Also, our friend Dr. O contributed a guest post yesterday to explore our buying habits and the influence of comic numbering. If you have not read Saturday's interesting post and comments, we encourage you to do so and add some of your own thoughts to the conversation. And if any of you have contributions or guest posts for consideration, please contact us at backinthebronzeage@gmail.com.
All I will say about this coming week is that there will be doses of nostalgia, humor, and discussion served up daily in the inimitable BitBA style!
Getting the week kicked off today ... let's talk about Wonder Woman - her comic book, history, television shows, and the brand new movie (spoiler free please). I have never been a huge follower of the character but I can appreciate the appeal. She is definitely iconic and one of the most recognizable comic characters in existence (she has to be in the top tier isn't she)? What makes her great? Does her appeal exist in the modern era? Have you seen the movie; what was your impression? Share your comments on all things "Wonder-ful" today.
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| This was the first Wonder Woman comic I ever purchased - August 1977 |
And to wrap it up, here are a few comic strips for your Sunday enjoyment. I am a bit hungry and in the midst of considering dinner so see if you catch a common theme. Cheers!
8 comments:
Wonder Woman has a unique history and social relevance which contradicts - or at least blurs - the cookie-cutter DC editorial line during most of her existence. Her feminist - and again contradictory - origins are well documented and these make her interesting as a character even when her stories are not.
On the flipside she doesn't have a strong rogues gallery and writers have struggled to capture her early essence. For instance giving her a strong 'warrior' personality is not the same as exploring her political roots and motivations. Not that everything has to be 'political' but it would be immensely interesting if a writer truly developed what William Moulton Marston started for a contemporary audience. Perhaps that has been done in recent years - recommendations happily received!
OK... the subject is Wonder Woman but it's the Calvin and Hobbes which grabbed me and had me laughing even before my first cup of coffee! What a funny, funny comic strip it was. Looked forward to it every Sunday back in the day!
Back on October 15, 2015 Colin B. reviewed "The Secret History of Wonder Woman" in a guest post on the old BAB site. You might want to check it out. I can't supply a link right now but it is worth a look over there.
I have not seen the movie yet but am hearing good things.
Thanks Marti :)
I bought my first Wonder Woman comic when I was starting to read comics in the 70s, Diana soon undertook her Twelve Labours to rejoin the JLA and then there was that (odd) Cathy Lee Crosby movie of the week and finally the Lynda Carter series … I became a Wonder Woman fan from then on… I read about her in Steranko's History of Comics and there was an entire “Encyclopedia” on her by Michael Fleisher.
DC’s “Famous 1st Edition” treasuries made me more away of Diana’s history and as a youngster, I found the art to be oddly fanciful and the subtle meanings in the stories flew over my head …
I was saddened by her “death” in the (first, real) Crisis … but hearted by the triumphant Perez monthly, which any superhero fan would find to be a stellar read… I fell out of all comics in the 90s, and missed the WW ‘Byrne’ era but circled back when Phil Jimenez started his fun and informed run followed by Rucka… and the current Rucka run has been equally good.
The current film has been a god send… it treats Diana as the hero she has always been in the comics and its the best I have seen from DC/Warners … just as good as the Nolan Bat films and the best parts of Man of Steel. This new film really does invoke feelings of Donnor’s Superman from the 70s and there are scenes nearing the climax that looked like the best work of Alex Ross… After I saw the film, we got home in time to watch a Lynda Carter episode on a local station and it was interesting to contrast the themes…
This Wonder Woman film will work for any superhero fan … its a true treasure.
here's the link to the previous blog's WW story ...
http://bronzeagebabies.blogspot.com/2015/10/guest-review-secret-history-of-wonder.html
I remember reading that review and it was well done... I have not read this book yet but I did see the premiere of a place on Marston's life called "The Lasso of Truth" that did not shy away from any details ... dude was wayyyyyy ahead of his time
Wonder Woman is as complex character of a character as Batman or Green Lantern and the Perez run is worth anybody's reading list...
I saw the movie today and thought it was great! Nice balance in the character, and good story. I like actress Gal Gadot in the role, and she's balanced nicely by Chris Pine as Steve Trevor. This is the best Wonder Woman so far in any form, better than the comics I've seen or the tv series. I haven't been a fan of the character as I generally find her boring, but this movie hit it just right.
Glad to hear the positive reviews of the WW movie. Haven't seen it yet, will see it this coming weekend. I think the backstory of how William Moulton Marston created WW is as interesting as the character herself; Marston was a complex person himself.
I've read the WW comicbooks on and off over the years, and while I wasn't a fan of her de-powerment in the 70s I believe she's right up there with Supes and Batman. Of course, I loved the Lynda Carter (had a big crush on her, even up to this day!) 70's TV series, cheesiness and all.
- Mike 'Xena forever!' from Trinidad & Tobago.
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