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In which I apologize for my absence and start talking individual icons!
Hey all. Sorry for the absence. School stuff, and I’ve been trying to figure out what to do for this column. Well, right now, since there’s a lot happening with individual characters, I figure I’ll discuss a few! We start with the Trinity, and since I’ve been on a Wondy kick lately, I’ll begin with the Trinity’s least used member, Wonder Woman!
I will not deny I absolutely adore Wonder Woman. It wasn’t always this way. At the beginning of my comic book fan journey, I was very ambivalent toward her. The costume didn’t thrill me, and she seemed boring and stiff, and wasn’t interested in being “told” that this was my female role model. Also, it was around the OYL relaunch, so the comics didn’t look that great. Part of me WANTED to like her…here was a chick that could stand toe to toe with Superman! The most well known superheroine of all time! But I didn’t see anything to like about her.
But Gail Simone was announced to write her series. I had read Gail’s Birds of Prey run at this point, and absolutely adored it…so I thought “Wow, Wonder Woman will be cool now!”
In preparation for the day, when I saw a Wonder Woman trade at the library, I grabbed it up. And I found I really liked it. It was “Eye of the Gorgon” by Greg Rucka, one of the best WW trades out there. I really loved the mix of badass Amazon Warrior, compassionate hero and random Greek mythology shenanigans with feminism added in. I’ve always been a sucker for Greek myth, because it is crackTASTIC and Athena is very cool. And Wonder Woman’s regal, tough, but loving personality won me over.
Since then, I have not only loved Gail’s Wonder Woman, but loved the works of Greg Rucka, George Perez and Darwyn Cooke’s portrayal of the character. I like that she’s sensible enough to kill when it’s needed. I like her lasso of truth and how glowy and powerful it is. I like her entire island of awesome warrior women. I like how she campaigns for equality and actually tries to FIX the problem instead of just beating up the bad guy. I like her invulnerable bracelets. I like how many elements of mythology are in her stories, and the cool mythological creatures and people she fights and meets. I like the epicness about her.
So why don’t more people like her? Her title does not sell nearly as well as Superman and Batman’s. She got like, one panel of being cool in Final Crisis. She doesn’t have a movie and never had a cartoon.
People argue with me it’s a weakness in the character. I don’t believe it. I believe it’s a weakness in promotion. Right now, Wonder Woman is in the middle of a huge (and very well done) arc and fighting her personal Doomsday. I do not see nearly as much advertising for this as I saw for New Krypton and Batman RIP, and in my humble opinion, it’s a much superior arc so far than those two turned out to be. DC complains that the sales don’t support a second title, but then basically doesn’t give the title the same exposure as Batman and Superman’s. She doesn’t get the same role in big events. She got a crappy and poorly planned relaunch after Infinite Crisis as opposed to Batman’s and Superman’s. I can’t find any Wondy George Perez trades past “Destiny Calling” even though I desperately want the rest of his run.
Most writers seem to think of her like Grant Morrison does:
NRAMA: Regarding the big legends of the DCU: Superman got his mini-event, Batman took on Darkseid, Flash tries to outrun death, Green Lantern overcomes granny . . . but Wonder Woman turns out to be Anti-Life Patient Zero and spends the bulk of the series as a disfigured thrall. Why does Wonder Woman not have a comparable moment in that context?
GM: I wondered about that myself. I love what Gail Simone (especially) and other writers have done to empower the Wonder Woman concept but I must admit I’ve always sensed something slightly bogus and troubling at its heart. When I dug into the roots of the character I found an uneasy melange of girl power, bondage and disturbed sexuality that has never been adequately dealt with or fully processed out to my mind. I’ve always felt there was something oddly artificial about Wonder Woman, something not like a woman at all.
First of all, nice back handed compliment to Gail there, Grant. “I love what you’re trying to do, but it’s bogus!”
And I love how he used girl power like a dirty word. We can’t have those girls thinking they have power! And of course it’s entirely impossible for girls to like bondage or enjoy sex! And how he gets to judge what’s “not like a woman at all”. Why isn’t she a woman? Because she’s strong? Because she doesn’t need a man to hold her up? And how the hell would you know, Grant, not having boobs at all yourself? Well, I’m a woman, and I say Wonder Woman is also. It’s part of her freaking name after all.
Writers complain Wondy has too many contradictions. Well, I’m sorry, so does Superman who represents humanity while not actually being human and Batman, who upholds the law in Gotham City by dressing like an animal and tying up people. You guys just don’t want to work hard enough to get the contradictions because she’s just some girl. Honestly, I think her contradictions make her interesting.
DC says Diana’s part of the Big Three of DC. They need to put their money where their mouth is. It’s not her character- after all, there’s a REASON she’s the world’s most famous superheroine, and it’s because she has appeal. But by not giving her any spotlight, DC’s losing her popularity. So for God’s sake, give her a damn movie- and make it a huge, well made, mythological, emotionally charged, action packed EPIC with good acting and directing, not a contemplation on how good she looks in her bathing suit.
There’s a reason I didn’t know Wonder Woman’s strengths before Gail Simone came along- because they weren’t sold to me. As long as everyone ignores her, nobody will see the worth of the character.
So move it or lose it, and don’t try to tell ME my heroine doesn’t cut it.
Responses to “CyberNev Sundays: The Wonder Woman edition”
on February 1st, 2009 at 2:50 pm said:
Mom Blogs – Blogs for Moms…
…
on February 1st, 2009 at 4:31 pm said:
When you’re talking about Darwyn Cooke’s work with her, are you referring to The New Frontier? Or is there some secret Wonder Woman project by Cooke that you’ve all been hiding from me?
Did you know Cooke pitched an all-ages Wonder Woman book to DC and they were all “GTFO NO”? Darn it :/
on February 1st, 2009 at 10:32 pm said:
I can see both sides to this.
My liking of Wonder Women is pretty much based in sentimentality – from watching the old Linda Carter show as a kid. I would pic up a current issue or back issue when the art work was good, and ignored the title when the art was less that eye catching.
I never really gave the stories one bit of consideration because, how to put this….The comic hasn’t ever been great, and might not ever be great – because ultimately Diane is NOT a women – she IS the best darn Transvestite the world has ever known.
Great stories are about people – identifiable / relatable people. And while I have NEVER met a girl or woman like Diane in – I have met some splendid drag queens/tranies who really could be her – ARE like her.
And that goes back to what Grant said about the origin of the character. She is the dream girl of a MAN – obsessed with truth and virtue – as Marston latter went on to invent a polygraph machine as well. From the get go – she has been an unrealistic invention – a supreme male fantasy.
In the late 1960’s DC saw her sales slip – and to trying to market the comic to young girls in the hip 60’s – they started a story arch where Diane lost her powers and title, and thusly some how decides to move to Swinging London, open a hip fashion boutique, and train under a Kung-Fu master. The story arch was widely criticized by feminists at the time because DC effectively took the only female super hero out there – and made her plain and ordinary. But In the few copies of this arch I have gotten my hands on – I have to say that it is hands down my favorite arch.
The covers are SO kitch in a KILL BILL meets Austin Powers sort of way – but just widely fantastic and fun. I find it easier to imagine a person taken out of the action of super powered crime fighting, and having to struggle to get into a “normal” life – especially as a woman. So how does one have the most positive impact in the world of man?
Open a fashion boutique (cause women need guidance on that shit – bitches are crazy, anorexia- anyone?), and train under a Kung Fu master to have power even as some one who is super powerless (like Batman) and kick some criminal ass in the alleys and Roof tops of London.
The Problem with Wonder Women is that she is in limbo between “perfect” and real. She is mortal, but perfectly virtue filled and virginal – and realistically that just doesn’t work.
It comes down to sex and strivings in a way.
Superman is the protector of humanity while actually being an alien. He has such laudable strivings. Attributable to his rural human upbringing. But he and Lois are in a relationship ie – getting some. And that keeps him real.
Batman has the core of his strivings in his childhood trauma – he NEEDS to seek out justice cause he feels it failed him as a kid. But Bruce Wane still gets some. Gets PLENTY.
And again – keeping it real.
But Diane – doesn’t.
What are the Amazon princess’s strivings?
And I DON’T mean her Charter.
Not that usual BS about being ambassador to the world of man in the sake of peace and hope.
What are HER PERSONAL STRIVINGS?
The stories have NEVER cut to the quick of that.
Instead – they make that tepid charter her strivings – and it is 2-dimensional – and THAT is why the stories are always weak.
With out that real depth – she is little more than a card board stand out.
a myth.
I suggest they either tap into her Humanity, her faith, or just make her inhuman and divine. Other wise she will stay in crap story limbo forever.
on February 2nd, 2009 at 2:31 pm said:
I’m not sure I can trust your rant when you can’t even get her name right…and I don’t get why upholding the values of your culture can’t be personal strivings.
And your transvestite thing really makes no freaking sense at all. Way to stereotype.
on February 2nd, 2009 at 2:31 pm said:
SQ-
Sadly, no. I was talking about New Frontier.
on February 2nd, 2009 at 3:13 pm said:
LOL,
I don’t know if I would trust my rant either, more rambling than rant.
Not enough vitriol.
thats what i get for web surfing at 3am, lol
The trany thing makes sense to me. WW doesn’t feel like a real woman. But like how a cross dresser doesn’t come off like a real woman – but a caricature of one.
take in a stage show – it may make more sense then.
on February 2nd, 2009 at 3:26 pm said:
Okaaaay. I don’t really see it, and the first person I ever kissed eventually turned into a transvestite, so I consider myself mildly experienced (and very unlucky).
She seems like a woman to me. Because women are very different and stuff.
on February 2nd, 2009 at 3:58 pm said:
Different from each other I mean, varied personalities, attitudes etc.
on February 4th, 2009 at 2:15 am said:
Women ARE very different.
But we’re all very human.
And ere last I recall – so were Amazons
( albeit – pius, and divinely favored – but human).
And WW just don’t really feel real I guess. – but then again – she isn’t ( i have to remind my self)! – she’s carved from friggen stone!
I think Alex Ross gets her down pact – stoney, stoic, unmovable in her absolute devotion and understanding of justice and civic ideals – to a point of being dangerously unreasonable perhaps.
When Ross does her – she is every bit the equal to Batman or Superman.
But I think a monthly title of that would get old fast. So the monthly has always sort of tetter tottered around in plot and character development. And it probably always will. But it would be great if they could do some Non-Standard- Universe, Non-code stuff with her.
on February 4th, 2009 at 9:51 am said:
See, you’re changing around. First you’re all “she’s a transvestite because she doesn’t act like a woman” and then “She’s not human”. Either you can’t make up your mind or you think that transvestites aren’t human, I very much doubt it’s the latter, but that’s the implication your argument gives.
Wonder Woman is very much supposed to be human- she has a body, and a soul and a brain. She was CLAY not stone, but according to a lot of old myth, we’re all clay, and that’s what Wondy riffs off of.
You haven’t given an EXAMPLE of how she’s “artificial” or “not human” in a way that’s not typically comic book-y. No superhero acts like a human. There is no human being on earth that acts like Batman or Superman- Superman isn’t even supposed to be human! Yet we accept them as IDEALS and fictional constructs- and that’s what Wonder Woman is, and what all superheroes are. So it doesn’t make sense to me. All superheroes are “artificial.”
And WW’s monthly is GREAT right now, and it’s been great in the past.
on February 4th, 2009 at 3:20 pm said:
I haven’t dug the monthly of late.
but it may be the art.
art goes along way.
I guess I just don’t see her as all that and bag of chips.
Wether the descriptive be “inhuman” or “not a believable female” (ie the transvestite remark) either way – I don’t BELIEVE in her.
(except in previous remarked occasion with Ross).
I do agree with your original point that she as a character doesn’t SEEM to get a full fair shake as the other “trinity” members.
BUT I also agree with Morrison – in that the character is intrinsically flawed from its onset – and that doesn’t leave a lot of room for growth, or great story telling.
I see it both ways.
It would be Great if they gave WW more attention,
BUT
I don’t really see how it would REALISTICALLY Help – as she really is not that well made a character – and there is only so much you can do in a “Code” comic book.
It is a doomed venture.
on February 4th, 2009 at 4:05 pm said:
But what d’you think is flawed with her conception?
I mean, she’s the most famous superheroine in the world. She’s a pop culture buzzword. She wouldn’t be so well known if there was something wrong with her character. There’s a REASON Gloria Steinhem chose her as the icon in Ms. Magazine, there’s a REASON she had a popular TV show in the seventies, there’s a reason she’s mentioned in shows, movies, songs and books entirely unrelated to comics.
Also, I and many other people like her. Maybe YOU just don’t like her concept. And that’s fine. But it doesn’t mean DC giving Wondy a fair shake is a doomed venture. How can you even know that, when DC has NEVER given her a fair shake.
She has tons of room for growth- like any character. And I’ve read great stories about her. So I disagree.
on February 4th, 2009 at 10:28 pm said:
LOl, oh god – one could write a term paper weighing the merits of WW as creature of literature, marketing construct, and timely feminist ideological canter piece.
But the skinny basically breaks down to marketing, and the evangelizing of a product/property.
Its like a chain – starting with her creation ( a 1950’s mix of w.a.s.p-ish and nationalistic ideals and comic book gimmickry) – which leads to the young babyboomers consuming the product and having a positive mental association with it.
This leads to WW having the 70’s TV show (as the market was ripe for Sci-fi, and she was a “bankable” – ie – recognizable character).
This leads to a whole other generation having all those warm fuzzy mental associations attached from childhood – which is why WW has remained a Title in circulation for some time.
At this point she is worth too much as a familiar property to drop all together. She is and established icon.
But just because something is established – that does not endow it infallibly with merit, artistically, socially, or otherwise.
So I stand by what I have said previously.
I excuse what sentiment I have from childhood for the character – and when asked if I feel if she is a relevant or worth while character in the here and now – I can’t say that I think she is.
But that is to me.
Again one could counter with the “the comic is meant for kids” and that changes the whole thing in its modern context.
But as an adult female that enjoys comic books in the here and now – I find WW lacking in anything to offer me as a reader.
on February 10th, 2009 at 10:33 am said:
Thank you for nicely articulating my exact feelings about Wonder Woman, DC, and Grant Morrison.
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