What appeals to you about Wonder Woman in a writer's portrayal of her?

[bdk91939]

Wonder Woman. I am sure there will be the usual... she is a "strong" woman, she is an inspiration for women, etc. etc.

As much as I am enjoying Azzarello's current work on the Amazon Princess's title, I think I will look back at a prior work from several years ago.

As I said, I wanted to ask how the writer's portrayal of her appealed to you as a reader. I remember the Greg Rucka run written for several years prior to the relaunch after the Infinite Crisis crossover at the time. She was depicted with dignity and intelligence. Rucka portrayed her as someone who can deduce a situation. When Batman made a guest appearance on her title, she was able to deduce the situation by the facts Batman gave her. It was great because a lesser writer would have shown the situation with the Batman explaining everything to her. That would have been bad, because the "Wisdom of Athena" would not have been present in that situation.

That's an example of my take on her appeal from a previous writer.

On the current work by Azzarello, I enjoyed the action. I mean it brings back memories of the old Xena Warrior Princess television show. There is that violence in Azarello's Wonder Woman, that appeals to action oriented readers. But it's more than just that.

[Gaelforce]

Many women in the DCU are big strong power houses.

Only Diana combines strength with compassion, endurance with nobility and speed with intelligence.

[Zagreus]

Nothing in particular. Sure I like a compassionate, intelligent, wise, noble, strong warrior woman- who doesn't. It's a very appealing archetype. The reason I'm reading now, is because there is finally an interesting world for that heroic character type to explore and interesting conflicts for her to resolve.

[Dr. Hurt]

Many women in the DCU are big strong power houses.

Only Diana combines strength with compassion, endurance with nobility and speed with intelligence.

I dont see how the last two pairs are contradictory in any way.

Nothing in particular. Sure I like a compassionate, intelligent, wise, noble, strong warrior woman- who doesn't. It's a very appealing archetype. The reason I'm reading now, is because there is finally an interesting world for that heroic character type to explore and interesting conflicts for her to resolve.

This for me too, as well as the fact that she's more casual, less stuck up. She isnt standing on a pondium, she's down there with you being your pal. I also like Johns' fun and happy WW.

[SteveGus]

For me, an Amazon is an ideal woman of a sort. I am a heterosexual male; but I grew up during the first flowering of second-wave feminism, and it warped my fragile little mind. I still think Germaine Greer was kind of hot back in the day. She was, too.

So I expected women to actually be equals. An Amazon is a woman who is an equal: she doesn't need a man to be her provider or protector. And Wonder Woman is the ultimate Amazon.

[Seant]

Humour, definitely. Humour and compassion. No preachy, please.

[americanwonder]

Hmm, not exactly easy for me to put into words, so I'll try and give some examples.

Rucka - I like the Ambassador. The book, the embassy, the politics, all of it. I know it's not a fan favorite, but I loved it. Very unique for a superhero to try and change the world through words. I also loved Athena's play for the throne and how much it tested Diana's strength and faith. Neck-snap.

Perez - Big-eyed enthusiasm for the world. She was way out of her element, often in over her head, but she was strong and optimistic. The hope of youth. Doom's Doorway and Diana's trip inside was great. Freeing Hercules is a big moment.

Simone - The daughter. Diana giving herself in servitude to get home to fight an army to protect her mother. "Punishment for the adult, empathy for the child. Even for him." Throwing the lasso away to try and save Donna.

Jimenez - "WHY WON"T YOU ANSWER ME?!" 'Corrupting' Darkseid. My Little Pony Island.

Azzarello - Diana has taken some big knocks, but she doesn't stay down very long. She continues. In the midst of of a brewing war for the heavens, she doesn't lose sight of the "girl from nowhere" (except when she did lose sight of her and Hades took her to Hades ).

I dont see how the last two pairs are contradictory in any way.

I'm pretty sure she wasn't trying to imply they were contradictory. Combining chocolate with peanut butter isn't a contradiction, but it is a tasty combination.

[hunter_peterson]

Hmm, not exactly easy for me to put into words, so I'll try and give some examples.

Rucka - I like the Ambassador. The book, the embassy, the politics, all of it. I know it's not a fan favorite, but I loved it. Very unique for a superhero to try and change the world through words. I also loved Athena's play for the throne and how much it tested Diana's strength and faith. Neck-snap.

Perez - Big-eyed enthusiasm for the world. She was way out of her element, often in over her head, but she was strong and optimistic. The hope of youth. Doom's Doorway and Diana's trip inside was great. Freeing Hercules is a big moment.

Simone - The daughter. Diana giving herself in servitude to get home to fight an army to protect her mother. "Punishment for the adult, empathy for the child. Even for him." Throwing the lasso away to try and save Donna.

Jimenez - "WHY WON"T YOU ANSWER ME?!" 'Corrupting' Darkseid. My Little Pony Island.

Azzarello - Diana has taken some big knocks, but she doesn't stay down very long. She continues. In the midst of of a brewing war for the heavens, she doesn't lose sight of the "girl from nowhere" (except when she did lose sight of her and Hades took her to Hades ).

Pretty much this. I like that she's a strong person, with great situational awareness. She's not only battle-ready and a great improvisational strategist that rolls with the punches, but she's constantly analyzing the words and actions of those around her and will challenge them when she thinks they're in the wrong. Her compassion is her greatest weapon (aside from the lasso, of course), in that she simply has a reserved understanding of people that is just plain useful. It's also what makes her so intensely human. She's the ultimate empowered individual, but there's a soft center that she isn't ashamed of in the slightest.

I also really like her sense of humor. It's dry and just on the fun side of twisted. She likes her word play too, which is immensely attractive. That was lost for years, actually, and is only now coming back with Azzarello. Ben Caldwell touched on that a bit, which was one of the things I loved about Wednesday Comics.

The main thing? She has integrity. This has been shown MANY times, but the one that sticks in my mind is when she killed Max Lord. She believed she did the right thing, stood by her decision and accepted any consequences of that action, however grave they turned out to be. That = awesome.

[Xeres]

Unfortunately I have a really narrow view of who WW is and how she's portrayed.

First off is compassion. She needs to have it and without it it's just not WW to me. It's the compassion for people that causes her to fight - reluctantly - when she sees "bad stuff" happening to people. It's why, to me, she rarely goes looking for a fight. Nor does she enjoy it. But she's very good at it.

I suppose that doesn't make for a very good comic book though.

[hunter_peterson]

Unfortunately I have a really narrow view of who WW is and how she's portrayed.

First off is compassion. She needs to have it and without it it's just not WW to me. It's the compassion for people that causes her to fight - reluctantly - when she sees "bad stuff" happening to people. It's why, to me, she rarely goes looking for a fight. Nor does she enjoy it. But she's very good at it.

I suppose that doesn't make for a very good comic book though.

That's what we've got in her own book... when she went to Hell she was saying that the brevity of life is what makes it precious. That says a lot in regards to compassion, especially coming from a demigoddess with undying kin. Her protection of Zola and her future child are perfect examples of this, as is her helping Hermes, preventing Hell and Sea from fighting amongst mortals, sparing the centaurs until they immediately threatened lives, her disdain for Eros' treatment of the guy he essentially already cursed and the misguided attempt to free her brother Amazons. She is magnificently compassionate.

[americanwonder]

Hunter_Peterson, I really like your description of Diana above. :)

... preventing Hell and Sea from fighting amongst mortals, ...

But I don't understand what you mean here. She and Lennox brought them together, hoping Hera would show up, and created the confrontation in the middle of London. I think they got really lucky it didn't blow up in their faces.

[Javier Velasco]

I want to see a Wonder Woman who is quick witted. The smartest person in the room. Proactive rather than reactive. If you go back to the Golden Age stories, you see this. For the most part, it is Diana who comes up with solutions to problems.

[Fused]

She makes the hard choices that Batman and Superman don't even the stones to make. That's why I've always been a proponent of the Max Lord neckbreaker of righteousness.

[Xeres]

That's what we've got in her own book... when she went to Hell she was saying that the brevity of life is what makes it precious. That says a lot in regards to compassion, especially coming from a demigoddess with undying kin. Her protection of Zola and her future child are perfect examples of this, as is her helping Hermes, preventing Hell and Sea from fighting amongst mortals, sparing the centaurs until they immediately threatened lives, her disdain for Eros' treatment of the guy he essentially already cursed and the misguided attempt to free her brother Amazons. She is magnificently compassionate.

I suppose. I haven't read the book since #600.

[swatkat]

"And in its brevity is where life’s importance lies," she says, while executing a spectacular backflip and beheading some of the dead.

This is what draws me to her. This is the woman who blinded herself to defeat Medusa, because 'one mortal life is worth more.' She will do that much, she will go that far.