WONDER WOMAN'S BLOODY AMAZONS--CAN'T LIVE WITH 'EM...

By Edgar Miraculous Dyer

I think comics illustrator superstar, George Perez, left the comic and the Wonder Woman, inside it, on the right track, in 1992.

Perez returned her to her original mission and independence in Man's World. His Diana promised 'visits' to Paradise Island, to her heartbroken mother, Queen Hippolyta, in Perez's last issue, which he wrote, himself. Seeing her visit the Island again, was something I could live with - even look forward to. Discarding the Amazons, as I see it, is out of the question, because I think the Island has always been a special part of the Wonder Woman comic…

And should remain so.

Wonder Woman can't even go for a morning dip, without three thousand Ama...no wonder she left that damn island! Prob'ly. (H. G. Peter art)

It's been kept so much more special, over the years, because of Diana's visiting it, whenever she needed something to aid in her mission to protect Man's World from evil - sometimes to protect Man's World, ..from itself. I remember how uplifting those visits to Paradise were to me - to see Diana honoring her mother's wisdom, before making important decisions - and eagerly awaiting her next visit! As I see it, moving Diana back to the Island would be ignoring her mission and her longing for independence - why she won the Contest and left home, in the first place...and all just to see her lounging around with her Amazon sisters, all the time? That has just never been what the Wonder Woman comic, at its best, was about. I even think it somewhat cheapens Paradise Island's role in the on-going narrative, making it a marble Batcave or some generic place, where characters hang out, ..like the X-Men in their Danger Room.

Paradise Island...Wonder Woman's water cooler. No gracias.

Want to KNOW WONDER WOMAN, the way I know Wonder Woman? You've got to get ALL THE WAY down to the... STAR-SPANGLED PANTIES!

I would love to see Brian Azzarello’s mish-mash proxy for Artemis and Giganta, Aleka, resurrected and made a regular in the Wonder Woman cast. The comedic potential, alone, of having Aleka and Zola together, in this comic, ..would be legendary, of course. I might like to see that happen in an ongoing story, with Diana and Lord Hermes, ..in Man's World. I think Diana needs someone in her 'Army’ (her squad), who, like Azzarello’s War, knows her almost better, than she knows herself.

For my money, that's Mala, Diana’s Golden Age galpal, ..or Aleka.

Making the rest of the Amazons extras, in a never-ending episode of Xena: Amazon Princess, ..is exactly what you get, if they become regulars, in a series, based entirely on Paradise Island. It is my hope that the Amazons, whether we see one (an interesting one) join Diana in Man's World, or we see them in fondly anticipated and cherished visits to the Island, will maintain a special place, in the Wonder Woman comic. I hope writers treat their island, as a place, never to be cheapened with over-familiarity or exploited with over-exposure...

A special place.

Since Xena: Warrior Princess became a hit TV show, being an Amazon's more about stabbing people, ..than togetherness. (Renaissance Pictures)

I would hate to see the Amazons become the Seven-of-Nine or the Mister Data of the Wonder Woman comic, with every other issue revolving around something happening on the Island ..or supposedly 'uncovering' some new wrinkle, in their history or in Wonder Woman's origin. It's only my opinion, but, that feels, to me, like a narrative implosion - where a serial work becomes a perpetual explanation for itself - and I don't think that's what this comic is supposed to be about.

It's not about beauty queen sex-pirates chasing down horny sailors, on the open seas, either, ..but, tell that to Brian Azzarello. Heh!

"Special place," ..I said. Think good thoughts. Think special place. [Sigh.]

For me, the two-comic solution is the way to go. In a second Wonder Woman title - Wonder Women, maybe - entirely focused on Wonder Woman and Donna on the Island, surrounded by Amazons, exploring their rich, myth-inspired backstory and discussing their feelings about each other, ..I think seeing Diana on the Island, as one of the Amazons, every issue, ..would work. In fact, superheroics  and costumed supervillains aside, I think this all-myth-inspired, all-girl (sometimes) series ..would be great!

Styx! Might even read an issue or two, myself.

Look alive, kangaliers!


Edgar Miraculous (Mel) 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.