I am opposed to a new costume being part of the “Something is wrong with Wonder Woman” theme that I heard last year. As I said a few weeks ago on the 3 Chicks cast, “the only thing wrong with Wonder Woman is that they keep trying to fix her.”
You might be surprised to hear this, because I rant about the Perez reboot and fervently wish they'd bring back her pre-Crisis male love interest, but DCW is right. There is nothing wrong with Wonder Woman. There is no reason we can't read great stories with the setup Perez gave her. I rave more about Marston and Kanigher reprints but I enjoyed the hell out of the Rucka and Simone runs. And as cheesy as the Byrne run was, it was still a blast. I liked reading Perez's stuff. I liked the William Messner-Loebs stuff. I.. Phil Jimenez had some okay moments.
And you know when I had the most fun with these writers? Not when they were tearing up the mythos (I am still super-pissed at Jiminez for offing Hippolyta and Perez for offing Hermes and removing so many pre-Crisis elements that worked), but when they were building the mythos. She does not need to be redefined all the time. There's plenty to write with there (Hell, I've got three different ways off the top of my head to bring back Steve and not change a damned thing about Diana's current setting--Yes, that's right, we can bring back love interest Steve and keep older Steve too if they get their heads out of their asses for once and remember they're writing a comic book) and plenty to work with. The strength of the stories relies on the skill of the writer, not something that's broken in her setup. If all your writer can do is raze the setting and start from scratch, find a new fucking writer.
"But it doesn't SELL" they whine. Yeah, because they don't ever push it like they do the crap that does. Because they don't aim it at women, the original intended audience for Wonder Woman.
Oh the bright side, it looks like they've wised up a bit. I don't know if I fully trust a variant, but it looks promising, doesn't it?
Ugh. The only thing that is wrong with her old costume is the ongoing pornification of it - it doesn't actually fit her body anymore. If exactly the same bustier/knickers/boots/bracelet combination was drawn actually covering her buttocks and breasts rather than looking like a thong and an inadequately sized boob-spilling tray, it would be great. Leave "sexy Wonder Woman" for Halloween and cons with "Sexy Robin" and "Sexy Supergirl".
ReplyDelete"But it doesn't SELL" they whine. Yeah, because they don't ever push it like they do the crap that does. Because they don't aim it at women, the original intended audience for Wonder Woman"
ReplyDeleteSo, in other words, women are complete idiots who aren't aware of the existence of the character Wonder Woman, the existence of comic book shops that sell wonder woman comics, the existence of book stores and libraries where you can easily find trades on wonder woman?
This is the same, lame excuse I hear all the time from militant fangirls with regards to the sales figures of female friendly comics.
Naturally it can't be that women just don't read it because they don't like the character. GASP! What? A woman doesn't like Gail Simones writing? Doesn't give a rats ass about Wonder Woman? IMPOSSIBLE!! What? The sales are crappy because women HISTORICALLY don't support GOOD comics aimed DIRECTLY AT THEM???!!
Yeah...that's the reality. Women don't support comics for women. Fangirls vilify someone like Levitz because he actually had the nerve to make the factually correct comment that chicks don't read superhero stuff as much as the dudes. Chicks don't even like hearing that from another chick, such as Trina Robbins(she's an actual smart person who acknowledges facts, unlike someone who's name rhymes with hagnell). Comments like that undermines the propaganda that women are 50 percent of the readership of western comics. You know that is utterly false, I know it, Levitz knows it, Robbins knows it, everyone knows it. Stop selling it, no ones buying it. Just like women aren't buying secret six, wonder woman, birds of prey, batgirl, etc, etc, etc.
Anon -- I pride myself on the ability to consider any rational argument.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get me something rational, rather than just reactionary fanboy fallacies that've been rebutted a few dozen times on this and other sites I'll be happy to consider it.