Wonder woman’s membership in the trinity and big 7 is surface level.

[SiegePerilous02]

The Greek Gods she works with are too far removed from modern day to work as a metaphor.

I don't deny that superheroes team up and fight things that aren't real all the time, and villains/creatures often serve as metaphors.

Cap pals around with Thor all the time, but when Cap addresses social inequality and the short comings of the American Dream, Thor finds himself busy elsewhere

Like Frontier said, she's not interacting with Greek myth 100% of the time. And even when they do appear, they are household names that even non-comic book readers would know. So again, your point that they parallels can't be drawn between that stuff and current issues (but other made up villains/creatures can?) doesn't really hold up.

[Rightoya]

People really bashing Absorbing Man! I'd hazard to guess he's probably more prominent in the comics than many WW villains.

More prominent than many, yeah, but i would bet money that he is not more or even as prominent as Giganta.

[Alpha]

More prominent than many, yeah, but i would bet money that he is not more or even as prominent as Giganta.

And you can bet your ass that most people think he's a Hulk villain.

[The Cool Thatguy]

And you can bet your ass that most people think he's a Hulk villain.

Eh, depends.

Now, certainly, with Ewing's arc

Before that, no one would have mistaken him for a Hulk villain, as they hadn't fought in years, and the movie didn't really catch on

[SiegePerilous02]

Eh, depends.

Now, certainly, with Ewing's arc

Before that, no one would have mistaken him for a Hulk villain, as they hadn't fought in years, and the movie didn't really catch on

Would anybody have really thought of him primarily as a Thor villain before Ewing?

I would think all of Thor's Norse inspired villains spring to mind more readily than Absorbing Man

[The Cool Thatguy]

Would anybody have really thought of him primarily as a Thor villain before Ewing?

I would think all of Thor's Norse inspired villains spring to mind more readily than Absorbing Man

Why wouldn't they? They've fought dozens of times and had some developed relationships, all things considered.

No like anyone really thinks he's a Shield villain, even though he showed up on the series.

[SiegePerilous02]

Why wouldn't they? They've fought dozens of times and had some developed relationships, all things considered.

No like anyone really thinks he's a Shield villain, even though he showed up on the series.

I guess I'm just kind of skeptical that anybody is really thinking about Absorbing Man that much at all. At least to the extent that he is super well known and popular or whatever. And I still think he'd trail way behind Loki, Hela, Malekith and Surtur when people think "Thor villains"

In this thread so far, it just seems like a transparent diss at Wonder Woman's rogues gallery in general. "See, even Absorbing Man is more popular!"

[The Cool Thatguy]

I guess I'm just kind of skeptical that anybody is really thinking about Absorbing Man that much at all. At least to the extent that he is super well known and popular or whatever. And I still think he'd trail way behind Loki, Hela, Malekith and Surtur when people think "Thor villains"

In this thread so far, it just seems like a transparent diss at Wonder Woman's rogues gallery in general. "See, even Absorbing Man is more popular!"

That I'll grant you.

WW is a good character, but as I've said, I feel her conflicting genres makes it hard to have a rogue that really resonates.

Also made harder by the fact that writers rarely follow up on past writers, these days.

[Shimbo]

I guess I'm just kind of skeptical that anybody is really thinking about Absorbing Man that much at all. At least to the extent that he is super well known and popular or whatever. And I still think he'd trail way behind Loki, Hela, Malekith and Surtur when people think "Thor villains"

In this thread so far, it just seems like a transparent diss at Wonder Woman's rogues gallery in general. "See, even Absorbing Man is more popular!"

That's my read on this thread, as well.

[SiegePerilous02]

That I'll grant you.

WW is a good character, but as I've said, I feel her conflicting genres makes it hard to have a rogue that really resonates.

Also made harder by the fact that writers rarely follow up on past writers, these days.

Yeah, it seems like the iconic stuff for all franchises (including the respective arch enemies) were really cemented in the Silver Age or the Bronze age at the latest. But WW being the sole female headliner among the big two during those periods in a time the industry wasn't equipped to deal with her means her rogues gallery wasn't developed (among other things).

But going back to Marston, she has a few foes that thematically link up to her to create compelling threats. Ares/Mars is one of the best uses of Greek myth mixing with her themes: he's the embodiment of toxic masculinity and violence destroying the world, while she's the strong feminine force opposing him, created and empowered by the most stereotypically "girly" goddess for modern audiences, Aphrodite. Cheetah meanwhile is the dark reflection of her name, "Diana", the huntress: Priscilla Rich Cheetah represented how society pitted women against each other to tear each other down over petty slights, whereas the Amazons represent a sisterhood that builds each other up. Marston described her as a "modern Medusa" in his opening narrations, but this thread was better utilized when Perez made her a God-empowered werebeast. Because Greek myth is full of beautiful women who get turned into monsters by a petty God, so Cheetah is functioning as the cursed Greek monster to Diana's Greek hero.

Honestly, Marston's Golden Age rogues gallery have more thematic thought put into the threats they represent than a lot of the other rogues galleries and how they threaten the world and Diana's mission of mutual love and peace (Psycho and Hercules = misogyny, Giganta = barbarism, Poison = terrorism, Queen Clea = the myth of misandry, Hypnota = human trafficking, Blue Snowman =apathy/greed, etc). I don't think there's any problem with any of the individual components that make up the Wonder Woman mythos, be it feminism or mythology. It's just either going to click with people or not, and the comics industry is just not conducive to exploring the themes she represents. The problem really isn't with her or her characters.

[Shimbo]

Yeah, it seems like the iconic stuff for all franchises (including the respective arch enemies) were really cemented in the Silver Age or the Bronze age at the latest. But WW being the sole female headliner among the big two during those periods in a time the industry wasn't equipped to deal with her means her rogues gallery wasn't developed (among other things).

But going back to Marston, she has a few foes that thematically link up to her to create compelling threats. Ares/Mars is one of the best uses of Greek myth mixing with her themes: he's the embodiment of toxic masculinity and violence destroying the world, while she's the strong feminine force opposing him, created and empowered by the most stereotypically "girly" goddess for modern audiences, Aphrodite. Cheetah meanwhile is the dark reflection of her name, "Diana", the huntress: Priscilla Rich Cheetah represented how society pitted women against each other to tear each other down over petty slights, whereas the Amazons represent a sisterhood that builds each other up. Marston described her as a "modern Medusa" in his opening narrations, but this thread was better utilized when Perez made her a God-empowered werebeast. Because Greek myth is full of beautiful women who get turned into monsters by a petty God, so Cheetah is functioning as the cursed Greek monster to Diana's Greek hero.

Honestly, Marston's Golden Age rogues gallery have more thematic thought put into the threats they represent than a lot of the other rogues galleries and how they threaten the world and Diana's mission of mutual love and peace (Psycho and Hercules = misogyny, Giganta = barbarism, Poison = terrorism, Queen Clea = the myth of misandry, Hypnota = human trafficking, Blue Snowman =apathy/greed, etc). I don't think there's any problem with any of the individual components that make up the Wonder Woman mythos, be it feminism or mythology. It's just either going to click with people or not, and the comics industry is just not conducive to exploring the themes she represents. The problem really isn't with her or her characters.

Your last paragraph is so true. Diana and her world and rogue's gallery was the most out there, fantastical and well-established out of all her Golden Age peers that are still around today. Marston and Murchison left us with a great blueprint for greatness and then Kanigher came along...for a long ass time and proceeded to undermine much of that original and creative blueprint. Le sigh. Being a Wonder Woman fan can be rough some times.

[Alpha]

Eh, depends.

Now, certainly, with Ewing's arc

Before that, no one would have mistaken him for a Hulk villain, as they hadn't fought in years, and the movie didn't really catch on

I'm not discussint comics when I talk about a character's popularity. I discuss mainstream media. Absorbing Man's appearances so far were Hulk (2003) as the main villain. Marvel Super Hero Squad (fighting Hulk I believe). Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes (fighting Hulk) and Agents of Shield (fighting shield). The incredible Hulk animated show of the 90s and "Hulk Agents of Smash".

Someone aware of him would have no idea him and Thor ever fought unless they read the comics. And they would totally think he's Hulk arch enemy