Wonder Woman – A personal view by columnist Adam Roberts

Wonder Woman: An Inside Personal View.
Written by Adam Roberts. September 4th 2018.

I can’t really give an insight as a comic book fan as I’ve never had the opportunity to start a collection. But as a regular T.V. and movie buff, I can’t deny that Wonder Woman is the pinacle of female superhero fandom.

Watching her over the years, I’ve seen many renditions of the famed Amazon Warrior. I remember the first time I saw the old live action T.V. series from the 80s. Yes, it was cheesy and overdone and it had a lot of what I can only describe as overacting. I mean what can you really expect from that era? But, honestly the show had a certain charm to it.

Actress Linda Carter as Wonder Woman really had a way of drawing oneself into watching the show every week… and I’m not talking about the outfit by the way. Back when Wonder Woman was born, she made her first debut in All Star Comics Issue #8 of October 1941 with her first feature a year later in Sensation Comics. American Creator and psychologist William Moulton Marston found his inspiration for the character from his wife Elizabeth and their life partner Olive Byrne.

Marston wanted to create a hero that would not only use his fists or any array of firepower, but to inspire love to the readers. So, Elizabeth suggested that he make his new hero a woman (not a man)
You know Wonder Woman was originally going to be named Super-Ma? Seriously, look it up!

As I mentioned, there have been a lot of renditions of Wonder Woman over the years, or decades if you will. And that could not have happened without artists such as Milton Glaser who was ordered to revamp the character as was many other characters by DC president Jenette Kahn. If not so, I don’t believe we’d have the heroes we have today. Now let me tell you about some of my favourite Wonder Women.

Wonder Woman: Gods and Monsters. In this rendition, Wonder Woman is not Diana Prince. Her name is Becca, and she’s a New God of the planet Genesis. Along her side in this is not Bruce Wayne but Kirk Langstrom, who is Bat-Man but he’s actually a vampire. Also leading this trinity is Superman, also not Clark Kent but Hernan Guerra whose father in fact this time is not Jor-El but General Zod… crazy right?

Wonder Woman: Earth 3. Wonder Woman of Earth 3 here is now known as Superwoman. She’s also a member of the Crime Syndicate making her not so nice in this universe. Along in this team-up she sides with Owl-Man, Bat-Mans darker half and also Superman’s darker half is Ultraman. This story is featured in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths.

Wonder Woman: Earth 2. This Wonder Woman is mainly the original, but this is when she was revamped. Again, she was sculpted from clay and became the daughter of Zeus. In her first ever appearance she was as I said sculpted from clay, but she was originally given life by the Goddess Aphrodite.

Now my absolute favourite Wonder Woman (has to be without a doubt) performed by Gal Gadot in the first ever live action Wonder Woman movie. It’s in my opinion the most perfect DC film made to date, thanks to Director Patty Jenkins. Let’s face it, only a woman could’ve directed this film which I think a genius move, as this could’ve only been done from a woman’s perspective. Gal Gadot played the part beautifully and I really cannot see any other actress that could’ve done a better job.

Overall Wonder Woman is in essence the epitome of what we see today as girl-power. She’s tough, headstrong, graceful and beautiful. I read once on Wikipedia that Marston designed her to be the ideal love leader; the kind of woman who he believed should run society. He also said one thing that I admire. He said, and I quote: ‘’Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should, I believe, rule the world.” Maybe if more people thought as he did then things might progress for the better. But until that day arrives we’ll have to wait to find out.
Thanks for reading.