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Off My Mind: When Will Wonder Woman Return to Her Old Costume?

It's bound to happen someday. The question is, how long will her new look last?

No Caption Provided
Six months ago Wonder Woman fans were in an uproar over DC's decision to change her new costume. J. Michael Straczynski began a new direction for Wonder Woman where everyone (including Diana) were unaware of Wonder Woman's past. The Gods changed the timeline in order to protect themselves and possibly for the survival of Earth. We've seen five issues so far dealing with this but of course we have to wonder when will she change back to her old costume? 
 
Staczyniski's original plan was for a twelve issue run on the series. He made the decision to leave to focus on DC's Earth One original graphic novels and Phil Hester will be taking over from his notes. Because we're not even half way through this story, it's possible we should be patient and wait to see how it plays out instead of longing for the return of the character some of have been reading for years. There's just something off about Wonder Woman's portrayal and it's not just because she doesn't fully remember her past. 
 
Is it just a matter of waiting to see if this new direction is what's best for Wonder Woman? 
 == TEASER == 
 Wonder Woman #609, March 2011
 Wonder Woman #609, March 2011
Looking ahead at DC's solicits, we know that the story of this new Wonder Woman will continue over the next few months as originally planned. Covers have been shown through March's issue #609 and the old costumes remains (even though it shows Diana having visions of her past costumes). Even in February's Superman #708, we'll see Superman meet this new Wonder Woman for the first time and wonder if he's met her before. 
 
As a long time reader of Wonder Woman and comics in general, I can't help but be skeptical over this new direction. Whenever these major shake ups occur, especially when classic costumes are changed, the character always reverts back to their original look. Sometimes the change had an impact on the character and the story but underneath it feels like a simple marketing ploy. Shake things up, add a new costume and let the media discuss the changes. Even I'm guilty of that as it was just in November that I last wrote about Wonder Woman's new direction. 
 
Her new costume has been growing on me. I've always felt her original resembled a bathing suit more than a superhero costume. Regardless, it's a classic look. The new outfit might be more practical and allow Diana to walk the streets without people wondering why someone was out dressed that way (since no one knows who Wonder Woman is). It also feels like this could be a way to force her new look upon us if a live action movie ever gets made or if the previously announced television show ever happens. Wearing pants with a red top and black leather jacket will add more realism than someone trying to wear the classic suit (like Lynda Carter did previously).  
 
I really hope that isn't the case. Movies and television shows should have no influence on the original comics. We have seen that in the past, especially with Wolverine and the X-Men. I've tried waiting to see where the current story arc is going. We are getting more progress but it's just not the Wonder Woman I've been reading since the 80s. Change is good but with each issue, I'm caring less and less on where this story will take us. Bring back the classic costume already!

156 Comments

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Unwritten Duck

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Edited By Unwritten Duck

I personally like Diana's new look, but there are just certain aspects of it that I don't like. The straps around her arms for example and how the pants and boot seem to connect together in one slimline. There's just too many aspects of it that make the new costume look tacky.  
 
The best part about the new costume though that I wish they would keep are the new armbands. Those things are freaking awesome.

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johnjcoe9198

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Edited By johnjcoe9198
@DEGRAAF:  I think if you use the silver bracers from the Greek outfit, and replace the red ones in her current outfit, you've got a really nice combination.  But I'd still swap out the black pants for blue ones, or even regular blue jeans (a la Wonder Girl).  That would look great in either a TV show, or a movie.  I'd also prefer the lasso to be fashioned into a WHIP.  Something actually USEFUL in combat.
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BlackShroud

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Edited By BlackShroud

I prefer the classic costume. While I think the new one is nice. It's not Wonder Woman. Think of it like this. When you see a corvette, doesn't matter the year of the corvette. You recognize it instantly. That's what Wonder Woman's original costume is like. No other heroine has one quite like it. As soon as you see it. You know who it is.

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Nuec_Sol

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Edited By Nuec_Sol
@G-Man: Straps arent that big of a deal because she will be wearing a jacket

And come man just look at the picture of the old costume you posted, its obivous that the old costume is about t!ts and @ss.
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JonesDeini

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Edited By JonesDeini

Had to drop this series, just quit givng a rat's sack about this story. I like the new suit, the old one always felt dated and a bit cheesecakeish to me. It was also too patriotic if you get me. She can stay in her new suit. I just want Diana Prince back in action as the Wonder Woman we all know and love. 

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Video_Martian

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Edited By Video_Martian
@Vitality said:
" @The Devil Tiger said:
"
This for the win. 
 
It cut the star and stripe nonsense (No offense !) and it still look enough like the old and stuck to her origin. 
 

No Caption Provided
"
Haha....yeah....and everyone gets a nice view when shes kicking around the bad guys.  "
OH, YOU!!! LOL ;D
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JonesDeini

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Edited By JonesDeini
@kapitein_zeppos said:
" WW is a true comic book character.  She's always been one of the hardest characters to "get right".  I can picture a Superman or Batman in real life, but it gets harder with WW.  Let's not forget that the lady was created in an age where patriotism was king and her costume is a 4-color 1940's Greek-ish outfit painted with the palette of the Stars and Stripes.  I don't feel 100% comfortable with her classic outfit.  Is it merely cheesecake, or is it a testament to her confidence and ability that she can pull off wearing a bathing suit AND be an icon for Women's rights and all that ?  I was really curious what they were going to do with the film a few years ago.  Knowing that Hollywood is firmly stuck in "Make it realistic and they will come" mode and just about everybody was updating WW to a kind of fantasy Greek costume, I was afraid we would get more black leather with coloured highlights. The new costume was refreshing in that it avoided turning WW into Xena, though I'm not a fan of the new look, some of the elements are quite interesting (gauntlets etc)  I wouldn't mind if some of those elements would be retained in a return to her old costume style. I'm not against updating WW or a new approach, but these days comic continuity is so often thrown violently into another direction, it feels as if a lot of writers start to mess with characters "just because they can" and we get stuff that belongs in a What if or Elseworlds book.  If given the choice between the old and new, I still prefer the old.  As for the new run, I'm not impressed.  A lot of violence, angst and drama disguised as character development and plot and the usual unstoppable villain(s).  Feels very much like a poorly written 90's Image comic book. "
You sir doth proclaim the god's honest truth!!!
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JonesDeini

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Edited By JonesDeini
@mr.obvious said:
" @Vitality said:
" @The Devil Tiger said:
"
This for the win. 
 
It cut the star and stripe nonsense (No offense !) and it still look enough like the old and stuck to her origin. 
 

No Caption Provided
"
Haha....yeah....and everyone gets a nice view when shes kicking around the bad guys.  "
OH, YOU!!! LOL ;D "  
If I'm gon' get an ass shot I'd rather it be one I can't get everyday, at least this looks like a goddess :)
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DEGRAAF

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Edited By DEGRAAF
@Vitality said:
"@The Devil Tiger said:
"
This for the win. 
 
It cut the star and stripe nonsense (No offense !) and it still look enough like the old and stuck to her origin. 
 

 
 
"
Haha....yeah....and everyone gets a nice view when shes kicking around the bad guys.  "

I love that one
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sora_thekey

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Edited By sora_thekey

I love that piece of art of WW! 
 
I saw it a couple of weeks ago on Deviantart and I thought it was a great "indirect" opinion from Stanley Lau that DC should get!

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Om1kron

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Edited By Om1kron

Iconic or not, her old costume is stupid. Maybe in the 40's-70's it was awesome because everyone was running around in leotards and such, but now it's just like really underwear on the outside of my superheros. 
 
There is no such thing as throwback fashion in comics because there is no such thing as character evolution. Batman is the only hero who's suit evolves for the job and I think that is why he has such a great audience. Superman could kick ass in anything why is he still wearing tights colored due to the constraints of printing press limitations of the 1930's? 
 
I don't really dig Jim lee's costume for her, but it doesn't necessarily make the iconic granny panties any better.

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Pokeysteve

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Edited By Pokeysteve

For me it isn't about the costume. What the hell was wrong with her origin?! Perez did an amazing job incorporating classic Greek Mythology into a classic Greek character. When she gets her origin story back i'll start buying the books again. 
 
As for the costume itself, people are quick to call it a bathing suit or what not but with Diana's, Black Canary's, and one of Huntress' costumes, it makes sense for them to be small around the thighs. They're martial artists. Chuck Norris sells a pair of pants with stretchy fabric sewn into the crotch to perform his planet busting roundhouses. Wonder Woman fighting in what appears to be skin tight freaking leather is not "realistic". 

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Satansunday

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Edited By Satansunday
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turoksonofstone

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Edited By turoksonofstone
@Neverpraying said:
" I personally like her old costume despite what most people say. I wish it would come back. "
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Lvenger

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Edited By Lvenger

This whole storyline was created to generate interest in the character good or bad. If the seeds of change are indicating this was a bad move, then it's only a matter of time before DC changes WW back to how she was originally

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Green Skin

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Edited By Green Skin

I can't believe people really want her to change back to the star spangled granny panties.  C'mon people!

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NightFang3

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Edited By NightFang3
@Green Skin: Lol, if 17-year-old girls can dress like prostitutes, then Diana can wear whatever she wants.
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Spideycap

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Edited By Spideycap

I think the design of the new costume is great and even the cover of 609 shows how good it can look. That being said, i think a move back to the old gettup or something similar would be a good move. Wonder Woman needs to show skin, her character is based on the fact that she is muscular, powerful, but sexy at the same time. plus i think some hardcore fans of hers may be falling away because of their distast for the new uni.

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GrimoireMyst

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Edited By GrimoireMyst

I have not minded either costume since she's the same superhero wearing them but I am curious about where this is going to go as well.

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Green Skin

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Edited By Green Skin
@NightFang said:
" @Green Skin: Lol, if 17-year-old girls can dress like prostitutes, then Diana can where whatever she wants. "
First off it's 'wear' not 'where', and secondly if Diana still wants to wear that old thing, she needs some serious fashion advice.
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the_stegman

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Edited By the_stegman  Moderator

personally i like the wonder woman character, i don't really care what she's wearing!

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NightFang3

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Edited By NightFang3
@Green Skin: Lol, I've been up all night so my spelling is a little off (thanks for pointing that out), and Diana shouldn't care about fashion.
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Kyle C

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Edited By Kyle C
@Green Skin said:
" I can't believe people really want her to change back to the star spangled granny panties.  C'mon people! "
Seriously. Anything is better than her original outfit. It was atrocious.
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davelecave

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Edited By davelecave

The Wonder Woman pic by Stanley Lau is incredible, I am amazed at his talent.  Why isn't he doing covers for bigger titles?
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The Devil Tiger

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Edited By The Devil Tiger
@ImperiousRix: 

Yep, you're damn right !  
 
The old suit wasn't that bad, but that jacket feeled just so "early nineties". 
 
In fact, I owned the image for long, and in all humility, it was another poster that reminded me of it. Thanks anyway.    
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GabrielNox

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Edited By GabrielNox
@Kyle C:

Is Supes and Batman better?

It's not about how it looks, these people simply refuse change under the pretense of "keeping it iconic".

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spystreak

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Edited By spystreak

I'd rather no costume at all
 
 
LOL
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DMC

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Edited By DMC

wow......I was expecting this from Babs. Are we gonna get another one of these Wonder Woman rants...I mean discussions in 2 months? 
 
The new costume is growing on you yet you want the old one back, why can't we have both? Take elements from the new costume and put it in the old one. But loose the jacket.

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Woodclaw

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Edited By Woodclaw

As much as the old look is iconic I think that this new costume look a little better (aside from the jacket and the vaguely western-ish boots). Although I think that her costume should look something more like this.

No Caption Provided



The costume is supposed to be an armor, it wouldn't hurt to look like it.

I also agree that the big problem is that WW boook feel completly apart from the rest of the continuity, which might be a good thing to allow new readers to approach the character, but is bad for people who already knows and appreciate the character as part of a structured universe.
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DMC

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Edited By DMC
@ArtisticNeedham said:
"
No Caption Provided
"
what' issue is this from?
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Norusdog

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Edited By Norusdog

eh..her old "iconic" costume is the most sexist of them all just about lol.
 
really hope she doesn't go back to it. (though not much of a fan of biker-chick either but still)
 
though ditch the jacket and it can be cool

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Vitality

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Edited By Vitality
@ArtisticNeedham said:
"
 
 
"

That actually shows how much better her new outfit is...minus the jacket of course.
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greenenvy

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Edited By greenenvy

Yes bring it back because  there will be  no female hero that can represent so much sexuality like wonder woman. Fighting naked means very brave and strong without wearing any armor or clothing because superheroes are gods, warriors and proud of there sexuality.  Freaking bring back vampirella's new costume too while your at it  plus so many others damn what happen?! Everybody is wearing pants and shirts more and this is supposed to be comics and fantasy what the hell dudes. 

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COINRETURNSLOT

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Edited By COINRETURNSLOT

I have no problem with the hotpants or the new look.  Either way she is still Wonder Woman, and still one of the greatest female characters ever.

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Deadcool

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Edited By Deadcool

But... I liked the new clothes...

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EGoD

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Edited By EGoD  Moderator

I don't read Wonder Woman or follow her, but the thing I see as the biggest problem with her new costume is that you can't sing her theme song to it.
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Green Skin

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Edited By Green Skin
@Kyle C said:
" @Green Skin said:
" I can't believe people really want her to change back to the star spangled granny panties.  C'mon people! "
Seriously. Anything is better than her original outfit. It was atrocious. "
Indeed sir.  We're probably stuck with it forever though...or at least some variation.   It's really annoying how much people complain about changes, even if they are for the better.
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JonesDeini

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Edited By JonesDeini
@Spideycap:  
I personally can say I fell away from the character because of JMS else-world gone bad storyline. 
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Dr. Detfink

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Edited By Dr. Detfink

Come on, last issue WW wore a hoodie...remember the early 90s when every one had a leather jacket?

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SC

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Edited By SC  Moderator

When people stop talking about it probably. These things are never intended to be permanent, but to cause more discussion about a character and help get more casual readers to jump on. They also seem to generally have more patience too.  
 
I like the old suit better myself, but don't mind the new one. Latest issues aren't my favorite.

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ArtisticNeedham

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Edited By ArtisticNeedham
@Vitality:  How so?
 
 @DMC: Not sure if its actually from an issue, fond it onling.  May be an alternate cover or something.
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Whoa

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Edited By Whoa

The new costume was actually pretty good without the jacket (it was that damn jacket! lol) 
But I for one am happy to see her back in the classic look. Some might think it looks silly but its the Wonder Woman I grew liking. 

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UltimateSaiyan

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Edited By UltimateSaiyan
@Chane:  I like the costume: new or old. It doesn't really matter. Look at Batman. He changes his costume all the time, but still instills fear into criminals. If she can still instill love, compassion, justice, truth, and freedom to people, what's it matter about her costume?
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Blackestnight1

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Edited By Blackestnight1

Even Babs doesn't like the new wonderwoman thats how bad she has become. I for one would just like to rub people's nose in it and say I called it.

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theiconic

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Edited By theiconic

its the ultimate wonder woman,  cheep marvel rip

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Emerald_General_Jai

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I wish it would..but we aren't the most progressive group of individuals? Hell i'm kinda suprised they let Geoff's changes stand otha places these days :P No seriously. it'll be back. such is comics.

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SuperXAsh

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Edited By SuperXAsh

least it's not as bad as her LAST costume change, you gotta give the new look that kinda credit. The last time they tried to change Wonder Woman's look, she was suddenly a kung-fu wannabe.

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GREGalicious

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Edited By GREGalicious

I dont mind the TOP HALF of her new suit, but those HIDEOUS black/dark blue bottoms and boots have gotta GO!!! And i dont care what anyone says, she looks like shes wearing a Wonder GIRL suit!!

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Harlekin

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Edited By Harlekin

I would of like the Ame-Comi statue costume to become the standard costume. The jacket on the current one to me looks stupid and the costume will change faster then it took to get Hal back in a spot he doesn't deserve. Fans will whine until we get Wonder Woman's Swimsuit: Rebirth and praise it's greatness. Then that writer will gain so much popularity that he starts writing what seems like the whole DC Universe. That leads him into a event book were he starts bringing back old costumes to scare characters, like Blue Superman or the 2nd Ion outfit with that space thing on Kyle's face, but at the end everyone goes back to there "best" costume and a Wonder Woman movie which should do well because she is so popular flops because they felled to mention that Artemis who became real popular in a future Justice League cartoon ain't the standard Wonder Women in the comics.

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Aetheldod

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Edited By Aetheldod

The new costume looks good IMO , but Im not a fan of Wonder Woman so whatever happens ... meh