Initial Reaction to Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is one of my absolute favorite superheroes ever. She’s the first I read about when I first began reading comics. Like I like her to the point that friends buy me Wondie merch for my birthday and Christmas. (Incidentally, friends, if any of you are reading this: do NOT buy me anymore Wonder Woman mugs. I already have a few and there is no room in my cabinet for more dishes). But anyway, I think it’s needless to say that I was very excited to read the very, very first Wonder Woman comics.
On the whole, I rather enjoyed them, aside from Trevor’s dullness and the unfunny running gags about Etta Candy overeating candy. I found Wonder Woman to be a more positive and enjoyable character than either Batman or Superman. Wonder Woman is powerful, but she does not sequester herself off from others in the same way that her male counterparts do. Whereas Superman seems separate from normal men in the same way that gods and mortals are separate, Wonder Woman actively engages with normal men and women. Batman has Robin to help him in his fight against crime, but the character is emotionally removed and guarded to the point of being antisocial. Wonder Woman, on the other hand, befriends an entire sorority of Beeta Lambda, who regularly assist her in fighting crime.
Also, gone is the angst and tragic backstory. The closest that Wonder Woman gets to a tragic backstory indeed, is the explanation for why the Amazons have isolated themselves in the first place. Furthermore, Wonder Woman is shown to just enjoy fighting bad guys, and she regularly compares her battles to games. After the severe angst of Batman, this is a refreshing change.
Wonder Woman is a celebration, not a lament. There is hope and joy in the character, and it’s portrayed as something that is attainable for all women. I think this is where the character Etta Candy is especially important. While I found it cliché and stupid for her to constantly be devouring candy, Etta is shown in a pretty positive light. She’s a happy, powerful, loyal college student. She’s not fat shamed by any of her sorority sisters or by Wonder Woman. She actively helps fight crime, often orchestrating the Holiday Girls’ efforts. She just happens to be a large woman. I find it really great that she’s celebrated just as Wonder Woman is, and not forced to change herself in the slightest.
The only real downside to the comics was Steve Trevor. To say that he’s dull would be an understatement. It constantly feels as though his only purpose is to give Wonder Woman a link to America, i.e. a reason to travel there and then a reason to protect it. Without Trevor, it’s unlikely that Diana would have left Paradise Island/Themyscira in the first place. As it is though, it’s frustrating to listen to Wonder Woman fawn over such a boring guy.
