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| Wonder Woman v2 | ||||
| Issue # | 4 | |||
| Cover Date | May 1987 | |||
| * Release Date | February 5, 1987 | |||
| Previous Issue | Wonder Woman v2 #3 | |||
| Next Issue | Wonder Woman v2 #5 | |||
"A Long Day's Journey Into Fright!"
- Written by Len Wein, George Pérez
- Pencils: George Pérez
- Inks: Bruce D. Patterson
- Colors: Tatjana Wood
- Letters: John Costanza
Synopsis
Diana rescues Julia and the aged Vanessa from the crumbling building. Decay emerges from the rubble as a crowd of onlookers watch on in horror. Decay picks up Diana's tiara and wears it on her head, challenging Diana to take it from her as she flies off into the sky. Diana gives chase, promising Julia she will find a cure for Vanessa's affliction.
Meanwhile, Hermes and the goddesses of Olympus watch over Diana, questioning if they were right to trust Diana. Aphrodite bemoans her children's role in Diana's possible demise. The goddesses prepare to board Charon's ark into the Underworld.
Back in Hanscom Air Force Base, Etta Candy breaks into an office to investigate files regarding Steve Trevor and finds one relating to something called the "Ares Project". She takes pictures of the files, intending to show Steve, and on her way out she sees a television broadcast revealing that Decay has been flying over Boston, destroying everything in her path with her decaying breath. In addition, a manhunt is underway for "Killer Colonel" Steve Trevor.
In Boston Common, Decay nearly kills a group of people by destroying the foundations of the Boston Massacre Monument and causing it to topple onto them, before Diana swoops in and stops the monument from falling. News reporters catch Diana and Decay's fight on camera.
Diana and Decay engage in a battle, but Diana finds herself unable to fight against the monster's decaying touch. It is then that Diana remembers that her Golden Lasso is borne from Gaea, and thus is constantly renewing - immune to Decay's powers. She binds Decay with the lasso, which causes life energy to pour into Decay until she explodes into lifeless dust.
Diana takes her tiara from Decay's remains, and is suddenly crowded by paparazzi. Due to her still not speaking English, she is confused by their sudden aggression and flies off.
Back in Phobos and Deimos' realm, Deimos chases Phobos off a cliff while Phobos grovels and begs for forgiveness. As Phobos dangles off the cliff, Deimos lays into him on his impulsive and foolish nature before kicking him off. Phobos falls into a fountain of bile however, breaking his fall, as though Deimos would gladly kill his brother, he acknowledges that their father Ares still needs Phobos for the plan.
Back in Boston, Carole Bennett and various other staff of the Boston Globe-Leader brainstorm names for the mysterious superheroine. They settle on "Wonder Woman" based on the double W-shape on her chest, and publish the story about her battle with Decay.
Elsewhere in Boston, Steve Trevor and Etta Candy are in hiding when they spot Wonder Woman on the news, Steve recognises her as the woman who saved him and decides she is their biggest lead to find out what happened that night he crashed.
In the hospital, Vanessa still has not recovered from Decay's attack, and is still in a frail, elderly state. Julia resolves to help Diana fight whatever it is that's coming, declaring that it is her fight as well. As they study the amulet, Steve sneaks up on the building with a gun and Diana disarms him. As Steve explains himself, he hears Etta cry out from the car, and Diana, Julia, and Steve charge over to find Colonel Michaelis standing over Etta's unconscious body with a gun.