Wonder Woman Earth One: Discussion Thread

[t hedge coke]

they are, they really hate and abomine men.

If that were true, they'd be doing something against them. They're not.

Keeping your really cool toys to yourself and having a fun time for three thousand years on a fantasy island isn't an act of hate.

It may have started with some hate, and some fear, and a lot of exasperation, but even the way Trevor is treated on the island is not with hate. They aren't particularly kind to him (or to Candy), but I don't see hate. Much as this Diana was planned as an act of vengeance and hate, but grew far away from that and better, I think all of their culture clearly did.

the problem of body shaming that it is something very from man's world and it is recently. for a good amount of time being fat was considered health and was attractive. this makes little sense to the amazons do

Women do plenty of body-shaming, too. Particularly of anyone who doesn't look like the majority or what they prize, which she doesn't. That's not new to the world, and they've had three thousand years of cultural growth. They're just a teensy bit conceited.

I could've done without it, because I like their culture when it's simply and purely much better than what we have. But, as an element of a culture, it's a pretty universal element. There's always some body type, some look, that a culture is unnecessarily critical or dismissive of and we could all probably do with getting past that. Which, seems to be the point, here, since Beth is right and they're not.

[Tayswift]

If that were true, they'd be doing something against them. They're not.

Keeping your really cool toys to yourself and having a fun time for three thousand years on a fantasy island isn't an act of hate.

It may have started with some hate, and some fear, and a lot of exasperation, but even the way Trevor is treated on the island is not with hate. They aren't particularly kind to him (or to Candy), but I don't see hate. Much as this Diana was planned as an act of vengeance and hate, but grew far away from that and better, I think all of their culture clearly did.

I don't attack things I hate, but I still hate that thing. hate not always come with actions that support it.

they totally hate trevor, even his smell is meet with contempt by Hippolyta. they could just keep him prisoner on the island instead of kill him.

Hyppolyta dropped her plans, but she still hates men just as the other amazons.

Women do plenty of body-shaming, too. Particularly of anyone who doesn't look like the majority or what they prize, which she doesn't. That's not new to the world, and they've had three thousand years of cultural growth. They're just a teensy bit conceited.

I could've done without it, because I like their culture when it's simply and purely much better than what we have. But, as an element of a culture, it's a pretty universal element. There's always some body type, some look, that a culture is unnecessarily critical or dismissive of and we could all probably do with getting past that. Which, seems to be the point, here, since Beth is right and they're not.

yeah, women do body shaming too. It doesn't mean it is right, specially for women that fight for equality. this is why even companies like Dove are trying to be body positive

now perfect enginnered women body shaming normal women is really awful and makes no sense to a so superior female only society

Dobt know if this is what you meant, but Perez never played Marston's themes straight. None of the post crisis writers have.

yes, not a hard concept to do. Take the base ideas then update: legend of wonder woman have been great. post crisis best writer also used the base ideas and build beyond that

[Tayswift]

I loved Etta--brash, bold, and comfortable in her own skin--and caring, too. I liked Steve's reaction to Diana's kinkiness (or, from her point of view her offer of an opportunity show his strength by lovingly submitted); that part was pretty funny. The whole reworking of Diana's Day, from a very early marston issue, hit the right note: a mix of nostalgia, fantasy, and whimsical humor, for me.

spoilers:

It was interesting that Morrison, like Azzarello (but with different details), treated the clay birth story as a "fairy tale," or as a lie told by Hippolyta. I guess, since the 70s and the lie of omission about Nubia, the idea of having lied to protect her daughter or even to justify her own actions has really gotten baked into Hippolyta's character. I think I like the artificial insemination idea better than Azz's version, though I'm not sure I prefer Herc to Zeus as sperm donor. I like the idea that Diana was bred as a weapon of vengeance but became a force for peace and redemption instead.

end of spoilers

the steve reaction to WW kinkness wasn't funny, not even a bit. another thing that morrison could had done better

[Silvanus]

the feminism on Marston amazons needs updating and Morrison just regressed it even more.

I don't know that he regressed it; I think he transferred it from the Amazons to Etta. Etta is the real, modern feminist; not only is she resistant to body shaming, but she's able to tell Hippolyta that, essentially, "patriarchy sucks, but we're dealing with it."

These Amazons aren't feminists; they're militants, understandably reacting to the brutal misogyny represented by Hercules. They learned that the genders are at war and that they need to be warriors; I assumed that their "body shaming" reflects their belief that women need to be in good fighting form, physically as well as mentally ready to stand up to male oppression. It would be nice, in a second and third volume, to see them learning from Diana, Etta and other women and starting to become modern feminists.

[SiegePerilous02]

Dobt know if this is what you meant, but Perez never played Marston's themes straight. None of the post crisis writers have.

Well, addressing Marston's themes was one of Morrison's main intended goals, so it would defeat the purpose of this whole exercise if he ignored a lot of them like many of the post-Crisis authors did.

As for Perez, he didn't play them straight, but instead robbed the Amazons of their agency by having the gods tell them to leave Man's World as penance, had an entire destiny mapped out for Diana, and his Amazons never advanced technologically in any significant way. We got some great individual characters from post-Crisis that I love (Philippus, Artemis, Io), but their culture as a whole was just...boring compared to the originals.

And I think Morrison proved here that you can update the old stuff and make it work in a modern context, especially as he pointed out some of the flaws of the Amazons' old way of thinking, which Marston played straight. That was always the major issue. Azzarello addressed it as well, but I think Morrison did it much better.

[AJpyro]

Read it. Quite liked it. It was an interesting read overall and I definitely like it more that SM Earth 1 and maybe Batman E1.

[Nyssane]

Finally got my copy. I liked it waaay more than I thought I was going to, and let's be real, I was a bit nervous. Medusa's design was great, and I like the use of the Fates (the maiden/mother/crone design was always my favorite). Diana herself, hmm, I'll have to read again to really grasp her character. I loved the scene at the hospital with the elderly/sick women. I'm interested to see where volume 2 goes.

[Harpsikord]

Finally got my copy. I liked it waaay more than I thought I was going to, and let's be real, I was a bit nervous. Medusa's design was great, and I like the use of the Fates (the maiden/mother/crone design was always my favorite). Diana herself, hmm, I'll have to read again to really grasp her character. I loved the scene at the hospital with the elderly/sick women. I'm interested to see where volume 2 goes.

Diana spent a lot of the book talking in broken sentences, so that took a bit to get used to. But I think Morrison has her voice well taken care of.

Medusa looked CREEPY AS ANYTHING. I loved it.

The Donna fan in me wishes that she'd have gotten more of a significant role, but maybe in volume 2.

[K. Jones]

This was good. I've got to do some unpacking as far as some of the weird Morrison underpinnings that I detected but haven't quite brought to the forefront of my consciousness yet, but there's some major lunar and triple-goddess stuff happening here that I really dig.

[Tayswift]

I don't know that he regressed it; I think he transferred it from the Amazons to Etta. Etta is the real, modern feminist; not only is she resistant to body shaming, but she's able to tell Hippolyta that, essentially, "patriarchy sucks, but we're dealing with it."

These Amazons aren't feminists; they're militants, understandably reacting to the brutal misogyny represented by Hercules. They learned that the genders are at war and that they need to be warriors; I assumed that their "body shaming" reflects their belief that women need to be in good fighting form, physically as well as mentally ready to stand up to male oppression. It would be nice, in a second and third volume, to see them learning from Diana, Etta and other women and starting to become modern feminists.

you know that for guys like MRAs militants and feminists. so amaozns play well into the concept of feminazis.
I don't see why amazons have to be antiguated, that says more about how a man see a group of female victims that choose to isolate to protected theirselves and evolve in peace.

the amazons on morrison play fights because fun, they are isolated and protected. they don't even need to be warriors.
they are genetic enginnedred to have perfect bodies, they are privileged. and use it to be snark and put down normal women. that is mean spirited by the amazons.

[SiegePerilous02]

Finally got my copy. I liked it waaay more than I thought I was going to, and let's be real, I was a bit nervous. Medusa's design was great, and I like the use of the Fates (the maiden/mother/crone design was always my favorite). Diana herself, hmm, I'll have to read again to really grasp her character. I loved the scene at the hospital with the elderly/sick women. I'm interested to see where volume 2 goes.

Medusa was cool looking, though Hippolyta strangely referred to her as "mother of monsters." I guess she was being metaphorical, as Medusa is the most infamous monster to come out of Greek myth. Her ability to turn men into stone is often thought of by scholars as being a metaphor for female power, and Perseus slicing off her head and using the ability himself represents the patriarchy conquering it. Interesting that the Amazons have access to Medusa and her power, though they are in fear of it as well.

Did you see the Amazon with the cheetah print tattoo in the double page spread where Donna and Artemis first appear?

[Nyssane]

Medusa was cool looking, though Hippolyta strangely referred to her as "mother of monsters." I guess she was being metaphorical, as Medusa is the most infamous monster to come out of Greek myth. Her ability to turn men into stone is often thought of by scholars as being a metaphor for female power, and Perseus slicing off her head and using the ability himself represents the patriarchy conquering it. Interesting that the Amazons have access to Medusa and her power, though they are in fear of it as well.

Did you see the Amazon with the cheetah print tattoo in the double page spread where Donna and Artemis first appear?

Right? I was like "omg Echidna?" But nope, Medusa instead.

I did see her! I hope we see Cheetah in a later volume, but not as an amazon. She had a cool design though so even if she's an amazon, so be it.

[SiegePerilous02]

Right? I was like "omg Echidna?" But nope, Medusa instead.

I did see her! I hope we see Cheetah in a later volume, but not as an amazon. She had a cool design though so even if she's an amazon, so be it.

I'd prefer a modernized Priscilla too, but I'm not gonna sneeze at this until I read it. I'm not sure if Paquette threw it in there, but that design showing up in a Wonder Woman comic written by Morrison can never be a coincidence. I have room in my heart for Priscilla and Barbara (not Debbie, she blows lol), so I'm sure I can accept this. At the very least, it should be interesting.

[t hedge coke]

the amazons on morrison play fights because fun, they are isolated and protected. they don't even need to be warriors.
they are genetic enginnedred to have perfect bodies, they are privileged. and use it to be snark and put down normal women. that is mean spirited by the amazons.

They don't think they're being insulting, it would seem. They're speaking in earnest. Because they genuinely think they and their way is better. They're imperfect. Their society is imperfect. On several fronts, it is doing better than any other Earth society, but it's still got room to grow, a need to grow. Just like a society's flaws may justify a kid needing to go through a wardrobe to check out other, more dangerous and messed up places, their flaws justify Diana wanting to get out and check on things, to have a grand adventure.

The end of this story sees a lot of change happening for the Amazons. And, presumably Wonder Woman's presence in outside societies will see change in them.

[Tony]

So I just finished this. The art is amazing, I don't think I could take an overly negative review on that part seriously. I know the story is a little more polarizing, but I have to say for me this is the best she has been since Marston. I do think he was successful in embracing the real Wonder Woman. For those who prefer the modern re imaginings you have the advantage in options available, I myself can't wait for volume 2.