BOYS ON THE SIDE: HOW ETTA AND MALA (NOT STEVE) MAKE WONDER WOMAN WORK

By Edgar Miraculous Dyer

I've think I've been rallying fans for a Wonder Woman comic, with the friendship betwixt the Amazing Amazon, Etta and Mala, at the center of the on-going narrative, for the better of two decades.

The Wonder Woman/Steve Trevor thing [Styana?] is a perennially stagnant narrative speed-bump, that no longer drives a story, in an entertaining way. Moving the character-center of the comic to Wonder Woman's (Diana's) friendship, with cowgirl everywoman, Etta Candy, and another recurring female character in the comic, like Amazon compatriot, Mala, ..while unfolding a deepening, fluctuating attraction between Diana and Steve Trevor, in a recurring subplot, ..is one way to fix that. Could it help, ending Steve and Diana's low-stakes, paperless marriage, while moving Mala into a permanently Alfredish role, in Man's World; so that there's an important character in the comic, who keeps Diana's mythical background, out front and in play, ..no matter the changes?

Of course, it could.

When Wonder Woman needs a hand, getting in and out of her bizarre, pulp-fic backstory, ..Mala's her blond Alfred. (Mike Deodato art)

Seriously…if Celeb Writer X makes Diana, King Arthur reincarnated, moves her to an abandoned theatre, in Canada, and costumes her, in a full suit of medieval armor, ..Mala would remind readers, new and old, that Wonder Woman is a classical Amazon, from a utopian island, in the Bermuda Triangle. See how that works?

I'm really not worried about the thing, with Steve.

I think, if Wonder Woman can get a writer, who puts a bullet through the Steve-is-Diana's-Lois idea, that would be progressive. Military intelligence officer Steve's role in the on-going narrative, and what we expect from him, needs to change.

I imagine Diana, as with pulp-hero Doc Savage, sharing her adventures, with a select circle of loyalists - royals have loyalists - each, with special skills/abilities. I imagine Steve, in addition to being Diana's confidant and friend, being the skill-star of this circle, ..which would include gung-ho, Texas cowgirl Etta Candy, of course. While I cannot see him, essential or even present, in every adventure, a clever writer could turn his popping-up (maybe, not always where he's expected) or answering Diana's call ..into something for us and his fictional companions to look forward to.

Imagine - a mere, mortal male, who isn't the Batman, who consistently surprises Wonder Woman? Steve Trevor...Inter-dimensional Man of Mystery? Impressive.

When Wonder Woman gets in a jam, she doesn't call Superman or Batman--she calls cowgirl sorority chick, Etta'damn Candy! (H.G. Peter art)

In turn, should Etta be doing double-duty, as sidekick and loyal agent of Wonder Woman? Absolutely!

Fluffy, fist-slinging, sharp-shooting Etta need not be the most capable or powerful of Wonder Woman's inner circle, as that should and always has been Steve's role, and Miss Candy has nothing to prove. Etta was badassery and grrl-power, before we had printable names for them! Properly, Etta Candy is an avatar, grounding Diana's adventures to the imperfectly beautiful, magnificent human experience - keeping them relatable to us - and Diana's friendship, with her, is the go-to heart of the comic. Next to Wonder Woman's, Etta's role is the most important in the comic and the writer's greatest friend, ..and that much should never change.

For reasons that continue to baffle me, Wonder Woman stories - even director, Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 1984 - keep forcing Steve into that role, ..as if Steve was Diana's male Lois Lane, and the comic was about them. It baffles me, because we just don't care about the chub-slaying non-romance, between Steve and his bloody 'angel', Diana. [Yes, he actually calls her that, in the comic - how cryptically sad!] We don't care, because, narratively speaking, there hasn't been enough story crackling, there, since World War II, to ignite the sort of classic romance we enjoy between Lois and Big Blue ..or Batman and Catwoman. There's no uncertainty or danger or heat, between them, as they are both typically portrayed, as perfect beings; so, there's nothing interesting to work out between them. Seeing writers continue to force chemistry upon them, just makes me wish some writer would give that sort of panel-time to building the Etta-Diana dynamic.

How could that hurt?

At its best, Wonder Woman isn't about Steve and his girl, ..and it never has been.

A wise Latina, in a Wonder Woman costume, once said, "Sisterhood is stronger, than anything!"

When is someone going to believe in the power and magic of sisterhood? When will some genius sandwich Diana between two women, Mala and Etta, who represent the most dynamic and entertaining aspects of her character, with fully-formed Steve Trevor (dark secrets, dramatic motivation, etc) along for the ride, ..sometimes? When that happens, I think you will see a second golden age for this comic, unrivaled, since the Fab Forties.

Boys on the side, for the Wonder Woman comic, writers!

 

BOYS ON THE SIDE...PART TWO

Edgar Miraculous Dyer, without his fine, coyote-hatin' Goldiweiller, Kirby (now moved on to that big, coyote-hatin' hate group in the Sky) continues a somewhat bleaker, dogless existence in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC. He has been an active member of the Latino Culture Council of the Capitol Area (El Consejo de Cultura Latina – La Zona del Capitolio) and the Kiwanis Club of Capitol Hill.