Wonder Woman #16 Preview

[Rob_Olivera]

I just take the punning as a kind of dialect --almost a peculiar slang, if you will--of the gods (and perhaps to some extent the Amazons). It beats archaicisms (though those were OK in #0) and while I realize that Azz just likes wordplay, it makes sense to me that immortals might like it too. Being immortal, they're always trying to keep themselves amused, and that includes playing with language. I like that the tone or use of their puns seems so individual to me (Ares' are cynical and self-loathing, Strife's acerbic, etc.)

Well... Let's say that the amazons live the way they do and they truly have no contact with the outside world, right? Why wouldn't they retain the style in which they spoke from 3000 years ago?

[sarcarsm] You'd think they speak the phrase "Oh God, please don't kill me you b*tches" in the modern style of speaking since they hear it at least once every 33 years [/sarcasm] LOL.

ahem... where was I?... Oh, Yes! Archaicisms! I don't really read Thor, but I'm sure Brett could probably tell me if they still use archaic language there.

I just wish Azzarello would bookmark 1 character with the Puns and stick with him/her. I feel as if it would promote a more solid portrayal of the comic.

Small complaint.

Let's all say it at once now...

"Meat an Amazon!"

[slvn]

Well... Let's say that the amazons live the way they do and they truly have no contact with the outside world, right? Why wouldn't they retain the style in which they spoke from 3000 years ago?

Well, if they spoke as they did 3000 years ago, it would be all Greek to us. But, putting the need for translation aside, who says their ways of speaking have changed? Maybe they've been punning for a long time. Or maybe, being immortals, the older ones got bored of straightforward speech a few centuries ago and started playing with words more, just like the gods. Or maybe they don't pun very much, but Diana has picked up a bit of the habit from Ares and other gods with whom she has interacted.

Why Zola is able to understand the language on Paradise Island is another matter, but probably the kind of thing it's best not to worry too much about. I really don't want comics to have to get bogged down making up explanations for stuff like that.

ETA--

Here's something Azzarello said about the gods' use of language shortly before his run started:

But it has been pretty enjoyable coming up with the dialogue and the cadence of these characters that are larger than life, the way that they speak. They have a sort of larger than life approach to sentence structure too! [Laughs]

I think part of his thinking may be that the gods just wouldn't use language in a straightforward, ordinary way, but would play with it and twist it around, if only to keep themselves amused.

[slvn]

I've been thinking about this one - I agree that the giants were likely set there thousands of years ago. However, Hades' voice, talking through them, is speaking in the here and now. And Hades' voice, as heard here, doesn't sound like Hades has changed at all post-shot to the heart. I get that he may still view the First Born as a threat, given the prophecy and all; I guess I just thought that the next time we saw Hades, we'd see more of a difference and less of the same.

Me too, but we may see a big difference yet--there's not much to go by yet. Come to think of it, you know who might make a good couple? Hades (if he's now capable of loving) and Siracca. They're both younger than their years, and they might understand each others' loneliness.

[Rob_Olivera]

Well, if they spoke as they did 3000 years ago, it would be all Greek to us. But, putting the need for translation aside, who says their ways of speaking have changed? Maybe they've been punning for a long time. Or maybe, being immortals, the older ones got bored of straightforward speech a few centuries ago and started playing with words more, just like the gods. Or maybe they don't pun very much, but Diana has picked up a bit of the habit from Ares and other gods with whom she has interacted.

Why Zola is able to understand the language on Paradise Island is another matter, but probably the kind of thing it's best not to worry too much about. I really don't want comics to have to get bogged down making up explanations for stuff like that.

ETA--

Here's something Azzarello said about the gods' use of language shortly before his run started:

But it has been pretty enjoyable coming up with the dialogue and the cadence of these characters that are larger than life, the way that they speak. They have a sort of larger than life approach to sentence structure too! [Laughs]

I think part of his thinking may be that the gods just wouldn't use language in a straightforward, ordinary way, but would play with it and twist it around, if only to keep themselves amused.

The point is that it's not only the gods that speak that way. Everyone does. The only one with a distinctive twist here is Lennox, and even he uses puns.

[slvn]

The point is that it's not only the gods that speak that way. Everyone does. The only one with a distinctive twist here is Lennox, and even he uses puns.

I don't recall Zola punning much, or Cassandra (not that we've heard that much from her yet. Or Siracca. For that matter, I don't remember the Amazons, other than Diana, punning much--with Aleka's comment about "the staff" perhaps being one mild exception, if you really call a double entendre like that a pun--though if the Amazons are immortal, they might pun for the same reasons as the gods. Or they may have been influenced by the gods. And as I mentioned earlier, I think they do have distinctive twists, such as Strife's acerbic brand of wordplay and Apollo "I'm so clever that I think even the worst puns are brilliant if I come up with them" variety.

Anyway, it's perfectly valid that you don't like that so many cahracters pun. I'm just pointing out a different way to think about it.

[americanwonder]

The point is that it's not only the gods that speak that way. Everyone does. The only one with a distinctive twist here is Lennox, and even he uses puns.

I agree with you, Rob. I like Slvn's (and presumably Azzarello's?) view that this is their dialect, of sorts - gods speaking in a less than straight forward manner - but even with that, I think it works better to limit it to the gods themselves. This is one time where judicious use is a good idea, Mr. Azzarello.

Part of the problem (that is, for those of us who think it is a problem), is that the cast is dominated by gods, gods, OMG is there anyone here not part of the god-family-feud?, so much so that there's very few people to work as contrast, to play off of. This is one reason I like Rucka's run better, there was more of our world to be seen, and interact with, making the gods feel, at least a bit, more special because not everyone was part of the god-family. Azzarello's WW story, thus far, is severly lacking in that area, and, imo, it also contributes to not feeling like there's much, if any, threat to our world, because these gods are too busy fighting each other in their disconnected dillusions and pun-fun.

With that said, I do think things have been improving (a bit, it is still slow) these last few issues. I look forward to Hera and Zola in NY (*fingers crossed*) - perhaps Zola and teach Hera how to speak without the puns? Please? ;)

[Outside_85]

I've been thinking about this one - I agree that the giants were likely set there thousands of years ago. However, Hades' voice, talking through them, is speaking in the here and now. And Hades' voice, as heard here, doesn't sound like Hades has changed at all post-shot to the heart. I get that he may still view the First Born as a threat, given the prophecy and all; I guess I just thought that the next time we saw Hades, we'd see more of a difference and less of the same.

I didn't read the giants as speaking with Hades' voice, since this is outside of the underworld/himself I assume he is not omniscient and has had better things to do over the last 7000 years. He may have created them, but unlike the things in the underworld that was just an extension of himself, these giants have their own will, not much, but still.

[Mr. Holmes]

Thanks Holmes. Good to see you btw.

[brettc1]

Page one, panel one. Perhaps new glasses, sir.

No flies on you, I guess

Looking at this I am not convinced the first page of the preview is page one. I am sure there was an issue previous where the preview skipped some pages.