Jul 13th 2011 By: Andy Khouri

DC's 'The New 52' Preview Strips Wonder Woman, Spoils Green Lantern

Among the many wares DC Comics will peddle at next weekend's Comic-Con International in San Diego is DC Comics: The New 52, a a free comic previewing new material from the publisher's forthcoming superhero relaunch. Among the contents are a six-page preview of Justice League by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee and the revised cover for Wonder Woman #1, which now features a Wonder Woman without long pants. Additionally, the cover of The New 52 preview comic, revealed earlier today on DC's The Source blog, spoils the conclusion of the "War of the Green Lanterns" storyline, which plays out in this week's Green Lantern #67.

Green Lantern SPOILERS follow.

There has been much discussion, even amongst ourselves, of the practicalities and aesthetics of a more fully clothed Wonder Woman. The heroine's current costume was redesigned by Jim Lee for the "Odyssey" storyline devised by writer J. Michael Straczynski, who argued that the Amazon Princess would be more effective in an outfit that didn't so closely resemble a woman's bathing suit. The costume was further tweaked by Lee and his collaborators for DC's September relaunch, most obviously on the previously released covers of Justice League #1 by Jim Lee and Wonder Woman #1 cover by Cliff Chiang.

The skimpier revision you see on the DC Comics: The New 52 preview cover is the final cover and presumably final costume for Diana.

In ComicsAlliance's DCnÜ fashion roundtable, several us suggested that a Wonder Woman dressed in so much black seemed less majestic than the classic look, and that her fighting evil bare-legged exemplified an aspect of her powerful character. Perhaps DC was listening?

With respect to Green Lantern, the revelation that Sinestro will return to the Green Lantern Corps was to come today in the form of Green Lantern #67, concluding the epic "War of the Green Lantern" storyline. To promote the follow-up, DC published to The Source a spoiler-warning-labeled post containing the cover of September's Green Lantern #1, featuring Sinestro as the title character. The courteous gesture was unfortunately undone by the subsequent post, which featured the DC Comics: The New 52 cover in all its glory, including the Sinestro element in the bottom-left corner.

Tags: dc reboot - DcReboot - green lantern - GreenLantern - wonder woman - WonderWoman

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funkid79

Such a HUGE mistake to put WW BACK in her sexist bikini bottom and HEELS, I’m so disappointed. When I saw Jim Lees’ cover for the new JL I thought “YES, finally”. That outfit she had in that cover incorporated the best of her classic look, the looks she’s been sporting for the past 13 issues and tied it all in real well. It was simple, elegant and FUNCTIONAL. Now they’ve gone and stuffed her back in heels and a bikini bottom.

I’m hoping that MAYBE she’ll have more than one look and that we’ll get to see her switch from bikini to pants from time to time. As it stands I’m not at all happy about her going all retro again

July 28 2011 at 4:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Luna

Eh, I'm a female comic fan (primarily a Marvel fan) and I have never read Wonder Woman. I was thinking about why this is just now, and I definitely feel it's because I always felt the comic was more eye candy to men than catered to me-- even though men have liked to tell me otherwise and have tried sell her as an empowered woman superhero.

And to me-- it feels like we came a long way from when we switched her from a skirt to shorts, and it's time to move forward again. It's not the 40s anymore, even though she's permanently stuck there. The short-short outfit I personally feel is kitsch, outdated and unexciting. She is not an inspiring female role model to me. And that bums me out because I love her back story, love her concept-- she's the only superhero that's my namesake for god's sake... and yet I take one look at the way she looks and think Lynda Carter and the 'Wonder Wooomaaan' song blares in my head. Not good.

Long story short, I never was able to identify with her, and her looks-- namely her outfit-- played a big part in that. Her new costume was a step in the right direction, though not all the way there in my opinion. She's never looked as awesome as she should look, in my opinion. But it was a start. I think superhero costumes should always evolve, not just for her. Shame people got scared and couldn't roll with it. Looks like I'll continue to pass her on the shelf, then.

July 15 2011 at 10:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Maricruz Villalobos

Agg, FINALLY! Look, I'm of the belief that heroines have to wear swimsuits, but Amazons DON'T wear pants dammit!

July 15 2011 at 1:43 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

horr0rgasm

so...they released some more October DC solicits today. including Wonder Woman #2. she has pants on on the cover...PANTS!

July 14 2011 at 4:14 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to horr0rgasm's comment

The Duncan

PANTS!!!!! Now if we can get at least some spaghetti straps or something we would be able to explain why she never has wardrobe malfunctions...

July 14 2011 at 7:20 PM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to The Duncan's comment

Mary Sulkowski

This has seriously always bugged me about superheroine costumes. Mostly, I just tell myself that Wondy has an Invisible Sports Bra.

July 18 2011 at 12:27 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down

Zac David Schneider

You know what? You're right. It makes much more sense for an invulnerable person to show off their majesty by letting their legs go bare.

Thus, Superman should keep the little red briefs and ditch the leggings on his tights. If any of you who say Wonder Woman shouldn't wear pants argues against that, you're hypocrites.

July 14 2011 at 1:31 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Zac David Schneider's comment

dmtwb

Who would argue against that? Can he lose the shirt, too?

I don't get how a generation that won't change clothes in a locker room but will still send naked pics of themselves to anyone over their phones get so weird about a comic book character showing the skin that she's always shown since 1941. Is it just an uptight nerd thing? Even so, uptight nerds in my day enjoyed pretty girls and/or pretty boys.

Mind-boggling.

July 14 2011 at 3:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Gregory Haroutunian

No we really arent. See wonder woman is a character who has existed for almost 70 years. She didn't wear pants during all but the least memorable parts of those years. Superman has been in pants the whole time. The issue isn't some objective "shouldn't superman not be wearing pants too" the issue is "this is what Wonder Woman looks like" and "this is what Superman looks like". Those who want to change Diana's appearance are just being the PC police gone mad. It makes no sense for either her or clark to wear pants (though it is far more stylish and socially acceptable for a woman to have bare legs than a man, how many men wear daisy dukes?) from a "need them for protection" type of point of view. So you have instead the fact that the characters look like themselves one way and look like someone else the other way.

Over the past year whenever Jim Lee designed Diana appears in a DC comic my very first reaction is a very Michael Bluth like "who?" before a second later it dawns on me "ohh, thats supposed to be Diana," not "that is diana" but "that is supposed to be diana". Its like if someone spends 70 years with a beard and suddenly shaves, they just won't look right to anyone who knows them.

July 14 2011 at 5:34 PM Report abuse Permalink -5 rate up rate down Reply

3 replies to Gregory Haroutunian's comment

Patrick C

SERIOUSLY? You tried to convince them to put her back in that ridiculous bathing suit? WTF is wrong with you. ComicsAlliance posted a great art contest for a redesigned WW, and many of the better ideas had her in ARMOR. Imagine that, a Greek warrior who specializes in hand to hand combat wearing something that would PROTECT her. It made her look lethal, instead you helped put her back into something that made her look like a refugee from a beauty pageant. Congrats, this sort of thing is why comics, sorry graphic novels are ridiculed.

July 14 2011 at 9:49 AM Report abuse Permalink +7 rate up rate down Reply

3 replies to Patrick C's comment

The Duncan

I REALLY am beginning to hate most comic fans. Yes I am talking to you. You will continue to back up your rasict and sexist ideas with whatever 'evidence' or 'logic' suits the moment without ever stating your true motivations. I can see through your crap and I am not the only one. So this is what I offer to appease you. Superman's new costume is wrestling trunks and boots only. He is barechested and his family crest is molded into a championship belt. Batman is black. Wonder Woman is a nun but her gods are Aegean not Christian. The Flash is Muslim. And Cyborg is more like Steve Austin's Bionic Man than looking like a reject from the Centurions TV show. There, that is your new DC Universe. Suck on that.

July 14 2011 at 8:55 AM Report abuse Permalink +6 rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to The Duncan's comment

Hub

I love your new DC Universe.

July 14 2011 at 2:46 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Hub's comment

dmtwb

Seriously, I can't believe he thinks it's some sort of joke. That's brilliant.

July 14 2011 at 3:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down

Gregory Haroutunian

Wow, so I take it you just are completely insane and hatefilled towards anyone who has different views than you huh? How is it racist to well I dont even know what that referent is, and how is it sexist to say that a woman can have the full and total respect of people without dressing a certain way? It seems to be quite sexist to pigeonhole people like that.

I like how Diana looks in her classic look. Its iconic. Its part of our collective culture. It is, for me at least, literally who she is. When I picture the princess I see Wonder Woman in all of her power and glory and she is wearing the basic costume that she started with (obviously with the modernizations that have occurred to color and the precise star patterns etc.) when William Moulton Marston first wrote her.

The bigger question is why on earth do you and those who seem to think anyone who disagrees with their concept of what a "strong woman" is is automatically sexist think that Diana should change her iconic appearance? Its worked quite well for her for 70 years. Dont change what aint broke.

July 14 2011 at 5:41 PM Report abuse Permalink -6 rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Gregory Haroutunian's comment

The Duncan

First of all I am not hateful towards people with different views. I am hateful towards people who mask their views as something else. And I am glad that you responded how you did because you are feeding my argument. You wrote -

"I like how Diana looks in her classic look. Its iconic."

- Right...that's how people like you continue to base your attitudes towards not changing something. Its iconic, or its classic. These are the same comments made by people who think Power Girl's tatas should ALWAYS be bursting out of her little, excuse me, big chest window and why Supergirl should always wear a skirt. You probably got mad when they lowered Lara Croft's boob size down to something less than porn star proportions too huh?

Whatever...you guys are entitled to your opinions as twisted as they are. Keep on drooling over Diana's assets. Don't forget to wipe your mouth and zip up your pants each month...

July 14 2011 at 7:19 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down

datashade

"Its part of our collective culture."
A culture can't change/evolve/grow? He said "racist" and "sexist" not necessarily just because of Diana, but also because, at various times in their histories, depending on the writer, almost every major comic character has had a stint as a racist or a sexist and everything in between; by your logic, no character should ever outgrow the shortsightedness of their previous writers because "it worked." Well, slavery "worked," treating women as chattel "worked," owing allegiance to tribal leaders, priests, kings etc all "worked" - right up until they didn't.

"Dont change what aint broke."
Let's be honest, if the comics industry weren't "broke" there wouldn't be a major reboot or crossover even every 5 years.

July 19 2011 at 8:58 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down

Arnoldo Rivas

I am still OK with Wonder Woman in pants. As long as the story is well-written. :-)

July 14 2011 at 3:10 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

supermutan

i guess dc considers purple or pinkish or whatever skin Sinestro is a minority. That is the only reason I can think of they dump hal for new #1. Even guardians reasoning in the recent gl issues feels weird and wrong.

July 13 2011 at 10:08 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to supermutan's comment

horr0rgasm

yes to pander to all those angry purple men out there

July 13 2011 at 10:59 PM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to horr0rgasm's comment