Wonder Woman -Joss Whedon Take

[Carolyn Hill]

Princess Ivy's comment about the bracelets being connected to Amazonian slavery to men rings a bell for me, McMurphy. But my memory is full of holes, and I haven't any citations--nor am I sure exactly how that connection works. But I dimly (dim dim dimly) recall that negative consequences followed removing the bracelets.

Ivy, I'd love to know the issue number(s) so I could reread the stories you're referring to.

 

[McMurphy]

Wonder Bondage

Princess Ivy's comment about the bracelets being connected to Amazonian slavery to men rings a bell for me, McMurphy. But my memory is full of holes, and I haven't any citations--nor am I sure exactly how that connection works. But I dimly (dim dim dimly) recall that negative consequences followed removing the bracelets.

Ivy, I'd love to know the issue number(s) so I could reread the stories you're referring to.

Yeah, it does sound familiar, and I am a little surprised I have yet to be able to find more verfication online in relation to the bracelet-enslavement tie-in. What I did find finally, was that the bracelets later (a few years after her creation) were incorporated as a symbol for the Amazon's defeat by Hercules during the time Marston's personal life fetish with bondage became more and more present in his comic book writing.

In regards to the eagle to symbol switch, it was first presented in the January 1982 issue (#41) of "DC Comics Presents." If Ivy meant that it was a women's organization within the storyline, then she is correct. The name of the organization was "Wonder Woman Foundation." You can read a synopsis of the issue here. The reasons behind why the eagle was morphed more into a symbol, in relation to the writer's reasons, were for copyright and marketability concerns.

 

[Carolyn Hill]

On the Amazon Archives, the synopsis for issue #308 contains the following:

"She then says that she submits herself to the rule of Love and dons the shackles of the Amazons' former subjugation."

"Aphrodite then commands Diana to rise to her feet, wearing bracelets freely chosen in submission to the ancient code of love and honour. She tells Diana to remember always the past and the Amazons' slavery, binding herself henceforth to Aphrodite's canons and freedom."

That casual reference sounds like it might partially corroborate Princess Ivy's post about the bracelets' intent. Here's a direct link: http://www.amazonarchives.com/ww308.htm

The site has a useful search engine, so I bet that someone more dedicated to WW could use "bracelet" as a key word and read through the resulting synopses and find a definitive citation.

 

[McMurphy]

On the Amazon Archives, the synopsis for issue #308 contains the following:

"She then says that she submits herself to the rule of Love and dons the shackles of the Amazons' former subjugation."

"Aphrodite then commands Diana to rise to her feet, wearing bracelets freely chosen in submission to the ancient code of love and honour. She tells Diana to remember always the past and the Amazons' slavery, binding herself henceforth to Aphrodite's canons and freedom."

That casual reference sounds like it might partially corroborate Princess Ivy's post about the bracelets' intent. Here's a direct link: http://www.amazonarchives.com/ww308.htm

The site has a useful search engine, so I bet that someone more dedicated to WW could use "bracelet" as a key word and read through the resulting synopses and find a definitive citation.

There is a whole lot of years between 1941 and 1983. It is a bit like when Superman could later fly instead of simply jumping over tall buildings....rewrites are wonderful, aren't they? In fact, after Crisis on Infinite Earths in the '80s Superman's "S" symbol is now supposed to be derived from more than just "Super" via Bryne's revision of the character, yet it was never its original intent.

Anyway, while I am excited to throw around a good old fashion comic book discussion (jeez, when was the last thread on this comic board this active?) , my original intent before the hair splitting is that Joss Whedon has vowed to utterly change a very iconic image. It is a bad idea. I mean, should someone write a film starring an animated pirate's hook hopping around voiced by Robin Williams and claim it is Buffy the Vampire Slayer? A very extreme example, I know, but where is the line between altering a long lasting franchise and spinning out one's own ideas while using a pre-existing franchise to pimp it under?

 

[Carolyn Hill]

I mean, should someone write a film starring an animated pirate's hook hopping around voiced by Robin Williams and claim it is Buffy the Vampire Slayer? A very extreme example, I know, but where is the line between altering a long lasting franchise and spinning out one's own ideas while using a pre-existing franchise to pimp it under?

Heavens, no! I get your point.

I guess we'll have to wait to see how many changes Joss makes and whether those changes suit (ha ha! "suit"!) the character.

 

[McMurphy]

Heavens, no! I get your point.

I guess we'll have to wait to see how many changes Joss makes and whether those changes suit (ha ha! "suit"!) the character.

Good point. I heard some dismaying reports printed that Joss had not even started writing the script, but, and maybe this is a reaction to that news, I have now read that he has, indeed, handed in a script, so it seems like this film may just end up panning out.

Another angle that has just occurred to me in regards to not going overboard in changing the costume is that the film has the potential of being the introduction to the character for a new generation of possible fans. Do we really want to have the (possibly) only film adaption represent nothing of the image the rest of us grew up with? I am trying to remember my first introduction to Wonder Woman, and I think it was either the Wonder Woman television (live action) series, or Super Friends. I am leaning towards the Super Friends cartoon because I remember my sister getting the Super Powers action figure of her at the same point that I got a Superman figurine....good old fist-pumping action.

I remember being really annoyed that Wonder Woman could not be the one dating Superman instead of Lois Lane....and, for the life of me, I still cannot figure out why it was so damn important to me back then.

To explore that angle further, does anyone remember what was the first comic book you read with her in it? I would need to thumb through my collection, because I am pretty sure it may still be in storage.

 

[Princess Ivy]

thanks for tracking down for me. i've been busy getting kids back to school and not had much time to look in.