Supporting characters of the Wonderverse general appreciation 2024

[HestiasHearth]

Did a tier chart of WW supporting characters

LMAO Not "nothing of value"!!!

[Mel Dyer]

LMAO Not "nothing of value"!!!

I don't think you're far off, at all. The WW comic needed some characters that were/are relevant to the kinds of stories it's telling and what she's doing as a superhero, generally speaking. Myndi Mayer...? Even Nessie dilutes the impact and importance of Diana's sisterhood with very human everywoman, Etta Candy...

Which should be the center of everything.

[Agent Z]

I don't think you're far off, at all. The WW comic needed some characters that were/are relevant to the kinds of stories it's telling and what she's doing as a superhero, generally speaking. Myndi Mayer...? Even Nessie dilutes the impact and importance of Diana's sisterhood with very human everywoman, Etta Candy...

Which should be the center of everything.

Etta and Vanessa are not the same character and have different dynamics with Diana. The idea that one character's relationship dilutes another is an incredibly shallow way of looking at supporting characters, never mind how silly it is to claim Diana and Etta's relationship should be at the center of everything when this comic's history proves otherwise.

[HestiasHearth]

Yeah, I totally feel that every supporting character creates a different dynamic and helps reveal/illuminate different aspects of Diana. I can see the value in even the characters I personally have no affinity for (like Jason, Siggy or the Sandsmarks).

[Alpha]

Wonder Woman is an adventurer. She needs recurring characters that support those types of stories. And that's what Golden Age Etta Candy did. She had this wild personality that energized every story. A woman that acts like she is immortal. Strong personality.

Etta really is Diana's best friend because she knows how to live life, and she is ambitious and exciting

Soap Opera characters like Vanessa Kapatellis have their place, but as story arcs, not as Diana's companion. Mindy Mayer is a fine addition and her story is good, but still isn't who I would put at the top.

[Gaius]

Etta and Vanessa are not the same character and have different dynamics with Diana. The idea that one character's relationship dilutes another is an incredibly shallow way of looking at supporting characters, never mind how silly it is to claim Diana and Etta's relationship should be at the center of everything when this comic's history proves otherwise.

Well said.

Thought it this was an appreciation thread "get annoyed not everyone thinks Etta Candy is the best ever thread".

[Alpha]

how silly it is to claim Diana and Etta's relationship should be at the center of everything when this comic's history proves otherwise.

Wonder Woman's comic history is a mess. Lots of the best ideas were abandoned for long periods of time, and she was very incoherent in general. The lesson isn't "if this idea was barely used, it means it wasn't important"

You could say the same thing about Jimmy Olsen. Most people probably think he is an unnecessary part of the Superman mythos. But then they get proven wrong when they read the Matt Fraction Jimmy Olsen stories

[Nyssane]

I'd rank them...

S-Tier: Nubia, Etta Candy

A-Tier: Steve Trevor, Hippolyta, Julia & Vanessa Kapatelis, Ferdinand, Mala, Philippus, Artemis, Euboea, Faruka, Bia, Aphrodite, Hermes

B-Tier: Myndi Mayer, Siegfried, Cassie Sandsmark, Donna Troy, Ed Indelicato, Paula von Gunther, Phil Darnell, Athena, Bobby Barnes, Menalippe, Magala, Althea, Areto, Mer-Boy, Embassy Staff (Alana, Peter, Rachel), The Oddfellows

C-Tier: Yara Flor, Castalia, Trevor Barnes, Mike Schorr, Achilles, Helena Sandsmark, Antiope, Nemesis, Micah Rains, Hessia, Bird-Boy

D-Tier: Atlantiades, Dessa, Trinity, I Ching, Maggie, Lennox

F-Tier: Tolifhar, Zola, Aleka, Jason

[Psy-lock]

You could say the same thing about Jimmy Olsen. Most people probably think he is an unnecessary part of the Superman mythos.

Do they? Jimmy is a pretty integral part of Superman's mythos in both comics and adaptations. Etta isn't, unfortunately.

[Mel Dyer]

Etta and Vanessa are not the same character and have different dynamics with Diana. The idea that one character's relationship dilutes another is an incredibly shallow way of looking at supporting characters, never mind how silly it is to claim Diana and Etta's relationship should be at the center of everything when this comic's history proves otherwise.

"...silly...incredibly shallow...never mind..." Yes. I agree with you.

Yeah, I totally feel that every supporting character creates a different dynamic and helps reveal/illuminate different aspects of Diana. I can see the value in even the characters I personally have no affinity for (like Jason, Siggy or the Sandsmarks).

I would agree, of course, but I think they have different roles to play in the on-going narrative, ..and some of them are shorter, than others. I think Myndi would've been a shrill, grating, annoying wreck of a character, if Perez had foolishly pandered to us and tried to keep her around, as a regular - give her some secret military past rubbish. Awful!

She was cute for a minute.

And if anyone's thinking Perez needed Myndi Mayer to give the WW comic an LGBTQ male character in Myndi's brother...think again! Greek myth's full of them.

Wonder Woman is an adventurer. She needs recurring characters that support those types of stories. And that's what Golden Age Etta Candy did. She had this wild personality that energized every story. A woman that acts like she is immortal. Strong personality.

Etta really is Diana's best friend because she knows how to live life, and she is ambitious and exciting

Soap Opera characters like Vanessa Kapatellis have their place, but as story arcs, not as Diana's companion. Mindy Mayer is a fine addition and her story is good, but still isn't who I would put at the top.

I have to agree.

Myndi Mayer is a great idea, but I've never understood what sort of future she had in the Wonder Woman comic, beyond being a colorful character in George Perez's re-introduction of WW. What good would Myndi Mayer be on one of Diana's far-off, pulpy or sci-fi adventures ..or anywhere else? How much time is Diana really worrying about Myndi managing her public image or locking down talkshow guest-spots, ..all while toppling extra-dimensional empires with Etta, Steve (in THAT order) and the Kangaliers? What was supposed to be Myndi's role in the Wonderverse?

She never had one, because Diana's not interested in her managing her image. She had a moment, ..and shame on us, if we can't appreciate that and let it rest.

WWII vets and seniors, who read GA comics in the 1950s, chuckle about how much they loved ETTA and how they loved her as much as Diana! It's only been a few, ..and most of them were GUYS. I cannot unsee that, and I still can't believe it.

Very insightful, your post. Thank you, Alpha.

Well said.

Thought it this was an appreciation thread "get annoyed not everyone thinks Etta Candy is the best ever thread".

So did I. Then, it felt like it was turning into a 'favorite/least favorite supporting character' thread. Where'd I get a silly idea like that? Right?

https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post6764056

[Alpha]

Do they? Jimmy is a pretty integral part of Superman's mythos in both comics and adaptations. Etta isn't, unfortunately.

Not since the 60s. He doesn't have a big role in any of the live action movies. The 2020s is starting to revive his popularity, with Maws, Matt Fraction in particular showing how high concept you can go with him.

But what were the memorable moments Jimmy Olsen had in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s?

Finding out Clark's identity and dating Supergirl. That's it.


And Etta Candy is also a really strong character that most WW writers don't understand. She's supposed to be written like Lizzo, and they write her like anything but that.

[Alpha]

I wish other writers would use Star-Blossom. She was cool

[Nyssane]

And Etta Candy is also a really strong character that most WW writers don't understand. She's supposed to be written like Lizzo, and they write her like anything but that.

Not exactly a compliment anymore.

Jimmy is more essential to Superman than Etta is to WW, yes. But there are dozens of Jimmys out there in comic book land. There's literally no one like Golden Age Etta Candy out there.

[Fuzzy Mittens]

I wish other writers would use Star-Blossom. She was cool

Agreed. If she was dreamed up when all those YA OGNs started being made, she could have really shined.

[Agent Z]

Edited post.