Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Oh, They've Got Me Wondering, All Right

Lately, there's been a lot of talk about the most recent makeover of Ms. Diana Prince's working costume, from a jewelry-heavy, Vegas-ready tankini-corset getup to tight leggings, a tighter top and a sorta scruffy-lookin' jacket. (And yes, bling).

My reaction is "meh." I was never more than a lukewarm fan. Oh, it was kewl to have a super-duper superheroine who wasn't like Superman's annoying kid sister; but her boyfriend was dumber than a post and generally inept, despite every effort to build him up. She kept having to go bail him out, more Mom or babysitter. ...In hindsight, maybe she needed him around to avoid DADT problems. C'mon, Diana, it's 2010; you might have to get a different job but sneaking around is no way for a supposed role model to behave. Let poor old Steve date someone who won't use him to hide behind.

For that matter, the fellow who dreamed her up had some...different...notions about role-modeling. I'm no fan of Fred Wertham -- now there's a dirty, dirty mind! -- and it's important to point out that the evidence is Dr. Marsten and Co. successfully raised a large, happy family (who speak very highly of them) but in terms of comic books and related TV and films, I feel vindicated in having been far more a fan of Batgirl (and even Catwoman, who wasn't ever really majorly evil, y'know). Nearsighted and surrounded by adults entirely unconvinced of the merits of graphic novels, I soon migrated to thick books with a lot more text. Grown-ups were a lot less likely to take 'em away and Admiral Heinlein had tickets to the Moon!

6 comments:

Justthisguy said...

Those three panels are just funny, and I don't care who you are. Even a strict vagitarian, as long as she had a sense of humor... wait...

WV: antragui. Side dish with crottled greeps.

Timmeehh said...

It has to be the Julie Newmar Catwoman!

NMM1AFan said...

Could there have been butt-kicking heroines in movies and tv without Wonder Woman?

Roberta X said...

It's a good point, NMM1AFan. Somebody's gotta be first and if not a bullet-deflecting Amazon princess, then who?

OldTexan said...

I had an over-abundant diet of Super Hero Comics when I first started to read. I shared a bedroom with my brother who was 11 years older and he was hooked on the stuff and they were my first readers in the late 40's, early 50's.

I still remember a pre-school tingle, no idea what it was that I felt when I read Wonderwoman comics.

I think they were all good for me because I still think we need heros to fight for good against evil and we all need stuff to shoot zombies, just in case they come around.

I read and re-read my comic books and then traded them to other kids for more comic books. Now I kind of wish I had tucked back a few in decent condition to sell in my old age.

John B said...

At the risk of shocking your neo- Victorian sensibilities, the writers and illustrators of WW have more to answer for my being harshly dragged through puberty sideways.

At least Playboy and Penthouse showed me nude women.

Reading Wonder Woman made me realize Steve Trevor should have run for the hills.

Of course I think he may have been using her as camouflage as well.