Our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power.

[spookyhandle]

--Wonder Woman creator, William Moulton Marston

While poking around the internet I ran across this article about all the ways in which Wonder Woman fails to be a great superhero. It points to a similar article which is only worth reading if you really have it out for Wonder Woman--most of its examples of why Wonder Woman sucks are from the Golden

Comments

[princodark]

I will admit to not ever being a big fan of Wonder Woman...but then I was never a big fan of any of DC's "big three" (that being WW, Bats, and Supes). On the other hand what I've seen of her character in comics in recent years has been a very strong representation, much less cheesy, and much more open to having legitimate character flaws. Her costume is good, but I suppose it could do with a little improvement.

I think more of her personality and the direction the writers want to take her really comes out in her interaction with other heroes; even more so than how she deals with villains and such. Her training as an ambassador (which actually the amazons effectively "fired" her from that position because they felt that she failed) causes her to be both the voice of reason in some conflicts between heroes, and also the deliverer of tough love when someone needs it. The old Blue Beetle said it really well before he died in a crossover event a couple years ago:

"Here's the secret about Diana...we're all in love with her. We just can't help it."

[spookyhandle]

I think Diana/WW is a great character. But she's never been as big as Superman and Batman (no matter what DC tries to tell us), and I think a lot of that has to do with what I've said above.

Regarding her costume... it's not that her costume is any more revealing or ridiculous than most comic book heroines'. It's just that she started out (and is generally still written, if not drawn) as this great role model of feminine strength and beauty. I look at her next the revamped Catwoman (who is also a strong, but-still-sexual female figure in DC) and of the two, it's WW that makes me roll my eyes and think about the old stereotype of male comic artists who never got laid. Ever. There's just something wrong about that, you know?