That series spotlighted the Gotham Police Department, and how their realistic protocols and corrupt bureaucracy were overshadowed by Batman and Gotham’s supervillains. Rucka explored similar “realism” with Ed Brubaker in Gotham Central around the same time. Wonder Woman: Down to Earth art by Drew Johnson. Down to Earth is even kickstarted by Diana publishing a book – Reflections: A Collections of Essays and Speeches – to help spread her mission of improvement and positivity.

Down to Earth is interested in the architecture that springs up around a superhero “activist” like Diana, not simply in her defeating supervillains, but also how her ideals are received. Unlike the secretive lairs of the Fortress of Solitude or the Batcave, Diana operates out of the Embassy as a “public superhero” and with a full supporting staff. The same dynamic is explored in Down to Earth, which foregrounds Wonder Woman’s “official” role as Themysciran Ambassador. Even here, Rucka was not abandoning Wonder Woman’s mythological background, but seeing how modern civilians would adapt towards the honourable codes that Diana embodies. Rucka’s first Wonder Woman story was the standalone graphic novel The Hiketeia, wherein a young woman from Gotham pledges an ancient oath for Diana’s protection. His Wonder Woman is not searching for her own identity, so much as opening it to the wider world. Not that Down to Earth isn’t an easy jumping-on point, as it introduces brand new supporting characters and story-threads for uninitiated readers. This is what Greg Rucka explored in his 2003-2006 run on Wonder Woman. By focussing upon first contact, such stories neglect how Wonder Woman transports her peaceful mission and mythological roots from Themyscira into the modern World of Man.

Yet, sequestering Wonder Woman in these mythological beginnings can have the side-effect of Diana Prince not venturing into the mainland. It often results in great stories, including George Perez’s reinvention, Gail Simone’s The Circle, Grant Morrison’s Earth One and Renae de Liz’s Legend of the Wonder Woman. But Wonder Woman has had her origins investigated more than most. Admittedly, this is common in many superhero comics, as authors seek some kind of Edenic purity through a blank-slate return to a character’s early days. Writers love returning to Wonder Woman’s roots. Colours by Trish Mulvihill (#195-197) & Richard and Tanya Horie (#198-200). Find out more and read other posts in this series. This post is part of A Year Of Wonder, How to Love Comics’ big celebration of Wonder Woman’s 80th anniversary.

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