Wonder Woman #17 (Actual Issue, Not Just Preview) SPOILERS

[Don-Jack]

Another theory is that Orion slapped not for the DNA, but to put some crazy new god tracker on her. He walking to her just to slap her butt just don't feel naturally jerk to me. Of course he abused the situation, though.

Thanks for the answer, Brett.

[Auguste Dupin]

And I never stood up to the guys who beat me up once in High School and it still niggles at me.

Can't tell how you must have felt. Never been beaten up in Hight School. Which is ironic because I totally was the kind of kind that should have been.
Maybe it was because I was in the audiovisual class (yep, was studying movies in High School.). We were a considered as kind of weird, but more of the "into drugs" kinda of weird, the kind you didn't really mess with (which, again, is ironic because I wasn't into drugs at all). Or maybe because that one time some guy tried to beat me up, the following fight wasn't enough of a win for him to make me look like an easy victim, I don't know.
I can imagine how it feels to be slapped in the ass though. Very easy to go into "back off, asshole" territory, and your clearly don't turn your back on the person afterwards, but there's no point into beating him up really (don't like beating people up in general, with that sai.).

[brettc1]

Can't tell how you must have felt. Never been beaten up in Hight School. Which is ironic because I totally was the kind of kind that should have been.
Maybe it was because I was in the audiovisual class (yep, was studying movies in High School.). We were a considered as kind of weird, but more of the "into drugs" kinda of weird, the kind you didn't really mess with (which, again, is ironic because I wasn't into drugs at all). Or maybe because that one time some guy tried to beat me up, the following fight wasn't enough of a win for him to make me look like an easy victim, I don't know.
I can imagine how it feels to be slapped in the ass though. Very easy to go into "back off, asshole" territory, and your clearly don't turn your back on the person afterwards, but there's no point into beating him up really (don't like beating people up in general, with that sai.).

I'm going to assume that last word was supposed to be said, and not the name of a Japanese martial arts weapon

My high school days were thirty years ago, and nerds weren't even close to being cool back then.

[Auguste Dupin]

I'm going to assume that last word was supposed to be said, and not the name of a Japanese martial arts weapon

My high school days were thirty years ago, and nerds weren't even close to being cool back then.

Nerds are never cool. If they became cool, they wouldn't be nerds.

[berk]

Another theory is that Orion slapped not for the DNA, but to put some crazy new god tracker on her. He walking to her just to slap her butt just don't feel naturally jerk to me. Of course he abused the situation, though.

Whatever the explanation it doesn't erase the problem of Orion acting out of character.

I have no idea why he did what he did, to tell you the truth. It totally took me by surprise and at the moment, I sort of wondered if it was in character for him or not (then again, I am far from being an Orion expert).

No, it wasn't at all in character - quite the opposite. By "character" in reference to Orion, BTW, I'm always talking about the character in Kirby's original New Gods series, not the one that came after.

Although, it happens to be out of character for that Orion as well, who, unlike the Kirby version, was a jerk, but in a completely different way to Azzarello's.

I am not either, and most of the stuff I have to go on is Morrison JLA and forwards, and in that he was always this walking timebomb that would fly off the handle at the slightest provocation.
That said, I would dare say his action is jarring against what we've otherwise seen of him (what little of it there is). Like he seemed quite muted around Milan, his bad tempered self in the subway, back to being muted outside of the apartment before Lummox called him spaceman, and now, out of the blue, he walks up and pats her rear while smiling like a fool.

Maybe Azzarello will come up with an explanation for all this, but I don't think it really matters in the long run: Orion's just not the type of character who does things like this for any reason, there's no getting around it.

If that's hard to see for readers unfamiliar with the character, imagine, say, Superman or Batman doing the same kind of thing: those are two very different characters, both to Orion and to each other, but I don't see either one of them smacking WW or any other female on the behind, let alone with a dumb smirk on his face; it's just as out of character for Orion, perhaps even more so.

I'm talking about things more from the Orion perspective because that character's the main reason I'm even reading the series - for the moment, at least - and also because I suspect that WW will eventually get her own back for that distasteful little incident.

But to change the subject, no one's talked much about the First Born: I think his new costume makes him look like a rejected He-Man bad guy from the 80s cartoon. A bit of a come-down for what had been up to now one of the more successful parts of the recent issues, from what I've seen. They should re-design that armour quick, and also I think it would be more effective to give him regular civilian clothes when he's isn't fighting monsters or biting people's heads off and eating their brains. They's be shredded pretty fast in a major fight against the kind of opponents he's likely to be facing and it would help retain that sort of primal, elemental rawness that's made him so impressive until this latest issue.

[HeroxMatt2.0]

We've been discussing the First Born - but it keeps getting interrupted by this butt slap!

And I don't mind the cape he's using. It kind of reminds me of Hera's Peacock version. However, I do see what you mean: it isn't really all that fear or awe inspiring. Although a guy with a helicopter blade as his weapon is pretty awesome, regardless. Maybe it was just the way the artist drew him?

[Don-Jack]

In fact, I belive it's out of character even from the Orion from issues #15 and #16. The "frat boy" who is everyone talking about is not the Orion I saw on the previous issues. I saw a friendly man when talking with Milan, and being angry and imposing at Lennox, who were being the jerk at the moment. That makes it even weird. But if it's not something to be explained, like Strife trolling him or something else, it's not something that I'll give much attention either.

I also don't like First Born's armor that much. Mostly because of the color.

[HeroxMatt2.0]

Strife is the best troll of all time.

[SediarSago]

Pretty good. Though DAMN do I wish Pinna was the fill in artist instead of Akins. I think that it would make the book so much better. Not that Akins isn't good, it's the occasional panel and body shape every few pages that's just out of shape or proportion or too stiff or something.

Onward. Feels like the first Akins story, besides his issues during the first arc, to actually get something done. It seems like the story is starting to build up to an epic conclusion, which I bet will happen around issue 25 or 30, ending with an oversized annual.

War is gonna die I bet. Sad. He was manipulative and always keeping his plans hidden, plus his humor got to me. We will probably see Orion boom in as well.

First Born really interests me. I bet he is going to be the one that ends up killing Apollo. The theory about this being his "rebirth" is sound. Though I have a feeling that Zola's baby is actually either A. Zeus reincarnated or B. Zeus being born and will use his powers to go back in time and be Zeus from the beginning of time. Sort of like a loop.

[HeroxMatt2.0]

So that Zeus is kind of like his own great-grandfather or something?

[dupersuper]

Just for the record: I'm totally ok with women smacking my ass.

I'm glad to know Wonder Woman expects to be a mother to this baby, by admitting that Zola can not care for such a baby.

Probably more a protective aunt or big sister...

Well like we say here: one thing is one thing, another thing is another thing.

Catchy...

[4PointOh]

I'm sure that to Brian Azzarello, and most guys in general, it was just some innocent, fun little slap and tickle that isn't really harming anyone. And they think that because men, by and large, don't have to be on the receiving end of rape culture. They don't have to walk through creation tense and braced for anything in nature to leap out on them. American men aren't raped every six minutes. 99% of rape victims aren't men; 99% of rapists aren't women. Men's bodily autonomy isn't under the constant policing and legislation of other men.

When you have the luxury and privilege of being on the side of the aggressor, these sorts of transgressions seem innocent and, moreover, allow men the comfort of knowing that there are no limits on their own behavior. Because if the most powerful woman in the universe can get slapped on the ass and all she has is the opportunity to get angry before "something more important" catches her attention, well, then, there's nothing men can't so in regard to the bodies of women.

I've been away from this comic book for a long time. And it seems like I have no reason to regret that.

[Auguste Dupin]

I'm sure that to Brian Azzarello, and most guys in general, it was just some innocent, fun little slap and tickle that isn't really harming anyone. And they think that because men, by and large, don't have to be on the receiving end of rape culture. They don't have to walk through creation tense and braced for anything in nature to leap out on them. American men aren't raped every six minutes. 99% of rape victims aren't men; 99% of rapists aren't women. Men's bodily autonomy isn't under the constant policing and legislation of other men.

When you have the luxury and privilege of being on the side of the aggressor, these sorts of transgressions seem innocent and, moreover, allow men the comfort of knowing that there are no limits on their own behavior. Because if the most powerful woman in the universe can get slapped on the ass and all she has is the opportunity to get angry before "something more important" catches her attention, well, then, there's nothing men can't so in regard to the bodies of women.

I've been away from this comic book, for a long time. And it seems like I have no reason to regret that.

Then again, Diana hasn't grow up in a culture where she was the receiving end to rape culture, wher her body was under the constant policing and legislation of other men. She didn't have to walk through creation tense and braced for anything in nature to leap out of her. Her people wasn't rape every six minutes. Wouldn't it stand to reason that she would react to this in a more subdued fashion than another woman who has?

[4PointOh]

Then again, Diana hasn't grow up in a culture where she was the receiving end to rape culture, wher her body was under the constant policing and legislation of other men. She didn't have to walk through creation tense and braced for anything in nature to leap out of her. Her people wasn't rape every six minutes. Wouldn't it stand to reason that she would react to this in a more subdued fashion than another woman who has?

Unfortunately, Amazons are not who are reading this book. Nor is the culture that this book is part of a rape-free one. The ultimate reality matters. This book is both influenced and influencing. And being read by actual people rather than theoretical ones.

[Auguste Dupin]

Unfortunately, Amazons are not who are reading this book. Nor is the culture that this book is part of a rape-free one. The ultimate reality matters. This book is both influenced and influencing. And being read by actual people rather than theoretical ones.

I think you are greatly exagerating whatever influence this comic book is supposed to have. It's a comic book, dude. It's like these guys saying that Twilight will corrupt the mind of young girls, or whatever. Come on, it's an awful series, but that doesn't mean people will turn into pedophilia or whatever because the werewoilf ended up with the baby. And that's a popular series, not a relica of a dying medium (in the US) like Wonder Woman.
I don't think the average reader is going to suddenly believe slapping women's ass is okay because Orion's done it. Hell, the book isn't even saying it's okay, Diana was clearly unhappy about it and about to retaliate. Would have been really better to have her punching him in the face? You can't ask for a character that resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner (something this Diana has done quite a few times, considering we're in a medium where conflicts are usually resolved through violence) and ask at the same time that she uses violence every time people don't respect her. That's being a bit of an hypocrite. I mean, it's not like headbutting Orion would have make him understand what was wrong with the slapping. The guy's the God of War. He's probably turned on by fist fights.