Should Wonder Woman look more Greek, especially when it comes to body hair?

[Disraeli Gears]

One of the things I love about Greg Rucka's new run on WW is that he's coloring her with a more olive skin complexion, giving her a more ethnically Greek look (as opposed to a pale or normal white skin tone which just doesn't fit her imho) and Nicola Scott definitely gives her a very Greek/Mediterranean facial structure . . . it's good to see WW's representation more in a more positive and specific direction more aligned with her ethnic heritage but what I've been wondering for years is why, if she is Greek, is she not drawn as having a bit more body hair, especially on her arms? She is Greek after all (full disclosure: I'm of Greek descent and dated an Italian girl in college). Not many artists show arm hair on female characters (due to it being a social taboo) but Diana should definitely be drawn with some as Greek/Mediterranean/Italian girls most likely have dark hair visible on their arms and sometimes back neck/upper back.

I think it's also problematic that Diana's big screen ambassador, the beautiful Ms. Gal Gadot is waxed smooth everywhere and does not give an accurate representation of someone of Greek descent (she does have some hair on the back neck/upper back, so there's that). Don't get me wrong she's beautiful but I think the character deserves a more accurate representation of Greek ethnicity/heritage especially in mainstream media. The gorgeous Lynda Carter had beautiful arm hair, again, reflecting an accurate/realistic ethnic look of a Greek woman.

Does anyone else notice this. Do you think eventually Diana will be drawn with a more accurate look in the comics, if someone comes in and pays more attention to a more realistic Greek look? Or maybe if I gave Nicola or Greg a heads up on Twitter. It's easy to search for reference material to see how this can be done.

[AmiMizuno]

Technically the Amazons are a mix of ethics of different groups.So the Amazons are mixed and should be drawn mixed. Hippolyta and Diana should be drawn as greek has Hippolyta is generally drawn with Greek characteristic.

[Disraeli Gears]

Technically the Amazons are a mix of ethics of different groups.So the Amazons are mixed and should be drawn mixed. Hippolyta and Diana should be drawn as greek has Hippolyta is generally drawn with Greek characteristic.

What are the other ethnicities that the Amazons are a mix of?

[AmiMizuno]

Well since the Amazons are said to be linked to Scythian people that would be Eastern Europe. Also by that time Scythian were largely Iranian. With the Many myths also they were also Turkish, Libyan, Greek and Egyptian since one myth states the Amazons has a few territories in Egypt.

[Disraeli Gears]

Well since the Amazons are said to be linked to Scythian people that would be Eastern Europe. Also by that time Scythian were largely Iranian. With the Many myths also they were also Turkish, Libyan, Greek and Egyptian since one myth states the Amazons has a few territories in Egypt.

Thanks for the info! Learn something new everyday. In that case my point still stands, as women of those ethnicities you mentioned are hairy too and I've seen with hairy arms.

[Vanguard-01]

Should Diana look like she hails from the Mediterranean? Absolutely. She should sound like she's from there, too. Which is why I love Gal and her accent so much.

As far as the hair issue? A lot of people find it unattractive these days, and it can be easily shaved, even with Bronze Age technology. If, in fact, the Amazons MUST remain at Bronze Age technology levels. It's not a stretch to say that the Amazons enjoy taking care of their appearance as much as people's from other cultures would. I'm sure plenty of Greek, Italian, and/or Middle Eastern women shave themselves, so it's hardly unheard of for a Mediterranean woman to not have such body hair very often.

[AmiMizuno]

Thanks for the info! Learn something new everyday. In that case my point still stands, as women of those ethnicities you mentioned are hairy too and I've seen with hairy arms.

But there are also women who aren't hairy in the middle east. Shaving is still a thing back then so the Amazons would shave.

[Troian]

Diana even now still looks pink to me. Maybe Diana could be drawn with a slight hook nose but that and her being hairy would be considered very unattractive to American society. I do like that they try to make her look more Med while still at the time trying to keep her look traditional and preventing a backlash Helena Bertinelli on us.

Maybe she should be drawn or mentioned on panel to shave. Also we all know Rebirth Diana looks is loosely inspired from Gal's looks and Gal herself could "pass" as hailing in Southern Europe, Middle East or North Africa.

[Agent 86]

With the exception of notably hirsute characters like Wolverine, are many male superheroes drawn with arm, chest and leg hair? I don't really remember ever seeing it.

And although Themyscira may be located near Greece or the Amazons may have even originated from ancient Greece (neither of which has been confirmed from memory), Diana is not a direct biological descendant of Greek parents, so I'm not sure why she would necessarily need to appear Greek.

In general, I'm certainly happy for Diana to have olive skin, but I'm not sure that extends to also being depicted with hairy arms. And, even if she did have arm hair, wouldn't most of it be covered by her bracelets (or possibly even removed from "wear and tear" as a result of constantly wearing her bracelets)? I'm not sure many women (or men) have hairy biceps, so I wouldn't expect to see arm there. Armpit hair might be a bit more realistic, although I think the expectation in Ancient Greece (or maybe it was just in Rome) was for a hairless body, so the Amazons may have maintained such traditions.

[Koriand'r]

With the exception of notably hirsute characters like Wolverine, are many male superheroes drawn with arm, chest and leg hair? I don't really remember ever seeing it.

And although Themyscira may be located near Greece or the Amazons may have even originated from ancient Greece (neither of which has been confirmed from memory), Diana is not a direct biological descendant of Greek parents, so I'm not sure why she would necessarily need to appear Greek.

In general, I'm certainly happy for Diana to have olive skin, but I'm not sure that extends to also being depicted with hairy arms. And, even if she did have arm hair, wouldn't most of it be covered by her bracelets (or possibly even removed from "wear and tear" as a result of constantly wearing her bracelets)? I'm not sure many women (or men) have hairy biceps, so I wouldn't expect to see arm there. Armpit hair might be a bit more realistic, although I think the expectation in Ancient Greece (or maybe it was just in Rome) was for a hairless body, so the Amazons may have maintained such traditions.

Superman almost always has chest hair, it's one of his best features.

There was a Year One issue on Themyscira where Diana was deeply tanned. She became lighter in America but she's still darker than Steve.

[AmiMizuno]

In the myths the amazons aren't describe has hairy at all. Not only that even thought the Greeks did grow breads and grow their hair . It was generally more acceptable for men to trim their breads to keep clean. The same with body hair. It was seen has unclean to be really hairy at times in Greek culture . Hairy women generally were seen has unattractive. Just live at some of the frame creature were really ugly and hairy

[Disraeli Gears]

Diana even now still looks pink to me. Maybe Diana could be drawn with a slight hook nose but that and her being hairy would be considered very unattractive to American society. I do like that they try to make her look more Med while still at the time trying to keep her look traditional and preventing a backlash Helena Bertinelli on us.

Maybe she should be drawn or mentioned on panel to shave. Also we all know Rebirth Diana looks is loosely inspired from Gal's looks and Gal herself could "pass" as hailing in Southern Europe, Middle East or North Africa.

Yeah I think this is a good idea, I mean if artists aren't going to depict her with body hair like would be the norm for her ethnicity, I think an on-panel explanation like you've mentioned would make sense.

[Disraeli Gears]

In the myths the amazons aren't describe has hairy at all. Not only that even thought the Greeks did grow breads and grow their hair . It was generally more acceptable for men to trim their breads to keep clean. The same with body hair. It was seen has unclean to be really hairy at times in Greek culture . Hairy women generally were seen has unattractive. Just live at some of the frame creature were really ugly and hairy

Okay well I guess I'm more thinking contemporary Greek/Mediterranean society, I mean have you ever been to Greece or Italy or even the Middle East countries you mentioned before or known people from there? Those countries are full of beautiful women with lovely hair on their arms and like peach fuzz on their face and sometimes slight "sideburns" and peach fuzz on their shoulders and upper arms. I mean in reality women aren't completely hairless like US advertising propagates. I mean look at the way the Brazilian Victoria's Secret models look in ads, then look at untouched photos from "real life". They are beautiful and full of body hair. Yes I know that women in these societies today do shave and wax but not at the rate that Hollywood actresses and stuff do so I think it would be important for a character like Diana to represent women who are a bit hairy and to be proud and show that it is sexy and beautiful! I guess the other thing is that I am of Greek descent myself and have dated Mediterranean women all my life so I find that look very attractive.

[Mel Dyer]

I think Nicola Scott's art reflects how much we've embraced, on a cultural/social level, a more global perspective. I think a hairier Wonder Woman might be controversial, being in American comics, ..but don't mind, at all, that she's a woman-of-color - even a Caucasian one. It's also perfectly sensible that the new Steve's really filling out his trousers, being of Welsh descent.

This is what diversity's supposed to look like, in comics.

[RealWonderman]

I LOVE the olive/Mediterranean color to her skin, but body hair on women is not considered attractive for women in North American/Western society, so no. I don't think it needs to be addressed in any way shape or form, especially showing her shaving. Some things can be left to the imagination. including menstruation, teeth brushing, and using the toilet.