Friday, March 25, 2011

Wonder Woman takes on evil and corruption...and bakes pies!

Women, ugh. Amiright?

That's what beginning iterations of Wonder Woman comics teach us. However, I wonder how effectively the message was absorbed because if you ask someone today they are all: Wonder Woman kicks butt!

They don't say: Wonder Woman did it all for love and her main fighting tactic isn't the truth lasso, it is her ability to act like a weak woman!

My hero!

Oh, and racism. Can't forget the racism.

General thought seems to say WW left her Amazonian utopia to help save people.

She actually does it to follow the man she loves (the only man she has ever seen, which seems like moving to Oregon to live with granola bars and then coming across chocolate...awkward).

Onto the action plot: operation save the world.

Now, I understand the yay USA, boo Nazis slant the first year of WW. It was during World War II. I get it. However, the propaganda is painted with such a wide brush that when the villains lose, they are always like: those pesky Americans are so courageous and loyal and determined, we can't defeat them!

That's like at a job interview, listing your main downfall as working too hard...

At least you get to see WW punch a lot of people. That is nice. But before the punching you have to make it through WW playing the role of weak woman AKA normal woman:



Also, just in case any one gets a big head with truth lasso's and bullet dodging cuffs and saving the day, let's all remember that - as women - our main concern is catching a man!


Looking back over the first year of Wonder Woman, I'm struck by the stereotypes, the racist portrayal of anyone who isn't a white American, and story lines the reinforce the fortitude of Americans - but also - Wonder Woman is NOT American. We all know that, right?

Wonder Woman is a patriotic immigrant, just trying to make her way in a new country.

She's just an amazingly strong girl standing in front of a boy with a weird angel complex, telling him she loves him.

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