Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Wonder Woman

#43- Astarte, the till-now unseen aunt of Wonder Woman, is the main opponent, at least until we meet *her* daughter, Theana on the last page.

What do WW fans here think of these additions to Diana's family?

I haven't decided yet... I'd be more interested if it were Hippolyta's *other* sister who appeared.

For me the highlight was once again Achilles and his elephant... this time acting more like a superhero. With Etta as his scene-partner!?

I understand he's set to appear in OUTSIDERS, which has me disappointed, since *that* title isn't DC's greatest at the moment, to say the least.

Ah, well- hope springs and all that.

There's what- one or two more issues of Gail's run? JMS would ordinarily have me excited, until I saw his actual starting point. Themyscira once again destroyed. How original. I'm pretty sure the elements of the current supporting cast/milieu that I enjoy won't be around for much longer. Bye-bye Gorilla Knights and Achilles (once you survive the Outsiders)... have fun with the Minotaur butler and Wonder Boy and Merboy and Birdboy in WW limbo land.

What future limbo dwellers will JMS introduce?

Big news. Wonder Woman is getting pants and a whole new costume designed by Jim Lee. Plus, a mysterious new origin. I'm in. Of course, I'm almost as loyal to Wonder Woman as I am to the Legion. Here's hoping lots of other people check it out.

Very reminiscent of Diana's costume she wore while Artemis was temporarily WW, isn't it? Not sure how I feel about it at the moment, but I'm skeptical she'll wear it longterm. I suppose, though, you could say it's a little more...dignified?

I kind of like the costume, but not big on the new origin at all. It's somewhat ironic that they're eliminating all reference to the American flag in her outfit while at the same time making her less a foreigner.

Dunno what to think about her having a "new origin". I haven't read the article, but I'd hate to think they're rebooting the character somehow. I mean, there have been several 'soft' reboots (and a few hard ones) in the DCU after the initial post-Crisis reboots, but the bigger characters have mostly just had tweaks. I'd definitely be opposed to all of that great Perez foundation being buried.

I expect this to be a temporary thing anyway. Her whole mission is supposedly to fix the timestream so I imagine she'll eventually be back to normal, but with some of this newer stuff added. (which will then be dropped when another writer takes the reins)

I also don't like the outfit. The torso part isn't bad, but the jacket and bracelets that leave her initials (whaaa-aa-aat??) are not so good. From the preview pages, it looks like she's getting a serious downgrade in power as well. I wonder if JMS is just continuing some stuff he had in mind when he started "Thor."

Also, what happened with the previously released teaser image of manly-man Diana standing in the rubble of Paradise island? I thought that was supposed to be the launch of the new direction. (Or did that happen already?)

I understand DC's need to do something with Wonder Woman since it really feels like the charater is just floundering. JMS really nailed it when he said DC has treated Wonder Woman like "the ferrari that gets bought but only ever stays in the garage".

WW also has a great history of having her continuity completely dropped in order for a new one to take effect so her above all other superhero characters just seems naturally apt for something like this.

I guess at the end of the day, with Wonder Woman in particular 'right now', I just don't care all that much if they make massive changes to her. I just want the comic book to be good and get my interest.

I think the costume is cool but don't care if it lasts or doesn't. Her original is on the short list of classic superhero costumes and I love it but I don't mind a brief change.

Wonder Woman, like Aquaman (and Thor, and Namor) benefits from having a cool 'hidden land' built into her backstory, that can be mined for a completely different sort of storytelling than a standard superhero.

Walt Simonson took this to the logical conclusion with his run on Thor. JMS, IMO, is totally missing the boat here. Wonder Woman doesn't need to have Themiscrya destroyed, she needs to have it explored and expanded.

Has Aquaman benefitted from the half-dozen times that writers have blown up Atlantis to get him away from it and make him 'more accessible?' No. He's only suffered for it, and his potential as a character has floundered.

Taking away the rich mythological background elements of Diana that make her more than 'Captain Marvel-lite' or 'Superman with boobs' is a mistake, I think. Her powers keep getting redefined to make her more and more of a female Superman (or Shazam), but I feel that's a big failure. She needs to be a character in her own right, as different from Clark (and Bruce) as Hal or Barry or Ray, not just 'like him, but with girl-parts.' Turning her into yet another survivor of a destroyed culture or shattered family isn't 'new' or 'fresh,' it's dismissing her actual backstory in favor of Clark's or Bruces. If you want to write those stories, go write them with Clark or Bruce.

I like the costume, but not for her. It would look great on a new character, and it's a good picture, but Diana looks cooler in armor, IMO.

Making her an orphan from a destroyed land really does seem to make her a Superman-lite, doesn't it?

Reading the article, I don't think JMS is trying to divorce her from the mythological aspect at all. There's a heavy implication that the threat comes from Greek mythology (at least partly) and that the goal will be to either retake or re-establish Themyscira in the process. It reads like a longform or finite story that may ultimately result in the restoration of the status quo. I guess what it'll come down to is whether this epic alternate reality tale will be worthwhile in the long haul. If it's a story well told, I think it will, regardless of its longterm ramifications. The key here is will it be a story well told?

I get the analogy, but I would say that what JMS is doing is more like taking that ferrari, which is built for speed and having it jump over buses because he's tired of seeing it just go fast all the time. (hm, on second thought, I wouldn't mind seeing a ferrari jump some buses...)

I have iomages of Ferris Buellers Day Off in my head. Not the same car...but the analogy is there.

I think that DC needs a cartoon or movie of Wonder Woman to give interest, not a reboot. There is a huge market of females that don't read comics, but may love this character.

Wonder Woman #600 was an enjoyable issue. A lot of people were let down by last week's Superman #700, and its lack of bonus material. Wonder Woman, on the other hand, packs the bonus material in.

The Lynda Carter introduction is heartwarming. The issue contains some really nice pin ups by some of DC's best artists. George Perez provides pencils for Simone's farewell story. The return of some old friends. A funny story about Power Girl's cat. Good stuff.

All this, plus a new look and an unexpected new direction. I like the new look, and I'm already drawn into the new story line.

I'm going to admit I only bought this issue because of one of the colorists, not that I didn't want to, I was hoping for it.

I never really read Wonder Woman before, but I knew about Vanessa, Silver Swan, and I'm glad she got a happy ending. Gives me hope.

The biggest supporter of Wonder Woman's new look? Lynda Carter. She was pretty adamant about it too! I'd provide links but I'm lazy--you'll find it if you google it.

When I read the JMS interview, I did think he was trying to give her a more meaningful origin. Her refugee status is akin to Suplerman's. But it does sound like she's trying more to represent Amazon culture, keep it alive, perhaps even rebuild it and make it relevant in a modern world.

The costume doesn't seem all that iconic, very similar to Superboy and Wonder Girl. I doubt it will last, but I do think Diana needs something more to make readers take notice. this should do the trick.

To me, this all seems so temporary that it's hard to find the energy to get really worked up about it.

I'm sure that by the end of this alternative timeline story (or at least soon after it) Diana will be back in the origin and costume that we all know and (at least some of us) love.

I will say one thing for JMS's story here though - it sounds A LOT more intersting than the one he has coming up in Superman. I'm kinda wishing that I had added this book to my pull instead.

I agree, I haven't mustered up much of an opinion either way because it all feels so temporary, but I am interested in the whats & whys of JMS's plan and seeing fans lose their minds.

But let's be honest here. Everything about Wonder Woman ever has seemed so temporary that who really gives a crap? When was the last time someone gave her a set-up that felt like it'd stick? George Perez? That lasted what, 6 years tops?

But the revamp of both FLASH and GL feels very permanent. Maybe WW's time has come, without need for a Rebirth story. IF JMS can make Diana a big draw, and a temporary costume is needed for that, then bring it on.

I haven't read this yet but I have to wonder how this will impact Donna and Cassie...

Ceej, I'm in agreement with you. What I want more than anything is to feel like the stories right now matter. If JMS can recapture that, than I think its enough to get me on board.

(That and them being good of course, but I trust JMS on that front).

Agreed. A good story is a good story is a good story, I say. The question is: will it be a good story?

Serious question: Why is that important?


(Editor's note: Lardy's post above quotes a post I deleted in favor of quoting and responding to a later post. It happens.)

Hannah gave the new outfit the two thumbs up review. She likes it a lot. Guess that means it works on some level.