A thought-provoking piece over at the Daily Beast discusses the "new" direction that the Wonder Woman comic is headed under the husband-and-wife creative team of David and Meredith Finch. From that piece's overall tone it is easy to say that TDB isn't fond of where the Finches are taking the Amazonian princess.
A few of choice quotes from the piece follow:
"Can you imagine Superman being handed over to a writer just a notch above amateur? It simply wouldn't fly...pun intended."
"Meredith explained that by the end of their run, she hoped 'people feel like they have an intimate connection with [Wonder Woman]... and that she's their best friend.' I need my best friend to sit on the couch and watch TV with me; I need Wonder Woman to save the world."
"On the cover, Wonder Woman resembles a 16-year-old model doing a pee-pee dance. Her first full scene is a shower sequence where she's in a towel. She has ridiculous mood swings. Without any evidence or provocation, she attacks Swamp Thing - and then gets beaten in the only fight she has in the issue."
Now, I haven't read the issue in question myself and typically feel very odd offering commentary on something I haven't read yet. Let me say this: I've never read a "Wonder Woman" comic in my life, and that's not because she's a female, or that I'm sexist, misogynist or whatever. The simple fact of the matter is that I've always found Princess Diana dreadfully boring. She's essentially a female Superman and Superman, for the most part, is as exciting as unbuttered toast.
I've read and collected Marvel's "She-Hulk" (especially John Byrne's version) quite frequently throughout the years because I find Jennifer Walters funny and engaging...or as funny and engaging as a fictional, green, 7-foot-tall woman can be. Beyond her immense strength and Hulk blood, she is human. I also rather enjoy any stories with Marvel's Scarlet Witch, DC's Oracle/Barbara Gordon and Image's Deena Pilgrim. Those are female comic book characters that resonate with me in way Wonder Woman just never, ever has...because, again, they are human or haven't lost what is to be human, ultimately. They seem real to me in a way that Wonder Woman never has. Wonder Woman is a goddess. Aloof. Untouchable. Unknowable. How can any mortal man live up to her expectations? Steve Trevor? Get lost, brother. You stand no friggin' chance, my man.
That being said, there was one "Wonder Woman" story that I thought was fantastic. It depicted her as a strong, righteous bad-ass and it, for lack of a better word, was awesome. And it was awesome because it seemed to me that it distilled everything that this character should and could be into 75 minutes of Greek mythology-laden kick-assery. And, yes, it had a human side as well...thanks to the sublime vocal work of Keri Russell as Wonder Woman. She lent Diana a simplicity through strength (and yes, humanity) that was lacking in almost all previous iterations. It is the DC Animated Universe movie that came out in 2009, simply titled "Wonder Woman." I bought it for my daughter Bridget who was 6 at the time. We both loved it and still watch it from time to time... as we do with "Wolf Children," "Paprika" and "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time." I recall thinking then, "When did Wonder Woman get so tough? I actually like this!"
The TDB article states rather plainly this new direction for Wonder Woman is a "big step back." That makes me sad. Even though I'm not a huge fan, I feel that Diana deserves better. I mean, she is a goddess after all. Why not just follow the blueprint laid out in the 2009 animated film? That seems pretty obvious to me.
The new creative team needs to be replaced. Right now. Before any more damage can be done. And I don't blame the artists as much as I do the writer. Just because you are a woman doesn't mean you can write Wonder Woman effectively. Bad writing is bad writing. That is as genderless as is gets. Wonder Woman should not be hugging teddy bears and doing gratuitous shower scenes. That's not humanity, Finches...that's pandering.
DC Comics, pull your heads out of your collective asses and do something about this. Now. Your "First Lady" deserves much, much more.
