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Continuing on with the quest to find the most bad-ass Good Guy, I naturally turned my attention to the only female superhero to give Batman and Superman a run for their money in the historic ranks of comic history, Wonder Woman. Now, I am going to confess right here that this was the first Wonder Woman comic I have read in over over ten years. I mean, I was obsessed with Wonder Woman as a kid, right down to my very favourite Underoos (which I tried to convince my Mom at about age four were a perfectly legitimate Halloween costume...she didn't buy it). I was, however, obsessed with the Linda Carter t.v. version, which I watched avidly, usually through the bars of a chairback or the top of a couch, so I could pretend I was locked up or flying, too. I was in total and complete empathy with her every move. Somehow, though, as I grew up I started to think of Wonder Woman as cheesy. I don't really know why...maybe it had to do with Linda Carter winding up doing make-up commercials. The magic just went away. I have certainly read, over the years, about how Wonder Woman represented the feminist fight for recognition, etc. And I can see it, and I have a certain sympathy for that cause, but it just wasn't enough to make me pick up the comics again.
Oh, how I regret that, now.
In the issue Love and Murder, Pt. 3, we begin with the resurrection by the Amazons of the Queen Mother (Wonder Woman's Mom), while Wonder woman herself is being held prisoner by the Department of Defense, for reasons no clearer than
Custody being a term the powers-that-be are now using on anyone who stands in the way of their own lust for control.
The Amazons, and the Queen Mother, needless to say, are more than a little pissed about this turn of events, and decide to wage war against Washington, D.C. in order to retrieve Diana and show "the world of man" that they can't "tame" an Amazon. About this time, Nemesis (who has been working with the Department of Metahuman Affairs) decides to jump ship to bust Wonder Woman out, the Amazons attack, and Batman gets called in to quell the chaos. In the midst of this Wonder Woman and Nemesis still manage some sexually-taut banter (Nemesis: I'll tell you what's decent...that birthmark on your...). I had forgotten that Wonder Woman is not only a bad-ass, she is also witty (and possibly one of the sexiest superheroes ever).
This comic was fantastic. The artwork, pencilled by Terry Dodson, was standard comic fare, but done really well. The story, by Jodi Picoult, left me aching for all the background, and everything to come. No, there is no mind-melding revelation, no nifty plot twist...but for all that it still manages to be everything a comic should be: fun, exciting, with a nod to the current themes and issues plaguing our society, both on a political and cultural level. It reminded me of why I got into comics in the first place.
See, what I love about comics are their ability to remind us of what we are all, every day, fighting for. We may prefer one hero or storyline over another, but whatever mold we choose or whatever time period we may sink ourselves into, we are able to fix on a character who embodies what we want to be and the causes we wish we had the strength to stand up for. While comics may seem simple on the surface, and are often thereby dismissed by the literary elite, what they actually are is the only extant modern western mythology, and as such they are the last bastion of our hopes and dreams, the player's guide of the current generations. We have become too jaded for Hansel and Gretel, too arrogant for Robin Hood...but in our comics we still lay out in simple terms and bright colors what is really important, and how far we would go to fight for it. In my reviews of the most recent Spiderman and Catwoman comics, I mentioned how they are growing up and taking responsibility for their families while still managing to hold onto the most precious aspects of themselves. In Green Arrow, Year One, we find ourselves thrust into Green Arrow's past, where he was once just as irresponsible and without purpose as many of us feel. All over the comic world, we find our heroes facing their inner fears and demons, while the outside world becomes more and more threatening -- not the criminals, anymore, but the very government which one loved them and called upon their services. Really, looking out into the "real" America, isn't this what most of us are confronting today?
I am not proposing here that anyone go out and start trying to face off with Homeland Security with their shotgun in hand in order to try to bring the light of Justice back into the world. That would be just as foolish as taking the Bible literally, rather than respecting it as powerful and important mythology. What I do propose, however, is that we stop downgrading comics as trite timewasters, and start looking at them for what they are: a metaphorical blueprint for how to find strength within ourselves, and the risks inherent within that choice. We may not have a "lasso of truth", but we can still discipline ourselves to seek out the truth however deeply it may be hiding. We may not have bullet-proof bracelets, but we can still walk through our streets and stand for our beliefs without fear. We may not be superheroes, but we are individuals capable of standing up for what we believe in. It's never a small thing, and always a risk worth taking.
Yeah, my faith was just restored by a comic book. So, what are you going to do about it?
My Superhero Is Better Than Your Superhero Series
Check the "superbattle2007" tag for everything in this series
Spiderman--Wonder Woman is going to kick his ass. Why? Because she has the lasso of truth, and he will be compelled to admit that she is hotter than Mary Jane.
Catwoman -- Wonder Woman will kick her ass. Why? Because Catwoman would take one look at her and switch teams.
John Constantine -- Wonder Woman, definitely. Why? Because even Constantine is not going to be able to think his way through this one, and the demons would just refuse to go.
Green Arrow -- Come on...if he can't resist Catwoman, he doesn't stand a chance against this.
Batman/Superman -- Wonder Woman. Why? Because I said so.
Daredevil -- Definitely an impressive battle, but Wonder Woman would take him out with the Invisible Plane.
Punisher -- Wonder Woman, again. Because he's just not going to fight her. No, he's not.
Captain America -- Sorry...but isn't he dead?
Betty -- Um...sorry, but I haven't followed this at all. I am still going to bet on Wonder Woman, though...
The Haitian -- Again, I really haven't a clue, but I am still betting on Wonder Woman.
