Does any other hero have the amount of rotating supporting casts that WW has?

[Nyssane]

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.

[The I.A.D.C.]

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.

[Koriand'r]

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.

[Dr. Poison]

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.

[starlight25]

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.

[Gaelforce]

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.

[AmiMizuno]

Diana always has supporting cast going and coming. Like how we got rid of Zola. If you had to what should be permanent supporting cast?

[Vordan]

Diana always has supporting cast going and coming. Like how we got rid of Zola. If you had to what should be permanent supporting cast?

Steve Trevor, Etta, Ferdinand, and a fourth open spot that rotates “new people” as the writer desires.

[kjn]

I think I remember an old interview with, or essay from, some Wonder Woman writer (might have been Christopher Priest, but now I can't find it) that they were "encouraged" by the Wonder Woman editor to disregard things from earlier runs. So that is one factor.

Another huge, and to me more important one, one is that the choices made by several writers—and that includes both Pérez and Rucka—have made Steve Trevor and Etta Candy less interesting and less narratively usable over a very long period.

At the same time, Wonder Woman needs a large, diverse, and wide-spread support cast. Making friends and allies is what she should be about to a large degree. And not every story needs Steve or Etta.

[Agent 86]

Diana always has supporting cast going and coming. Like how we got rid of Zola. If you had to what should be permanent supporting cast?

Etta Candy, Steve Trevor, Ferdinand and ... I'll just agree with Vordan (since I've done so already) a "rotating" character of the author's choice.

I'd like that slot to be occasionally filled by a "villain" which Diana is seeking to rehabilitate. Sometimes she'll be successful, but sometimes she won't and they'll return to their villainous ways. And obviously, it could sometimes be filled by Donna, Cassie, Artemis, Hippolyta, etc.

[JackBNimble]

Diana always has supporting cast going and coming. If you had to what should be permanent supporting cast?

For me, one of the most critical supporting cast members that Wonder Woman does not have is a fictional city all her own (aside from Paradise Island). I believe if she had one created early on (Golden Age), it would have served as a grounding point for the rest of her supporting cast. The only writer to have tried to do that was Byrne.

Otherwise, for me, I would prefer the main cast to be:

Steve Trevor - friend, romantic interest, ally, military contact/occasional obstacle because of the military
Etta Candy - friend, confidant, ally, previous military background, currently at an agency or police department
Julia Kapetalis - friend, confidant, professor at Holliday University
Veronica Cale - antagonist, Founder and CEO of Empire Enterprises

Frequently recurring cast:

Themyscira Diplomatic Mission office (not a full fledge embassy): Ferdinand, Alana Dominguez, Rachel Keast, Peter Garibaldi, Trevor Barnes (Liaison with the UN)
Paradise Island: Hippolyta, Philippus, Io, Menalippe
Superheroes: Donna Troy, Cassie Sandsmark

Recurring cast:

Helena Sandsmark - curator, Museum of Natural History; adjunct professor at Holliday University
Mike Schorr - ally, police department, Etta's colleague
Cassandra Arnold - newscaster/reporter/antagonist
Artemis
Jason

Never:

The gods have moved on from this plane existence/given themselves over to create the permanence of Paradise Island. No longer manifests as beings.

[Factor]

For me, one of the most critical supporting cast members that Wonder Woman does not have is a fictional city all her own (aside from Paradise Island). I believe if she had one created early on (Golden Age), it would have served as a grounding point for the rest of her supporting cast. The only writer to have tried to do that was Byrne.

Otherwise, for me, I would prefer the main cast to be:

Steve Trevor - friend, romantic interest, ally, military contact/occasional obstacle because of the military
Etta Candy - friend, confidant, ally, previous military background, currently at an agency or police department
Julia Kapetalis - friend, confidant, professor at Holliday University
Veronica Cale - antagonist, Founder and CEO of Empire Enterprises

Frequently recurring cast:

Themyscira Diplomatic Mission office (not a full fledge embassy): Ferdinand, Alana Dominguez, Rachel Keast, Peter Garibaldi, Trevor Barnes (Liaison with the UN)
Paradise Island: Hippolyta, Philippus, Io, Menalippe
Superheroes: Donna Troy, Cassie Sandsmark

Recurring cast:

Helena Sandsmark - curator, Museum of Natural History; adjunct professor at Holliday University
Mike Schorr - ally, police department, Etta's colleague
Cassandra Arnold - newscaster/reporter/antagonist
Artemis
Jason

Never:

The gods have moved on from this plane existence/given themselves over to create the permanence of Paradise Island. No longer manifests as beings.

Ignore Jason and leave the door open for a few appearances by the gods and this would be pretty much perfect.
I also hope they establish Gateway City as WW's town. She really needs it.

[Dr. Poison]

Diana always has supporting cast going and coming. Like how we got rid of Zola. If you had to what should be permanent supporting cast?

Steve, Etta, Donna, Hippolyta, Artemis, & Hessia.

[donnafan]

Steve, Etta, Donna, Hippolyta, Artemis, & Hessia.

I would add Cassie and the Amazons to this list. If Bats can have the Bat-family, why can't Diana have her proteges appear more often in her book? As for the Amazons, over the years, we've had some interesting Amazons that should be occasional reoccurring characters in this book that we haven't seen since nu52.

[Dr. Poison]

I would add Cassie and the Amazons to this list. If Bats can have the Bat-family, why can't Diana have her proteges appear more often in her book? As for the Amazons, over the years, we've had some interesting Amazons that should be occasional reoccurring characters in this book that we haven't seen since nu52.

I would like to see Cassie in the book although I'm not sure that shew would be allowed to given what's going on with her in Young Justice. As for the Amazons, Don't Donna, Hippolyta, Artemis, and Hessia qualify? Others can appear, I just think these are the most noteworthy.