The Legend of Wonder Woman #2 (Digital)

[informationgeek]

"While Diana is utterly devoted her people and is well loved in return, she feels set apart from them for many reasons (some of which are mentioned in the previous question). She is the only child of an immortal, and the only one born outside of the 10 year mark, so she doesn’t quite belong to other age groups. She’s also a Princess with more responsibilities, which makes her far too dutiful instead of carefree like other girls. Her mother is going through her own difficulties as a parent, making her cold and dictating at times, which confuses Diana and lends to a feeling of pressure and isolation. One of Diana’s biggest conflicts growing up (in fact, one which follows her throughout the entire series) is finding a way to not let her overwhelming sense of duty completely overtake the person within, and how to balance her wishes with what she knows she must do." - Renae De Liz

Writer & Artist: Renae De Liz

7 2/3 out of 23 pages



We open with this:

Hippolyta: How go your language lessons?

Diana: Orithiya says I learn quickly and with ease, Mother. I have to learn to speak Saytr, Atlantean, Centuarian, and Gorgon. I am also studying some fascinating languages found in some relic books. One is called Mandarin and the other, English.

Hippolyta: When you are queen, knowing dialects of creatures on the island will be useful. But do not waste time on languages from the outside world. Nothing survives out there now.

Diana: Yes, mother.












Later...

Comments

[q99]

I like little Diana :)

[alschroeder3]

Seconded.

[jaybee3]

I'm going to start considering this my DCU WW. And the art is lovely.

[sadoeuphemist]

I'm not seeing what's so special about this. Even as a child, Wonder Woman is abnormally preoccupied with war and fighting. How's that any different from mainstream continuity?

[jeyl]

Current mainstream continuity underplays the value of her Amazon role, her Amazon training and all the Amazons in general. Reading this comic, the Amazons are clearly the good guys. Mainstream continuity? They're a freaking mess.

[sadoeuphemist]

I'm not actually reading this series, but from what's posted here Hippolyta is isolationist to the point where she considers the outside world dead, and is very deferential to the gods. I mean, they're not bad guys, but they seem very passive and complacent. What's Wonder Woman learning from them? Like, the point of these scans is that her mother is refusing to teach her anything useful.

[locuatico]

See, the thing is that there is a difference between "the rest of the world is dead to me and i have my reasons" and "RAPE, MURDER, RAPE, THROW THE BABIES OUT OF A CLIFF, RAPE". the former is probably morally wrong, but it's not without reason, the latter is mass character assasination.
Diana wanting to learn the arts of war IS different than Nu52 Wonder Woman... because here, she is a child who knows no better.
Hippolyta not wanting to teach her fighting IS different than Nu52's... parody of the klingons. Because while she doesn't care for the outside world (which the comic recognizes as in the wrong), they aren't a bunch of ruthless warrior women straw-feminists who want to chop anything that resembles a penis.

[sadoeuphemist]

Young Wonder Woman is obviously in the right here, though, seeing as she is the protagonist. The narrative is setting it up that there actually is something dangerous coming and she will need to learn how to fight it and the rest of the Amazons are complacent for not preparing for it.

I mean, sure, this is better than having the Amazons all be rapists, but I'm not seeing how any of this is actually, y'know, good.

[icon_uk]

Diana knows of her people's warrior past and wants to learn of it, but Hippolyta won't let her.

Hippolyta is teaching Diana what will be useful for a Themiscriya which is at peace, and she assumes that that is how things will always be because the gods will it.

We've seen that Diana is sensing an imminent threat that the other Amazons are either unaware of, or are denying to themselves. Something wrong with the island itself, and she wants to be ready to fight whatever is threatening it.

[sadoeuphemist]

My point is, Wonder Woman's desire to prepare is entirely focused around fighting and war. It's not like she's saying, we need to reach out to the outside world or our culture will stagnate. She's devaluing learning about their culture and religion because it won't help them if an enemy breaches their walls. How is this sort of belligerent paranoia an admirable trait from a protagonist, particularly from Wonder Woman?

[bradygirl_12]

The art is gorgeous!

Diana not quite fitting in works for me. She always had a yearning to know the outside world, no matter what continuity.

What I do find odd is Hippolyta's attitude toward teaching her the art of war. In Marston's vision, and kept to some degree throughout the Pre-COIE years, the Amazons stood for balance and understood that it was necessary. While they were free to indulge in peaceful pursuits in Paradise (writing, dancing, singing, sculpture, etc.), they also learned the art of war. They had been given the mandate to protect the island. In Pre-COIE days, the motivation was extra strong, because if any man set foot on Paradise Island, the Amazons would lose their immortality. They also had to be prepared in case the Gods had need of them for battle. It was a matter of course that Diana and all Amazons were trained to fight. Diana understood what it was to be a Warrior as well as an Ambassador for peace.

Oh, well, I suppose this is better than the Nu52 Amazons, who seem obsessed with war and bloodshed and have completely forgotten any role of peacebringers.

[nyadnar17]

Is there any chance at all of "My Secret Boy Steve" ala Smallville showing up? Its such a perfect concept.