How the New DCU Should Reintroduce Wonder Woman and the Amazons

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As a long-time fan of the dynamic Amazonian warrior, I wholeheartedly agree with the innovative ideas presented here to reimagine the world of Wonder Woman. The proposed changes not only breathe fresh air into the narrative but also provide a more nuanced and intriguing backstory for our beloved heroine.

In the fictional universe of “Creature Commandos”, it was revealed that although the Amazons of Themyscira are known to the world at large, they remain more like a legendary figure in people’s minds. Some accept stories such as Circe’s “Sons of Themyscira” as truth, while others dismiss them as myth. This suggests that Wonder Woman has not yet made her public debut. A potential introduction of the Amazons into the DCU before Wonder Woman is introduced could be through the upcoming series “Paradise Lost“. Here are some ideas on how James Gunn might introduce the Amazons and Wonder Woman into the DCU, as well as which warrior women from Themyscira may appear prior to Diana Prince’s official introduction.

Introduce DCU Wonder Woman in the Modern Day

In a new take on the iconic character, let’s imagine that Wonder Woman makes her initial appearance in All-Star Comics #8, dated 1941, followed by her solo debut in Sensation Comics. From the start, she embodied a symbol of freedom, battling oppressive forces during World War II. In comic book adaptations, her introduction to the so-called “Man’s World” has been moved to contemporary times. However, the 1970s Wonder Woman television series starring Lynda Carter and the 2017 film both placed her origins in the ’40s and World War I, respectively. To introduce a fresh perspective, let’s envision Diana’s departure from Themyscira happening in the 2020s instead of another historical era. As we ponder how Wonder Woman would navigate our contemporary world rather than past versions, this change may provide an intriguing and engaging twist for readers and viewers alike.

The DCU Amazons Should Lean Into Sci-Fi

In William Moulton Marston’s initial vision for the Amazons, they were descendants of ancient Greece who weren’t stuck in technological time periods. Isolated from the world outside, they created technology that outpaced humanity significantly. This is how they developed their healing rays of purple hue, mental radio devices, and Diana’s invisible aircraft. Marston combined elements of mythical fantasy with a generous portion of sci-fi pulp for his Amazon women. The Amazons of Paradise Island retained this characterization for nearly four decades.

In 1986, George Perez reimagined Wonder Woman for contemporary times, depicting her Amazonian society as perpetually trapped in Bronze Age technology. This representation influenced how Amazons were portrayed across various media, including the animated “Justice League” and the 2017 film “Wonder Woman” by Patty Jenkins. However, we’re eager to explore an alternate, more sci-fi interpretation of the Amazons in which Diana encounters culture shock upon entering our world, not due to its futuristic aspects but because it appears primitive compared to her advanced homeland, with hidden technology and flying hovercrafts. Grant Morrison introduced high-tech Amazons in his “Wonder Woman: Earth One” series, and we’d like to see a similar adaptation within the DC Universe.

Include Wonder Girl in the Teen Titans Even Before Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is usually presented as the first Amazon to set foot in the outside world. However, that’s not always been the case. She’s the most high-profile Amazon to be sure. But it would be interesting if the DCU approach had other Amazonians living in secret among us, long before Diana ever arrived. One of these could be her adopted sister Donna Troy, Wonder Girl of the Teen Titans. With a Teen Titans movie in development, it would be interesting if the DCU had a Wonder Girl before a Wonder Woman. Donna is as crucial to the Titans as Robin or Raven. DC Studios should include her, whether Wonder Woman has appeared yet or not.

The comics have precedent for this, too. In the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths DC continuity, Wonder Woman appeared on the scene years after Wonder Girl did. They didn’t discover their familial connections till much later. The idea that some Amazons were secretly among us before Wonder Woman made Themyscira fact and not fiction to the average person is a fun notion to play with. And, fun fact, Wonder Girl actually appeared in outside comics media before Wonder Woman in real life too. Her first screen appearance was in the 1967 Teen Titans cartoon. Wonder Woman wouldn’t throw her lasso on TV till an episode of The Brady Kids (of all things) in 1972.

The Amazon Nubia Should Be Front and Center

In addition to Diana, another Amazon that DCU might introduce is Nubia, who first appeared in comics back in 1973 as the original Black Amazon. In Wonder Woman #204, Nubia contests against Diana for the title of Wonder Woman. Later, it’s revealed by Queen Hippolyta that she and Diana are fraternal twins, both created from clay and given life by the gods on the same night. However, Ares abducted her and raised her as an adversary before she eventually turned to the good side. Despite having a doll in the 1970s Wonder Woman toy line, Nubia has since vanished from DC continuity.

Because Nubia played a significant historical role as DC Comics’ pioneering Black female superhero, DC has brought her back to life in more contemporary times. In this fresh iteration, her origin story has been reworked. Now, instead of being an Amazonian princess born on Themyscira, she is initially introduced as Zahavah, a warrior princess from an African tribe. After passing away, similar to other Amazons, she was reborn in the land of Themyscira from the Well of Souls. In this new existence, she and Princess Diana were born roughly at the same time, leading to their upbringing being remarkably similar, though not biologically related.

In this rephrased version, Nubia assumed the role of protector at Doom’s Entrance, a gateway beneath Themyscira leading to the underworld. This portal served as a prison for diverse monsters that were locked away by the Olympian gods. Maintaining control over these monstrous beings was a responsibility entrusted to the Amazons. However, one of these creatures managed to break free, prompting Nubia to depart from Themyscira covertly to hunt it down in our world. This backstory could account for why Nubia resided among ordinary humans prior to Wonder Woman’s official introduction. Given that Nubia eventually ascends as Queen of the Amazons, it seems strategic for DC Studios to introduce her character before Wonder Woman makes her appearance.

Queen Hippolyta, Diana’s Mother, Should be the Wonder Woman of World War II

Sure thing!

We actually think that’s all too convoluted for the new DCU, with Diana dying and then time travel. But it would be fascinating if Hippolyta was actually Wonder Woman years before Diana was born, fighting Nazis in Europe. Maybe that’s where all the legends and whispers about Themyscira originally came from. Surely, Hippolyta would have told someone, perhaps her JSA comrades, where she was really from. While some fans might balk at Diana being a legacy hero, we think it could inspire lots of cool stories for both mother and daughter. And it would certainly mark this as a very different take from the old DCEU.

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2024-12-13 23:32