Etta Candy and the Holliday Girls Appreciation Thread 2022

[Alpha]

"Chaotic” and “bombastic” are YOUR adjectives, that's not a true description of classic Etta as far as I'm concerned. Would you rather modern Etta have punny relatives, an obsession with candy and say "Woo Woo!" a lot, would that somehow make her more acceptable to you? She serves much of the same function regardless, she's Diana's first girlfriend in Man's World and assists in her adventures. Rucka had Steve make with the wisecracks and Dr. Adrianna Anderson for comic relief, so it wasn't necessary for Etta to do that for Rebirth.

Attachment 117053

Attachment 117054

See? Same function, rallying the troops and giving orders.

You think the coolest thing Etta Candy does is give orders?
Chaotic and bombastic is how I would describe every plan Etta has. She creates a big mess the bad guys can't understand and makes it really loud.

And the things I want is for her to be mostly impulsive, boastful, sassy, loud, funny, chaotic, physically powerful and endearing as always.

[Alpha]

And yes, she also loves Candy because it's delicious and she wants to enjoy life.

[Koriand'r]

You think the coolest thing Etta Candy does is give orders?
Chaotic and bombastic is how I would describe every plan Etta has. She creates a big mess the bad guys can't understand and makes it really loud.

And the things I want is for her to be mostly impulsive, boastful, sassy, loud, funny, chaotic, physically powerful and endearing as always.

I'm here to talk about what modern Etta does and how it corrosponds with what she did classically. You say she's irredeemable and needs a personality transplant, I say she's not and only needs a good writer.

ETTA 35.jpg

[Koriand'r]

You really shouldn't speak in absolutes when you admittedly haven't read all her appearances. Like I said before, she's as good as you make her, she's not permanatly damaged.

ETTA 36.jpg

[Alpha]

Yeah I never read that. Those are nice moments. But still a very different characterization from the impulsive, boastful chaotic, loud version I adore. Even with those few panels I still don't see how that Etta would spend a whole fight calling Diana "Babe", talking about how her tooth hurts and loudly screaming as the Holliday Girls blow everything up and use a wrecking ball to destroy the enemies base while singing a song.

Just look at the Amy Reeder stories. They don't even need to start from the beginning. Just introduce the original Etta under a different name like Bonnie and make her Etta's new girlfriend.

[Sebastianne]

Yeah I never read that. Those are nice moments. But still a very different characterization from the impulsive, boastful chaotic, loud version I adore. Even with those few panels I still don't see how that Etta would spend a whole fight calling Diana "Babe", talking about how her tooth hurts and loudly screaming as the Holliday Girls blow everything up and use a wrecking ball to destroy the enemies base while singing a song.

Just look at the Amy Reeder stories. They don't even need to start from the beginning. Just introduce the original Etta under a different name like Bonnie and make her Etta's new girlfriend.

But do you have a problem with her skin color?
Because she could be written a bit as you describe her or as Amy Reeder characterized her in her stories.
Under the CloonRad at least we see some funny chats between her and Diana, who tells you that in the future they will exaggerate her personality a bit like in the Golden Age.
She doesn't necessarily have to be white with red hair for her to be THAT Etta Candy.

[Alpha]

But do you have a problem with her skin color?
Because she could be written a bit as you describe her or as Amy Reeder characterized her in her stories.
Under the CloonRad at least we see some funny chats between her and Diana, who tells you that in the future they will exaggerate her personality a bit like in the Golden Age.
She doesn't necessarily have to be white with red hair for her to be THAT Etta Candy.

I used to feel that Etta Candy was one of those characters like Alfred Pennyworth where changing their skin color would actually make them more offensive. But after learning about Lizzo and seeing how similar they are, I've come to believe that it's possible for comics to do justice to Etta Candy and give her a gorgeous brown skin in a respectful and fun manner.

As far as how Cloonrad have been writing Etta, I really love Becky and Michael on Wonder Woman. Diana has been such a fun character under their writing, along with Ratatosk and Deadman. But Etta Candy's interactions with Diana have been the most boring parts of these last fews issues (along with Steve). She is nice and kind, but she isn't funny or dynamic. Etta Candy should always be loud and memorable, unless she is particularly vulnerable for some important reason. She should be the person giving Diana fits of laughter and excitement.

[mathew101281]

How would you reimagine the holiday girls for the modern era?

[Alpha]

My idea was often that since they are acting like Diana's army they should be trained by Diana or have connections to the send away women. So that's why Diana uses the Holliday Girls. Like the Holliday College or University should be placed in a magically area so maybe the Holliday Girls already have ideas in the magical world

An extension of this. Diana is all about a new way of living, and the Holliday Girls are the ones that demonstrate that while also being adventures. An open experimental society centered around a defunct College Campus, where artists, athletes, scientists and philosophers go to share their ambitious ideas and put them in action within the confines of this community.

Women shelters, a marrial arts teaching center, a museum that keeps dangerous artifacts the Holliday Girls must defend. And have them go on adventures with Diana around the world.

[Mel Dyer]

Having the friendship, between Wonder Woman and a younger Etta Candy at the center - the dead center core - of the story is should be the rubric, by which we decide, if a new WW TV show or animated movie ..is worth watching. I'm really tired of...I want WW editors to make new writers understand that Wonder Woman, without our everywoman Etta, is no Wonder Woman, at all.

[Fuzzy Mittens]

Personally id love me some more puns, not gonna lie.
I don't really have a side in this 'past vs modern Etta' debate, though I will point out that the old golden age version was essentially playing leader too. Just more of an 'on the field' leader as she lead a troop of Holliday girls into battle as the cavalry. Honestly, im fairly confident we would see that sort of portrayal in the modern day too except the whole 'directing from base' angle gives Steve something to do.

[Koriand'r]

Personally id love me some more puns, not gonna lie.
I don't really have a side in this 'past vs modern Etta' debate, though I will point out that the old golden age version was essentially playing leader too. Just more of an 'on the field' leader as she lead a troop of Holliday girls into battle as the cavalry. Honestly, im fairly confident we would see that sort of portrayal in the modern day too except the whole 'directing from base' angle gives Steve something to do.

I hate a pun and always will, they would've killed Azzarello's run for me if nothing else had. The name Etta Candy alone is bad enough, no need to add Hard, Sugar, Rock and Sweetgulper to the mix.

[AmiMizuno]

Military women? No thank you, they don't have to be sorority girls though. An all girl biker gang is a pretty cool premise if you ask me.

That would be cool.

[Tzigone]

I hate a pun and always will, they would've killed Azzarello's run for me if nothing else had. The name Etta Candy alone is bad enough, no need to add Hard, Sugar, Rock and Sweetgulper to the mix.

Guess Marston just liked punny names. At least when associated the comedic character. I still think golden age Etta was the most awesome version.

How would you reimagine the holiday girls for the modern era?

Honestly, I'm cool with them as a sorority in Diana's early days. They learn from Diana. They help Diana. They then move on with their lives, some drifting apart, as people do. Etta stays in Diana's life, because some people don't drift apart.

In any event, I don't think they should be military - fighting shouldn't be their job. They shouldn't be overtly badass at glance, but should be unconventional and an unexpected surprise kicking the bad guy's asses. And they should have fun doing it. Smiling, laughing, etc. I missed the idea that heroes (and they are heroes) don't have to be miserable and sacrifice all personal happiness in order to be heroes, but can have fun doing so. That their personal lives can be enriched by it. And yes, I do like it being a temporary phase for some (not Etta), though it impacts them for the rest of their lives.

[Primal Slayer]

The failed 2011 pilot made Etta into Dianas assistant....she's better as a bff or running the company for Di.