Who is her Arch-Enemy and why?

[Rakzo]

I have always thought (or wanted) Cheetah was her archenemy.

She's one of the first costumed villains Diana faced and, in Barbara Minerva's case, she was cursed by the Gods which contrast nicely with Diana being blessed by them. Besides, she can fight face to face with Diana without help which also contrast with her warrior's nature.

I have always seen Ares and Circe as WW's Brainiac or Doomsday. Huge and powerful threats who could destroy the world if they want to, but Cheetah would be a more personal enemy.

[ngroove]

I have always seen Ares and Circe as WW's Brainiac or Doomsday. Huge and powerful threats who could destroy the world if they want to, but Cheetah would be a more personal enemy.

I would consider Cice as Wonder Woman's arch-nemesis, but only of her Iron Age, New Earth, George Perez peroid (1987-2011) so far, as she (or an incarnation of her) may have been around before in Pre-Crisis as well, but simply not as consistently crucial a serious threat.

[Dr. Hurt]

I honestly dont care too much about who gets to be her arch nemesis. We can argue and argue but in the end it's going to be fan popularity that will be the deciding factor. The Joker wouldnt be Batman's if people didnt like him, no matter how hard DC tried to force him.

I'm personally very interested to see WW' villains updated. Recently they redesigned a lot of Flash's rogues, as well as Mr Freeze. Whether you like them or not, that's not the point (leave that for the appropriate threads), because even if these redesigns are bad, it's doesnt mean that all redesigns will be bad (strawman). I sure as hell could use some freshening up in WW's rogues gallery.

[Dr. Hurt]

And this is the classic design for Mr Freeze.



Now, this is the design i grew up with, and Rocafort kind of went nuts with his redesign there, but if they refine it, work on it a bit, etc, i think Mr Freeze's redesign could be glorious. More 2012 than 80ies. I guess i did end up talking about these redesigns and giving my opinion, but my point was to show that this new Mr Freeze would definitely appeal to today's audience, to kids playing Halo, CoD and all these videogames these days. If you want them to drop that controller and read your stories, you need to make sure they ll be interested in what you have to offer.

[dshipp17]

You seem to have some innate hatred or at least contemption against people who like cool things. I guess you seem to identify yourself with Dr Psycho and me with some sort of bully who bullied you and psycho during high school. I never bullied anyone, nor am I in a club of cool people looking down on anyone.

But this is comics. Coolness, visuals, and such stuff are important, just like having a beautiful cast for the audience to swoon over is important in chickflicks.

If you are all about characters and all that, why are you even reading comic books about a man who dresses like a bat or an amazon who was created from clay?

I do have contempt for people who seek to be cool, because it's so shallow and they are usually involved with putting people down who are genuine and being themselves; it's changed society from a place where respect for peoples' genuine nature is treated as unacceptable while making fun of people for being themselves is acceptable; I can't see how you can't have contempt for that, unless you are one of them and trying to be cool.

Because of my threat level, I was never really bullied in the way that most people are today who have a claim of being bullied; my case involved me being made fun of, but it was few and far between and the making fun of never crossed into the land of bullying; while in the third grade, it came close, but I put a stop to it; over the course of about a 3 month period, I was blissfully unaware that I was being made fun of, until it escalated into my being bullied when it got physical; at the time, I discovered that I hated having spit balls thrown at me and it landing on the back of my head and the back of my ears; it started to register with me how disgusting it was; so, one day, one of the boys from a small group hit me in the back of the ear with a spit ball and it set me off; naturally, it was only possible, because the teacher or authority figures had left the classroom momentarily; so, I got up with the goal to start beating him, once I was set off; I than rushed back towards him, when I got within arms length, he got defensive and a fist fight ensued; it lasted for a while, maybe 45 minutes, than I started to get the upper hand; I was so enraged that it was like a got a surge of adrenaline and I started to beat him profusely; fortunately, someone in the class saw that I had absolutely no control and rushed out for help; I got suspended for a while; after that, that boy or that group were never allowed in a classroom with me again; nothing happened again as far as being made fun of getting into bullying until about the fifth grade, which involved having my books knocked out of my hand, but that didn't last much longer after that; the last one was the seventh grade which lasted a short time; I'm glad that I got out of that situation, because I had bad intentions for the boy the next time we meant; there was no way that I was going to be closed to being bullied in high school so it never happened; there were and are always isolated incidents here and there where someone may make fun of me off in the distance, but if I were to react the way I could, I'd be serving major jail time now; but, because of such, I do have a bit of contempt for people striving to be cool; why wouldn't anybody? Unless, of course, you don't know what it is to go through those experiences; I have no respect for anybody that pretend that they can't empathize with people for the sake of coolness; but, I always ask for forgiveness for all of the times that I saw people in Hell; that's like eternal guilt that I always face, even for just one soul.

It's hard to see you any differently when you're constantly referred to Dr. Psycho as pathetic for being short and ugly and longing after a beautiful chick like Wonder Woman; plus, you couldn't even answer the questions regarding your motives behind your opinion of Dr. Psycho.

[Dr. Hurt]

Because of my threat level,

What's a threat level? Why were a you threat? I dont get what you mean here.

it lasted for a while, maybe 45 minutes,

A 45 minute fist fight? 45 MINUTES? Are you Rocky Balboa?

but, because of such, I do have a bit of contempt for people striving to be cool; why wouldn't anybody?

Because there are cool people or people who want to be cool and they arent bullies.

Unless, of course, you don't know what it is to go through those experiences; I have no respect for anybody that pretend that they can't empathize with people for the sake of coolness;

I think you've veered into personal issues too much. This isnt about the villain being a cool guy, it's about being a cool villain. Nobody would like the Joker or Sinestro for friends. They're horrible people but they're awesome, spectacular villains. Whether Sinestro's motivation was setting the universe straight, ruling it, destroying it, or whatever, he'd still be cool. Because he looks cool, he has a cool suit, cool powers, etc.

So i dont mind a villain whose motivation was him being bullied as a child. In fact i remember such a villain in Batman Beyond. Some high school kid got hold of a giant robot and tried to take revenge on his tormentors. That was great because it involved a giant robot, a high school and all that.
I'm sorry but a creepy stalker guy with mind powers doesnt do it for me. Maybe if he was a creepy dinosaur or something. You identify with him, or like him, that's fine. I think he's totally wrong for this kind of franchise. If WW is to get an archnemesis he/she should underline the mythological basis of the franchise and set the tone.

there were and are always isolated incidents here and there where someone may make fun of me off in the distance, but if I were to react the way I could, I'd be serving major jail time now;

I'm sorry but your post kinda creeped me out. So what, you'd bash someone's skull in because they made fun of you or shot spit balls?

[dshipp17]

What's a threat level? Why were a you threat? I dont get what you mean here.
A 45 minute fist fight? 45 MINUTES? Are you Rocky Balboa?

Because there are cool people or people who want to be cool and they arent bullies.
I think you've veered into personal issues too much. This isnt about the villain being a cool guy, it's about being a cool villain. Nobody would like the Joker or Sinestro for friends. They're horrible people but they're awesome, spectacular villains. Whether Sinestro's motivation was setting the universe straight, ruling it, destroying it, or whatever, he'd still be cool. Because he looks cool, he has a cool suit, cool powers, etc.

So i dont mind a villain whose motivation was him being bullied as a child. In fact i remember such a villain in Batman Beyond. Some high school kid got hold of a giant robot and tried to take revenge on his tormentors. That was great because it involved a giant robot, a high school and all that.
I'm sorry but a creepy stalker guy with mind powers doesnt do it for me. Maybe if he was a creepy dinosaur or something. You identify with him, or like him, that's fine. I think he's totally wrong for this kind of franchise. If WW is to get an archnemesis he/she should underline the mythological basis of the franchise and set the tone.I'm sorry but your post kinda creeped me out. So what, you'd bash someone's skull in because they made fun of you or shot spit balls?

Threat level means that although someone might have considered me bullying material, they stopped short, because of how I might respond or retaliate. I guess it was a Rocky fight; what, you're going to pretend that things don't set people off? Sometimes, you need to learn how to stop being a comedian and cut the act; but I guess it goes with being cool.

A villain considered being cool does not do it for me, so we're even; as with Dr. Psycho, as someone said, different strokes for different folks, but I think Dr. Psycho is the type of arch nemesis that Wonder Woman needs; that Dr. Psycho's mind powers are depicted a certain way, does not mean it's not a good ability; it just means that the writers don't want to allow his mind control to be effective, I guess; but, that's why Marvel comics is so good in this area; point is, that if writers devoted so much more page to Dr. Psycho over the years, than he might be as iconic as Joker by now; if not, than, the market would have shown; however, apparently the market didn't decide that or he would be archived with Angle Man by now.

[Dr. Hurt]

Threat level means that although someone might have considered me bullying material, they stopped short, because of how I might respond or retaliate. I guess it was a Rocky fight; what, you're going to pretend that things don't set people off?

My issue wasnt about the fists, but the 45 minute duration of the fight.

Sometimes, you need to learn how to stop being a comedian and cut the act; but I guess it goes with being cool.

Yes, i'm really trying to be cool on a messageboard where no one knows me.

A villain considered being cool does not do it for me, so we're even; as with Dr. Psycho, as someone said, different strokes for different folks, but I think Dr. Psycho is the type of arch nemesis that Wonder Woman needs; that Dr. Psycho's mind powers are depicted a certain way, does not mean it's not a good ability; it just means that the writers don't want to allow his mind control to be effective, I guess; but, that's why Marvel comics is so good in this area;

Marvel's telepaths are also babes or sophisticated scientists. Not some....

You know i dont want to be insulting anymore.

point is, that if writers devoted so much more page to Dr. Psycho over the years, than he might be as iconic as Joker by now;

Maybe there's a reason they didnt bother.

[SteveGus]

I'm personally very interested to see WW' villains updated.

This was my first disappointment with Azzarello. When I learned that he was going to be the writer, and looked up his resume, I wasn't sure: but I gave in to the temptation of optimism, and thought, "this guy could do wonders for a bunch of WW's traditional villains. Angle Man, Paula von Gunther, and Dr. Cyber might be right up his alley." So it goes.

I still think that Azzarello is the kind of writer who could build up a villain like Angle Man, make him somebody the entire DCU has to take seriously.

[dshipp17]

My issue wasnt about the fists, but the 45 minute duration of the fight.
Yes, i'm really trying to be cool on a messageboard where no one knows me.
Marvel's telepaths are also babes or sophisticated scientists. Not some....

You know i dont want to be insulting anymore.
Maybe there's a reason they didnt bother.

If that were a reason, than, as I said, Dr. Psycho would be in the archives with Angle Man; the simplest reason is that it's a mistake that Dr. Psycho is not the arch nemesis by now; however, as with other things, you hint that it might be a good idea to rectify that mistake.

[mathew101281]

It's a tossup between Circe and Cheetah to me. Though you could make a case for Ares as well.

[jsrichardson1]

I've always seen Cheetah as the same type of villain as Joker and Lex Luther; jealous and vain and hateful. I see her as the 3rd in the evil trilogy just like Diana is the 3rd in the trinity. Whereas Diana is everything that is good, Cheetah (if written well) can be everything bad (liar, master manipulator, vain, spoiled, thief, murderer.. And super fast and super strong, and very smart) Ares is more along the lines of her Darkseid. He is a god and one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, and only gains strength through others' love of violence and war. He's a master manipulator and has a HUGE sense of entitlement. (Also, when written well) He can really be hard to conquer. Circe is basically the female version of Ares. I've always thought of her as a cross between Voldemort and Alexis Colby from Dynasty. Glamorous to a fault, sexy, extremely powerful and dangerous. She basically hates everything about Diana and wants everything she has. I also liked the additions of Alkyone and Genocide in the last run. Alkyone is much like Zod in that she is one of Diana's people. And instead of loving her the way most of the Amazons do, she hates her for reasons Diana can't even help (If brought back, she could hate the fact that Diana is Zeus' child..) Genocide (if written and drawn better) could have been the sickest of all! The idea of her was badass, created from Diana's own DNA (I wish it was just from her blood or hair instead of from a future Diana corpse... That didn't even make sense) Genocide could have really put a mark on the Wonder Woman franchise.. And still could. But Cheetah should be the type of character who could manipulate them all into doing anything she wanted them to.. Actually after thinking about it, it seems that so far bad writers have been Diana's biggest enemies.. Hopefully that will change

[Zak213]

I think it might be strife because Azzarello's whole arc seems to be a spin on the whole nature versus nurture debate which sums up most of the characters's struggles completely.

Right now I think the problem with Circe, Strife and Cale is that their WW version of another successful villian of someone elses which makes them seem less special compared to Loki or luthor because they dont stand out in terms of dynamic? the luthor-superman dynamic iss different from bat-jokers or Hal-sinestro but can WW say the same thing?

[MelDyer]

I can't think of anything more iconic, timeless or primal than a super-strong woman, who dedicates her life to protecting mankind from a savage predator. That story is older than the pyramids.

The body (and belly) of the archetypal Mother Goddess is a sacred place from which she gives birth to all humankind -even the sea and stars, in some myths. While Wonder Woman doesn't give birth to us, she does embody the mythical role of Mother Protectress, like Isis, Artemis or Diana, ..all of whom ancient man saw as protectors of life -childbirth, young women.

In contrast, Cheetah represents the Destructive Mother aspect of the goddess. Unlike the Protrectress, she wants to devour us; her predatory nature is a perversion of birth and the female power of creation, ..and her belly is a kind of hell, where life is destroyed. Even if Cheetah doesn't actually want to eat us, she is a being of violence, and her schemes are destructive.

In this way, Wonder Woman and Cheetah are natural enemies, and, when written well, push some very ancient buttons on us. I think, also, that Strife, as the Loki to Diana's Thor, is also a natural enemy, and to develop her as anything less than that would be wasteful.

Circe is basically Eve, Delilah, Pandora -a woman, whose sexuality somehow betrays mankind, justifying her blame for all of the world's problems. She embodies the same chaos that Strife does, but with a moral imperative attached. If you are afraid of sex, you'll probably need Wonder Woman to protect you from her. Lol

All that aside, I'd say her most enduring enemy is Ares and his agents -Conquest, Silver Swan, Herakles, Duke of Deception, etc.