Wonder Woman #14 Discussion/Spoilers

[Rig]

Oh how the Gods (and WW herself) are depowered in INJUSTICE. Isn't that the one where she is knocked out for six months (or was it a Year?) after a nuclear explosion?

Constantine put a spell on her to stop her from waking up, she wasn't in coma because of ten nukes exploding in her face. In in Injustice universe Wonder Woman isn't weak against phallic shaped objects.

[spirit2011]

Maybe that's because Rucka's Ares actually looked and acted like the iconic version of Ares instead of a Frank Gallagher(Shameless) clone.

I don't want Ares looking like a homeless guy

[Joao]

That is true, the question I am asking is... why did we need this story told? The part with Barbara-Ann, that one I get... the rest, not so much.

DC asked Rucka to build a solid foundation where other writers could build upon further. I think doing Year One is an obvious, safe choice. But it's a shame that her origin was told so many times in the last months that the uniqueness of it was totally faded.

[Outside_85]

DC asked Rucka to build a solid foundation where other writers could build upon further. I think doing Year One is an obvious, safe choice. But it's a shame that her origin was told so many times in the last months that the uniqueness of it was totally faded.

I don't honestly get why they asked him to do so when writers are perfectly capable of writing stories without it. And with the way it was constructed here, the only story it really helps is Rucka's own, presuming the lone thing of change (the tree) comes back again.
And if it was just for the style-guides sake they could just have pointed and Earth One and gone: it's pretty much that... only Trevor is white and Diana didn't grab him by the nuts.

[SiegePerilous02]

Solid, if a bit rushed, conclusion. The artwork was gorgeous as always, but I think overall Year One's strongest moments were in the early chapters with re-establishing a better take on the Amazons and Barbara's stand alone issue. This story probably could have used an extra part to give Ares more room to breathe. But I'm eager to read it all in one-go in trade.

When I read the spoilers, I was expecting the Shakespearean speech pattern to be way more obnoxious than it was. It wasn't even that bad. Perez's hammy dialogue was way worse, and Rucka would write Ares with that dialogue in his old run when he was in Ritual Mode, while being more subtle, devious and modern the rest of the time, so we have a chance to see the latter Ares at some point in this run.

So looks like Etta and Barbara will be a couple after all? Cale did say last issue that Etta would seek shelter with Barbara. Gonna be interesting to see that interaction, and I really want to see Etta's thoughts on the whole Cheetah business.

[Joao]

I don't honestly get why they asked him to do so when writers are perfectly capable of writing stories without it. And with the way it was constructed here, the only story it really helps is Rucka's own, presuming the lone thing of change (the tree) comes back again.
And if it was just for the style-guides sake they could just have pointed and Earth One and gone: it's pretty much that... only Trevor is white and Diana didn't grab him by the nuts.

I think the obsession with continuity has a lot to do with it. It happened for the same reason why Rebirth needs a justification for the new 52 mistakes. But I prefer that than pointing Earth One (an elseworld story) as the oficial origin. So many problems going on with that book.

I think once Rucka is done with his 24 issues plan we'll have a clean canvas (or at least something close to it) and a solid world and character building. If it accomplishes its task to turn Wonder Woman's world into a cohesive unity, I'll be more than fine with it.

[Dr. Poison]

I don't honestly get why they asked him to do so when writers are perfectly capable of writing stories without it. And with the way it was constructed here, the only story it really helps is Rucka's own, presuming the lone thing of change (the tree) comes back again.
And if it was just for the style-guides sake they could just have pointed and Earth One and gone: it's pretty much that... only Trevor is white and Diana didn't grab him by the nuts.

Azzarello never gave us a proper back-story/Year One for Diana in the New 52 plus there was so much inconsistency with her portrayal both in his run and the other books she appeared in. I think DC wanted Rucka to make it clear what Diana is about and what her world looks like beyond the Olympians.

[gwangung]

Azzarello never gave us a proper back-story/Year One for Diana in the New 52 plus there was so much inconsistency with her portrayal both in his run and the other books she appeared in. I think DC wanted Rucka to make it clear what Diana is about and what her world looks like beyond the Olympians.

Heaven knows we've heard enough from various readers around the web....

[Stanlos]

Constantine put a spell on her to stop her from waking up, she wasn't in coma because of ten nukes exploding in her face. In in Injustice universe Wonder Woman isn't weak against phallic shaped objects.

Thanks, Rig! I missed the Constantine detail. Did he cause her to be knocked out by the nuke and fall? Or just prevent her from waking up?

[Outside_85]

I think the obsession with continuity has a lot to do with it. It happened for the same reason why Rebirth needs a justification for the new 52 mistakes. But I prefer that than pointing Earth One (an elseworld story) as the oficial origin. So many problems going on with that book.

I think once Rucka is done with his 24 issues plan we'll have a clean canvas (or at least something close to it) and a solid world and character building. If it accomplishes its task to turn Wonder Woman's world into a cohesive unity, I'll be more than fine with it.

The problem with comics is that it will never be 'clean or cohesive' because everything is subject to change unlike real history. Rucka is changing things now and it will be as he leaves it... right up to the point another writer decides to throw it away for their own thing while the main bones of the story (Diana leaving) will remain.

And again, I ask, what is the point of telling an origins story that everyone already knows? And more to the point, why waste time and paper on it when it's the fewest writers thats going do anything with it? I mean, there is a reason why Batman and Superman don't waste huge amounts of time and space to retell how the Waynes died or how Krypton exploded every other year or so.

Azzarello never gave us a proper back-story/Year One for Diana in the New 52 plus there was so much inconsistency with her portrayal both in his run and the other books she appeared in.

I think DC wanted Rucka to make it clear what Diana is about and what her world looks like beyond the Olympians.

He started the same way every other writer of the solo books featuring the members of the Justice League started: on the ground running.
The inconsistencies were not within Azzarello's story, if you stuck with that and ignored what everyone else was doing, it would be perfectly fine... the problem was that people like Johns and Soule had other ideas about who and how Diana was and reacted.

Well, he's kinda failed that with Year One by using a Diana at a stage in her life and career where she is very naive and by being very superficial with various support characters that's actually supposed to be really important. Like, in Year One, what is Trevor other than a guy Diana leans on and looses his shirt every 5th minute? Who is Etta Candy other than some random soldier? And so on.

[millernumber1]

DC asked Rucka to build a solid foundation where other writers could build upon further. I think doing Year One is an obvious, safe choice. But it's a shame that her origin was told so many times in the last months that the uniqueness of it was totally faded.

I agree with the sense of a glut of origin stories, but I think this one really has a leg up in terms of solidity of characterization, structuring of plot, and strength of pacing. Not flawless, but much more satisfying to me - and I think I've read them all at this point? At least the ones from the past few years.

[Joao]

And again, I ask, what is the point of telling an origins story that everyone already knows? And more to the point, why waste time and paper on it when it's the fewest writers thats going do anything with it? I mean, there is a reason why Batman and Superman don't waste huge amounts of time and space to retell how the Waynes died or how Krypton exploded every other year or so.

Well, we can agree on that. Now that I think about it, my favorite Wondie stories doesn't touch on her origin. And as long as I think it's beneficial that we had the classic amazons and cast back in Year One (since Wonder Woman was probably the most changed member of the Justice League in the n52), I hope we have a long period of time without stories like that after this saturation.

Well, he's kinda failed that with Year One by using a Diana at a stage in her life and career where she is very naive and by being very superficial with various support characters that's actually supposed to be really important. Like, in Year One, what is Trevor other than a guy Diana leans on and looses his shirt every 5th minute? Who is Etta Candy other than some random soldier? And so on.

He did what he could IMO. Diana, Barbara and the amazons were the main points, and he developed them beautifully. We had tiny bits with Etta with the way she dresses and her easygoing, caring attitude (and a "you don't have to prove nothing to anyone" part that can be explored later on). Steve was more of a response to female sexualization than anything, and Ares could've used some love, but I don't think that overshadowed the good things.

[SiegePerilous02]

And again, I ask, what is the point of telling an origins story that everyone already knows? And more to the point, why waste time and paper on it when it's the fewest writers thats going do anything with it? I mean, there is a reason why Batman and Superman don't waste huge amounts of time and space to retell how the Waynes died or how Krypton exploded every other year or so.

Except when they do. The Earth One line of books, Zero Year, Birthright and Secret Origin in short succession, and Morrison's retelling in Action Comics all happened when the characters needed it less than Wonder Woman. GL had one, Aquaman had details of his early years sprinkled throughout his New 52 reboot, Shazam got a brand new origin story, etc.

WW can't have a main canon origin story "every other year or so" when the last one was...in the 80s.

[Outside_85]

Well, we can agree on that. Now that I think about it, my favorite Wondie stories doesn't touch on her origin. And as long as I think it's beneficial that we had the classic amazons and cast back in Year One (since Wonder Woman was probably the most changed member of the Justice League in the n52), I hope we have a long period of time without stories like that after this saturation.

Hopefully... but unlikely if someone shows up post-Rucka with a 'better idea'.

He did what he could IMO. Diana, Barbara and the amazons were the main points, and he developed them beautifully. We had tiny bits with Etta with the way she dresses and her easygoing, caring attitude (and a "you don't have to prove nothing to anyone" part that can be explored later on). Steve was more of a response to female sexualization than anything, and Ares could've used some love, but I don't think that overshadowed the good things.

And I think he could have done better if he had done like he did for Barbara and actually dedicate some time and space to actually develop them rather than invent reasons for Steve to loose his shirt.

Except when they do. The Earth One line of books, Zero Year, Birthright and Secret Origin in short succession, and Morrison's retelling in Action Comics all happened when the characters needed it less than Wonder Woman. GL had one, Aquaman had details of his early years sprinkled throughout his New 52 reboot, Shazam got a brand new origin story, etc.

Save for all of those Elseworld tales that also tends to do some tweaking one way or another that has no real influence on the main version of the character.
And what Morrison does is what Morrison does, no one really appears to control what that man does at the best of times. And in this case he wanted to retell Superman's 1940'ties adventures, not his real origins, with a 2011 twist and added some 5th dimensional magic.
Ok, when did GL have one? Because that was a series Johns continued writing with no change on any level despite Flashpoint happening. And Aquaman, as you say, is hints of his past spread through out his adventures today... not a trip into the past like Year One was.
And Shazam wasn't a league founder or has had a solo book yet, neither did Cyborg for years and he didn't need one since his origins was part of the League's own.

WW can't have a main canon origin story "every other year or so" when the last one was...in the 80s.

Which was now tweaked, redrawn and reprinted in 2016 for the benifit of everyone who couldn't be bothered with tracking down the Perez collection.

[Joao]

Which was now tweaked, redrawn and reprinted in 2016 for the benifit of everyone who couldn't be bothered with tracking down the Perez collection.

Oh, it has been 30 years since Gods and Mortals and it didn't age well like Batman: Year One. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to go back there because it's dated: I don't do it as much as I'd like for the same reason. It was about time we got a retelling. The effect may not be clear right now among so many other versions of the same story, but this will certainly help DC establish that as her definitive origin in the long run.

Plus, the focus in Year One was not her birth, but her motivations for leaving the island. The stories complement each other in some ways.

Except when they do. The Earth One line of books, Zero Year, Birthright and Secret Origin in short succession, and Morrison's retelling in Action Comics all happened when the characters needed it less than Wonder Woman. GL had one, Aquaman had details of his early years sprinkled throughout his New 52 reboot, Shazam got a brand new origin story, etc.

Man, I'd love if someone could do to Diana the same Johns did with Aquaman in The Others. It may not seem at first sight, but we know little about Diana's life in Themyscira. It would be great if someone could use flashbacks of things she did or learned in her early years to serve a contemporary story in our world. Not flashbacks of her origin - we got lots of that -, but of her actual life. It would be more interesting than having her visit the island all the time.

I personally think The Legend of Wonder Woman, while a coming of age story, did a good job in that regard. Diana at amazon school, that felt so fresh.