Helena Wayne 40th Anniversary: Wonder Woman #293 Review

Title: Wonder Woman #293
Story: Book Three: Countdown to Chaos
Characters: Wonder Woman (Diana Prince), Huntress (Helena Wayne), Power Girl (Kara Zor-L), Wonder Girl (Donna Troy), Starfire (Princess Koriand'r), Raven
Creators: Paul Levitz (writer), Roy Thomas (writer), Gene Colan (artist)
Publication Date: 30 June 1982
Available In: Digital

Summary: Following the attacks of Famine, Plague, and War on Earths 1, 2, and X, Death is the last of the four Horsemen left to appear. On Earth-1, Raven is met with an inexplicable intense pain and it is up to Starfire and Wonder Girl to help her. On Paradise Island, Donna's mother, Queen Hippolyta, and Paul Von Gunther of Science Island attempt to heal her using the purple healing ray, but trace the source of her pain to an alternate Earth--a world of immortals known as Earth-I. The Amazonian Queen realises she must send her daughter and Starfire to that alternate Earth to combat the problem there. On arrival, Starfire and Wonder Girl are met with the final Horseman--Death--whom they successfully fight and defeat.

Following the defeat of Death on Earth-I, the Adjudicator develops a weird fascination with the heroines who successfully defeated his apocalyptic creations. He decides to capture each of the heroines as specimens for further study. Trapped in the Adjudicator's spaceship, it is up to all of the heroines to work together and learn as much about their new enemy as possible to plan their own escape. If they don't get out on time, the Adjudicator could make them history along with their respective Earths!

Helena Wayne 40th Anniversary: Wonder Woman #292 Review

Title: Wonder Woman #292
Story: Book Two: Seven Against Oblivion
Characters: Wonder Woman (Diana Prince), Huntress (Helena Wayne), Power Girl (Kara Zor-L), Black Canary (Dinah Lance), Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Madame Xanadu, Lois Lane
Creators: Paul Levitz (writer), Roy Thomas (writer), Gene Colan (artist)
Publication Date: 31 May 1982
Available In: Digital

Summary: Following Wonder Woman and Zatanna's battle with Famine in Calcutta, India, the two women return to Washington DC where they meet with Pulitzer-winning journalist, Lois Lane, for a brief interview. Following the assault on Calcutta, Lois suspects the remaining three Horsemen of the Apocalypse won't be far behind and wants to know if Earth-1 should prepare for their arrival. Wonder Woman declines to comment further on the matter as a precaution against causing mass panic, which could potentially make the threat of the Adjudicator even worse.

On Earth-2, Black Canary solicits the help of Huntress and Power Girl of the Justice Society to fend off the remaining three Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Together they take on Plague who arrives in the Atlanta City of Earth-2's Georgia. The trio of women are able to stop Plague from causing further damage, but not without Power Girl getting sick in the process. Back on Earth-1, civilian Linda Danvers finds herself on the doorstep of Madame Xanadu at Wonder Woman's suggestion. The latter quickly deduces that the former is really Supergirl, and together they are transported to Earth-X where they assist the Phantom Lady in taking down the third Horseman known as War. Once again, the heroines are successful, but the danger isn't over yet. They still have Death--the last Horseman--to deal with!

Helena Wayne 40th Anniversary: Wonder Woman #291 Review

Title: Wonder Woman #291
Story: Book One: Judgement in Infinity
Characters: Wonder Woman (Diana Prince), Zatanna, Etta Candy
Creators: Paul Levitz (writer), Roy Thomas (writer), Gene Colan (artist)
Publication Date: 30 April 1982
Available In: Digital

Summary: A new extraterrestrial being has arrived on Earth-1's Washington DC, but he is not here to go on a tour of America's Capitol Hill. Instead, he is evaluating the Earth and all of its citizens. He wants to know if this planet (as well as its parallel counterparts) that is thriving with intelligent life and advanced civilisations is worth saving by unleashing the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse throughout the multiverse.

Wonder Woman is the first to respond to the emergency and learns a very disturbing truth about her new foe: this isn't the first time the extraterrestrial being known as the Adjudicator has attacked a planet thriving with intelligent life and advanced civilisations. He has a history of destroying such planets that have failed his test of "worthiness" and planet Earth is next. Wonder Woman realises she cannot fight this powerful villain alone and recruits not only the help of the Justice League, but also that of the Earth-2 Justice Society and any other heroes in the known multiverse!

Helena Wayne 40th Anniversary: Wonder Woman #307 Review

Title: Wonder Woman #307
Story: Side Effects
Characters: Huntress (Helena Wayne), Gary Minelli
Creators: Joey Cavalieri (writer), Michael Hernandez (artist)
Publication Date: 07 September 1983
Available In: Digital

Summary: The Huntress has successfully escaped the grasp of sinister researchers Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether. As the Huntress leaves the premises of Arkham Asylum with fellow inmate Gary Minelli, she finds herself succumbing to the side effects of the hallucinogenic drug Professor Fether shot her with. As her internalised fears consume her, the Huntress is made to confront her worst fear of all: the legacy of her parents. Will she forever operate in the shadow of her father? Or will she eventually give in to her own darkness the way her mother once did?

Helena Wayne 40th Anniversary, Another Open Letter to Geoff Johns

Dear Geoff Johns,

Today is my 31st birthday, but also Helena Wayne's 40th anniversary this year. While I don't expect DC to celebrate this milestone in the character's history just yet (at least not until her 50th anniversary in 2027), it's still a very serendipitous time to acknowledge that, given the promise of Rebirth to reclaim all of DC's history instead of rewriting it yet again.