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  1. #1
    Moderator Nyssane's Avatar
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    Default Does any other hero have the amount of rotating supporting casts that WW has?

    I honestly can't think of any other hero beyond Wonder Woman that has had this amount of supporting cast "shifts." Of course we have our mainstays like Steve, Etta, and Hippolyta. But it seems like each time a writer comes on to the book, we get new supporting characters that often seem to overshadow the titular character (and more often than not, intentional by the writer).

    These "pet characters" are usually only used by the writer and then never seen or heard from again, or very sparingly. And obviously it's not just the supporting cast - Wondy's rogues gallery has also suffered from this "One Hit Wonder" effect with Genocide, Devastation, The Morrigan, First Born, White Magician, etc.

    As for supporting casts, this isn't really anything new, but does seem to be specific to Wonder Woman. Post-Crisis, we've had the likes of Julia & Vanessa Kapatelis (far more vital to the overall WW series and far less appreciated for what they brought to the comic, IMO), Ed Indelicato, Mike Schorr, Helena Sandsmark, the Embassy crew, Ferdinand (more of a mainstay than most others), Nemesis and the DMA folks, the gorilla warriors, Zola, Lennox and the New 52 duds, the Echo-Alpha team that has been basically replaced by the WW movie characters, Jason (by far the worst culprit of the Supporting-Character-Overshadowing-WW)... the list goes on. Not to mention the amount of Amazons that constantly change.

    The most recent example of this is Maggie, who we see overshadowing Diana in the preview for Wonder Woman #72.

    I get that each writer wants to leave their mark on the series, but does that always have to involve ditching what has come before it? Does any other hero get treated like this? Maybe I'm just stuck in my own little Wonder Woman bubble since that's really all I read at DC nowadays, but this seems to be a recurring theme.

  2. #2
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    No, it's definitely a recurring problem that WW has had pretty much since the Silver Age. Etta Candy basically disappeared from the book in the Silver Age as stories concentrated more on Steve Trevor and the "Wonder Family" stories. Then, came in and started the "Mod Era" which saw Steve Trevor get killed and the Amazons were shipped off to another dimension and we were left with I-Ching and some random private eye? After she got her powers back she moved to NYC and got a job at the UN and we were introduced to Morgan Tracy. As soon as Steve Trevor was brought back from the dead the comic moved to WWII stories to mirror the TV show. Gerry Conway brought back the original supporting players when he started his run in 1980 (around issue #269) and that lasted until Crisis on Infinite Earths and then Perez took over and, well, we all know where it goes from there. It's very frustrating. She needs that sense of stability and security that a supporting cast brings. Can you image a writer going into DC and telling them they were not going to use Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen anymore and instead introduce new characters they created? How about even THINKING about killing off Alfred or having him retire and move to Europe? Yet, WW is not accorded that same respect. Nothing new. Just sad.

  3. #3
    Astonishing Member Koriand'r's Avatar
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    I really don't see Maggie as a problem. She's no more active than Hessia was in Superman/Wonder Woman and she's far more likable than Zola. Notice she's yet to take a hit or face any major setbacks. That could be because she's a Mary Sue. Or it could be that Wilson has to show what she and her sword can do, before things really hit the fan. I'm willing to wait and see which is the case. Hopefully she doesn't go the way of Becca Doherty, Maggie's predecessor in Walt Simonson's run. We're only trading a long forgotten hairdresser for a new waitress and this time there's no ugly haircut.

  4. #4
    Extraordinary Member Dr. Poison's Avatar
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    I'm beyond sick of the new supporting cast by every other writer on this book. Maggie and the Zoo Crew are silly and ridiculous. They really haven't done much beyond steal panel time from Diana, Steve, and Etta(remember her?). I'm to the point where I don't want to see any new supporting cast members added to this book again. We have Hippolyta, Hessa, Donna Troy, Nubia, Nemesis, Helena Sandsmark, Fury I & II, Julia, Artemis, etc. all MIA while new characters are regularly introduced only to fade into oblivion after their creator leave the book.

    The threats that Wilson has had Diana face haven't been very impressive either. Generic monsters from Greek myth.......really? That's the best she can do? Why wasn't Giganta featured as a "big bad" that caused Diana a whirlwind of trouble instead of coming across as a meek ally? I hope she does a much better job with the Cheetah.
    Currently(or soon to be) Reading: Alan Scott: Green Lantern, Batman/Superman: World's Finest, Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Jay Garrick: The Flash, Justice Society of America, Power Girl, Superman, Shazam, Titans, Wesley Dodds: Sandman, Wonder Woman, & World's Finest: Teen Titans.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Poison View Post
    I'm beyond sick of the new supporting cast by every other writer on this book. Maggie and the Zoo Crew are silly and ridiculous. They really haven't done much beyond steal panel time from Diana, Steve, and Etta(remember her?). I'm to the point where I don't want to see any new supporting cast members added to this book again. We have Hippolyta, Hessa, Donna Troy, Nubia, Nemesis, Helena Sandsmark, Fury I & II, Julia, Artemis, etc. all MIA while new characters are regularly introduced only to fade into oblivion after their creator leave the book.

    The threats that Wilson has had Diana face haven't been very impressive either. Generic monsters from Greek myth.......really? That's the best she can do? Why wasn't Giganta featured as a "big bad" that caused Diana a whirlwind of trouble instead of coming across as a meek ally? I hope she does a much better job with the Cheetah.
    True. Her classic supporting cast deserves better.

    And don't forget that in gww run. Diana hasn't won a battle against any big foe alone.

  6. #6
    Wonder Moderator Gaelforce's Avatar
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    Please don't reference books that aren't out yet, including previews, as there are people who don't read them and don't want to see spoilers.
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