How come Steve Trevor is portrayed as a loser when not with Dianna?

[RudHao]

I was reading one of the threads here and i saw i panel somewhere where general lane says "your soft, that's why Wonder Woman left you", made me think, isn't Steve Trevor always portrayed as the ultimate loser whenever hes not in a relationship with wonder woman?

Back in the New 52 when Dianna was with Clark its like whatever books he appeared him I swear its like they always brought up his being dumped by Wonder Woman, he was always pining for her and whatnot, it's like his entire self worth is defined by his relationship or lack thereoff with Wonder Woman.

You never see this with Lois Lane for example, her life doesnt revolve around Superman and she isn't portrayed in a lame way when Superman is with someone else. Look back when Clark and Dianna were dating, whenever Steve Trevor and Lois Lane appeared anywhere the difference is like night and day, Trevor is always that loser that was dumped by Wonder Woman while with Lois Superman is never brought up ever.

Like, if a comic came out tommorow and had Steve Trevor crying in a room alone surrounded by pictures of Wonder Woman it would not surprise me at all, DC treats him like a loser.

[Agent 86]

If I had to hazard a guess, it's probably in part due to Steve Trevor's inconsistent characterisation (and inconsistent existence in Wonder Woman comics).

Lois Lane is pretty well defined - a hard-nosed reporter who is pushy and relentless when following a story, to the extent that she often puts herself in danger for the sake of a scoop. She's an army brat and her father is still in the military. And she has a sister. No doubt, a lot of that is helped by the fact that Lois Lane has appeared in a lot of different mediums outside of the comic books (i.e. movies, TV series, animated series, etc).

But, Steve Trevor doesn't have consistent characterisation or even a consistent role in Wonder Woman's life / world. He's a military trained pilot. Sometimes he's a secret agent type. Sometimes he's a government liaison. Sometimes he's Diana's "official" work partner / colleague. Sometimes he's just someone who often crosses paths with Diana and then needs rescuing. And personally, I know nothing about his family or history. I think he has a sister from vague memory, although that could be wrong. I also don't think he's appeared in most Wonder Woman related media. I don't recall him showing up in JLU, although I think Tom Tresser / Nemesis did (at least as an action figure). And I think he was in an episode of Batman: Brave and the Bold.

[Jackalope89]

If I had to hazard a guess, it's probably in part due to Steve Trevor's inconsistent characterisation (and inconsistent existence in Wonder Woman comics).

Lois Lane is pretty well defined - a hard-nosed reporter who is pushy and relentless when following a story, to the extent that she often puts herself in danger for the sake of a scoop. She's an army brat and her father is still in the military. And she has a sister. No doubt, a lot of that is helped by the fact that Lois Lane has appeared in a lot of different mediums outside of the comic books (i.e. movies, TV series, animated series, etc).

But, Steve Trevor doesn't have consistent characterisation or even a consistent role in Wonder Woman's life / world. He's a military trained pilot. Sometimes he's a secret agent type. Sometimes he's a government liaison. Sometimes he's Diana's "official" work partner / colleague. Sometimes he's just someone who often crosses paths with Diana and then needs rescuing. And personally, I know nothing about his family or history. I think he has a sister from vague memory, although that could be wrong. I also don't think he's appeared in most Wonder Woman related media. I don't recall him showing up in JLU, although I think Tom Tresser / Nemesis did (at least as an action figure). And I think he was in an episode of Batman: Brave and the Bold.

Steve popped up in the episode where the League, barring Batman, was transported back to an alternate version of WWII, where Vandal Savage has future technology. Diana meets up with Steve and the two do what they can to sabotage the Nazi forces.

[Outside_85]

It's likely the notion that everyone else sees Steve in a relationship with Diana, who's just about the dream girl of every man, and she dumps him. And all the dudebro's just take it out on him because clearly the reason they broke up must lie with him.
It's one part jealousy of Trevor having actually been in a romantic relationship with Diana, and its one part schadefreude that he messed it up.

That said, we as readers only see a selective image of Trevor... we don't know if he is a bit of a douche about this or not whenever Diana isn't around.

[brettc1]

In JL#12 of the New 52 he saves the whole frakking Justice League from psychic ghosts after being tortured, and they still give him no respect.

Maybe the comic rendering of him is due to some latent subconscious misogyny tied to the idea that if you are a guy who is in a relationship with a more physically powerful woman you must be a loser.

[AmiMizuno]

Well I do think it has to do with the fact he is suppose to be the damsel being saved. However, I dislike like this. You can write him helping Diana. Despite not always being able to go head to head he is in the miltary and shows many different skills.

[OBrianTallent]

He was portrayed fairly well in the Forever Evil: ARGUS mini series I thought. That being said, I dont necessarily disagree that he has had a mostly poor portrayal over the last several decades of his existence. I had hoped the ARGUS mini would have been spun out into a series with Steve in the lead as I thought that was a good place for him and still think so. I was very disappointed when Rucka had him back working with the military instead.
There's no reason why Steve can't be as strong a character as Lois, Jimmy, Perry, Commissioner Gordon, Alfred...DC just has to get their heads together on not only Wonder Woman but her supporting cast as well.

[phonogram12]

They should really just go with Chris Pine's version. He seemed to be a big hit with everybody. He was charming, capable, and completely respectful of who Diana was and what she was capable of herself. He wasn't a damsel, but he knew when he was outmatched and when to let Diana take the lead.

[DochaDocha]

I think Tom Tresser / Nemesis did (at least as an action figure).

I think you're thinking of King Faraday.

I generally disagree with the OP's assessment. Trevor wasn't really a loser, just depressed. He was actually somewhat relatable (uh oh...) in the sense that the world was full of supers and wonders, and here's some regular guy who's been dumped, gets picked on harshly by gossipers, and isn't particularly appreciated by his bosses, but he punches in every day and tries his best.

[gwangung]

In JL#12 of the New 52 he saves the whole frakking Justice League from psychic ghosts after being tortured, and they still give him no respect.

Maybe the comic rendering of him is due to some latent subconscious misogyny tied to the idea that if you are a guy who is in a relationship with a more physically powerful woman you must be a loser.

I think there's some truth to this.

I also think there's some screwed portrayals because people think of him as in a romantic relationship with Diana, not in a thematic relationship with Wonder Woman.

Concentrating on the personal diminishes up because he isn't part of the core theme of the book; if he's made a central focus of the book (how do men and women reconcile the two traditional views of men and women and their roles in aggression in the world), I think he'd be a stronger and more vital character.

[brettc1]

I think there's some truth to this.

I also think there's some screwed portrayals because people think of him as in a romantic relationship with Diana, not in a thematic relationship with Wonder Woman.

Concentrating on the personal diminishes up because he isn't part of the core theme of the book; if he's made a central focus of the book (how do men and women reconcile the two traditional views of men and women and their roles in aggression in the world), I think he'd be a stronger and more vital character.

While I like have Steve and Diana back together, I wonder did Rucka rush it too much.

In the past for all their latent attraction, Superman had to WORK to get Lois Lane. But for the last five years it's been clear that Wonder Wonan can have Steve just by showing up. The relationship has been hopelessly one sided. If Steve were a woman fans would be complaining about the lack of actual character.

Going back to the movie, Steve has a spine. On the way to the ferry he takes issue with Diana complaining about thieves murderers and smugglers because that describes him (in his eyes). Both characters are well defined within themselves.

In issue 32 the lawyer disses Steve, and then Diana sidelines him from the discussion. If Barry did that with Iris in the Flash tv show, you can bet there would be a whole conversation about it afterwards.

[AmiMizuno]

How would you write Steve? I would actually think it would be cool if Steve taught Diana and Diana taught Steve. Maybe amazonian training and a few things?

[brettc1]

How would you write Steve? I would actually think it would be cool if Steve taught Diana and Diana taught Steve. Maybe amazonian training and a few things?

The most important thing would be that he has to have a character that is already developed independent of meeting Diana. We are told what Steve was and what he can do, but very little attention is paid to WHO HE IS. And even when they do, it tends to be very bland - honor, duty, blah blah blah.

Now Tom, on the other hand...

[AmiMizuno]

Not using what new 52 did, what would you give it Steve and write him to make him his own character? Flashbacks or rather how he ended up on paradise island is one. Also showing him outside of Diana. She may but the star but we have to show Steve actually help Diana with some of the villains . Maybe he finds how one villains was been up too

[Lex Luthor]

I think the fact that he is a guy that is second billed to a more powerful woman and his decades of being MIA is what hurt his character though you can say the same for alot of other wonder woman characters.