Wonder Woman Villains Sightings

[Frontier]

Variant cover for Trinity #7! Maybe Circe didn't retain her New 52 look after all? I much prefer this design for sure.

I wonder if this is an indication of her true Rebirth design?

Thanks for sharing this. I don't understand why Circe would work with Lex and Das considering that it's very likely she'd consider herself above them. I know she was part of Lex's Injustice Gang but that inclusion made no sense to me. Plus - Superman gets Lex, Batman gets Ras - both original DC villains while Diana has to settle for a public domain villain for her counterpart in this Trinity. Why aren't they using an original Wonder Woman villain? Veronica Cale, Queen Clea, Cheetah, Gudra, Osira, or Paula Von Gunther would all work given the right angle.

Well, Circe is probably on par with Ra's as far as being the second most notable foe of their respective hero after their Archenemy, which I imagine is why she's being used here even if characterization-wise it wouldn't make sense.

[Confuzzled]

I prefer this design for Circe too.

Thanks for sharing this. I don't understand why Circe would work with Lex and Das considering that it's very likely she'd consider herself above them. I know she was part of Lex's Injustice Gang but that inclusion made no sense to me. Plus - Superman gets Lex, Batman gets Ras - both original DC villains while Diana has to settle for a public domain villain for her counterpart in this Trinity. Why aren't they using an original Wonder Woman villain? Veronica Cale, Queen Clea, Cheetah, Gudra, Osira, or Paula Von Gunther would all work given the right angle.

I always picture Circe teaming up with other villains as a means to just entertain herself while also finding new ways to get at Diana. Also, WW is the member of the Trinity who is the most entrenched in real world mythology so it makes sense if she's the one to have a mythological figure as her evil counterpart. I don't see it as "settling". Did you view Thor, and the entire Avengers, as having to settle for a public domain villain in their first story/movie?

[Dr. Poison]

I prefer this design for Circe too.



I always picture Circe teaming up with other villains as a means to just entertain herself while also finding new ways to get at Diana. Also, WW is the member of the Trinity who is the most entrenched in real world mythology so it makes sense if she's the one to have a mythological figure as her evil counterpart. I don't see it as "settling". Did you view Thor, and the entire Avengers, as having to settle for a public domain villain in their first story/movie?

Thor - no, because he also is a public domain character unlike Wonder Woman who is not. The Avengers group movie, yes, because most of them are original Marvel characters while Loki is public domain.

[Nyssane]

Thanks for sharing this. I don't understand why Circe would work with Lex and Das considering that it's very likely she'd consider herself above them. I know she was part of Lex's Injustice Gang but that inclusion made no sense to me.

Oh, I'm right there with you. I hated Circe as a member of the Injustice Gang. BUT -- I do think Circe will play a bigger role here than she did back then. The solicits mention Circe's "prophecy," so at least there will be a reason for her working with Luthor and Ra's (who at least are more notable villains than the majority of her Injustice Gang chums).

I do think it's amusing that Wonder Woman's villains constantly get mocked, yet they're ultimately more powerful than anyone else in an "Evil Trinity." Luthor, Joker, Cheetah? Cheetah wipes the floor with them. Luthor, Ra's, Circe? My money's on Circe. Either way, I'm excited for this story arc!

[SiegePerilous02]

I do think it's amusing that Wonder Woman's villains constantly get mocked, yet they're ultimately more powerful than anyone else in an "Evil Trinity." Luthor, Joker, Cheetah? Cheetah wipes the floor with them. Luthor, Ra's, Circe? My money's on Circe. Either way, I'm excited for this story arc!

I think it has more to do with Luthor, Joker, and Ra's all being consistently way better developed characters, unfortunately. The power levels do seem to factor into the equation as well though. Cheetah should be the most immediately deadly out of those three at all times, and if writers could remember how her knowledge of deadly relics is an extremely dangerous trait to have in the DCU, she wouldn't be out of place at all. Circe goes without saying, as she's actually a demi-goddess (daughter of Helios) in addition to being an extremely powerful sorceress.

I prefer Circe's look on that Trinity cover to either her New 52 or Rucka look. I guess her Godwatch design being underwhelming wasn't that big of a deal after all as she can always just zap herself into new clothes.

[Dr. Poison]

I think it has more to do with Luthor, Joker, and Ra's all being consistently way better developed characters, unfortunately. The power levels do seem to factor into the equation as well though. Cheetah should be the most immediately deadly out of those three at all times, and if writers could remember how her knowledge of deadly relics is an extremely dangerous trait to have in the DCU, she wouldn't be out of place at all. Circe goes without saying, as she's actually a demi-goddess (daughter of Helios) in addition to being an extremely powerful sorceress.

I prefer Circe's look on that Trinity cover to either her New 52 or Rucka look. I guess her Godwatch design being underwhelming wasn't that big of a deal after all as she can always just zap herself into new clothes.

With the "Godwatch" arc taking place in the past, I'm sure Circe has changed her look several times since then, knowing her. It's hard to tell what she currently looks like as that Trinity cover above doesn't really look finished to me. I hope that's not the final release.

[AmiMizuno]

In some myths she is the daughter of the goddess of magic. Circe actually is a goddess herself

[Confuzzled]

Thor - no, because he also is a public domain character unlike Wonder Woman who is not. The Avengers group movie, yes, because most of them are original Marvel characters while Loki is public domain.

WW was an offspring/created by public domain figures though. Also, why is using public domain characters a step down exactly? Loki is still the most well-received villain in the entire MCU and stuff done with public domain characters like Ben-Hur, various takes on Shakespearean characters and stories, Disney animated movies, Fables etc. are incredibly popular (some of them are considered cultural landmarks even).

[Dr. Poison]

WW was an offspring/created by public domain figures though. Also, why is using public domain characters a step down exactly? Loki is still the most well-received villain in the entire MCU and stuff done with public domain characters like Ben-Hur, various takes on Shakespearean characters and stories, Disney animated movies, Fables etc. are incredibly popular (some of them are considered cultural landmarks even).

Because Wonder Woman is an original DC character. She should have to constantly settle for villains like Circe, Ares, Hades, etc. that Marvel, BOOM, IDW, or any other comic company could use. It dilutes her brand IMO. An occasional appearance by these characters is fine but when you have them appearing more so than her original rogues like Giganta, Queen Clea, Dr. Poison, Dr. Psycho, Osira, Baron Blitzkreig, and Kung, it's a huge disappointment to me.

[Mel Dyer]

Thanks for sharing this. I don't understand why Circe would work with Lex and Das considering that it's very likely she'd consider herself above them. I know she was part of Lex's Injustice Gang but that inclusion made no sense to me. Plus - Superman gets Lex, Batman gets Ras - both original DC villains while Diana has to settle for a public domain villain for her counterpart in this Trinity. Why aren't they using an original Wonder Woman villain? Veronica Cale, Queen Clea, Cheetah, Gudra, Osira, or Paula Von Gunther would all work given the right angle.

THIS is why Wonder Woman, in 2016, has a big pile of colorful super-villains, ..but, still doesn't have a viable rogues gallery.

I imagine the primary reason that writers use Circe in WW stories, so much, is because the last four or five writers used her, ..making Circe stories very easy to find. For my money, the original, Ares-powered Silver Swan, the Adjudicator, Atomia, the White Magician, Doctor Psycho, the Termite Queen, Osira, the Dark Commander, General Electric, the First Born, Eviless, Bushmaster (a Deathstroke-like assassin, who creates zombies) and S.C.Y.T.H.E. (a globally focused terrorist organization) ..are ALL infinitely more interesting and complex, than Circe. For that reason, I don't think the excessive number of Circe appearances in WW, at the expense of leaving the others in mothballs, is justified - not by a long shot.

In Circe's defense, I think she was much more interesting, when her stories were smaller and more horror-driven - when she was more Dracula, than comic super-villain. George Perez, who is likely our most well-loved, post-Crisis WW scribe, ripped out Circe's soul and blew her up, at the end of War Of The Gods. At the time, it was the biggest WW comic event that DC Comics had ever published - a multi-issue miniseries - so, I didn't imagine it. Clearly, George intended to rid us of her, forever (I'd hoped), or significantly down-size her from the invincible goddess in WOGs, ..back down to the creepy, significantly more intriguing witch that he started out with. Why writers and editors ignore that, I'll never know, ..because I think George got it right. I think Circe is misused in WW comics, quite a bit, and allowed to do what she does best - to be what she was originally intended to be - far too little.

Writer, after writer, keeps forcing Circe down our throats, as if she is Wonder Woman's arch-nemesis; she isn't Wonder Woman's Luthor, and never was. Furthermore, it makes absolutely no sense why Circe would work with Lex Luthor and Ras Al Ghul. She would consider herself above them.

[Agent Z]

THIS is why Wonder Woman, in 2016, has a big pile of colorful super-villains, ..but, still doesn't have a viable rogues gallery.

Writer, after writer, keeps forcing Circe down our throats, as if she is Wonder Woman's arch-nemesis; she isn't and never was. What's worse is they do this at the expense of the non-myth-inspired super-villains that writers don't bother to look up, and that WW editors don't push. Perhaps, writers using Circe think that there are so many Circe stories, because fans favor her over the bad guys that you mentioned. If that's the case, editors should care enough to intervene and nudge them toward the other villains, instead of berating us with more Circe - the ugly, purple-haired pizza, nobody ordered.

Seriously...if you are new to this comic, be you writer or reader, please understand that Circe is NOT WW's official arch-nemesis. Know also that her recurring use in WW-related stories has absolutely nothing - NOTHING - to do with demand. I imagine the primary reason that writers use Circe in WW stories, so much, is because the last four or five writers, who came before them, used her, and, because of that, ..Circe stories are easy to find. Even among Circe's biggest fans, we rarely hear arguments that Wonder Woman would be a much better comic, ..if only it had more Circe. No one here is asking for more Circe!

George Perez, who is likely our most well-loved, post-Crisis WW scribe, ripped out Circe's soul and blew her up, at the end of War Of The Gods. At the time, it was the biggest WW comic event that DC Comics had ever published - a multi-issue miniseries - so, I didn't imagine it. Clearly, George was done with her, or at least, done with that version of her; and, if you read WOGs, ..who can blame him?

Furthermore, it makes absolutely no sense why Circe would work with Lex Luthor and Ras Al Ghul. She would consider herself above them.

Cheetah is used just as much if not more than Circe. Cheetah appeared in the New 52 and Rebirth before Circe ever did and is featured more prominently in adaptations (Circe hasn't even been used in any of the DC animated films).

Also, how do you know there isn't a demand for Circe?

[Agent Z]

Because Wonder Woman is an original DC character. She should have to constantly settle for villains like Circe, Ares, Hades, etc. that Marvel, BOOM, IDW, or any other comic company could use. It dilutes her brand IMO. An occasional appearance by these characters is fine but when you have them appearing more so than her original rogues like Giganta, Queen Clea, Dr. Poison, Dr. Psycho, Osira, Baron Blitzkreig, and Kung, it's a huge disappointment to me.

None of those companies you mentioned are using these characters and even if they were, they wouldn't get half the publicity WW gets whenever she uses them.

[Vanguard-01]

That's a much better look for Circe!

As far as her thinking she's above Lex and R'as? If they have something she needs or wants, she would work with them. I will, of course, be seriously disappointed if the story ends without Circe at least trying to take what she wants and then leave. I'll be more disappointed if Circe ends up being the one who gets screwed over by one or both of them.

No story is invalid, in my mind. Circe would work alongside ANYONE if she sees a reason to do so. The important thing is that her reason is addressed and the writer remembers that once Circe has what she wants, or once it becomes clear she's not going to get what she wants, then all bets are off.

[Confuzzled]

Because Wonder Woman is an original DC character. She should have to constantly settle for villains like Circe, Ares, Hades, etc. that Marvel, BOOM, IDW, or any other comic company could use. It dilutes her brand IMO. An occasional appearance by these characters is fine but when you have them appearing more so than her original rogues like Giganta, Queen Clea, Dr. Poison, Dr. Psycho, Osira, Baron Blitzkreig, and Kung, it's a huge disappointment to me.

Au contraire, using mythological figures has only bolstered Wonder Woman's brand and themes and helped make them so universal and instantly perceptible. That's why Marston connected her to Hippolyta and the Amazons in the first place. The richness of the pre-existing icons and the public's awareness and connection to them lend themselves to layering Diana's character and stories when utilized well. Wonder Woman IS a more literal take on old world mythos explored through a modern lens, moreso than most other superhero mythos, so it makes sense that influential figures in real world folklore are deconstructed in her tales as well.

That doesn't mean the original villains shouldn't have prominence, they should, but I cannot buy the public domain villains overshadowing original villains diluting WW's brand argument. As long as Diana herself is not overshadowed, the brand retains its sharp focus and impact.

[Dr. Poison]

Au contraire, using mythological figures has only bolstered Wonder Woman's brand and themes and helped make them so universal and instantly perceptible. That's why Marston connected her to Hippolyta and the Amazons in the first place. The richness of the pre-existing icons and the public's awareness and connection to them lend themselves to layering Diana's character and stories when utilized well. Wonder Woman IS a more literal take on old world mythos explored through a modern lens, moreso than most other superhero mythos, so it makes sense that influential figures in real world folklore are deconstructed in her tales as well.

That doesn't mean the original villains shouldn't have prominence, they should, but I cannot buy the public domain villains overshadowing original villains diluting WW's brand argument. As long as Diana herself is not overshadowed, the brand retains its sharp focus and impact.

But there have been times when Wonder Woman has been overshadowed by the public domain characters like in Azzarello's run on the title. In several issues, she appeared on less pages than the Olympians did. None of her original rogues gallery(with the exceptions of Azzarello's pet creations Cassandra and the First Born) appeared in the book for over 3 years until the Finchs revamped Aegeus(to horrible affect I might add). Thankfully, Rucka is currently working with Cheetah, Dr. Poison, Veronica Cale, and Dr. Cyber with Dr. Psycho coming down the pike,