Best Friends for Diana

[WonderScott]

Outside of Wonder-related characters (Etta, Donna, Cassie, Nubia, etc.), which five or six characters from the greater, broader, non-Wonder DCU should be close friends with Diana in a way that allows the characters to compare and contrast against one another in stories for character growth?

I’m thinking of examples along the lines of Batman and Superman/The World’s Finest, Green Arrow and Green Lantern (for a time), Booster Gold and Blue Beetle, etc.

(Also, in my mind this does not replace her relationships with the Wonder cast - I’m of the opinion Etta should be Diana’s BFF - but it’s in addition to them.)

I have some thoughts, but I’ll wait to see if anyone else is interested in this topic and posts.

[Gaius]

Wonder Woman and Zatanna has been an on-and-off one writers over the years have visited that I think works well. Their powers contrast each other without copying the flying brick/nonpowered dynamic of Superman/Batman or GL/GA. And their respective personalities contrast enough with WW being more serious vs. Zee's show-woman personality. Both also being having strong single parent relationships (Hippolyta and Zatara).

Hal Jordan due to both being League founders.

[Zagre]

Wonder Woman and Zatanna has been on-and-off one writers over the years have visited that I think works well. Their powers contrast each other without copying the flying brick/nonpowered dynamic of Superman/Batman or GL/GA. And their respective personalities contrast enough with WW being more serious vs. Zee's showman personality.

Hal Jordan due to both being League founders.

Like both options.

From the JL, I also think Flash could become a solid pic, for his more laid-back personality (he's generally written as composite of Wally and Barry often) and scientific background thqat could contrast with the mythological.

[Agent Z]

Aquaman or Zatanna.

[Guy_McNichts]

Five or six in no particular order:

Black Canary
Good chemistry when they're together. Both fighters. Good contrast between the fantastical powerhouse and the relatively grounded street leveler.

Zatanna
Pretty much what Gaius said.

Aquaman
I like when Diana and Arthur are portrayed as getting along. Both royal warriors from mythical lands. Depending on how Arthur is written (whether as somewhat broody and introverted, or the Mamoa inspired goof-bro), Diana can contrast him in fun ways.

Superman
It's not the most compelling relationship & it does give rise to the notion they should be in love, but when Diana and Clark are written properly (as in creators not using them to one up each other or awkwardly forcing contrast) you can see why they'd be such close friends.

Vixen
As far as I know, she and Diana don't interact much, but why not?

Starfire
Warrior princesses, both have passionate, out-going personalities and bright outlooks. I think they'd get along well.

[SonOfBaldwin]

It always seemed to me as though Big Barda would be a natural choice. Their interactions in the Superman/Batman comic and animated film makes the best case.

Also seeing how Black Canary reacted to Diana’s return in the main Wonder Woman comic, not to mention their team-up during the Gail Simone run, depicts this as a natural friendship pairing.

Vixen would be a nice match, as would Hawkgirl or Hawkwoman, given their history.

She seems tight with Zatanna. And I’d love to see her and Batwoman develop a friendship.

[MajorHoy]

How about Lois Lane?

[Perseus]

- Zatanna

- Detective Chimp

- Swamp Thing

- Black Canary

- Wally West

- Martian Manhunter

- Vixen

- Hawkman/Hawkwoman

- Superwoman (Lana Lang)

- Batwoman

- Lois Lane

- Mary Marvel

- Captain Atom

[Primal Slayer]

Mera - both born of royalty, exiled (depending of the origins) from their homes.

Dinah Laurel Lance

Big Barda

Zatanna

Arthur

[bardkeep]

It's hyper-specific, but the Wonder Woman/Superman friendship in New Frontier is one of my favorite relationships I've seen in comics (save for the weird kiss...). Greg Rucka gets the dynamic as well but he's never depicted them as best pals like Darwyn Cooke did.

It's kind of a flipped version of the Batman/Superman dynamic in that they're super similar on the surface (powers, aesthetics, values), but their ideologies are very different. You get the contrast between Diana as an agent of change vs. Clark as a symbol of hope and you get insight into what her "warrior" mindset actually means - not that she's violent, just that her morals are self-defined and contextual rather than absolutes based on an ideal. It also shows why I like her calling him Kal rather than Clark - he's not more human than she is, but they're basically the only 2 people who can connect as crazy powerful benevolent aliens and there's no part of her that connects to being conditioned as an American man.

Of course, executing that dynamic well requires a writer to understand Diana as well as someone like Darwyn Cooke or Greg Rucka, so instead we usually get "Superman peaceful and measured, WW violent and impulsive" and/or a romance arc that's designed primarily to make him look good. So...I'd kinda rather most writers not touch it.

Other than that, gonna go with the main ones others have said - Barda, Black Canary, and Zatanna. I'd also love to see some Diana/Vixen team-ups, put em on some Wild Thornberries-style animal adventures.

[John Venus]

Pre Nu52 I would have said Black Canary. On account of Gail Simone writing their team ups during her WW run. Plus, BC feels like she's #2 after Diana if you discount female version of male heroes like Batgirl and Supergirl and supporting characters who hit the popularity goldmine like Harley Quinn.

These days, I would go with Zatanna since the two have interacted significantly in JLD Vol 2 to the point where it was basically the WW/Zatanna book for a while. And as Gaius said it subverts the god like hero/bad ass normal pairing that usually happens. Both Diana and Zee are powerful but in different ways. Diana is a close-mid range fighter, a flying brick but not knowledgeable of the magical world outside of Themsycira and the Olympians while Zatanna is knowledgeable about all types of magic, fight long range and without her powers is a normal human woman albeit one who can still fight. They each make up for the others weaknesses.

Other than that, I would love to see Diana team up with Arthur and Mera. There are so many parallels between Atlantean and Themysciran lore that could be explored. Plus they're all royalty so there is something to be explored there.

[SonOfBaldwin]

How about Lois Lane?

YES. They already have an established relationship. Rucka did some work around that.

[SonOfBaldwin]

Mera - both born of royalty, exiled (depending of the origins) from their homes.

We got a glimpse of this in Wonder Woman Blackest Night. I'd love to see it expounded upon.

[Robanker]

YES. They already have an established relationship. Rucka did some work around that.

They're great, though I wonder if many writers would keep how Diana unintentionally makes Lois feel inadequate (which isn't helped by most the public thinking her husband and Diana should or do knock boots). They both respect the hell out of one another either way, so I can see it working.


But please, no Rucka. I still can't forgive him for turning Lois Lane's own book into a Question team-up.

[Koriand'r]

Starfire
Big Barda
Huntress
Power Girl
Catwoman
Phantom Lady