Good Donna Stories?

[BnL]

Someone mentioned in another thread that they found Donna Troy to be boring, and it made me think that I really don't have an understanding of her personality, so maybe they're right. I never read any of the Titans stuff, and she rarely appears in Wonder Woman, so my exposure to her has been pretty minimal. Can anyone recommend any stories featuring Donna that give a good idea of who she is as a character? The story doesn't have to center around her specifically or be an origin story, as long as it offers insight into her personality.

[md62]

Any of the Wolfman/Perez era of The Titans would be great stories with Donna in them.

[SJNeal]

While not a fan-favorite, I really liked "Who Is Troia?" that ran in #23-25 of the 1999 Titans series. I can't remember off the top of my head if it was Devin Grayson or Jay Faerber who wrote it, but it was good stuff.

[4PointOh]

Girlfrenzy: Donna Troy Special #1. Awesome art and story by Phil Jimenez.

http://www.marvelfamily.com/images/comics/DCComics/WW_DonnaTroy/WW_DonnaTroy001.jpg

[SJNeal]

^ ^ ^ How could I forget this one?! Great, touching story and typical gorgeous art. Jimenez is one of the few writers who really get Donna, and always seem to make her interesting. Why he hasn't done a full mini yet, I can't fathom.

[4PointOh]

^ ^ ^ How could I forget this one?! Great, touching story and typical gorgeous art. Jimenez is one of the few writers who really get Donna, and always seem to make her interesting. Why he hasn't done a full mini yet, I can't fathom.

Oh, but he has!

http://tonyznet.com/titans/comingsoon/covers/jun/ReturnOfDonnaTroy1.jpg

[SJNeal]

LOL! I'm a f*cking moron. I promise I have that mini, and loved (almost) every page of it! Maybe I should edit my first post to say "ongoing"...? Yeah, that's what I meant! :wink:

[MinaRho1]

Oh, but he has!

http://tonyznet.com/titans/comingsoon/covers/jun/ReturnOfDonnaTroy1.jpg

Oh, lordie.

I love how he draws Donna. I'm not always as pleased by his Diana, but his Donna is perfect.

[Firebaton]

I think a lot of good Donna work is done in the Jiminez run. The back up with her helping Fury and also her role in the Gods of Gotham and Paradise Lost arcs were nice showings.
Her recent appearances in Wonder Woman have been very good as well.
Of the Titans, I adore Who Is Wonder Girl. I may not love the origin, but I love the story. I also like her parts in the Brother Blood stories. I don't know what it is about the Brother Blood storylines but she always got really choice moments.

[tangentman]

Back in the Cardy era, Donna received a good showing in the full-issue debut of her new costume (red jumpsuit). Wonder Girl plays key roles throughout the issue: defusing a teenage riot via distraction, playing defense, air support, AND muscle when the Titans take on a primitive tribe, as well as being the only member besides the absent Aqualad best suited to swim to crushing depths to solve a mystery. Plus, the Cardy/Kane art made her look GOOD!

As mentioned several times, Marv Wolfman & George Perez gave us some of the BEST Donna Troy stories in DC history. Personally, among my favorites are two unsung greats: the two-parter with the Titans & Myth, where Donna becomes Hyperion's love slave; and Starfire's doomed romance with Franklin. The first drives home the tragedy of Donna Troy, wherein she's often been a woman without an origin, often finding her otherwise-grounded life challenged because of it. Hyperion offers Donna answers and a home...but all based on a false foundation.

The second story features Starfire, but Donna plays an important role in the end. Kory's fiance has been murdered by a rogue H.I.V.E. agent for refusing to betray the Titans. Outraged, Starfire tracks down the killer and plows through half the Titans to get him. Only Wonder Girl stands between the murderer and a royally pissed-off Starfire. Donna talks Kory "off the ledge", appealing to Kory's conscience and loyalties to her family-of-choice. It's an emotionally harrowing moment, one which likely wouldn't have flown during the "Grim'n'Gritty" era of comics which followed shortly afterward.

[Stanlos]

Girlfrenzy: Donna Troy Special #1. Awesome art and story by Phil Jimenez.

http://www.marvelfamily.com/images/comics/DCComics/WW_DonnaTroy/WW_DonnaTroy001.jpg

Every Donna Troy fan needs two copies of this ish. Forget the park; Phil knocks it out of the galaxy.

I think John Byrne handled a powerless Donna Troy in a sendup to Diana's boutique days rather well in the GENESIS mini-series.

[Mars Getsoian]

Oh, but he has!

http://tonyznet.com/titans/comingsoon/covers/jun/ReturnOfDonnaTroy1.jpg

Hey, wow. Remember when Donna's uniform was gorgeous and classy?

[Flâneur]

Girl Frenzy, the guest appearances during the Jimenez run and the BK Vaughn two parter about Diana and Donna are all fun reads. Wasn't enchanted with the Return of Donna Troy (or Who is Wondergirl and Who is Donna Troy) though.


One of the problems in the Titans book with Donna is that the only story people want to tell about her is an origin (which is usually meh) and most other instances she's there to enable other characters' stories.

[eligibility]

How interesting! I had just been thinking of starting a thread where I asked people what they felt the defining character traits and personalities of the three Wonders (Diana, Donna and Cassie) were, and how they differentiated.

I love Donna, though I hate so much of the writing she's gotten. As everyone has said, some of the classic Titans and new Teen Titans stuff gives you a great look at her. Compassionate, teasing, down to earth, artistic, with a bit of a temper and an ability to get riled up as easy as she forgives. Very cute.

Sometimes Bryne got her right, sometimes he didn't. Sometimes Marz got her right, sometimes he didn't (if only he didn't write a depowered Troy -- I like that he let her be a divorcee and a single mother and not completely sexualize her or play up the "milf" angle to still make her be a viable love interest).

Mostly, I have enjoyed Phil's, Perez's and Marv's Donna the most. Seconding everyone who is saying "Girl Frenzy" -- a great insight into her character, her confusion and crisis, her personality, helpfulness, helplessness, overwhelming love, self punishment, and a good reflection on her bond with Diana. Her relationship with Kyle gets remembered and respected ( a big plus for me), and Terry and Robert (and the memory of them) are respected quite well in it, as is Donna's pantheist religion. I liked that it showed a tender moment between Terry and Donna, rather than showcasing what a jerk he had become.

It's just great all around. The closing scene is so sad and touching, too.

I love Donna in the JLA/Titans Crossover, too.

Donna Troy just makes me swoon when it comes to the possibilities she could fulfill. She has such a wonderful personality and is connected to the Titans, Wonder Woman, and the Green Lantern franchise -- and yet she's never used as anything but a plot device or an origin tale these days.

(Also Agreeing with everyone who said Gail has written her greatly in WW, lately!!!)

[Charybdis4]

Perez/Wolfman Donna will always be one of my all time favourite characters - she was always my favourite Titan.

Someone has already mentioned the brilliant Titans of Myth storyline from NTT. I LOVE that story, it's one of the few comics I've kept. Plus the first page of the following issue when a seriously p***** off Donna is fighting some criminals & she throws a forklift truck at them is still a firm favourite.

Phil Jimenez also loves the character & that always shows in his stories. I loved the fact that Angle Man really fancied her.

[ScottyQuick]

Hey, wow. Remember when Donna's uniform was gorgeous and classy?

It's how you could tell she's more of a Titan then a Wonder.

[CarolStrick]

Fun Silver Age stories:

WW #147: Donna passes her Amazon test and gets wishes granted from Athena herself. She turns into a mer-girl and then a bird-girl. Exciting!

WW #153: The Duke of Deception steals half of Donna's face, making her think that her family and friends will no longer love her. She finds out she's wrong. Sweet!

[Mart]

http://www.comics.org/issue/25012/cover/4/?style=default

Teen Titans first series 38, Lilith and Mr Jupiter abuse . . . sorry, help the Titans face up to their fears so they don't flare up on missions and get everyone killed. It turns out that Donna's is losing her hair, as we see in a vignette in which she makes a rather cute slaphead.

WAIT, STAY WITH ME . . .The hair represents her femininity, she’s a bit scared she’s seen as this great butch Amazon, but the lovely hair offsets that.

OK, it may sound daft, but it’s an insight into her character as was and I liked that story! We could read it as code for Donna being afraid of cancer (the hair loss, or worse).

Am I reaching? I may be reaching.

At least I never brought up Wonder Girl witch . . .

[scandalsavage]

Hey, wow. Remember when Donna's uniform was gorgeous and classy?

Well, that was the high-end designer version.

Now they use the Kmart version

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu339/scandalsavage_photos/donnajla.jpg

[eligibility]

Well, that was the high-end designer version.

Now they use the Kmart version

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu339/scandalsavage_photos/donnajla.jpg

:frown: You guys are depressing me. I have a dream she will get a more befitting costume again. One day...

[Flâneur]

It could be worse. It could be star studded glad wrap.

[Rampantlad]

Donna Troy has to rate up there as one of the worst, most pointless, poorly conceived and written characters in all of the DCU - this is exemplified by the utter lack of any stand out stories, and by the fact no one has even bothered to give her a super hero name!

[eligibility]

Donna Troy has to rate up there as one of the worst, most pointless, poorly conceived and written characters in all of the DCU - this is exemplified by the utter lack of any stand out stories, and by the fact no one has even bothered to give her a super hero name!


http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/7132/941601-874903_justyouropinion_super_super.jpg

But seriously, despite the sloppy writing she's received (and well, to be honest it's not much worse than Power Girl's or recent Cass Cain stuff, or the butchering of Mary Marvel, or how about Oracle? -- and this doesn't end at females. What has become of Roy Harper? I cannot think of him without sadly shaking my head), her original personality has shined through to me enough to garner an attachment to the character. This is just personal taste of course, but whether it was when I was growing up reading the Titans stories, or revisiting them to this day, she's always the female character that stands out to me the most as exceptional. She is very appealing and easy to get attached to/fond of, imo, but our mileage may vary! I think she could serve a HUGE purpose and it's mostly a showcase of the lack of creative talent DC has that they haven't been able to take advantage of her ties -- and of course, Donna Troy's character alone doesn't show this. A lot of recent "events" at DC and rehashings constantly slam this fact home for me.

[Kamen Raida]

I'll put it this way. I've seen tons of good Donna artwork from pros and fans alike. I almost think part of the appeal might be "she's Wonder Woman but cuter". But I've never seen a good Donna story.

[eligibility]

I'll put it this way. I've seen tons of good Donna artwork from pros and fans alike. I almost think part of the appeal might be "she's Wonder Woman but cuter". But I've never seen a good Donna story.

That's so odd. I always thought Wonder Woman was easier to admire or find cuter for the sole purpose that she's got her shit together better than Donna does. Someone described Donna as "The Wonder Woman you can Do Bad Things To" and boy, has she been. To me, Donna's appeal is in just how much potential she has from her original stories, and how much she has to overcome -metatextually and in canon, to ground herself back to a happy individual able to fully move forward. She interests me because I feel she's been a walking ghost since her family died, and Diana, wonderful and perfect sister to all, hasn't had the best of luck in helping her out with that. The two have so much potential but bad writing has just made their relationship completely ambiguous.

A woman who can overcome existential identity crisis, has been through divorce, young motherhood, single motherhood, the grief of losing a child, and cutting herself off from happy relationships and turn into a self realized and much more pleasant person from it all appeals to me, so it's all in the potential. I'm sick of the drama meat grinder she gets put through and want her to be happy because it would be personally inspiring to me! A lot of the women I know like reading Donna because she embodies much of what it is to go through their worst nightmares -- to take things that make your identity core such as your family or love or even your, well, entire identity period and strip it and find it and rebuild it again. It can be frustrating but also encouraging and inspiring if handled right.

It hasn't been handled right, though. At all.

[Phil Jimenez]

Well, that was the high-end designer version.

Now they use the Kmart version

[IMG]http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu339/scandalsavage_photos/donnajla.jpg[
/IMG]

I had originally designed a much cooler costume for her to be worn at the end of that Donna Troy miniseries, but it was nixed.

Ironically, the current black costume -- except the choker and the bicep bracers -- was her original red, New Teen Titans Wonder Girl costume, but done in the starfield motif. Somehow, somewhere -- this seems to have gotten lost and it's become this bizarre other thing.

Part of the thing lost with Donna as well is her body language and hair (yes, I said hair). Perez established very specific body types/languages/personalities-reflected-through-both for these characters, and Donna (and Starfire) have long suffered without this "inside out" understanding.

[eligibility]

I had originally designed a much cooler costume for her to be worn at the end of that Donna Troy miniseries, but it was nixed.

Ironically, the current black costume -- except the choker and the bicep bracers -- was her original red, New Teen Titans Wonder Girl costume, but done in the starfield motif. Somehow, somewhere -- this seems to have gotten lost and it becomes this bizarre other thing.

Part of the thing lost with Donna as well is her body language and hair (yes, I said hair). Perez established very specific body types/languages/personalities-reflected-through-both for these characters, and Donna (and Starfire) have long suffered without this "inside out" understanding.

I've noticed the hair thing too, and the body language. As someone who probably knows every Titans story out there like the back of my hand, the body language thing gets to me the most -- also, Donna's and Kory's speech patterns have severely went under derailment.

Can someone pleeease give Donna an outfit that fits her again? I actually like her having a starfield uniform, just ... not the one she's wearing. Anyone else think she looks like a female wrestler?

The inside out character understanding is exactly what I'm trying to get at too, Phil. Maybe it's because the woman I love the most in the world also lost her children in an accident, but Donna was always a character I saw that could easily fit into the real world if you just snagged away so many of the plot devices and mystical things about her. She seems so ordinary in her extraordinary ways that it's always endeared me.

On another note, I always thought Donna, Diana and Artemis would be an adorable trio dynamic. Artemis snarks at Diana, Diana takes it and sometimes snarks back, Donna gets protective over Diana and snarks at Artemis because she doesn't understand the relationship they have, and Donna gets jealous of their bond :wink: cute

[Phil Jimenez]

Can someone pleeease give Donna an outfit that fits her again? I actually like her having a starfield uniform, just ... not the one she's wearing. Anyone else think she looks like a female wrestler?

The inside out character understanding is exactly what I'm trying to get at too, Phil. She seems so ordinary in her extraordinary ways that it's always endeared me.


Again, the current costume should be be drawn as her red and gold uniform that she wore during the Perez Titans as Wonder Girl, but with the black starfield and silver accents instead of the red with yellow stars. Indeed, the Infinite Crisis action figures wear the same costume with a different paint job (and new heads). It's really about the way the costume's drawn, and how Donna is drawn wearing it...(it works when I draw her in it, anyway...).

And yes...she is so wonderfully grounded, no matter what extraordinary thing is thrown her way. This is Donna's great strength as a character, I think -- and why she continues to be popular and accessible, despite all the s**t that's been heaped upon her.

[Mart]

Does it need to be said that we'd love to see your nixed Donna costume, Phil?

[DHacker615]

Part of the thing lost with Donna as well is her body language and hair (yes, I said hair). Perez established very specific body types/languages/personalities-reflected-through-both for these characters, and Donna (and Starfire) have long suffered without this "inside out" understanding.

Jesus, that is a good point.

[dnatroy_aka_darman]

I had originally designed a much cooler costume for her to be worn at the end of that Donna Troy miniseries, but it was nixed.

Ironically, the current black costume -- except the choker and the bicep bracers -- was her original red, New Teen Titans Wonder Girl costume, but done in the starfield motif. Somehow, somewhere -- this seems to have gotten lost and it's become this bizarre other thing.

Part of the thing lost with Donna as well is her body language and hair (yes, I said hair). Perez established very specific body types/languages/personalities-reflected-through-both for these characters, and Donna (and Starfire) have long suffered without this "inside out" understanding.

i would love to see the other design you had made.
but ya the current costume should have the stars end along hip-side as you had intended in the end of the mini but obviously others don't want to even try to get back to it.
I loved it when she had the star effect in her hair.

[Kamen Raida]

That's so odd. I always thought Wonder Woman was easier to admire or find cuter for the sole purpose that she's got her shit together better than Donna does. Someone described Donna as "The Wonder Woman you can Do Bad Things To" and boy, has she been. To me, Donna's appeal is in just how much potential she has from her original stories, and how much she has to overcome -metatextually and in canon, to ground herself back to a happy individual able to fully move forward. She interests me because I feel she's been a walking ghost since her family died, and Diana, wonderful and perfect sister to all, hasn't had the best of luck in helping her out with that. The two have so much potential but bad writing has just made their relationship completely ambiguous.

A woman who can overcome existential identity crisis, has been through divorce, young motherhood, single motherhood, the grief of losing a child, and cutting herself off from happy relationships and turn into a self realized and much more pleasant person from it all appeals to me, so it's all in the potential. I'm sick of the drama meat grinder she gets put through and want her to be happy because it would be personally inspiring to me! A lot of the women I know like reading Donna because she embodies much of what it is to go through their worst nightmares -- to take things that make your identity core such as your family or love or even your, well, entire identity period and strip it and find it and rebuild it again. It can be frustrating but also encouraging and inspiring if handled right.

It hasn't been handled right, though. At all.

When I said "cuter" I was speaking purely about visual and not even necessarily my own opinion on their attractiveness. But typically Donna is drawn with a more.for lack of a better term girlish look to her while Diana is usually drawn with a bit more of a mature womanly face. Not mature as in old but mature as in ..well, not a girl.

For me Donna is just way too convoluted and has had multiple names and powersets which is something else I don't like in any character.