The Costume - My opinion, questions and concerns.

[DisneyWWfan]

Comic books are a visual medium, and though Wonder Woman is, and will always be a lot more then the visual icon on the page, the visual of her costume is significant. Despite all the outrage over the years by those throwing stones at the costume, clearly many are fond of the design. My biggest reason for writing this though, is where exactly is the outrage aimed towards. It seems like everyone has different and rotating things they do not like about it, and once one issue is resolved they create a new one just to keep talking. For example...

The star spangled color scheme. - Even when explained in George Perez' run after Crisis, people still had problems with it. Forgetting white stars and a gold eagle can be representative of dozens of things besides the US, it's only the American angle that everyone sees. Forgetting the fact that gold is not a national color of the US. Spider-Man actually uses a color scheme possibly closer to the United States in red, white, blue and black and finding red white and blue spiders is pretty difficult. Obviously, originally it did have to do with the war, but things can change.

Another belief is that Wonder Woman is an Amazonian, and she shouldn't adopt the colors of a nation she does not belong to, in the United States. A perspective I find that helps with Wonder Woman is looking at competition. One of the most major concepts in her origin is The Contest. In the modern world, contests and competitions are often found in sports, which also connect to Greek Olympics. Getting back to the whole concept of adopting the colors of a region you are representing, when Peyton Manning played for the Indianapolis Colts he wore their jersey, and wore their colors, yet was not a born and bred Hoosier. Manning is from Louisiana, and played college at Tennessee. No one got bent out of shape about him adopting the colors and symbols of a place he wishes to associate with, since that's pretty much what everyone does when looking at it through that perspective? Now Manning represents the Broncos and wears their colors. Ultimately many will probably always think of him as a Colt, even though that is not where he is from. It is true Diana is more a global heroine now, but similarly Peyton Manning goes to other cities decked out in his Colts or Broncos attire, whether he's in Florida or California or Louisiana. Diana chooses to wear the colors of the United States whether she’s in Russia or Brazil. Despite storylines, Wonder Woman is always going to have major ties to the United States. The two characters seen as love interests for Diana are Steve Trevor, who works in the US, and Superman who fights for "truth, justice, and the American Way." She's a founding member of the Justice League of America (Pre nu52, as now I know it's just Justice League). She worked for the United Nations, US Military, and even NASA. The single city most often associated with Wonder Woman is Washington DC, as even the architecture of the congressional mall mimics Greek and Roman influences.

The fact it is strapless or is completely impractical in combat - It is true no writer has really addressed this situation, though I find it very odd they haven't. Wonder Woman wears a magic tiara, magic bracelets, a magic lasso, and at times magical swords, but the costume itself has never once had any powers to speak of. Even though Diana has been able to spin into it, or spin her lasso to change her costume, the costume has never been explained to have any real magical properties itself. Why not? The fact that everyone looks at it and says without the straps it'd fall down in combat are forgetting it just materialized out of thin air. If it can do that, it probably can stay up and keep the person covered. If Mystique or Invisible Woman can have outfits that allow for their diverse powers, then what's to say Diana's costume isn't magical in the fact it does what all designed costumes would do and that's stay on. It'd also be a way for her to keep some of it on when taking abuse in fights, as it wouldn't tear (which actually would show more skin). It'd also explain how Diana can walk through fire and her costume not be ashes afterwards.

The bulletproof thing - I know writers have not wanted to make her be bulletproof as that takes away her bullets and bracelets, but even if the costume itself was bulletproof, proving it to be armor, her upper torso still needs protection, protection that her arms would be able to block. That might seem a bit conveniant for some, but almost everyone has limitations on their powers, and the style of the costume would be the limits of the magic. I'm sure Thor would love to have a wallet sized Mjolnir he could have on him 24/7 or for Captain America to be able to fold up that hefty shield, but that's the way they were designed, so that's what they have to use. The Gods made that costume, deal with it.

I understand some peoples frustrations as Wonder Woman's outfit is on the skimpy side of things. In comics though many of the decked from head to toe heroes and heroines are honestly wearing what looks to be painted on. I've read comments that no male characters are nearly naked. That's actually not as true as some would think. Hulk is almost always bare chested, Namor went for decades with basically a speedo, and Conan the Barbarian and He-Man are pretty much in loincloths. Silver Surfer for all purposes is nude. It should not become a policy for female characters to have their costumes designed solely for male audiences to enjoy and linger at (and I'm well aware over the years most female costumes have at least at times been guilty of this). That being said, changing the single most iconic female costume in history to me seems a bit much. I think it'd be easier to work and improve the others, then rip away yet another thing of Wonder Woman's history. As parodied in the Incredibles, capes are not really what one should be fighting in, but Batman and Superman are not likely to be hanging up their capes anytime soon.

Ultimatelty though, Diana is a lot more then what her costume is. That is actually the truly pathetic thing. After all the events and situations the characters dealt with, people are still obsessed about the costume and the fact her legs are bare or her cleavage is showing. They ignore all the good the woman has done, because of that. If someone saved your life, or showed compassion for you, or helped you while you were sick, or picked you up after you fell, would you really be worrying about "Yeah, but she dresses like a stripper?" Though far too often in our society women are objectified and put under insane cultural and societal norms, I think an issue we as a society have to remember is, clothing is just clothing. It's not who the person (or in this case character) is. If a woman dresses attractively or is beautiful or "sexy" that, in and of itself, does not make the woman bad. Nor does it make her good. It's the other things that define that. It's the single moms working to put food on a table, or a waitress working overtime to pay her brothers college education, or it's the nurses in the nursing homes showing patience to those that are sick, and teachers working past hours to help a kind understand something or any other person doing good honorable things. Notice, I didn't describe their clothing, because in all truth, I don't really care. No T-shirt, jeans, or neckline is going to define them any better then what I just described. Diana is defined as a beautiful woman, but that is not in any way where the defining ends. She is smart, capable, brave, compassionate, wise, athletic, resiliant, determined, tough, diplomatic, forgiving, friendly, suprprisingly humble, and kind. She is those things whether she is in a bikini or a parka.

[AmiMizuno]

Yea many people forget that covering her up actually defeats the purpose of Wonder Woman. Not o be a feared of the female body to be proud of yourself. Why should we cover he up weather it be with straps or pants. Also manhunter or he-man never gets these complaints the way Diana does. I don't mind straps or pants it just has to be design in a way.

[Agent Z]

Yea many people forget that covering her up actually defeats the purpose of Wonder Woman. Not o be a feared of the female body to be proud of yourself. Why should we cover he up weather it be with straps or pants. Also manhunter or he-man never gets these complaints the way Diana does. I don't mind straps or pants it just has to be design in a way.

Tbf, covering up doesn't mean being ashamed of your body

[Hawk80]

Tbf, covering up doesn't mean being ashamed of your body

Of course not, but the pathological need to cover up a female somewhat means that she should be ashamed of her body.

[dragonmp93]

Well, at least, her new costume is much better than the Odyssey one.

[AmiMizuno]

I guess I choose the poor wording like the sensation comic had the man scream at her. That's what I meant. That u shouldn't be feared of people's opinions. People shouldn't be feared of the female form or showing. Not saying there should or shouldn't be limits. I do think her shorts could be brought back to balance it out.