As you've probably already heard, J. Michael Straczynski is stepping down from his writing duties on Wonder Woman. I'm sure there are dozens of snarky jokes I could make here, but I won't. Yes, I would have liked to see JMS – and other Super Famous Big Name Writers – finish the story he started, but it's comics and this kind of thing happens.
So instead of whining, I thought I'd be a bit more constructive. May I humbly present my plan for Wonder Woman if I were Goddess of the Universe.
Give Her Some Moxie!
Let's just jump in, shall we? I recently read Wonder Woman Chronicles, Volume 1. Aside from pining over Steve Trevor and her willingness to just go along with being tied up all the time, I really liked this Wonder Woman. She had personality, she had moxie, and she was fun to read. There was a lot of punching bad guys and some great wise-cracks in the old books. And it made Diana likeable.
I think what people get stuck on is the iconic-ness of Wonder Woman – both as an Amazon Princess and as the most prominent female superhero in all of comics. Diana is revered by both the characters in, and the readers of, her books. But that doesn't mean she should be stodgy and dull. You can be respectful of the character and still give her a bit of levity. When Gail Simone was writing the book, she playrd around with this. I'm not sure she got the balance of humor down just right, but she was really close. I never had an issue with Wonder Woman's characterization when Simone was on the title.
Let Wonder Woman Be Wonder Woman
Another thing people tend to do is view Wonder Woman as "a female version of Superman" or a "female version of Thor". Let Wonder Woman be Wonder Woman. What makes her fantastic is that she's her own character – she's not a legacy or a sidekick. She's the definition of a strong, smart, independent woman – she doesn't need to be written like a guy with boobs.
Sidebar: I get the whole adjusting to Man's Modern World thing. But the truth is, she's been living here for a while now, and she's brilliant, and a diplomat. Diana knows how to carry herself. She's past the fish-out-of-water stuff. Wonder Woman may not be pop culture savvy, but she certainly knows how to use the DC Metro turnstiles.
Sidebar, sidebar: Diana's also really smart. Like, genius smart. She invented the Purple Ray – bet you didn't know that! I'd love to see her really use her wits or get her SCIENCE on every once in a while.
Even Wonder Woman Needs Friends
Wonder Woman works really well when she's part of a team. Most of my favorite incarnations of Diana are when she's part of a powerhouse line-up (Bruce Timm's Justice League, New Frontier, Super Friends). But in her own title, she's usually flying solo. I'd love to see her supporting cast fleshed out a bit. I don't mean adding more characters, but give her existing ensemble more character development. Mostly, I'm talking about Etta Candy.
Etta is a great foil to Wonder Woman – I think a straight woman/funny woman dynamic between the two of them would be fantastic. And I love seeing a strong female friendship in a book (see also Power Girl and Terra) and if you add some witty back-and-forth (see also Steph Brown and Barbara Gordon) you've got some much needed awesomeness. I think Diana and Etta's relationship is defined well enough that you could just take this dynamicand run with it.
And don't forget about Cassie and Donna. Or even Steve Trevor. She doesn't need a huge cast, just few touchstones to make her a bit more relatable.
Event Fatigue!
I understand Wonder Woman is a flagship property. I know DC is trying to make her exciting and use her to bring in more readers. They are in the business of selling comic books, so they need to, you know, sell comics. But in the three years I've been reading the comic books, two Big Name Writers have been brought in to "fix" Wonder Woman, and both times the writers have left the book before they could finish their stories. We'll see what happens with the transition from J. Michael Straczynski to Phil Hester (I'm more optimistic than not). But I think we all know how well things went when Heinberg left Wonder Woman. And I think it's pretty safe to say a lot of people would be happier if we pretended Amazons Attack didn't happen.
Maybe it's time to leave well enough alone. Wonder Woman doesn't need a revamp, it needs consistent, solid storytelling. It needs some one-and-done stories that aren't laden with continuity so new readers have the option to jump on when they want to. Make the stories good and the readers will stay. But the book needs a chance to stretch its legs and grow an audience before things get turned upside down again.
The truth is Wonder Woman is not a top selling book. I hate that it's not, but you can't deny the fact that her numbers will never be as high as the Bat books or the Superman books. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have a strong audience or that she doesn't deserve a good book. Look at Jonah Hex. Comparatively speaking, the book does not sell particularly well. But it has a consistent audience and a fantastic writing team. It's a solid book that's gotten enough critical acclaim and buzz to get it's own movie (say what you will about Hollywood clamoring over comic properties, but Jonah Hex got made and Wonder Woman is still spinning in the Seventh Circle of Development Hell…. and yes I know David E. Kelly is "attached" to a pilot for a Wonder Woman TV show, but talk to me when there's actually a pilot being filmed).
Anyway!
There are a few books floating around DC with the one-and-down model. They're fun and very conducive to new readers. You don't have to worry about a storyline that's been driving the book since it's last major event. You can pick it up and have some fun with it. I think, more than anything, Wonder Woman as a title needs a chance to find its own footing. It doesn't need to be shaken up or rebooted or stripped down and built back up. It just needs to be good.
Like I said, let Wonder Woman be Wonder Woman. From there she can evolve into her own thing and just maybe that long overdue definitive Diana story will come naturally. Goddesses know she deserves it.
Ali Colluccio spends way too much time thinking about Wonder Woman (she spends even more time on Twitter). You can listen to her rantings and ramblings about Diana's adventures on the Invisible Jetcast.
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Great job! Lots of wonderful ideas here. I remember reading ‘Power Girl’ and wondering why they couldn’t find a creative team to devote that much love and thought and talent to ‘Wonder Woman.’ I think some of it has to do with the idea that the book has to be a huge revamp, rather than focusing on just telling a good story that works for the characters.
Let Ali be Ali! Wow! Love the article! Seriously, I liked it. Enjoyable, and great thoughts.
@ohcaroline – it’s possible that I just *really* miss the Palmiotti/Gray/Conner Power Girl and am projecting it on Wonder Woman. But I really think it would work.
@powerdad – THANKS!
I like all of these suggestions. The one advantage to Wonder Woman’s Brand Status is thatshe will prehe sumably always have a book. So a slow burn might help. Also, maybe a miiseries or two, to ressart the fundementals of her character.
Rucka’s work aside, I’ve enjoyed Wonder Woman’s media incarnations, Linda Carter, The Timm Verse, the DC DIRECT thing and that speaks to your back to basics approach.
I thik the key point Ali makes is that DC should have reasonable expectations from a WW book. The comparison to Jonah Hex makes a lot of sense. WW is not going to be a top 10 book, let her find a consistent audience and just tell good WW stories. She didn’t need a reboot, or makeover .
I think Gail Simone, Rucka and Heinberg did that in their various runs.
I suppose I’m kinda of the "target audience" for WW. I collect comics (which is a good start), I don’t have any past experience with the character to judge a new writer by, and I like books with strong female leads. I was half tempted by JMS’s run, I was going to get the trade. I won’t both now, I’m sure Phil Hester will be fine, but they should scrap JMS’s story and let Hester do his own thing.
To get me to read Wonder Woman, I’d need a big name. I can think of two people who could get me on this book, both highly unlikely (Joss Whedon and BKV), and they’d be a great artist too. I did see the recent Wonder Woman animated movie and I like it. Are there any trades in that theme, I might go try one.
Interesting article. I’d love to see Wonder Woman become a top selling book and for the character to receive the attention she deserves.
Put that Power Girl team on the book and I’d buy it.
I was at a panel where Dan Didio said that the problem with Wonder Woman was that the perception of her was that she was perfect and that it was difficult to have an interesting story about anything perfect. And I thought to myself, "So why not screw her up a little bit?" I’m not talking brutally murdering Max Lord but small things to show that she has some humanity. I also think the whole Amazon Warrior aspect of the character has been overblown to the point where the Wonder and the Woman have been lost.
Great article with very nice suggestions. Here’s to hoping Phil Hester follows some of these ideas.
I’ve really only read the Rucka run of WONDER WOMAN, but if I remember correctly he did do some of the things you advocate, Ali. He gave her a supporting cast including a minotaur chef named Ferdinand, which was fun. If I recall, there weren’t tons of big ol’ events, though I think the INFINITE CRISIS death-of-Maxwell-Lord thing happened near the end of Rucka’s run. Still, anyone looking for good Diana stuff should check out that run.
You bring up some good points. I’ve never read Wonder Woman, but I did like her in New Frontier and some of the other things she has been a part of. I would love to read her book, but I never really hear anything good about it.
I did NOT know that Diana invented the Purple Ray. This has been educational.
I have attempted, twice, to start reading a book focused on Wonder Woman. I love the links to classic myth, the fact that she stands slightly apart from the ret of universe and she has some naturally awesome powers. However, no one seems to write her with any colloquial balls. It may or may not be a very popular opinion amongst WW fans, but when she killed Maxwell Lord I took notice. Now I do not want her to turn into a DC version of She-punisher but it was great that she was doing something strong, fierce and powerful. So often, for a character with obvious ties to epic myth, her stories feel pedestrian. I really hope she has a good run soon, but until I hear that she is great consistently… I will remain reticent.
Great article, Ali. I agree with John about your Jonah Hex comparison. I think that’d be great way to generate interest in a WW book. If the stories are good and buzz gets about then I think the audience will grow.
Also, it’d be awesome to see Jimmy and Justin on a Wonder Woman book.
Most of this stuff… easier said than done. However, I agree Diana’s supporting cast needs to become fixtures in her life so they can rise to the same level of familiarity or iconic status as Alfred, Jimmy, etc.
I can’t believe I’m just thinking of this now but how awesome would a My Boyfriend Thor-style Wonder Woman book be?!?!?!
Nice insight. Totally agree. My favorite WW writers (Perez, Jimenez, Rucka, Simone) were always consistent and not too flashy with events and such.
I’d also love to see Lopresti back on WW. His WW is my favorite in recent years.
I like Nieseman’s idea of putting WW in charge of the JLA.
Get Grant Morrison on the title!!!
A lot of points remind me of when Greg Rucka wrote it.
Nice points, Ali. I definitely agree with your point on developing her supporting characters.
I would also add that writers should stop using the same villains over and over agiain. How many times have we seen Wonder Woman fight Ares and Circe? What about her other villains? Granted, I know many people don’t think Wonder Woman has a good rogues gallery, but I think she has a great rogue gallery. Her villains have good variety and are incredibly interesting, if written properly. Her other villains need more character development and be shown as actual threats.
Great ideas. Here’s another. Cancel this book and just leave her alone for awhile. It seems people want to ram her down our throat as readers. Some of us are just not intrested in her showing up in every book we read. Relax DC we love her and want her to be important but maybe she is not right now.
@ccarney I think DC is obligated to put out a Wonder Woman title
@bigben2012 That’s been disproved by one of the Comic Book Legends Revealed from the website, Comic Book Resources.
I think that the problem with the Wonder Woman franchise is that the supporting cast and the villains are so ill defined. Wondergirl and Donna Troy are Wonder Woman’s answer to Robin and Nightwing but they hardly ever show up in the book. I think that removing Steve Trevor as Wonder Woman’s primary love interest is also a mistake. Thats like taking Lois Lane out of the picture in the Superman books. Wonder Woman’s Villains also need some definition. Sure Aries , Circe and Cheetah are top class, but some of the others need some work. Show use how these villains are believable threats the Diana.
@TheGoose Wow, I did not know that. Care to link me to that article?
@bigben2012 Here ya go: http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2005/06/03/comic-book-urban-legend-revealed-1/
Look at the third and last urban legend for it.
I would recommend that DC try to develop a decent rogue’s gallery for her. Many top tier heroes have a solid stable of villains. Who does WW have? Cheetah? Giganta?
The Joker has helped to define Bats. Same with Lex and Supes. The Flash has Mr. Snart and buddies. A good antagonist will usually make the hero more interesting, complex and multi-dimensional.
she has some good villains zenman, Circe and Ares are both good villains.
I’m very much hoping that JMS’s recent statements are true and the new writers will keep with his story. Because its doing exactly what posters are suggesting. ‘Mess her up’. Bring her down to earth. And he’s given her truly scary opponents to battle by the simple expedient of remembering that Greek mythology has far more monsters and beings than the WW books have ever bothered to use.
And as a major selling point to new readers; the new WW world and character are very much in the vein of the modern urban fantasy novel. A genre which is highly popular. And largely fronted by powerful female characters. Take a stroll down the fantasy aisle, or romance as the type is popular there too, of any large book store and you’ll quickly find proof of a very large potential audience for Wonder Woman.
My wife was very disappointed at the JMS news. She and I were loving the story.
Some good ideas here. You hit the nail on the head with the supporting cast suggestion and the slow burn suggestion. They go hand in hand a far as I’m concerned. Get a dedicated team on the book. Diana doesn’t really need a radical new direction. She just needs a direction. Build a supporting cast. Expand the rogues gallery. Give her some flaws for crissakes. There’s not a single comic fan that won’t jump on a good WW series. We all want her to do well. We’re just waiting for it to happen.
WW needs the gallery of foes to build her up. I dove into the WW arc based on the fact of JMS was revovling it around the mythology, which has started off really good. Even if the title went to one issue format with the occasional multi issue story, it would still need some type of cast to help challenge her. Most material is based off mythology anyway, so there is plenty to utilize.
I only ever read that Infinite Crisis issue where supes and ww came to blows, and that was a good story. Maybe she needs an Earth-One storyline or some "new" origin. I don’t mean that as to throw away all the stuff from before but maybe done in the same way as JLA: Year One, Superman Birthright or Green Lantern Secret Origin. (I haven’t read JMS run so I don’t know whether that’s what he was doing, but it didn’t sound like it). Something you can give to someone like me and say"this" is wonder woman. I hate to say it, but I’d get Geoff Johns.
What they need to do is a WW Rebirth type of miniseries that clearly defines who she is, wipes the slate clean of all the muddied continuity and presents a clear path for her future. Finally don’t make her so serious. Make her and her book fun.
The serious nature of wonder woman I actually find fascinating in a weird way, like how she was depicted a bit in All Star Batman ("out of the way sperm bank!"), but also things like Kingdom Come and Crisis on 2 Earths but it probably should be used as just another part to her personality. In the justice league cartoon she was a bit of a smartass at times and pretty cruisy with her peers and I enjoyed how honest and caring she was.
DC, whatever it takes, get Darwyne Cook to do a Wonder Woman New Frontier spin off. Get some classic stories down as a blueprint for future creaters to build on.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – WW has not been great since Rucka wrote it. He got it. There were plenty of mythological tie-ins but it was still original. The whole story with Medusa was awesome. The title needs a writer who can bridge the gap between old myth and new events.
@Ali – Way to spell SCIENCE correctly.
Excellent piece, Ali, I’ll be looking for your podcast. I especially agree that Diana needs a strong cast to bounce off – a bugbear of mine with the current damp revamp is that Diana is all alone, trusting no one. She’s not that likable or interesting as Miss Confused and Driven – good friends would alleviate that somewhat.
Some great suggestions in the responses too. I’m not keen on a Geoff Johns revamp, though, in case he does a Flash and Green Lantern, and thematically knits everything together. Everyone would be linked to aspects of love (with apologies to Lord ALW) and Truth and I’d get very bored.
Let’s not do the origin again, just print a legend on the splash page. Then move forward.
Nice Article! I agree with everything you said.
Mostly I think they just need to give Greg Rucka whateve he wants to write the book again!!
I really want, DAMMIT @electricy01 you said what I was going to say!
Yeah I miss that run, I have it in trades and that pretty much has me spending cash on WonderWoman like it’s crack tuesday.
… Wait that came out wrong, let me rephra-
@Mangaman Haha, sorry. Rucka was the one the got me to read WW so i still hold a torch for his run whenever I get a chance. =P