Red Hood and Red Robin team up against The Joker!
• Teen Titans vs. The Outlaws!

Dragon*Con 2012 Wonder Woman Cosplay Gallery by Shag Matthews

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Two other good full shots are here and here.









Thanks to the Irredeemable Shag for sharing his hundreds of pictures, and the Superhero Costuming Forum for arranging the shoot.

Dragon*Con 2012 Cosplay Galleries by Shag Matthews

• DC Cosplay Obscura @ DC Bloodlines
• Aquaman @ The Aquaman Shrine
• The Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Black Canary @ Girls Gone Geek
• Booster Gold @ BOO$TERRIFIC
• Doctor Fate @ Tower of Fate
• Doom Patrol @ My Greatest Adventure #80
• Firestorm the Nuclear Man @ Firestorm Fan
• The Flash @ Speed Force
• Hawkman & Hawkgirl @ Being Carter Hall
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• The Vixen and Zatanna @ Justice League Detroit
• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince

1991 Amazing Heroes #197 Wonder Woman cover by Brian Bolland

From the December 1991 cover-dated Amazing Heroes #197.

2005 Wonder Woman WonderCon sketch by Arthur “Art” Adams

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"It's always nice to walk away with what you consider THE highlight of the show. Art only did three really nice sketches over the weekend and I sure am glad I was lucky enough to make the list! Thanks so much, Mr. Adams!!!"

Arthur "Art" Adams

• 2000 Big Barda commission @ DC Bloodlines
• 2007 Zatanna commission @ Justice League Detroit
• 2012 Zook Space City Con Commission @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• 2005 Justice League of America #60 cover recreation @ Power of the Atom

The Top 20 Wonder Woman Covers of the 1950s

Hera, fifties Wonder Woman covers were boring. Not only were they rendered in a flat, frigid style, but they were terribly repetitive. Wonder Woman battles a twin Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman struggles against an invisible something. Wonder Woman and an invisible twin Wonder Woman struggle. Wonder Woman's secret identity broadcast. Wonder Woman in a medium shot lassoing something in the distance. Wonder Woman in a medium shot deflecting something coming from a distance. Wonder Woman versus a large animal. Wonder Woman shrunk or fighting a giant version of something. (Shrunken?) Wonder Woman in a medium shot lassoing (a giant?) (animal?) (twin?) something in the distance. Wonder Woman in the foreground fleeing and explosion/fireball in the background. Any of the previous, but in an especially hostile environment (midair/underwater/outer space.) I think that Bob Kanigher had a menu in his office where he'd pick one item (or less) from three prefab columns to form a cover. Wonder Woman also seemed to be an early adopter of the "homage" cover, because when she liked a layout, it would surely be revisited...

20) Wonder Woman #104 (February, 1959)

Tenuous. Emotive expression.

19) Wonder Woman #96 (February, 1958)

Echoing themes we'll see further up the chart.

18) Sensation Comics #106 (November-December, 1951)

The muted colors may deceive and blunt the depth, but this image is jam packed with cool details and scope.

17) Wonder Woman #39 (January-February, 1950)

I like how busy Princess Diana looks. There's all this stuff going down and she's running all over town to sort it out.

16) All-Star Comics #57 (February-March, 1951)

A group shot with a prominent Wonder Woman from the rare perspective of coming out of a sewer manhole in Paris.

15) Wonder Woman #53 (May-June, 1952)

Strapped to a polygraph? How meta!

14) Sensation Comics #99 (September, 1950)

Bernard Sachs brings the big alien spiked fist down on a crowd of bystanders with only the Amazon Wonder acting in their defense. A bit awkward, but effective, and I suspect this inspired all of those bland "giant attack" imitators that followed.

13) Wonder Woman #62 (November-December, 1953)

This "perpetrator's POV" perspective would remain popular in the years to come, as would Wonder Woman seen in triplicate, which we do again here. Heck, it's even another Novick cover to later be swiped by Andru.

12) Sensation Comics #97 (March, 1950)

A sweet, romantic, enduring piece.

11) Wonder Woman #77 (October, 1955)

I love the perspective on this one, and the severity of Diana's face under trying circumstances. She looks like she's been swimming all night. The mild pink skyline doesn't hurt.

10) Wonder Woman #42 (July-August, 1950)

This is a nifty, propulsive piece, especially when you factor in that this sort of automotive defying of gravity wasn't as common at the time as it would become from-- what-- the '70s or so on (especially on bad TV action series.) I guess this Novick cover sold, because he self-swiped two years later.

9) Wonder Woman #45 (January-February, 1951)

A thoroughly okay cover concept that for some reason got revisited numerous times, the first within the same decade.

8) Wonder Woman #50 (November-December, 1951)

This one is very exciting, with Diana in a strong pose, bullets flying, missile launching, etc. etc.

7) Wonder Woman #99 (July, 1958)

Great Balls of Fire were a real issue for the Amazing Amazon on Silver Age covers. This was one of the more dynamic space age age examples.

6) Wonder Woman #80 (February, 1956)

It may seem a bit sexist, but a dehumanizing mask with a built-in bomb strapped to your face about to explode would make anyone piddle.

5) Wonder Woman #106 (May, 1959)

Charm bracelets are so girly, and it totally works in context, especially as a manifestation of relationship anxiety.

4) Wonder Woman #49 (September-October, 1951)

I love how all-around kickass this cover is. Diana just tossed that woman over her shoulder and dodged explosions while running with her back to lemon yellow sunshine. Fierce! I like the unusually tight framing of the figures, as well.

3) Wonder Woman #88 (February, 1957)

That red and black background is seriously ominous, and you totally want a peek in the box for yourself, don't you Pandora? Quality rendering by Irv Novick.

2) Wonder Woman #95 (January, 1958)

The loving manner in which Diana cradles Steve's head-- against an atomic bomb(!)-- makes this one very memorable. So does the perspective, the fuschia background, and the artistry of Ross Andru.

1) Wonder Woman #108 (August, 1959)

This fantastic Ross Andru piece resounds with McCarthyism, and was used on one of the Showcase Presents collections for obvious reasons. I suspect it may have inspired droves a similarly themed covers, perhaps most famously, Uncanny X-Men #141.

Honorable Mentions:

• Sensation Comics #95 (January, 1950)
• Wonder Woman #40 (March-April, 1950)
• Sensation Comics #96 (March-April, 1950)
• Wonder Woman #41 (May-June, 1950)
• Wonder Woman #44 (November-December, 1950)
• Sensation Comics #102 (March, 1951)
• Wonder Woman #47 (May, 1951)
• Sensation Comics #103 (May-June, 1951)
• Wonder Woman #48 (July-August, 1951)
• Sensation Comics #104 (July-August, 1951)
• Wonder Woman #51 (January, 1952)
• Wonder Woman #57 (January-February, 1953)
• Wonder Woman #58 (March-April, 1953)
• Wonder Woman #64 (February, 1954)
• Wonder Woman #68 (August, 1954)
• Wonder Woman #72 (February, 1955)
• Wonder Woman #78 (November, 1955)

2007 Wonder Woman Day II charity art by Michael Bair

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You might also like to see the earlier version sans background.

• 2005 Wonder Woman Commission
• 2006 Wonder Woman 11x17 pinup art
• 2006 New York Comic Con Sketchbook Bust