Wonder Woman’s Strength and Power Through the Ages

[WonderScott]

Besides “inconsistent,” how would best describe the upper limits of Diana’s strength and power and her limitations across the ages:

Golden Age
Silver Age
Bronze Age
Modern Age

Do you have preference for how her strength was portrayed during one of the ages?

[Alpha]

For one thing I wish she didn't fly, but whatever

[Gaius]

Ones established by Perez in his reboot were simple enough: superstrength, speed, flight, immune to fire, animal empathy, etc.

[BiteTheBullet]

Ones established by Perez in his reboot were simple enough: superstrength, speed, flight, immune to fire, animal empathy, etc.

If writers were consistent, then most of us wouldn't have this argument. Yet, we have movies like Justice Society where all she has is superstrength and speed and still needs help to take on Aquaman on land, or get curb stomped by Superman in the Justice League movie.

I would love to have consistency with Diana and her rogues. They should never have used Cheetah in the Catwoman movie. It just pisses on her reputation even more than it has when Batman one shotted her.

Have consistent powers, have editors that follow up on this rule, and then the writers can concentrate on the stories with character aplenty.

[Alpha]

If writers were consistent, then most of us wouldn't have this argument. Yet, we have movies like Justice Society where all she has is superstrength and speed and still needs help to take on Aquaman on land, or get curb stomped by Superman in the Justice League movie.

I would love to have consistency with Diana and her rogues. They should never have used Cheetah in the Catwoman movie. It just pisses on her reputation even more than it has when Batman one shotted her.

Have consistent powers, have editors that follow up on this rule, and then the writers can concentrate on the stories with character aplenty.

This isn't the topic of this thread. I'm not saying you can't post something out of context, but I just want you to be aware

[Perseus]

If writers were consistent, then most of us wouldn't have this argument. Yet, we have movies like Justice Society where all she has is superstrength and speed and still needs help to take on Aquaman on land, or get curb stomped by Superman in the Justice League movie.

I would love to have consistency with Diana and her rogues. They should never have used Cheetah in the Catwoman movie. It just pisses on her reputation even more than it has when Batman one shotted her.

Have consistent powers, have editors that follow up on this rule, and then the writers can concentrate on the stories with character aplenty.

Yup. (10char)

[I'm a Fish]

Ones established by Perez in his reboot were simple enough: superstrength, speed, flight, immune to fire, animal empathy, etc.

Same hear.

[Phoenixx9]

I like Wonder Woman being the strongest female the way people will say Superman is the strongest male.

Of course, there are always characters that come along and closely match them but in general, I like Diana being the top.

"Super-Heroine Number 1!"

[DABellWrites]

Golden age: basically, a more vulnerable character with all the strength Superman.

Silver/bronze age: Where do I begin? She was strong enough to beat Neptune with a giant swordfish, but in other stories, she was outmatched by a robot version of herself. I think that sums up Diana.

Modern age: They're about the same in my opinion. Depends on the writer. Some write her on par with Superman, others write her weaker than him.

Yeah, I compare all characters to Clark. I mean, why not? He's Superman. That means something in terms of strength.

[SiegePerilous02]

For one thing I wish she didn't fly, but whatever

I want her to go a stretch in her history (like her first few years as an active superhero) without flight, but to get heavy use out of the Invisible Plane during that period. Then gain full flight later and keep the plane in reserve.

IDK why they can never have her in-universe history match her publication history in terms of powers. Because then it leads to some very stupid in-universe lampshade hanging, like Gail Simone having Steve say "the damn plane never made sense anyway." It makes perfect sense without the dumb retcons creating the confusion in the first place.

For the most part I agree. That said, my issue has always been that if you want to portray a character as one of the most skilled fighters around, you probably shouldn't give them the power of flight. Super strength + flight = characters 9/10 being portrayed as nothing but a flying brick. The only character that ever proved otherwise is Captain Marvel in the MCU. She showed some mean skills against Thanos in Endgame. If we could somehow translate that sort of energy to the comics I'd be convinced otherwise. But seeing as how they're vastly different mediums (regardless of adaptations), I'm still more than a bit skeptical.

I think if a writer/artist team has issues portraying Diana as the DC universe's most skilled melee fighter in the comic medium, removing the flight power isn't going to help the situation.

The Kryptonians, the Marvel family and MM don't have the same hype as fighters that Diana has, but they aren't unskilled either (I imagine Black Adam should be very skilled as an ancient warrior, and Clark is a brawler who has probably studied some Kryptonian fighting techniques). But they fall into the unimaginative Flying Brick mold pretty easily too in some cases.

[HestiasHearth]

Diana is the literal daughter of Gaea. She emerged from the Earth's "womb" that fateful day when Hippolyta molded Diana from Themysciran clay. To me, Diana should be as strong and durable as the earth itself. And yes, bullets should not pierce her skin. The whole bullets-and-bracelets thing (an iconic element of Wonder Woman lore that I LOVE) has always seemed to me like a [somewhat showboating] exercise to sharpen her senses, reflexes and speed, and to protect OTHERS from bullets (not to protect herself).

[BiteTheBullet]

For one thing I wish she didn't fly, but whatever

You forgot to mention street level fighting abilities. If she didn't fly, then she could swing around on her lasso like in the mall scene in WW84.

[Alpha]

You forgot to mention street level fighting abilities. If she didn't fly, then she could swing around on her lasso like in the mall scene in WW84.

Fellow fan, I never said that's what I wanted. I said that it wasn't a big deal to me as it was to you. Cmon you don't need to be sassy

[BiteTheBullet]

Fellow fan, I never said that's what I wanted. I said that it wasn't a big deal to me as it was to you. Cmon you don't need to be sassy

From all that I have read from your posts, you definitely want a superhero in Wonder Woman more on par with Spiderman than Superman.

[Alpha]

From all that I have read from your posts, you definitely want a superhero in Wonder Woman more on par with Spiderman than Superman.

I don't want Superman or Wonder Woman to move planets. That's it. I know you dislike this, but it has nothing to do with me lacking love for the characters. Cmon now