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Wonder Woman #18 (of 1000000)

Creatures of the Dark / Awakenings
July 31st, 1988

Wonder Woman #18 (of 226)

Creatures of the Dark / Awakenings
July 31st, 1988

Publisher:
Number:
18 (of 226)
Name:
Creatures of the Dark / Awakenings
Aliases:
Cover date:
July 31st, 1988
Store date:
Unknown
cover

This book also contains a bonus issue called "Legend of the Amazons" which shows the up and coming writers and artists.

Zeus, Poseidon and Hades meet in a confined area where the remains of Chronus lie. After the three had killed their father, they hid the scroll called “The Olympian Pact”. Zeus comments on the pact, saying that the rule should be divided equally amongst the three of them, and it took a mortal woman to make him realise that. Hades corrects his brother, saying that Wonder Woman is no mere mortal as she has earned the respect amongst Man. The three brothers continue with the pact. Poseidon raises his trident, Hades his staff and Zeus with his sceptre and the symbols that represent their power come together and a new scroll is created, getting rid of the old one.

On the islands of Greece in a hospital, Julia, Vanessa, Stavros, a young boy and another man sit around Diana where she lays. A doctor comes in and tells Julia that she is healthy woman and that there is nothing wrong with her, but Julia is unconvinced as she felt how cold Diana was when she went to grab her as she fainted when passing by one of the islands. The doctor recommends prescribing drugs, but Diana refuses. He complies but he adds that she should rest. Vanessa then gives Diana her tiara and lasso, and tells Diana not to scare her like that again. The young boy asks Stavros whether he still believes in “Magia” and if it has been placed on Diana. The other man tells the young boy not to be so disrespectful in front of Diana. Julia introduces them as Mr. Theophillus Ventouras and his nephew, Demetrios. Julia continues on, saying that Ventouras is one of the wealthiest men. He tells Diana that he has been called down here for business, as a boy had been killed and some people are saying that “Magia” killed him. Vanessa asks what “Magia” is and he replies that is a curse and his nephew adds that it comes from that island that Diana fainted to. She is created from all things mystical yet she still exists in real life. Ventouras then invites them over for dinner as maybe they can solve the mystery of the island with his large collection of books. Diana accepts his invitation and a nurse outside her room is listening in. She exits the hospital and tells Mikos all she has heard. He thanks the nurse and tells her that his mistress will award her for her loyalty.

Not far away, a boy and a girl are sitting on a bench and have been listening in on the conversation that Katina, the girl, whispers to the boy, that Spiros, the nurse is working for the witch. Spiros pleads them to leave and extra careful, as the witch’s beast knows everything. Look at what happened to Paul in the meadow. Katina tells the boy that they must be very aware of their surroundings if they are to warn Diana. They look up to Mikos who is now a black hawk and flies back to the island. Once he is out of sight, they leave to make plans.

In the evening, Diana is at the dinner and is introduced to Agostos and Maria Deneiros and is honoured to meet Julia’s parents, but Maria reminds her that this is a Christian home. Julia apologises for her mother, but Diana understands. She tells Maria that their faiths have things in common: peace, understanding and love. Maria asks Diana if she is hungry and asks her to join her in the kitchen to help. Agostos wishes he was forty years younger and asks Diana if she enjoys fishing. He then puts on his coat and says to Stavros if they should go out in an hour to watch the boats. Agostos insists going to the tavern first, but Stavros promised Maria that he would not him wander. As they walk towards the car, Stavros notices that there is a note put under the wiper blade. He reads it, and he suddenly tells that Agostos that he has remembered an important engagement. Agostos asks if he can come along, but Stavros says no and sends him home and then drives off.

Mikos then is nearing the island where his mistress lives. He lands and takes the form as a human and makes his way inside. He tells her that Diana is foolish to learn the secrets of this island and she says that she is not surprised.

Back at Julia’s parent’s house, Diana is looking through an old family photo album while Julia is brushing her hair. She looks at one photo where Julia is young and she is sitting next to her brother and she says that since she came to Greece, she found that she has a lot more to learn about her friend. Julia tells of her brother, where she died in World War II fighting in the Greek Resistance. Her father and brother used to sail together, and after he died, Julia wanted to sail with her father, but it was never the same. Having a son in the family is very important as it continues the family name and now all Julia’s father does is sit and watch the boats all day. Diana replies that that is unfair as a female also bears the family name though Julia explains that when she and David were engaged, she decided to keep her maiden name, but the family went crazy over that, so she became Dr. Julia “Kapatelis” in order to keep peace, but she kept it after David died as a tribute. Julia then sees Diana’s eyes swelling with tears and she tells Diana that she has a great career, a great daughter and Diana and she feels she is all very lucky. Diana smiles and replies likewise.

In the village of Lodiros, Stavros knocks on the door of Gregori’s house. The door opens by itself and he feels a gun pointed to his head. By a candle, Gregori tells Katina not to be so melodramatic and Stavros asks him if the note is a death threat to Diana to his doing. Gregori replies that it is not a threat, but a warning: if Diana stays here, she will surely die. They have tried to warn Diana, but they have failed so far. Stavros accuses Gregori of twisting this story, but Gregori replies that it is true. At first, he didn’t believe it, but then when his friends were mauled and his leg got torn off, he then believed. Stavros asks what proof he has to show that this has something to do with Diana, and Gregori hands over a scroll that Stavros could decipher with his skills. It has been taken from the island and has been preserved as Stavros comments on it. Suddenly, they hear a gun fire outside and they find Spiros and another girl, Andrea, look into the undergrowth. Spiros tells them that they shot a cat with red eyes. Katina asks where the corpse is, but Spiros replies that they cannot find it. She then orders Spiros to go with Stavros and keep an eye on him. Maybe Stavros is truly a friend, but she cannot take any chances.

Later that day at Professor Christadoulodou's home, Stavros studies the scroll as Spiros watches over. He has discovered something: the alphabet that dates back to Minoan times and is similar to the Amazons’ language. Just then, the door bell rings and it’s Vanessa calling for Stavros.

Meanwhile, in the home of Theophilus Ventouras, Julia thanks him for the banquet. He replies that it is a shame that her daughter could not join her, but Julia explains that she was allowed to call Barry if she finished her holiday homework. They both enter the library and see Diana dressed in a toga, sitting at a desk with piles of books. They ask if Diana has discovered anything, and she replies that the island is owned by someone called Cassandra Colchis, and she is a wealthy recluse. Julia detects something in Diana’s voice and she replies that she keeps remembering the feeling that came over her when she passed the island and she asks if there is anyway to meet Miss Colchis, but she is apparently a firm believer in “private” property. Julia reassures Diana that the woman on the island is just a crazy lady and they both head back to Stavros’ to pick up Vanessa. As they depart, Ventouras turns to Mikos and tells him that the Amazon Princess is no longer a threat because she believes that all this talk about the witch is just superstition. When Diana leaves, the rebel will be weak on morale. Then, another man enters with Demitrios, dead in his arms. Ventouras hugs the lifeless boy in distraught as Mikos explains that he had been killed by one of the rebels called Spiros. Ventouras, with his eyes raging red yells that they will pay and summons the others to seek vengeance. He starts chanting a spell and all of a sudden, the people around town turn into wild beasts as a storm brews above the mysterious island. As they drive towards Stavros’ home, they hear a string of wild beasts and as they turn around the bend, they see his house on fire. Diana gets out of the car and flies into the blazing house and she calls out to them. She hears a weak voice call out to her.

Outside, Julia is anxious when Diana bursts out carrying a body. She lays Stavros to the ground, but Vanessa is no where to be seen but Stavros tells her that Vanessa managed to escape. There were also remains of a mauled boy who had been trampled by a horse but Julia replies that there are no horses around here. Diana tells Julia to take Stavros to the hospital and she removes the remains of her toga and underneath it is her costume. Julia realises that Diana had been expecting trouble and she watches Diana take to the air hearing her say that the witch is no myth! Wonder Woman prays that Vanessa is OK as she scans the ground below her. She spots a young girl waving her arm and she seems to be holding a scroll. She descends but Vanessa warns her when a huge hawk flies out and knocks Diana out of the sky and Vanessa rushes to see if she is alright. They then hear a voice, demanding that the scroll be handed over and they find themselves surrounded by beasts. The Centaur demands that the scroll be handed to them and Wonder Woman recognises that voice: it’s Ventouras! Wonder Woman quickly lays her lasso around Vanessa and herself and tells her to stay in the circle as it will protect her from these creatures. She then readies herself for battle and a string of shrieks are screamed out as she ploughs through the creatures. She tries to hold them back and they swarm around her, beating and clawing into her, when she has no choice and she goes full force. Then, a huge thunder strike hits her in the back and she falls to the ground motionless. She instructs to leave the girl, but they should bring Diana to her. Now, Diana will finally meet the witch, also known as Circe.

Notes:

  • "Creatures of the Dark" written and penciled by George Perez, inked by Dick Giordano, lettered by John Costanza and colored by Carl Gafford.
  • "Legend of the Amazons" "Awakenings" written by Dan Littleford, penciled by Palmer Worley, inked by Brian Thomas, lettered by Dan Mckinnon and colored by Danny Vozzo.

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