Hero Profile: Wonder Woman

Post number 100, who’d have thought that I’d stick with this for so long? And it seems fitting for post number 100 that I focus on perhaps the most well-known female Superhero, Wonder Woman. Like Batman and Superman, Wonder Woman has been one of DC’s longest running superheroes, but while Bruce and Clark’s backstories have stayed more or less the same, aside from Superman’s powers being reduced, Diana Prince’s backstory has been reworked a few times. I’ll be focusing on the “modern” story.

I think the Lasso freaks me out
more than the sword.

Diana is an Amazon, a race of warrior women that are charged with promoting peace, and protecting the secret doorway to Pandora’s Box. Apparently there are a few terrible, horrible abominations locked inside, so it’s probably best that they focused more on the Box than the whole peace thing for the first 3000 years. Things were relatively peaceful for the Amazons, barring one incident with Hercules that forced them to relocate to an Island in the middle of the ocean. The Amazon’s were ruled by Hippolyta, a powerful queen whom had the blessings of the Greek Gods, but also suffered from an ancient ache. Apparently she’d miscarried centuries ago, something that she’d never really gotten over and something that on an island populated only with women she couldn’t…rectify the issue with another child. As a reward for her centuries of service, the Gods told Hippolyta via an Oracle (Your go to gal doesn’t get a direct line? What is this madness) to sculpt a child from clay. Hippolyta did so with gusto, and the child she’d crafted was given life and power from the Gods. The baby, named Diana, was given the strength of Demeter, wisdom of Athena, Hunter’s skill and unity with beasts from Artemis, kinship (whatever that means) with fire and lie detection from Hestia, and speed and flight from Hermes. Oh and Beauty from Aphrodite, I mention that one last only because Aphrodite seems to had that one out like she gets a tax exemption for it. Also, Zeus, Hera, you two couldn’t be bothered to throw in a little too? Or was your permission your gift? If so, Dick move Zeus and Hera.

Is it so wrong to give her pants?

Anyway, as the only child born on Themyscira…ever, Diana was more or less raised communally by the 3,000 Amazonians that made the island their home. She was trained in all manner of combat and scholarship, though she was never allowed to stray far from Hippolyta’s watchful eye. Coincidentally, just after Diana reached adulthood, the God’s called a contest to determine the greatest warrior on Themyscira to fight off Ares. Apparently he was trying to start World War Three, and simultaneously prove that Athena isn’t a better War God than he.  Ares, buddy, that ship set sail with the battle of Troy. Let it go. All Amazon’s were required to participate, except Diana, whom Hippolyta forbid from participating. Hippolyta, more like Hypocrite, (drum noises). Diana disguised herself and participated anyway. She bested her Sisters, and for her efforts was given silver bracelets, an indestructible tiara, and that magic lasso that makes people tell the truth. Most random prizes, ever!

Diana, along with a few allies she’d picked up along the way, defeated the monstrous sons that Ares’ had sired since the ancient Greek days, and then stopped the mad God from launching a bunch of nukes that would have assuredly kick started World War Three. Better luck next time Ares. Since then Diana has done her best to spread peace and Amazonian ideals, gathering her own Rogues Gallery as she went. Among the founding members of the Justice League, she’s considered one of the most important three. The Big Three, if you would, alongside Superman and Batman. Unlike Superman and Batman, however, Diana has in more recent stories not been above using Deadly Force when she feels it’s necessary. Hey, she was raised by Ancient Greeks, their punishments after death make the whole modern Hell concept seem light. Don’t believe me? Look up Sisyphus and Tantalus and tell me how being stuck with a hot poker compares to their eternal punishments.

A step or two in the right direction, though my qualms
stand.

As stated above, most of Diana’s powers stem from either her Amazonian heritage or from the blessings of the Gods present at her creation. She’s incredibly strong, and resistant to damage. Not on Kryptonian levels, mind you, but she can take significantly more damage than your average human. She’s fast enough to use her bracelets to block bullets, and she can whip her Tiara like a boomerang. Modern telling’s say that it’s edges are razor sharp, so you’d be cut as well as concussed if hit by it. Her most powerful and unique weapon would be her Lasso, which forces people to tell the truth and is nearly indestructible. Suddenly even Superman would have to be wary of the dreaded “Does this (article of clothing) make me look fat?” question. She’s more recently gotten a sword made by Hephaestus, the God of Smiths and God Smith, that is sharp enough to slice the electrons off an atom. Damn. Her semi-divinity also makes here very resistant to mystical forms of attack or coercion. She’s also bested Batman in hand-to-hand combat. I’ll just let that one sink in.

Oh, and she sometimes has this invisible plane. No idea why or how.

Now, I once again feel compelled to discuss her costume. I promise, this will be one of the last times. I’ll have a few things to say about Supergirl too when I get to her. Wonder Woman’s costume makes no sense. It’s a swimsuit with boots and bracelets. What the heck? Granted, Diana is one of those superhumans that I could technically give a pass too, her incredibly resistant body would mean that her exposed skin wasn’t really in any danger. Except it is. She grew up training with Women of comparable strength and durability. Warrior women that, I might add, I think would take serious issue with Diana leaving her thighs and shoulders exposed. Not because of modesty, the ancient Greeks didn’t seem to have any, but because it leaves the femoral artery in her legs and the brachial artery in her arms exposed. Cut the femoral artery, even just a tiny bit, and anyone that follows the usual human rule of “Blood loss is bad” will die in MINUTES.  Not something that largely invulnerable demi-gods, especially ones with overprotective mothers, would allow. Not going to address the cleavage issue again. Other to say that there is said issue. There, I’m off my soap box.

Wonder Woman has appeared in a number of different DC franchise, though her appearance has been spottier than say Superman’s, due to some complications of rights to the character. Which is kind of a good and bad. Bad, in that it'd be nice to see her a little more often. But Good, in that the reason she couldn't be used is due to attempts to get her a movie.

This version is into Batman, comic version
is into Superman now, Flash Point version is
into Aquaman. Serial Workplace Dater.

Her first major appearance in a number of years was in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited TV series, running from 2001-06. They use the isolationist habits of the Amazonians to explain the big question, “Why the heck haven’t we seen her before now?” She starts off as and “innocent” character, ignorant of how a world with two genders operates. I say innocent meaning she’s clueless, Diana scraps with the best of them. She and Batman have an interesting relationship. It’s made rather clear early on that Diana is interested in Bruce, but Bats doesn’t let anything on until she’s apparently crushed by a missile. Hide your mud covered hands all you want Batman, we all saw you try to dig her out. The only other real difference from her comics is that her lasso doesn’t force the truth out of people until well into the Unlimited series run.

She also appeared in the Young Justice TV series, though she didn’t have much to do. Her own sidekick Wonder Girl wasn’t introduced until the second season. Until then, her only real major contribution is in the episode Agendas where she chastises Bruce, no romantic feelings this time Bats, for recruiting Robin before he was even in his teens, and tried to have Shazam suspended for not mentioning the whole being-ten-years-old thing.

Wonder Woman was a central character, though her name didn’t appear in the title, of Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. In this adaptation of Superman/Batman: The Supergirl from Krypton story, she more or less forces Superman to let her train his new found cousin Kara Zor-El in using her powers effectively. She and the Amazon’s help fight off an army of Doomsday clones that attack Themyscira as a diversion for Darkseid to capture Supergirl. She travels with the Sups and Bats to Apokalips, along with Barda the former Captain of the Furies whom Kara is being forced to replace. It’s a good movie.

Wonder Woman is also seen in Justice League: Doom. Her nemesis Cheetah is recruited by Vandal Savage to eliminate Wonder Woman using Batman’s emergency contingency plan. The plan is rather simple, Cheetah scratches Wonder Woman with her claws. Her claws were coated in a number of nanobots that then attack the parts of Wonder Woman’s brain that interpret visual and audio stimuli. The end result, everyone she sees looks like Cheetah. Now, not being one to step down from a fight, Batman and Savage assume that Wonder Woman will keep fighting until she passes out from exhaustion. Simple (sort of) but effective.

Most terrifying group of women, ever.

The last appearance I will mention is in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Mostly because it’s a significant departure from the Diana Prince I’m used to seeing.  In it, the Flash had made the bad call to travel back in time to save his mother from being murdered. The unintended consequences of that action being that a number of heroes had their origins rewritten because the Flash broke the "time barrier," Flash included. In the new timeline, Diana is Queen of the Amazons, her mother having died off-screen. She first meets Aquaman, and men in general, as leader of the Atlantians. The two hit it off well, a little too well if you ask Aquaman’s wife, Mera. Yeah, she saw everything. Rather than confronting her husband about his affair, she goes after Diana. With a sword. Things do not end well for Queen Mera. Her head is put on a pike, and Diana wears her crown like a trophy. This prompts Aquaman to wage war on Themyscira, which kind of destroys Europe. Interested? Watch the movie. 

Okay, one more. Actress Gal Gadot will be portraying Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the sort of Man of Steel sequel, sort of Justice League prequel due out sometime next year. I know nothing else, but hopefully it'll be a good flick.

Again, like Superman, Wonder Woman isn’t one of my favorite characters but she is definitely one that I have a healthy respect for. She is one of the first, if not the first, female Superhero which does earn her a lot of points with me. Not just because she’s one of the first, but also because she’s been around for so long and is still being used. They even try to update her story every now and then to better reflect the times in which we live in. That’s a pretty big step up from Batman, whose parents are still dead, and Superman, whose planet is still mostly dead. She’s strong enough to take Superman head on, she’s skilled enough to out-fight Batman, and she’s more resistant to Magic than either of them. Way to beat the boys Diana. While I have issues with some aspects of her design, I’d still say she is a decent character for young girls or boys to look into. She’s the Amazing Amazonian, the Glorious Greek Gladiator, the Wondrous Wonder Woman.  Next time; Bananananananananana Batgirl.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman

http://www.comicvine.com/forums/wonder-woman-179/wonder-woman-pants-or-panties-1473372/?page=2

 http://smallville.wikia.com/wiki/File:Justice-League-War-Wonder-Woman-300x300.jpg

 http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Wonder_Woman

 http://theflash.wikia.com/wiki/File:Wonder_Woman_and_The_Amazons_Justice_League_The_Flashpoint_Paradox.jpg