The symbolism of WW's costume.

Full disclosure: I have ALWAYS been a little uncomfortable with any hero/heroine whose title/costume implies an explicit association with a country (or by implication its governmental policies), such as say, not just Wonder Woman but Captain America or his UK counterpart, Captain Britain.(Yes IKNOW, Cap says that he does not represent the policies of any given Administration but just the ideals of the American Declaration of Independence and the subsequent Revolution)

Has it never occurred to Wonder Woman that her costume implies an identification with not just the US Govt but its armed forces that tends to call into question her role as impartial ambassador to "Man's World" at least in the eyes of other nations(pace North Korea, the Middle East)?

Again I am aware that this is NOT her intention but given that the US has in real life been represented by Adminstrations whose domestic and foreign policies have been bitterly controversial or even pretty unpopulat pace "regime change in Iraq" for George W.Bush's) worldwide, like it or not, in the world of international relations, appearances matter!

World War II was a long time ago- so maybe she should retire the Americanocentric motif of her costume!

Sigh...

Her american themed costume doesn't sit right with me either. Wonder Woman was the Themysciran Ambassadress to the Patriarch's world yet she wore the colors of the American flag as though the world belongs to the US, when some of us non-americans feel as though our countries have fallen under America's thrall indeed. It also makes Wonder Woman seem like US property, like everything else on the planet. We're also more than a bit fed up with America's guardians-of-the-world propaganda.

Word, I live in America and have my whole life but that turns me off of a lot of characters as well, mainly because im not even a little bit patriotic, now im not against America but im not all like "America is the best country in the world derp da derp da derpity derp" its just where I happen to have been born and raised, that's it lmao.

@paracelsus: @archizoom: Queue up the anti-America nonsense.

So you object to her outfit being red white and blue? Those colors are not unique to any one country; besides, it's not her costume that defines her, it is her behavior.

She may wear a star spangled uniform, but if upon arrival to earth she declares she dislikes nationalism and xenophobia and all of those unhealthily divisive behaviors than that is what matters.

*sings "Yankee Doodle Dandy" in front of a marching band, while red, white and blue fireworks shoot from the bosoms of dancing, star-spangled bikini wearing, majorettes*

@antinatalistaggie:

Exactly. Last time I checked, America wasn't the only country with a flag that uses those colors. Hell, Great Britain and France use the EXACT same colors. I guess It doesn't help things either that Diana now lives in London now, does it? We wouldn't want people thinking she represents the British government, or the French!

She doesn't wear her costume to promote one country over another. If you want a good explanation for why Wonder Woman's costume looks like the American flag, aside from the blatant FACT that she emerged during WWII, look up Perez's run on her. That's a definitive run on her, and why the costume looks, well 'looked' the way it did.

Also her colors do related to Athena and Aphrodite pretty well. The Eagle is also a bird for Athena.

Yes I am fully AWARE that red, white and blue are colours of both the French Republic and the United Kingdom but her costume is obviously derivative of "Old Glory". If even Superman can complain that people across the world regard him as some kind of representative of the US Government of the day and its policies(so much so that he has threatened to renounce his American citizenship but fortunately did not do so; Captain America has made similar observations), then how much more mus this be an issue for Wonder Woman! BTW WHAT is WW doing in London???

Terry

Nop Athena's bird is an owl. Wonder Woman wears the colors and totems of the United States.

@archizoom: she has more than one bird. Te dove and eagle are the two others she has. She has transformed into a eagle in Odessy

http://www.spallek.com/athena/images_symbols.html

sayaotonashi is right, man... Athena has been symbolized by the golden eagle WAY before there was an america... Simple fix? Take away all white and all 5 pointed white stars and have her in red and blue with bold gold trimmings.... This is my rendition of a less "American" Wondy suit...

@rayray1127: Couldn't six or five stand for 6 or 5 different tribes on the Island

@sayaotonashi: The swastika is an hindu symbol of auspiciousness yet we associate it with the Nazis. For all intents and purposes, the eagle is a recognizable symbol of imperialism and Wonder Woman's breastplate, matched with star spangled briefs is an unequivocal reference to her allegiance to the United States.

@archizoom: I see your point. The dove would make sense. However even so doesn't it depend on how they explain her outfit She not the only one wearing an eagle. The eagle for Athena was leadership and Civilization. Couldn't the amazons have used the Dove and Eagle because it fit with the two goddess. Anyone I get what your saying but So is Superman's costume. You can connect it to Athena and Aphrodite. Just change it to a Dove

Booooooooooooooobbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbssssssssssss!

@erik: agreed

@paracelsus:

@sayaotonashi: They've already changed it to the double W.

Oh rly!?

Depends on the artist.

@erik: yeah also her boots are supposed to be black. 20 issues later Janin drew them blue but that's in every way consistent with how they typically handle Wonder Woman ie whatever way they please.

And she can conjure weapons now

Now that's an odd development.

@archizoom: I feel that the amazons because of their training should had have these skills in creating weapons. I mean they focus on the brain and body

@sayaotonashi: Yeah they should. Life in nu52 Themyscira must be remarkably tedious.

@archizoom: sadly they don't do anything themselves. It would be interesting if they could thinking about it create a weapon or make the physical weapon. I mean they keep rid off the amazons. Now they have to depend and they are using bows to attack the firstborn. Why can't they created energy blasts.

Eagle was Zeus, though Athena turned into one in the Odyssey.

@tyger: Many have more than one bird. Eagle was her bird but not her main bird. The Owl is her main bird. She shares a dove with Aphrodite. Athena shares the Eagle with Zeus. Her's and his are two different things. Her eagle means Civilization and courage

@sayaotonashi: The Amazons will probably fight the hyenas while Wonder Woman and her allies battle FB and the Minotaur man who slapped Artemis across Olympus so he's obviously also a force to be reckoned with. I don't know about energy blasts, that seems a little uncharacteristic, but magic shields, spells, sorceresses, chimeras, medical lotions, tanks and battleships I think agree with the Amazons. You just can't separate them from their helmets, swords and shields in my opinion

IMO, her boots look better red. They already darkened the tone of her design more than enough by replacing the gold armor plating with silver, and making her lips dark red. As a matter of fact, I like the lighter blue bottoms too. They remind me more of the classic design. Can't say that I'll miss chiang's art.

@wonderwomanfan8: oh you will.

Nope! Nicola Scott>>>>>>>him

@wonderwomanfan8: Nope! Nicola Scott>>>>>>>him

Not really, besides David Finch is taking over from Chiang