***Contains Spoilers***
“War of the Gods” promised an epic clash of divine proportions, with the Roman and Greek pantheons colliding as their age-old rivalries boiled over into the mortal world. At the center of it all is Wonder Woman, tasked with unraveling a conspiracy that threatens both humanity and the gods themselves. Meanwhile, the story sprawls across multiple tie-ins and involves a host of DC’s heroes and villains, adding to the chaos. On paper, this event sounds like it should be a mythological masterpiece, but in execution, it struggles to live up to its ambitions.
I’ll give credit where it’s due: the idea of Roman and Greek gods going head-to-head is undeniably cool. Seeing these mythological factions with centuries of history square off was one of the more creative concepts I’ve seen in DC Comics. It gave the story an ambitious scope, pulling Wonder Woman deeper into her mythological roots while also exploring how the gods’ conflicts ripple into the lives of mortals and superheroes alike. There were moments—particularly with Wonder Woman’s confrontations—that felt weighty and true to her character, offering glimpses of what this crossover could have been.
The artwork also deserves a mention. George Pérez, who spearheaded the event, poured a lot of detail into every page. The gods, in particular, looked majestic and imposing, which added to the mythological tone the story was aiming for. It’s clear a lot of care went into crafting the visual elements.
Unfortunately, the story itself was a mess. I found it incredibly difficult to follow. Maybe this would not have been the case with better knowledge of Wonder Woman’s mythology and the broader DC Universe. The narrative jumped between characters and events without enough context to make it all coherent. It felt like I was constantly missing pieces of the puzzle, and I suspect that’s because so much of the plot depended on reading the tie-ins scattered across multiple series. Without those, the main story felt incomplete and overly convoluted.
Even Wonder Woman, who is supposed to be the centerpiece of this event, didn’t feel as prominent as she should have. The sheer number of characters involved diluted the focus, making it hard to connect with the narrative on an emotional level. I wanted more of Wonder Woman’s perspective, her internal struggle, and her role as a bridge between the mortal and divine realms. Instead, she felt lost in the shuffle.
It didn’t help that the pacing was all over the place. One moment, the gods are locked in intense conflict, and the next, we’re jumping to a subplot with barely any explanation. The stakes were supposed to feel monumental, but the story’s disjointedness undermined its emotional impact.
“War of the Gods” had a fascinating premise and striking visuals, but the execution left much to be desired. The convoluted storytelling and reliance on tie-ins made it more frustrating than enjoyable, and it didn’t do justice to Wonder Woman as the central hero. While some cool moments are scattered throughout, they aren’t enough to warrant a second read. I’d recommend this one only to die-hard Wonder Woman fans or completists, but for me, it’s a 2-star read—I liked it, but I wouldn’t revisit it.
Feature Image The War of the Gods #4 cover art by Dick Giordano, Pablo Marcos, Frank McLaughlin, Alan Kupperburg, and Gordon Purcell