I have to ask one simple question. How many of you were reading Wonder Woman? In the last 5-10 years, comic fans, How many of you picked up Wonder Woman regularly? Really? I know a few people who were loyal readers. But, lets face it, In DC sales she is on the bottom of the list. She's not even the number one female character in the DC Universe anymore. I'd say Powergirl, Supergirl, Birds of Prey, Secret Six, and Teen Titans have much more popular female characters in their books than Wonder Woman in recent history.So I ask, "Why do people care so much that they are messing with her?" You weren't buying her books. You weren't watching the JLA cartoon to see what Wonder Woman would do next. Yes, the DC Universe Animated Wonder Woman movie rocked! But despite all this, Diana the Amazon has had little respect among the comic reading community. (Yes, I know there are a few exceptional people out there. I, myself have read Wonder Woman for many years. I've enjoyed Gail Simone's, Alan Heinberg, Jodi Picoult, and Greg Rucka's run on the title, but it never stays consistent. Every 6 months I find I wanted to drop it, then a new team would come in, and I'd give it another try. If money was tight, her book was the first one I would drop.)
But why are people so passionate that Wonder Woman is changing? Is it because she's a 68 plus year Icon? We'll I can tell you, her costume changed and evolved many times in her years. Some were met with a lot of distaste, too. The white 70's dance outfit, for example. Also, her costume changed in the mid-90's to black jump shorts and a little jacket then too. Her costume will keep changing. Its part of what has kept her around for so many years. Characters have to evolve. And I for one, really like the new look. I think its more practical and will lend itself to be more friendly when "movie" translation time roles around. Visually I really like it. But lets face people, When they changed Superman, to Electric Superman, or Long Hair Superman, Black Costume Spidey, or pointy Metal Daredevil, or Vulgarian Guy Gardner, Dead Captain America, or Gray Hulk, or Az bats, or maskless Wolverine, Bearded Thor, or All the Dark Avengers, or Artemis or Hippolita as Wonder Woman… they eventually come back to the look that inspired them in the first place. The classic Wonder Woman isn't gone…
Ok, I will concede that Joseph Michael Straczynski, (JMS) that isn't on my best writer list. The premise he is currently establishing in Superman is very frustrating. (See earlier posts to view my rants) I'm not sure why DC turned the reigns of so many projects over to JMS at this time. Was it that the current creative teams we're burned out? I don't know. But I really enjoyed his run on Thor and Supreme Powers was an incredible read. I'm willing to give the man a chance. (2 - 3 issues, max)
Last, I'm hearing comparisons to Spider-man's Brand New Day. Oh… that would be terrible, wouldn't it? The Best Spider-man story ever told? The best sales that Spider-man ever saw? The deepest character evolution and story building Peter has ever under gone. I loved "Brand New Day" and even got into a yelling match at a comic store over the validity of changing Peter's Marriage. And once again… I point out, He's slowly evolving back to Pre-"Brand New Day" continuity. Wonder Woman needed attention. Over the years, she has had flashes of great creators on her book. And they will boost readers and sales for a while. But, eventually those creators jump or are moved to a bigger name and leave Wonder Woman. Where she slumps back to mediocrity and the bottom of most pull lists.
These are comic book characters and I'm incredibly passionate about their treatment too. I've grown up loving both DC and Marvel and love to have these events befall my heroes. But do you really think DC would just throw away an Icon if they didn't have a plan? And even if the plan fails. Wonder Woman will be back. Writers are challenged all the time to come in a fix their icons. Geoff Johns has made a career at DC doing it.
People this is the most we've talked about her since she was on TV in the late 70's. How can this not be anything but good. Wonder Woman deserved some public attention. Lets give her a chance for a bit, ok? Even if you hate the story and the look. If you're not complaining or reading her title, she'll go away. Once people realize how rich a character she really is, then maybe the drastic changes won't NEED to be done in order to get you to read.
I have issues with these changes which I will try to save for the vidcast discussion but I will say that I'm not sure a loose-fitting jacket and a tank top are exactly "practical" but thank Hera she's wearing pants and no longer fighting crime in a speedo or a pair of spanx.
ReplyDelete(though it's pretty bad when the artist drawing the book gives her a lower-cut top than Jim "Belly-Button Window" Lee)
I think you're missing the point on the "Brand New Day" complaints, though. While I agree that what came out of Brand New Day were some of the best Spider-Man stories in years, what BND did was tweak history so that Peter and Mary Jane were never married. What JMS is doing in Wonder Woman is changing her origin entirely and rather than erase a marriage, seems to have erased her entire history with the DCU.
I haven't read the story yet and I dunno if it's been made clear just how far-reaching this is or what that means for the memories and history of the rest of the DCU but what it sounds like for now is a complete reboot of the character. A little more severe than a marriage.
Now, will it be good? That would be nice but gosh I don't know. JMS's batting average with me is not good.
Is it a good IDEA? Well, that's going to take some thought...
It's interesting to have so many people (and media outlets) suddenly give a crap about Wonder Woman.
Tracie, (I say this in all sincerity) there isn't a nerd I respect more than you, so it pains me to say this, but I think you missed my point.
ReplyDeleteDC did this sort of thing before with Superman, in 1986. And it was, at the time the best thing they could have done for him. Superman had become very stale and stagnet. Everyone (outside of comics) knew by heart his origins and story in general, and they stopped caring about him.
John Byrne's radical concept brought Superman back from the brink of Comic isolation and helped to re-establish him as the character he has become today.
Now I also haven't read the exact issue we are "arguing" about. But I stand up for the right and the timing of doing it. She needed something to keep her relevant. If it were you or I in the driver's seat. Sure we would have done something different. But, I respect the fact that DC cares enough about her to try. If the outcry is terrible, maybe those "new haters" will come back when she returns to her previous incarnations.
And as I pointed out... NOTHING is permant in comics. Superman is back to his original origins. We have many Kryptonians again. Bucky is back and we have the multi-verse in DC comics. If people don't like this Wonder Woman... she'll go back. All I'm saying is, I'll give it a try. And I hope those who weren't reading in the first place would put their money where their mouth was.
it doesn't both me at all.
ReplyDeleteI get what you're saying, Robb, and of course I acknowledge that everything is cyclical in mainstream comics. It actually does feel a lot like the Byrne Superman revamp you mention. I think it seems much more "Man of Steel" than "Brand New Day" as far as the scope of rewriting history.
ReplyDeleteI've not actually stated any opinion, though, (outside of the practicality of a jacket and tanktop) because I was saving that for our full blown Comicbook Crossfire discourse, when we record the next vidcast, so the "arguing" has not even commenced. I was just clarifying some of the points that I've seen among the Wonder Woman dissension.
I will say that we probably agree on more than you suspect but the actual execution of those elements is my biggest concern.
You're an actual execution of those elements! :) I know its unfair before the podcast. And since neither of us has read the ACTUAL book... so, TO BE CONTINUED!
ReplyDeleteI know I said I'd wait til after the podcast recording, but something popped in my head. This really is new ground when you look at it. Superman's Man of Steel took place in a "safe" time for a revamp. It happened right after the "crisis" and almost all of DC was seeing some similar new origins. Wonder Woman was included in this "new DC universe, when George Perez took over the title. So yes, Superman's revamp was controversal, but Batman had a new Year One with Frank Miller, The JLA had a new origin, minus the big 3. And Wonder Woman was freshly introduced to the JLA in a miniseries called "Legends".
ReplyDeleteBrand New Day takes place "in Marvel continuity" where the rest of the world still has it's origins intact. Only Spider-man and other's relation to Spidey are affect. Which if I'm understanding, is what happened to Diana. Which also makes me believe that like Brand New Day, its not permenant.
I also site when Wally made the deal with Spectre/Hal Jordan to wipe the Flash's identity from the world's mind. (including his own for a bit) Eventually the story arc fades and roles out and things get back to this new normal.
I don't really have a point, but for Wonder Woman to do something this radical... I'm excited to see if she jumps in sales and moves to the front of the DC class, where I feel she belongs.
Ah! I forgot about the time Wally had his identity erased. (Spectre got me) I agree, the way it's being done, and the open endedness of the way JMS describes it--where when Diana finds out what happened to her history, will she choose to keep living the life she's been given or go back to the way things were? All of that makes it very open to reversal when the next creative team comes on.
ReplyDeleteIt's all part and parcel of mainstream superhero comics, I just don't know if it something I want to read. If it brings new fans to Wonder Woman, though, then Zeus bless 'em. I agree she belongs at the head of the class with the rest of her supposed Trinity.