Gene Colan Week - "A Bold New Direction for... Wonder Woman"

[icon_uk]

I was wondering what to post for this tribute, it's not like there's a dearth of material, and I posted the Batman/Vampire stuff before, but then I remembered one particular story which might be of special interest on s_d, from Gentleman Gene's run on Wonder Woman.

Amongst his many other achievements is one that might go unnoticed; the 1982 introduction of the first major change to Wonder Woman's costume (other than her depowered civvies era) in... well, ever.

It was published, of all places as a comic within a comic within DC Comics Presents #41 (Superman teams up with the Joker in a story that's not without it's charms, but isn't directly relevant here)



It's a 15(ish) page story, so there is room for only about 4 pages from it, so I've had to trim a LOT, and that pains me... but since this qualifies as the cover of the minicomic I think I can post without upping the page count.




Now, remember throughout this that this is long before the Perez reboot of Wonder Woman, this is not Diana of Themiscriya, it's Princess Diana of Paradise Island, aka Captain Diana Prince of the USAF Special Assignments Bureau, based in Washington DC.

It opens with Captain Prince and Colonel Steve Trevor being mugged outside the Captiol, but some well armed terrorists, who want something in a briefcase that Steve is carrying. Steve tells Diana to make a break for it and to guard the briefcase whilst he attempts to fight them off (not quite successfully, and they make a grab for him too... then they can go after his companion, the girl.





I don't care how hokey it is, I've always loved the spin-change, be it the lasso approach or the Lynda Carter "spin and BOOM!", and DAMN but that's a fine looking Wonder Woman, no?

She makes short work of the bad guys (see the cover above) but is too late to stop Steve being injured... Three bystanders tell her they already have, and seem to have something they want to say to her.



Well, we didn't really think it was going to be for "wombat" Dr Felton, but thanks for clearing that up.

I have to say that, charitable intentions notwithstanding, it must take guts to go up to the world's pre-eminent female superhero and ask for her to publicly sponsor them, whilst wearing a promotional outfit.

Diana decides to think about it, and talk it over with her mother, so summons her invisible plane (Pre Perez Wonder Woman couldn't fly under her own power, rather she could "glide on air currents" and used the plane for long haul flights)



To be honest I'm not sure how much of a part in the next issues the WW Foundation had....

So Diana arrives back home, and sees a welcoming committee.. or is it (and yes, pre-Perez Hippolyta was a blonde)



She discovers that Hercules, a definite bad guy in this era, arranged events so that Hermes (Who is not only god of messengers and speed but thieves) would steal Hippolyta's Magic Belt of Strength (without which Hercules was able to beat them), in return for which, Hermes would get Diana... and yes, I mean "get" in the skeeviest sense you can apply to the word in this context.

Diana challenges the two of them to a contest. In the past she has proved herself stronger than Hercules and faster than Hermes, and if either fo them can beat her now, she will surrender willingly to them.

Hercules doesn't fall for that, but luckily Hermes DOES, and tells Diana that the winner will be the first one to reach the girdle which he throws as far as he can.





No Herc, you'll be lucky if you're in any state to even CRAWL!



"And I ALWAYS pay my debts"... so saying she forces Hercules to the ground, and defeated, he vanishes from the island in a puff of magic, to plot anew.



And you know, I rather think it did!

Thank you again for your work Mr Colan.

Comments

[espanolbot]

I wasn't really being literal, more using Golems as a frame of reference. :P

[icon_uk]

Yeah, sorry, just irks me, the golem comparison thing has been used in the comics a time or too, and her origin makes it clear she's not, any more than we're a chemistry set.

[drexer]

What is the current proper origin(s) by the way? I'm thinking of following the WW title post-reboot so I really should try to get my knowledge of the backstory in order.

[icon_uk]

Last I heard, still the basic is that the some of the God's of Olympus saved the souls from women who had been murdered by men throughout ancient history (Hippolyta was the first, and was unique inasmuch as she was pregnant at the time). Ultimately a number of the gods; Athena, Artemis, Hestia and Hermes (Maybe Hera, I forget) re-incarnated those souls as the Amazons (leaving the one soul of the unborn child apart). Eventually, at the bidding of the Gods, Hippolyta formed the likeness of a child out of clay, and the last soul, her unborn daughter, was used to create Diana.

[philippos42]

Demeter and Aphrodite were in the Pérez origin, Hera wasn't that I recall.