"Heroine, demigoddesses, soldier, peacemaker — I am all these things in part, yet none of them completely."
— Diana, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth

Diana, Princess of Themyscira, of the fabled "Paradise Island", is a woman of perfection — intelligent, strong, beautiful, passionate, and flawless — at least to the eyes of the common folk. In fact, it can be downright intimidating. Diana is, however, oblivious to all this. She has lived a sheltered life on Paradise Island where peace and harmony have been achieved in that civilization. As Ambassador of Themyscira to "Man’s World", she is here to spread her message of peace, understanding and fellowship.

But not everyone or every nation is willing to listen to her despite all the good intentions that she has to offer. And it’s hard to get that message across when she is already rejected because of the way she is perceived — an ambassador of peace who does not hesitate to act as a warrior.

Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth takes a look at the dilemma Diana faces… she is a paradox. This is the fourth graphic novel brought by writer Paul Dini, the Emmy Award-winning producer of The New Batman/Superman Adventures and Batman Beyond, and illustrator Alex Ross, perhaps the most prolific painter in comics today with works such as Marvels, Kingdom Come and Earth X under his belt. The questions they ask of Diana are these: who is she and what does she represent? This is something she needs to find out if she is ever going to understand the mechanics of Man’s World.

Diana has lived a very different life on Paradise Island, one where she has been sheltered from prejudice and hatred so she is deeply confused as to why people cannot treat each as equals and fairly. She comes into Man’s World hoping to spread the message of fellowship with wide-eyed innocence and optimism. Instead she is met with cynicism and skepticism.

"Sadly, those who judge me on my looks alone ignore the causes I champion."
— Diana, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth

Despite her actions and best intentions, many nations don’t take her seriously because she is a woman, and that is a very hard obstacle to overcome even if you do have the superhuman strength to toss people around like rag dolls or shatter brick walls like it was paper. The harder she tries to do good as Wonder Woman, the more people fear her because they cannot relate to what she is nor are they ready to accept a woman of both power and principle.

So, in this time of confusion and soul searching, she seeks out the counsel of the one person who may understand what she is going through… Clark Kent… and his advice is this:

"For what it’s worth, there can be a balance between the man and superman, or woman as the case may be. I think that the best way to effect meaningful change is to work alongside people, rather than above them."

Dini and Ross present another look on what it means to be a hero, not a superhero, but just someone who strives to make a difference in the world. Diana’s superhuman powers do not define her… her passionate and loving nature do. This is very evident as both creators try to show us that her powers mean nothing without the heart that drives it.

Ross, as always, displays his marvelous artwork for all to behold through his paintings; he shows you what a superhero would look and feel like in the very world we live in. His work has definitely matured since his first stint on Marvels… he does justice to Wonder Woman.

Dini crafts yet another superbly, thoughtful tale, one that does make you think about what is happening all over the world but somehow seem to turn a blind eye towards. Everything is seen through Diana’s point of view which allows the reader to go through the same gamut of confusion, despair and understanding that befalls upon Diana as she goes through her journey to find her spirit of truth.

This version of Wonder Woman is homage to the many incarnations that have existed throughout her 60 years of existence. Yes, that’s right. Wonder Woman has been around since 1941, the most recognized female character in comic books to ever exist. But don’t mistake this as a "funny book" story; it’s not. The oversized format (10" x 13") is a strong indication that this is anything but a comic book.

It’s a source of truth.

"In truth, I am like the people of Man’s World — a being of contrasts and contradictions. And now that I have spent time among them, I realize that’s where I can continue to do the most good."
— Diana, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth


Product Details:
ISBN: 1563898616
Format: Paperback, 64pp
Pub. Date: November 2001
Publisher: DC Comics

Recommended: Yes