Wonder Woman's Origin

[Auguste Dupin]

But wait, someone said that Diana was too strong having powers from the Gods that the other amazons wouldn't stand a chance against her, thus making the contest pointless. Wouldn't that also be problematic if Diana was a demigoddess daughter of Zeus as well? I'm assuming that the main source of her raw power now comes from him, in addition to the Amazonian training and War's 'mentoring'. Seems to me like the amazons would still not fair well against her, given those conditions.

As far as I'm aware of, there's been no mention of a contest in the New 52.

[Amazon Swordsman]

As far as I'm aware of, there's been no mention of a contest in the New 52.

Well, now that I think about it, I don't see how people can have a problem with the source of Perez-era Diana's powers, and think that Azzarello Diana's power source is any better. Either way you slice it, in both eras she inherits godly powers, thus driving the balance of power more in her favor compared to her sister amazons.

[Step]

In the Smallville comic she said she was just a regular Amazon and she grew into her powers, maybe if the contest started when she was still not in control of her powers, like in her teens, just when they were developing and maybe Hippolyta started the contest then cause she knew that at one point Diana was going to surpass every Amazon and she wanted to protect her.

[Carabas]

Well, now that I think about it, I don't see how people can have a problem with the source of Perez-era Diana's powers, and think that Azzarello Diana's power source is any better. Either way you slice it, in both eras she inherits godly powers, thus driving the balance of power more in her favor compared to her sister amazons.

I don't thing it's the source of her powers that is the problem but the fact that she used to be a clay statue (that causes all sorts of terrible stories in the hands of crappy writers, from reverting her to clay to her being not human but some sort of golem).

[Amazon Swordsman]

I don't thing it's the source of her powers that is the problem but the fact that she used to be a clay statue (that causes all sorts of terrible stories in the hands of crappy writers, from reverting her to clay to her being not human but some sort of golem).

Well, some may believe that, but her new origin doesn't necessarily prevent future writers from doing silly things with it. Somewhere down the line, one may randomly decide to bring back Zeus and create friction between the two in some kind of attempt to "humanize" her. For me, that change only works short term for the benefit of the story that Azz's team wanted to tell, and not for the long-term development of her character.

[Dr. Hurt]

Well, some may believe that, but her new origin doesn't necessarily prevent future writers from doing silly things with it. Somewhere down the line, one may randomly decide to bring back Zeus and create friction between the two in some kind of attempt to "humanize" her. For me, that change only works short term for the benefit of the story that Azz's team wanted to tell, and not for the long-term development of her character.

Having friction with her dad is a billion times better than turning her into a gollem again.

[Carabas]

Well, some may believe that, but her new origin doesn't necessarily prevent future writers from doing silly things with it. Somewhere down the line, one may randomly decide to bring back Zeus and create friction between the two in some kind of attempt to "humanize" her.

Well, it's not as if pre-N52 writers have ever shied away from friction between Diana and Zeus. I don't really see the problem with this.

[Deniz Camp]

Both, really.

Narratively, I think 'bastard spawn of zeus' works better; it more obviously lends itself to a purpose (protecting one side of her family, the mortal side, from the other side, the divine side), it implies a whole cast of supporting characters and relationships (in the other demi-gods/sisters/brothers) and it adds a layer of drama between her and the gods-as-they-are (familial) that wouldn't be there otherwise.

Iconically, I think the 'molded from clay and love' origin works better. It reinforces her as a female icon, not beholden to men by way of her origin, it literally puts her on a certain pedestal, makes her a figure. It speaks to her as a character born of love, rather than lust, which fits with the (historical) themes of that character a bit better.

The weakness of each is revealed by their reciprocal; the muddled, directionless nature of most 'clay' Wonder Woman runs and their failure to find an audience (critically & in terms of sales) speaks to the weakness of that origin. Meanwhile, it's hard to deny that a lot of what made her origin that of a strong (fictional) feminist icon has been removed (though I'd maintain that her actions and personality under Azzarello are every bit as laudable and admirable as the best such portrayals of the character previously).

Interestingly, the same goes for the 'clarification' of the amazons as babykillers. It certainly undercuts the notion of this feminist paradise just beyond the shores we know, and that very much changes the tenor of the Amazons and what their existence means to say about women in general. At the same time, it served a strong narrative purpose in showing Wonder Woman as the great reformer, it made the amazons characters with something to learn, prejudices to overcome. It made Diana, perhaps, more exceptional for being able to see injustice, even when it's embedded as a cornerstone of the society in which she was raised. And then to act to stop this injustice, even when it would make her unpopular, perhaps outright loathed. Even when it risked tearing about the society, and the individuals, she so dearly loved (and who so dearly loved her).

Each origin is sufficiently 'mythical', in my opinion, so I don't buy that one is somehow more appropriate in this sense than the other; demi-gods from divine/mortal mingling is a cornerstone of greek myth, and the clay origin no doubt (purposely) brings to mind the story of Pygmalion.

Ultimately, I think the question has to be; do you want a Wonder Woman who likely lends herself to more compelling stories, or do you want a Wonder Woman who stands as a figure?

[AmiMizuno]

She is not a Golem. She is a person. A golem is something that is alive but not flesh and blood. Also it's not her origins that's the problem is how the writers were dealing with her origin not the origin it's self. It worked for her over 70 years but the writers had poor ideas. They are poorly written stories. Like some stayed the clay deals with a mom dealing with not able to have a child and willing to do anything. Wonder Woman as always been about female empowerment but having the amazons be baby killer is not anything but stupid because it as plot holes to how Diana is compassionate but the amazons seem generic.


Also Marston's sold 15 million copies the highest selling run. There are some ideas we have to respected.

http://medusa1893.deviantart.com/art...irth-414301843

[Auguste Dupin]

Well, now that I think about it, I don't see how people can have a problem with the source of Perez-era Diana's powers, and think that Azzarello Diana's power source is any better. Either way you slice it, in both eras she inherits godly powers, thus driving the balance of power more in her favor compared to her sister amazons.

No, because we talked about how useless the contest was if she had inherent powers, and how that was an issue.
So, no contest: no issue.
Sounds pretty simple to me.

[AmiMizuno]

However she was never giving powers she was as good as any amazons. This is why the demi goddess one is also wrong. I would love to see Diana struggle with a contester as good as her. Many of the old amazons shouldn't be interested because they don't want to go to the outside world it should be the younger generation.

[Stanlos]

What origins do u like?

I prefer the original clay/marble origin to the demigoddess thing. It is more unique and the infidelity and betrayal of sisterhood woven into the demigoddess is quite trite and uninspired.

[Arvandor]

Having friction with her dad is a billion times better than turning her into a gollem again.

That's your opinion. That kind of soap opera rubbish holds no interest for me.

[Carabas]

She is not a Golem. She is a person. A golem is something that is alive but not flesh and blood. Also it's not her origins that's the problem is how the writers were dealing with her origin not the origin it's self.

Like you say, it's the writers, and a lot of them are not very good.

It worked for her over 70 years but the writers had poor ideas.

I disagree that the clay origin has ever worked for even one single issue.

Also Marston's sold 15 million copies the highest selling run.

I don't see the relevance. The lowest selling run ever also had the clay origin.

[SiegePerilous02]

It'd be great if writers just stop focusing on her origins altogether. There's nothing wrong with the clay origin, it's hardly any weirder than any of the other crap we see in comics. And even with the new Zeus origin, the means of her creation are still the big elephant in the room. The last three years have been about nothing but her creation, and we constantly see her referred to as a "Demi-Goddess" and "Daughter of Zeus" in other books. She's still being defined by her birth, which isn't a problem for Batman, Superman and the rest.

After Azzarello leaves, I'd like the next writer to just not talk about the damn birth for a few years. Just let her be herself and focus on the present for a change.