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Wonder Woman's New Costume: Fab or Fail?

This week, DC Comics unveiled a whole new look for Wonder Woman, giving the iconic superheroine a modern-day makeover. That sound you hear is comic book fans the world over collectively losing their s%$t.

Take a look at Wonder Woman's new Jim Lee-designed duds below.

wonder-250.jpgWell, at least she finally has pants. Fighting crime in a star-spangled one-piece bathing suit for 69 years couldn't have been easy. On the other hand, that leather jacket screams 1993. This is hip and modern? Also, can't she have a cloak or a cape or something? This is more urban street avenger, and less regal Amazonian warrior. (She looks like she's going to hit a Joan Jett concert after busting some supervillain skulls.)  

It's tough being Wonder Woman. Batman gets to be the dark, brooding avenger. Superman is the golden All-American Boy Scout. Wonder Woman has to be a superheroine, a Greek goddess, and a feminist icon. We want Wonder Woman to be a role model for young girls while also fighting evil side-by-side with the Justice League. (Not to mention that she must always be drawn with absurd body proportions-- large breasts, small hips, skinny legs--because, well, it's comic books.) 

Then there's the problem of her incredibly convoluted origin (she was molded from magic clay by the Queen of the Amazons or something), which has stymied various movie adaptations over the years. (If only Joss Whedon's version had gotten off the ground!) While DC Comics is rewriting her origin with the new costume, Wonder Woman's story will never be as simple as Batman's "crooks killed my parents, therefore I seek revenge" hook or Superman's "space orphan on Earth" routine. 

(Fun fact: Wonder Woman's creator, William Moulton Marston, was a psychologist who helped to invent the lie detector and lived for many years in a polyamorous relationship. He loosely based Wonder Woman on both his wife Elizabeth and his live-in lover Olive Byrne, two women who he felt defied the repressive culture of the 1940s.) 

Plus, no one can really agree on which version of Wonder Woman best represents the character. Do you prefer the classic comic book version, who rides around in an invisible jet, catching bad guys with her Lasso of Truth? Or do you like the tough, modern Amazonian warrior unafraid to do what's necessary in the name of justice? (In a recent controversial storyline, Wonder Woman killed villain Maxwell Lord.) And who could forget Lynda Carter spinning around in the TV series?

What do you guys think about the new costume? What version of Wonder Woman is your favorite? Do you think the new costume is just an excuse to give Wonder Woman something decent to wear in the inevitable movie? (No actress is going to run around in panties, a tiara, and a golden bustier on the big screen. Well, maybe Lindsay Lohan.)
Talk 20
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20 Comments

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Dear big wigs who control the media world:
STOP DESTROYING EVERYTHING THAT I HOLD DEAR TO MY HEART!

First a Breakfast Club porno spoof, a Smurfs movie and now this? Is nothing sacred?!

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Wonder Woman's new look = fail.

Kate McG

Hey, I like it. The old one never made a lick of sense to me - She's a warrior princess from an ancient greek all-female culture, but she wore stars and stripes and an eagle? How does that make any sense? It was all right when we were still fighting the Nazis, I guess, but the days of everyone with a red, white and blue outfit punching Hitler are long gone.I'm no fan of the new origin story, but the costume makes total sense. She could probably sub the jacket in for some kind of cloak, but man, PANTS. Do you know how uncomfortable that one-piece would be while fighting? Plus, that's a lot of exposed skin. And high potential for wardrobe malfunctions. This costume puts her on the level of her male peers in the practicality department. She finally looks like the progressive female icon she was meant to be.

Nick Nadel

Agree on the pants. It's about time. Also, yeah, the whole star-spangled thing doesn't make sense anymore. The jacket is too '90s. (Also, Wonder Woman shouldn't wear a choker.) Overall, it's sort of a lazy design. She needs a cloak or a crown or something regal. It's too urban. She basically looks like Black Canary.

Anyway, it'll be back to the original in a year or so.

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i've never read much wonderwoman, infact i am a huge black canary fan, and the costumes are too close for my taste. but atleast according to the semi recent wonderwoman cartoon movie that came out, she wore the stars and stripes as a sign of respect to the country she was basically being an ambassador to. i don't know if that carries over to the comics, but i figured it was atleast a halfway decent excuse.

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ps i also hate the hair....not because it doesn't look good, it does, it's a very cute and modern hairstyle. but atleast in the comics she's always had long dark curley locks, and i really really really like seeing that in a comic book heroine....it doesn't hurt my opinion that i have very similar long dark curly locks......

Kate McG

And I haven't really liked the character's recent direction, so maybe this will mix it up. Ever since she killed Maxwell Lord, she's just been a tad melodramatic for my tastes.

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I like it except for the leather jacket. Although it wouldn't be the first time Diana dons a leather jacket, but I didn't like it in the 90's and I don't like it now. One of the best jackets ever was the one Superboy had in the late 90's (after the character was redesigned in his series, when Joe Kelly was writing it).

For Diana though I think they could five her some damn sleeves. I really like the belt and how it matches her new bracelets.

Laje Kahr

Like the top. Don't like the pants, uncertain on the boots: not sure why though, much more practical than the usual super high heal silliness.

I think shorts would work better than pants. Not daisy dukes, but something in between.

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Agree on the choker, and the jacket. But I think the look would just be complete without them or any other additions like capes.

I like the Wonder Woman in Justice League Unlimited. Tough and unafraid, but always making sure that everyone does right. Or she kicks their ass.

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She looks too much like Rogue from X-Men.

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