Wonder Woman in New Genesis: an Orion Interlude

[alschroeder3]

I have problems with some parts of Azzarello and Chiang's take on Wonder Woman--the retconning of the origin, the change in the Amazons. OTOH, the gods are more recognizably the "true" Greek gods than anyone has done since Perez--and his take on the New Gods has been equally spot on.

I'm very ambivelent about the Superman/WW romance--two perfect people getting together has all the drama of Ken and Barbie (besides, sooner or later Clark's pacifist and nonmilitary background will cause a splitup with the daughter of a warrior queen brought up in a warrior society) but a warrior god, with tormented vulnerabilities and anger issues, who keeps calling her "legs"?

MUCH better. Orion and WW have MUCH more in common than an alien raised in Kansas.

Case in point...

Wonder Woman is on New Genesis, being shown Supertown by Highfather, and is asked what Orion is doing in such a place of peace. Highfather answers, "On the planet below. Meditating..."

I like the way Orion tries to "fight" anger, that even in meditation his metaphors are violent. It's futile, but it's SO Orion.

For my money, there is ten times more chemistry, more romantic tension, more genuine emotion between Orion and Wonder Woman then Superman and Wonder Woman could ever hope for.

Superman and Wonder Woman are a fanboy's dream. But the best relationships are fraught with flaws and faults...like Orion's jagged real face.

Comments

[atom_punk]

To play devil's advocate regarding Highfather, I can't recall him actually DOING anything in the old DCU anyway. In any comics where he appeared he was just a generic elderly wise mentor figure dude. So for me he never had much characterization to start with :P

Also liking the crossover of Greek gods with New Gods. There's a nice little parallel between Wonder Woman's name "Diana" and Orion who was also a hunter in Greek myth.