Wonder Woman ’77 Meets the Bionic Woman #1 Review

Wonder Woman ’77 Meets the Bionic Woman #1

Writer: Andy Mangels
Artist: Judit Tondora
Colourist: Michael Bartolo, Stuart Chaifetz
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski, Lois Buhalis
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: Dynamite

A review by Amelia Wellman

Party like it’s 1977 in this crossover event fans have wanted for decades but never thought possible! Diana Prince meets Jaime Sommers or is it that Wonder Woman meets The Bionic Woman? In this action-packed mini-series, the two television titans team up to fight a rogue cabal bent on wreaking havoc and stealing deadly weapons. Can CASTRA be stopped before their real targets are revealed and lives are lost? With super powers, bionic enhancements, surprise villains, and an invisible plane, just about anything is possible!

Wonder Woman ’77 Meets the Bionic Woman #1 is a crossover a long time in the making. Two kickass 1970s ladies, one supernaturally super-powered, the other scientifically super-powered, meeting up to take down a shadowy cabal of villains should be a good time. I say should because issue one, unfortunately, didn’t grab me right away. The pacing feels off as Mangels rushes to get the action started and dialogue is a bit stilted for the same reason.

My biggest problem was that the narrative seems to be following the Bionic Woman and her villains. Not having watched the original show, I was lost from the beginning of the issue with mentions of all the secret departments the Bionic Woman works for and the big reveal at the end of the comic had me feeling totally lost. If you’re going in for a Wonder Woman story or aren’t familiar with the Bionic Woman, you might be disappointed.

The art of Wonder Woman ’77 Meets the Bionic Woman #1 is soft and undetailed, like doodles in a sketchbook. The characters aren’t photorealistic but it doesn’t detract from the experience. The clothing and hair are spot on for the 1970s and Bartolo/ Chaifetz’s colours are bright and vibrant. Regrettably the action isn’t translated well and it seems like the product of a sparse script. No doubt Tondora was trying to emulate the style from either show with over the head flips and Wonder Woman deflecting bullets but it’s kind of murky and unclear exactly what’s happening at any given time.

The Verdict
I personally don’t think I’ll be continuing on with the Wonder Woman ’77 Meets the Bionic Woman crossover miniseries. I’m all about Wonder Woman, but I’ve never seen a single episode of the Bionic Woman. However, if you’re a fan of both these quintessential 1970’s series, Wonder Woman ’77 Meets the Bionic Woman might be worth putting on some flared pants and checking out.