Wonder Boy?

[TimothyLaskey]

Achilles as the gay sidekick and Hippolytos as the straight one... I like it! Diana could use a blood-relation in the form of a brother / cousin, that would really be great.

The concept of a "Wonder Boy" or "Wonder Lad" strays a bit from the mythology aspect of the character, which could be a good thing. I definitely think that Diana needs a gay male younger hero to serve as the mentor for. if Achilles was presented as a younger, headstrong warrior who needed Diana to educate him in the ways of the modern world... i'd be happy.

[MelDyer]

Why is Wonder Woman now a gay mentor or suddenly possessed of anymore gay knowledge than any other capecase?

If anything, it seems Warkiller would be the most capable mentor for a young gay male, considering he's the bisexual ruler of an entire island of ancient Greek heroes, whom classical literature tell us were also bisexual and fully gay. There's also Aquaman, who lives or has lived in a society founded in the classical world and influenced by ancient Greek civilization and thought, where people held less paranoid attitudes toward homosexual behavior.

Why should Wonder Woman be the gay boy's mentor? A young lesbian--that, I could understand.

[TimothyLaskey]

Why isn't Supergirl a dark-haired male? Why is Batwoman a redhead lesbian? Diversity is a good thing in a sidekick- it creates difference, interest, and dramatic contrast.

Meta-textually, WW has more GLBT fans than any other comic character of her stature. To have her mentor a gay character would honor that, as well a be a possible sale booster.

Also, the gender difference could play out for some very interesting stories. Diana, from an all-female society, and a gay male sidekick, with limited interaction with females-- they could teach each other a lot. It would take a sensitive & skilled writer, and some gracious editors...

Again, Wonder Woman mentoring other female characters, it's been done for decades. She's had heterosexual male sidekicks for decades, some love interests, others not. Never before has she mentored a gay male. It's something new and different; it just needs to avoid tokenism and could result in really great stories.

[MelDyer]

I had a buddy in the 9th grade, who liked joking around with the guys in the lockerroom, after gym class, ..even when we didn't change up! Think he and your Wonder Boy would get along famously. LOL

Nothing against gay Wonder Boy, but think he'd probably be happier on Thalarion, with a army of sweaty gladiators, than Themyscira. Either way, I don't think the comic needs him and would rather see Prince Hippolytos introduced as a segue vehicle for environmental-themed storylines. Just a guy with Amazon-like abilities, who hangs out in the forest with his animals--fooling around with nature goddesses.

Keep it simple.

[TimothyLaskey]

I had a buddy in the 9th grade, who liked joking around with the guys in the lockerroom, after gym class, ..even when we didn't change up! Think he and your Wonder Boy would get along famously. LOL

I'm confused! I don't get it, what was the nature of their joking?

Nothing against gay Wonder Boy, but think he'd probably be happier on Thalarion, with a army of sweaty gladiators, than Themyscira. Either way, I don't think the comic needs him and would rather see Prince Hippolytos introduced as a segue vehicle for environmental-themed storylines. Just a guy with Amazon-like abilities, who hangs out in the forest with his animals--fooling around with nature goddesses.

Keep it simple.

I see your point, and your version of Hippolytos would be really cool to see in WW. But I don't think there's any reason to sequester a Wonder Boy with an all-male group, when that is what naturally happens in the average gay guy's life. Yeah, it would seem a natural fit for him - but then there isn't any dramatic tension or story potential. He'd want to stay there, and thus there wouldn't be an adventure.

I'd rather see him with Diana, showing her the hidden subculture that the LGBT community exists in - even though gay is acceptable, there is still a TON of closed-mindedness and hatred out there, in the religious landscape (Westboro Baptist Church... well, they hate everybody) and in the political realm (opposition to marriage rights and hate crimes legislation, etc.) Diana has expressed her views on human rights, but it seems like she never digs below that surface and tackles the root of the problem head-on, UNLESS it has to do with women's issues.

But LGBT equality SHOULD be high on her priorities, since she was raised on a female-only island where same-sex coupling was happening for thousands of years. You're also right about there being a different level of tolerance in Ancient Greek times, for same-sex relationships.. but there was also bigotry and hatred back then, too. The difference was in Ancient times, the government didn't really care much who you slept with, and nowadays, it seems to matter much more. It's also been said that LGBT and Womens' issues intersect in many ways, probably because they are seen as attacking a heterosexist, male-centric world. (How much I agree with that depends on the particular issue being discussed, though.)

And finally, it depends on what kind of gay kid we're talking about. There isn't One Way set in stone to be gay. Is he effeminate, with only female friends, who avoids other boys out of fear of being beat up? Is he a bisexual glam-rocker? Is he a football playing jock, with only male friends, who dates girls to protect his secret? Is she a feminine girl who's afraid of losing the friendship of other girls or her family should they learn of her attractions? Is she a tomboy who'd rather work on her motorcycle than talk to boys? There are a million different ways to go with it that could be interesting.

[MelDyer]

Honestly, Timothy, I don't understand what he was thinking back then, other than the obvious. He couldn't wait to get in that lockerroom fulla' stinky guys, ..and he was going in there, with or without me. LOL

There's probably alot I don't understand about fan interest in a gay Wonder Boy, and that's all I can say about that, without sounding like an un-hip dinosaur. I guess if people feel that strongly about it, and DC Comics is moved to grant their wish, I say, "good for them".

[AntStorm]

Oh lord no thank you wonder laughing stock vomit I hate the idea of a male counter part it's been talked about before a few years back on the DC forums hated the idea then , still hate it now

[MelDyer]

Honestly, I'm not for WW having a male counterpart, so much as her having a male cousin or relative with similar powers, ..AND she already has that in her immortal Prince Hippolytos, who's only a few thousand years old.

Before Gail Simone gav him a boyfriend and moved him into the Playboy Mansion, I think Warkiller was a long-awaited step in this direction. Like Huntress or Power Girl, he's his own guy and serves as a lietenant to the established hero. He isn't wearing Wonder Woman's colors or insignia - nor do I think he needs to.

I just can't see a Wonder Boy, switching around in red go-go boots and shiny, little bracelets, being anything, but trouble here.

[CaptainLiberty76]

Batgirl--OK
Supergirl--mmmm...OK (if we have to)
Wonder Boy--Lad--Whatever---mmmm...NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

I think I made my point. TTFN.

[babybro]

Okay, I just have to say this. Everyone who wants Wonder Boy to be straight just because they don't want to reinforce a stereotype: You are aware that is reinforcing a stereotype all on its own, correct?

"Oh, we don't want to put up a stereotype about gays so we'll make him straight."

Buhh-wha?

Actually that isn't a stereotype. The stereotype exist is that gay men are females best friend, and for some strange reason, the ideal of men and women being platonic friends is unheard of. Thus to have a straight male teen side kick would open a whole new slash of experiences that IMO, have never been explored before. Think about it, how many female characters out there has
a sidekick that is a male teen or kid?

Exactly, and a big reason for that is because our society still doesn't have a comfortability of a woman fully protecting and caring for a male. True there are male supporting characters, but they are always capable of taking care of themselves. That's not to say that wonder boy should be a dude in distress, but having wonder woman watching over him and protecting him would be an experience that's rarely seen before. Hence why most of the cross gender sibling relationships are an older brother and younger sister, especially in manga.

So going back to my original point, having a straight male side kick character would defy the stereotypes, and explore avenues that has never been explored before.

[MelDyer]

I think Warkiller is the appointed 'Mister Wonder' of the family, presently.

I'm not crazy about the fact that, while his superhero career has barely started, he's already settled down in the Playboy Mansion with some realtor he barely knows, ..but, whatever. I would also have preferred that Gail leave his classical sexual orientation intact, instead of making him exclusively gay.

I think we should give Warkiller and his flying elephant a chance and that he has all the potential to be the Wonder Family's answer to the Huntress.

[DarkKnghtJared]

I think if such a character is thrown in just for the sake to have a character like that, he'll crash and burn and no one outside of the most hardcore WW fans will remember him.

If, on the other hand, a mad genius of a writer has a story for him and DC markets him outside of the regular book, maybe even in some other media (think the current Aqualad), he could potentially kick ass.

[batGRRRl4ever]

Why isn't Supergirl a dark-haired male? Why is Batwoman a redhead lesbian? Diversity is a good thing in a sidekick- it creates difference, interest, and dramatic contrast.

Meta-textually, WW has more GLBT fans than any other comic character of her stature. To have her mentor a gay character would honor that, as well a be a possible sale booster.

Also, the gender difference could play out for some very interesting stories. Diana, from an all-female society, and a gay male sidekick, with limited interaction with females-- they could teach each other a lot. It would take a sensitive & skilled writer, and some gracious editors...

Again, Wonder Woman mentoring other female characters, it's been done for decades. She's had heterosexual male sidekicks for decades, some love interests, others not. Never before has she mentored a gay male. It's something new and different; it just needs to avoid tokenism and could result in really great stories.

I keep saying there should be a gay


It's always reeked of sexism to me that Wonder Woman has never had a male sidekick. And YES, the gay community grew UP on WW and it WOULD make sense that a gay boy would look up to her and want to emulate her. It also comes across to me as heterosexist to say that if a Wonder Boy character were to exist, that it would be preferable to have him be a straight male teen instead of a gay male teen. Get into the 21st century of diversity already!

[randallt]

[QUOTE=batGRRRl4ever;16216362]I keep saying there should be a gay


I second that. Love the art concept, btw. First decent Wonder Male costume I've seen.

[batGRRRl4ever]

I second that. Love the art concept, btw. First decent Wonder Male costume I've seen.

There are two separate things of interest in the pic. First one notices that his sword has the same glow as Diana's magic lasso, so there would be some interesting magical applications when slicing & dicing. Second is that if you look close he is clearly wearing lifts!