View Full Version : Wonder Woman inspired characters
Indigo Al
03-09-2009, 03:27 PM
We've seen a few characters inspired by, or created as an analog for, Wonder Woman (Alan Moore tried to coin this archetype as a 'Moulton' in his final issue of Supreme where he paid tribute to Jack Kirby).
Which is the best? And what do they say about Wonder Woman herself?
To my mind we have:
Power Princess (Squadron Supreme and Supreme Power)
Winged Victory (Astro City)
Glory (Image/Awesome/whatever it is now)
Promethea (In particular, the Grace Brannagh and Bill Woolcott versions)
American Maid (The Tick)
Rite (Stormwatch)
any others?
Sabrinaset
03-09-2009, 03:39 PM
I think you should look up "What they did to Princess Paragon" (http://www.amazon.com/What-They-Did-Princess-Paragon/dp/0452271630) :wink:
K-DoG7p7
03-09-2009, 03:42 PM
"The Lady" from The Pro
http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/9116/630967-lady_large.jpg
"Queen Maeve" from The Boys..
http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/9241/600034-10436_400x600_large.jpg
Ok so those two are parodies
but still...
AllisterH
03-09-2009, 03:46 PM
Er, isn't American maid, a Captain America clone?
West Mantooth
03-09-2009, 03:58 PM
Yeah, I'd go with Power Princess.
Tetsuo_man
03-09-2009, 04:09 PM
Er, isn't American maid, a Captain America clone?
More of a amalgamation of Captain America and Wonder Woman.
Spiffy
03-09-2009, 04:31 PM
There could also be characters who didn't start OUT as Wonder Woman analogues, but who became written more in that direction later in their existance. That opens up the field for the likes of Ms. Marvel and Storm.
West Mantooth
03-09-2009, 04:33 PM
How is Storm even remotely like Wonder Woman? The whole ruler of a kingdom is hardly unique to her.
The Beast Of Yucca Flats
03-09-2009, 04:45 PM
Rite (Stormwatch)
And Amaze (from vol. 2).
Black Atom
03-09-2009, 04:53 PM
I get the impression American Maid was kind of an homage to several America-themed star-spangled sables from the Golden Age, including Wonder Woman (despite being Amazon) Libery Belle and Miss America.
Deus ex Chris
03-09-2009, 04:58 PM
How is Storm even remotely like Wonder Woman? The whole ruler of a kingdom is hardly unique to her.
They've got the whole beautiful outsider and goddess archetype thing in common as well as that of the compassionate warrior. They're both ridiculous overachievers who are much harder on themselves than anyone else could ever be. They're also written as these very strong woman who are supremely self-sufficient and perseverant--on a level most female characters are definitely not written on.
They're actually my favorite superheroes, and I'm drawn to them for the same reasons. Of course, I don't think Storm is a direct analogue, but they are incredibly similar in so many ways.
Promethea is pretty fantastic too. I love that series and that character/those characters so much. However, it's almost bittersweet. Promethea reminds me so much of what Wonder Woman is and so much more of what she could be--and what her book could be.
Black Atom
03-09-2009, 05:12 PM
I'll say Thundra. Or what about Coke's Supermom? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNq1NtJKs5I)
shrike
03-09-2009, 05:13 PM
"The Lady" from The Pro
http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/9116/630967-lady_large.jpg
What the hell holds up that costume?
Tetsuo_man
03-09-2009, 05:29 PM
What the hell holds up that costume?
Glue? Rubber cement? Tape?
http://fc27.deviantart.com/fs26/f/2008/034/6/5/_shrug__or__dunno__by_crula.gif
scout1279
03-09-2009, 06:27 PM
They've got the whole beautiful outsider and goddess archetype thing in common as well as that of the compassionate warrior. They're both ridiculous overachievers who are much harder on themselves than anyone else could ever be. They're also written as these very strong woman who are supremely self-sufficient and perseverant--on a level most female characters are definitely not written on.
They're actually my favorite superheroes, and I'm drawn to them for the same reasons. Of course, I don't think Storm is a direct analogue, but they are incredibly similar in so many ways.
Absolutely. Storm isn't an analogue, but the influence is certainly there. Superman was certainly an influence on Colossus as well, so I definitely think it was a conscious influence too.
I think an argument can be made that Wonder Woman had at least a minor influence on the creation of Marvel's Thor. I remember reading that Stan Lee had the idea to make a mythological superhero, but this time using Norse myth, since Greco-Roman mythology was already being explored in other comics, including Wonder Woman.
She-Ra is another character that was obviously influenced by Wonder Woman.
West Mantooth
03-09-2009, 07:06 PM
They've got the whole beautiful outsider and goddess archetype thing in common as well as that of the compassionate warrior. They're both ridiculous overachievers who are much harder on themselves than anyone else could ever be. They're also written as these very strong woman who are supremely self-sufficient and perseverant--on a level most female characters are definitely not written on.
Not to start something because it really doesn't matter in the larger picture, but that description could also relate to Princess Leia from Star Wars as Storm's parallel.
Henker
03-09-2009, 07:09 PM
War Woman from Chuck Austen's WoldWatch.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9110/warwoman.jpg
...okay, let's just pretend this doesn't exist.
The Beast Of Yucca Flats
03-09-2009, 07:11 PM
War Woman from Chuck Austen's WoldWatch.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9110/warwoman.jpg
...okay, let's just pretend this doesn't exist.
Heh. "Mature" readers.
Tetsuo_man
03-09-2009, 07:18 PM
Not to start something because it really doesn't matter in the larger picture, but that description could also relate to Princess Leia from Star Wars as Storm's parallel.
Still Storm predates star wars by a couple of years (Giant X-men number one was released in 1975 I believe).
buttler
03-09-2009, 07:36 PM
Dumb Bunny's mom Princess Power was also a Wonder Woman clone.
And then there's Fury. Originally of course she was Earth-2 Wonder Woman's kid, but post-Crisis the "Golden Age Fury" was invented as a WWII WW stand-in.
Deus ex Chris
03-09-2009, 09:52 PM
Not to start something because it really doesn't matter in the larger picture, but that description could also relate to Princess Leia from Star Wars as Storm's parallel.
Well, you can draw lines between any two characters, but I don't think Storm and Leia really match up like Storm and Wonder Woman. Leia doesn't quite have the whole serene goddess thing going on like Wonder Woman and Storm, and I think that's the critical difference. Those other characteristics I mentioned do describe Leia, but the execution of the character makes them manifest a bit differently. She isn't quite of the same mold as Storm and Wonder Woman--at least not to me.
AllisterH
03-09-2009, 10:07 PM
War Woman from Chuck Austen's WoldWatch.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9110/warwoman.jpg
...okay, let's just pretend this doesn't exist.
Shrug...I didn't think Worldwatch was THAT bad....
Santanico
03-09-2009, 11:33 PM
I think you should look up "What they did to Princess Paragon" (http://www.amazon.com/What-They-Did-Princess-Paragon/dp/0452271630) :wink:
Dang! That's exactly what I came in here to mention. Excellent book, too; I highly recommend it.
As to the topic: another Wonder Woman analog who springs to mind is Freya, from The American Way, a book that wanted to be Watchmen so bad you could taste it. She ultimately got fridged, and in a particularly disgusting manner, at that (a psychotic supervillain chops off her head, then takes it away with him for extended use as a sex toy. Thanks for that, John Ridley!).
Melbourne Mew Mew
03-10-2009, 01:58 AM
War Woman from Invincible (part of the JLA analogue that got killed off early on)
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