Wonder Woman is defeated by the deadly new foe called "Genocide" while the Gods of Olympus return to their home, to find it horribly changed.

The stakes go higher in this issue which starts off a new story-arc involving the Gods, the Amazons and some new challenges for Princess Diana.

The tale balances out both the introspection and drama with straight-out action. Nemesis, who has come under suspicion for being Wonder Woman's boyfriend, finally has to fight to prove he is worthy of her. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman goes toe to toe in a ruined shopping mall with this new enemy called "Genocide"-- a baddie who proves to be more than her match.

It is good to see Wonder Woman being put to the test, especially since the readers are constantly being told what a great warrior she is. The cliffhanger ending, with the hero all punch-drunk and helpless, is genuinely scarey and also moving as the character is finally depicted as being out of her depth.

The villain is still a bit mysterious and looks more weird than terrifying but at least Genocide isn't simply another over-muscled, hulk-like monster which has become so common in comics. His ruthlessness and his victory over Wonder Woman are impressive but It remains to be seen if he deserves all the scarifying-hype that surrounds him.

The art is very lush, filling each panel with well-rounded detail, making it come alive. Yet some scenes are also rather static, as if they were clearly posed rather than showing figures in motion.

The lettering could use more work. The credits on page 2 are almost unreadable. The cover is also rather underwhelming. It looks like Wonder Woman asleep in front of a guy trying to disguise himself as a Christmas tree.