What Would A Wonder Woman: Generations Story Look Like?

[John Venus]

Superman/Batman: Generations is one of my favorite Elseworlds stories. It depicts Superman and Batman aging in real time with a different story each decade that forms a much larger story. Each story depicts them at a different point in life but also how the characters were depicted during that decade in actual publishing history. The grim dark 30's Batman mellows out to become the smiling Batman or the 50's and 60's then Dick Grayson takes over and becomes the more balanced 'New Look' Batman with the oval symbol and then Bruce's son takes over and becomes the Miller-inspired Batman in the 80's.

I want to do something similar with Wonder Woman where you take the various disparate versions of the character and connect them all as if it was one big story with one character going through these changes organically.

So how would a storyline like that work with WW? How would you connect the different eras into one cohesive whole?

-40's: Marston era. Diana arrives in Mans World pretty much exactly the way she did in Marstons era. She befriends Etta Candy, creates the Holiday Girls and becomes the champion of the oppressed. Pricillia is the Cheetah and all her Golden Age villains are present.

-50-60's: This is one I had trouble with. How do you contexualize all the changes made to her characterization because of the Comics Code Authority. Diana going from a feminist symbol to pining for Steve's affection? Maybe, taking advantage of things moving in real time, Steve grows old and somehow almost dies. Diana strikes a bargain to save Steve but doesn't anticipate the side effects which turns her personality into the Knaigher version.

You could also have Diana rescue baby Donna during this time.

-70's: This is easy. Diana is depowered and the Amazons disappear into another dimension. Diana becomes a globe trotter with I-Ching and tries to help people without her powers.

-80's: Diana is re powered, reunites with the Amazons just in time to fight Ares. She also meets Julia Kapatelias and Vanessa Kapatelis.

-90's: Diana deals with the various Amazonian tribes like the Bana and also Circe's ascending to Godhood.

-00's: 'Revenge of the Gods'. Diana's reputation is muddied and now has to work to redeem herself.

-'10's: Zeus attempts to brainwash Diana and try to turn her into his champion. Diana's memory is restored and she overthrows Zeus, Themyscira becomes the floating utopic paradise of learning that Jimenez envisioned with Diana as the immortal ambassador Goddess over seeing it.

[Agent Z]

Nice outline.

[bardkeep]

I've often thought it'd be neat to see a version of this not where we see different versions of the character, but where we see how the world changes over time after she enters it. IMO one of the biggest limiting factors of the shared universe has been their inability to explore that. Start with her arriving at the tail end of World War 2 and then explore how history diverges from there.

I really dislike Morrison's Earth One, but I did think it was conceptually cool that the end was all about how much the Amazons changed the world. Too bad their vision was Marstonian "sci-fi fascism, but make it femdom" weirdness.

[Gaius]

Cool idea, I've had one like this also sitting in the back of my mind. Though I got it more from New Frontier and Life Story, since I've never had a chance to read Generations.

Do agree the 50s/60s Silver Age is the hardest part for the same reasons you brought up. Had a similar idea where maybe Steve's age or wounds from war finally begin to catchup with him and maybe this is the first time Diana has to deal with people she's befriended from Man's World beginning to die off.

[bat39]

I've often thought it'd be neat to see a version of this not where we see different versions of the character, but where we see how the world changes over time after she enters it. IMO one of the biggest limiting factors of the shared universe has been their inability to explore that. Start with her arriving at the tail end of World War 2 and then explore how history diverges from there.

I really dislike Morrison's Earth One, but I did think it was conceptually cool that the end was all about how much the Amazons changed the world. Too bad their vision was Marstonian "sci-fi fascism, but make it femdom" weirdness.

Yeah, honestly, this is how I'd do it. Because Wonder Woman has effectively been rebooted so many times, with very little consistency in her supporting cast, and with her being immortal, the real appeal of such a story wouldn't be ''How would this character and her world work in real-time?'' but rather ''How is the world impacted by her being around for decades? How does the changing world impact her?''

That said, here's how I'd do things:

The 40's: Pretty much the Golden Age Wonder Woman with the original origin. I'd also throw in the JSA, and recontextualise her being their 'secretary' as her effectively being 'undercover' and playing nice with some patriarchal norms in order to better 'fit in', study Man's World and concentrate on the mission to end the Nazi threat.

The 50's: I'd have Diana going on a wacky time-travel adventure with Wonder Girl and Wonder Tot as a nod to this era's silliness. But I'd also go a bit New Frontier here with her portrayal in that she starts to get disillusioned with the post-WW2 United States and is tempted to effect radical change on Man's World, which brings her into conflict with Steve. At the same time, she's in love with Steve and wants to marry him and maybe has to deal with the dilemma of wanting to reshape the world into a better place while retaining Steve's love and support.

The 60's: Diana and Steve are married and have a young daughter, Lyta Trevor-Hall. The JSA briefly come out of retirement, maybe this time with Wonder Woman taking more of a leadership role (or attempting to do so) as she seeks to redefine the role of heroes in the age of counter-culture. Steve dies however, and Diana is heartbroken.

The 70's: The Amazons has retreated to another dimension, and Diana goes into her I-Ching phase. Lyta has been sent to Themyscera to be trained by the Amazons. Diana is forced to cope with Man's World for the first time as an 'ordinary' (but empowered) woman and that changes her perspective on things and maybe makes her realise once and for all that the world can't be changed through her sheer power.

The 80's: The Amazons return and Diana not only regains her powers, but is more powerful than ever now. Lyta becomes Fury and is part of the short-lived Infinity Inc where she meets and falls in love with Hector Hall. She has some issues with Diana over her abandonment. Diana befriends Julia and Vanessa Kapetalis and their troubled relationship mirrors Diana's with Lyta's.

The 90's: Diana is briefly replaced as Champion of the Amazons by Artemis. In the meantime, Lyta has gone to the Dreaming with Hector. Diana feels a bit rootless and lost, but she rescues a young Donna Troy, which gives her a new relationship to invest in.

The 00's: Steve Trevor is mystically resurrected by the Amazons due to cosmic timey-wimey shenanigans, in his New 52 avatar as an ARGUS agent. He doesn't remember her at all, and Diana does her best to treat him as a different person, though it breaks her heart. Diana has returned to Man's World to help with an invasion by Parademons, just in time to encounter the newly-emerged generation of superheroes, including Superman and Batman. She becomes a co-founder of the Justice League. Diana has a brief relationship with Superman, but it ultimately doesn't work out for either of them. Donna returns to Man's World and ends up becoming Wonder Girl.

The 10's: Diana's life begins to come full circle as she begins a relationship with the new Steve, deals with a new threat from Veronica Cale, and ultimately ascends to Godhood.

[SiegePerilous02]

Good break down.

Would Lyta Trevor/Fury be included?

Edit: meant for John Venus

[John Venus]

Good break down.

Would Lyta Trevor/Fury be included?

Edit: meant for John Venus

Fury never really crossed my mind but I like bat39's take and how they covered it.

[bat39]

Fury never really crossed my mind but I like bat39's take and how they covered it.

Thanks.

Lyta has seldom been a character who I've really been very aware of - you can think the Netflix Sandman series for reminding me about her