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  1. #1
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    Default Wonder Woman Marston and New Age

    One of the most underestimated aspects of the Marston comics are all the New Age elements about mind, body and spirit.

    In the golden age Diana would use astral projection, use telepathic machines and there were things about the power of belief like how normal women could become physically stronger just by believing that they could lift really heavy things. These elements existed along side space travel with mystical extraterrestials and microscopic worlds. This gave Diana a really expansive and diverse mythos full of alegorical elements. Wonder Woman didn't have a "style" like she does now with almost everything coming down to greek mythology.

    What elements would you bring back to the present and how would you retool them?
    Last edited by Alpha; 05-01-2021 at 05:29 PM.

  2. #2
    Mighty Member Fuzzy Mittens's Avatar
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    Keep the mental radios but make them less clunky
    Likewise the mentally controlled invisible jet. Post crisis honestly used it just fine.
    The Wonder Woman take on the Astral plane made it this surreal combination of the world of dreams, the realm of the gods, the land of the dead, and a weird sort of parralel universe that existed layered on top of the material plane. This was a wholly unique idea to Wonder Woman and id love to see it come back. It would add SO MUCH flavor to the mythos!

    Empowered by believing in yourself was a big deal and made itself one of the central themes of Wonder Woman in its time. 'If you believe in yourself you can do anything' and 'Any woman can become a Wonder Woman' They were for her what 'Truth, Justice, and the American way' is for Superman. I loved the concept and would love for it to come back. But more than that I miss the message and theme that it was meant to show.


    Another big element I miss which id love to see come back though is Ares/Mars being this big universe level threat who ruled over the astral planes planet Mars. Having him as this big threat who was claiming those who died in war from distant worlds and having their souls brought back in chains to the heart of his empire. Established as this universe encompassing threat who would consume whole worlds in war, destroying them utterly and enslaving those who died in war be they soldier or civilian to serve his will and expand his efforts of spreading war and terror.
    The manifestation of war with the embodiment's of lies, conquest, and greed at his beck and call, aiding and furthering his conquest.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alpha View Post
    One of the most underestimated aspects of the Marston comics are all the New Age elements about mind, body and spirit.

    In the golden age Diana would use astral projection, use telepathic machines and there were things about the power of belief like how normal women could become physically stronger just by believing that they could lift really heavy things. These elements existed along side space travel with mystical extraterrestials and microscopic worlds. This gave Diana a really expansive and diverse mythos full of alegorical elements. Wonder Woman didn't have a "style" like she does now with almost everything coming down to greek mythology.

    What elements would you bring back to the present and how would you retool them?
    Do you want the Diana Prince secret identity and the mind control magic lasso back?

  4. #4
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zahina View Post
    Do you want the Diana Prince secret identity and the mind control magic lasso back?
    There are various elements of the Golden Age I don't want, including those. This is just about discussing the weirder supernatural aspects from that era and what you think still has potential

  5. #5
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fuzzy Mittens View Post
    Keep the mental radios but make them less clunky
    Likewise the mentally controlled invisible jet. Post crisis honestly used it just fine.
    The Wonder Woman take on the Astral plane made it this surreal combination of the world of dreams, the realm of the gods, the land of the dead, and a weird sort of parralel universe that existed layered on top of the material plane. This was a wholly unique idea to Wonder Woman and id love to see it come back. It would add SO MUCH flavor to the mythos!

    Empowered by believing in yourself was a big deal and made itself one of the central themes of Wonder Woman in its time. 'If you believe in yourself you can do anything' and 'Any woman can become a Wonder Woman' They were for her what 'Truth, Justice, and the American way' is for Superman. I loved the concept and would love for it to come back. But more than that I miss the message and theme that it was meant to show.


    Another big element I miss which id love to see come back though is Ares/Mars being this big universe level threat who ruled over the astral planes planet Mars. Having him as this big threat who was claiming those who died in war from distant worlds and having their souls brought back in chains to the heart of his empire. Established as this universe encompassing threat who would consume whole worlds in war, destroying them utterly and enslaving those who died in war be they soldier or civilian to serve his will and expand his efforts of spreading war and terror.
    The manifestation of war with the embodiment's of lies, conquest, and greed at his beck and call, aiding and furthering his conquest.
    Yeah Astral Plane is a must. For one thing it's a concept like the Emotional Spectrum and the Speed Force for those fans of metaphysical structures that empower the heroes.

    The point you make about it being connected to many things is fantastic. The concept of soul should be something central to her lore. Diana is an artificial creation that somehow got a soul of her own and sometimes that soul can deattach from the body it is tied to and enter the world of the spirit. Diana being on and off in the Justice League Dark is great, and though I don't like Diana having magical powers, this could be the magical connection she has that makes her important to the team. And maybe at times when she astrally projects she ends up running into Deadman just floating around and they have a conversation like angels looking at the world without being seen and then she goes back to her body and he gets sad.

    I wouldn't make this something she can just do automatically, it should be more like a ritual she has to perform, like a seance. I wouldn't bring back the mental radio itself but I would have her communicate with the more spiritually alligned amazons using the Astral Plane.

    I do like the idea of the amazons having developed technology that interacts with the mind and spirit, but in other ways than the golden age. Like in my fanfiction the lasso of truth would be the amazons' second most impressive invention, behind the artificial birth of Diana herself. And it wouldn't be about forcing someone to say truths with theirs words. Instead it would be a device that mind melds the two people holding it, imagine what they aliens did in James Cameron's Avatar with their hair pieces. So things like them seeing each others memories and deepest emotions as well as things like what Diana did with Ares in showing him her own vision of the end of the world. This could be somewhat connected to the power of the Astral Plane. But essentially, whenever Diana used the lasso on a villain she would have to reveal her own secrets to them. It's a sacrifice she always makes. It's also how she would first learn to speak english when she meets Steve Trevor.

    And while the lasso of truth would be indestructible and have this suprene power, there could be lesser versions of it and be a part of amazonian society. I like the idea that the amazons don't have a computer but they have a complex system of archiving and sharing information through these empathetic ropes (sort of like the Aztecs did with knots).
    Last edited by Alpha; 05-02-2021 at 01:55 AM.

  6. #6
    Fishy Member I'm a Fish's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fuzzy Mittens View Post
    Keep the mental radios but make them less clunky
    Likewise the mentally controlled invisible jet. Post crisis honestly used it just fine.
    The Wonder Woman take on the Astral plane made it this surreal combination of the world of dreams, the realm of the gods, the land of the dead, and a weird sort of parralel universe that existed layered on top of the material plane. This was a wholly unique idea to Wonder Woman and id love to see it come back. It would add SO MUCH flavor to the mythos!

    Empowered by believing in yourself was a big deal and made itself one of the central themes of Wonder Woman in its time. 'If you believe in yourself you can do anything' and 'Any woman can become a Wonder Woman' They were for her what 'Truth, Justice, and the American way' is for Superman. I loved the concept and would love for it to come back. But more than that I miss the message and theme that it was meant to show.


    Another big element I miss which id love to see come back though is Ares/Mars being this big universe level threat who ruled over the astral planes planet Mars. Having him as this big threat who was claiming those who died in war from distant worlds and having their souls brought back in chains to the heart of his empire. Established as this universe encompassing threat who would consume whole worlds in war, destroying them utterly and enslaving those who died in war be they soldier or civilian to serve his will and expand his efforts of spreading war and terror.
    The manifestation of war with the embodiment's of lies, conquest, and greed at his beck and call, aiding and furthering his conquest.
    Sounds like lovecraft mythos.

    I think DC might be trying to turn The Sphere of the Gods into the astral plain, and since the new status quo seems to have WW at the center of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of that came back.

    And if that’s the case, bring it on I say! I’m ready for my mind to go from ——- to ~~~~!!!!
    Last edited by I'm a Fish; 05-02-2021 at 06:18 AM.

  7. #7
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    I wouldn't mind Amazon powers being granted by an unusual training regime being brought back. Though I fear it might step on the toes of characters like Richard Dragon and Lady Shiva.

  8. #8
    Extraordinary Member AmiMizuno's Avatar
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    Why can't more characters have that? I mean many other characters have the same origin

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by AmiMizuno View Post
    Why can't more characters have that? I mean many other characters have the same origin
    Because lesser used or lesser popular characters have enough trouble without higher characters taking from them.

  10. #10
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Agent Z View Post
    I wouldn't mind Amazon powers being granted by an unusual training regime being brought back. Though I fear it might step on the toes of characters like Richard Dragon and Lady Shiva.
    Where does this thing about the amazonian training come from? All I remember is Wonder Woman vol 1 #13 where Diana teaches the Holliday Girls that if they believe they can lift a boulder then their strength will increase to the point of them actually doing it.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alpha View Post
    Where does this thing about the amazonian training come from?
    From the comic itself.

  12. #12
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Agent Z View Post
    From the comic itself.
    what comic?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alpha View Post
    what comic?
    Issue #105 has an example from what I recall.

  14. #14
    Leftbrownie Alpha's Avatar
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    Nope, not there.

  15. #15
    Mighty Member Fuzzy Mittens's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alpha View Post
    Where does this thing about the amazonian training come from? All I remember is Wonder Woman vol 1 #13 where Diana teaches the Holliday Girls that if they believe they can lift a boulder then their strength will increase to the point of them actually doing it.
    Hmm, Id need to go issue hunting, but I recall a handful of examples of this. Such as that storyline with Princess Octavia of Atlantis recieving training from Wonder Woman with it being shown that the Amazons have a whole training regime which included things like escaping from chains while being underwater, and a machine gun turret set up to practice bullets and bracelets with.

    Or that issue that showed the Amazonettes and how they would undergo training and schooling at a young age, with one young Amazon easily capable of lifting the young boy who was twice her size and carrying him around like a doll.

    Come to think of it, if I remember right that issue where Diana showed the Holliday girls that they could do that led to Etta picking up a boulder some four times her size with ease

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