Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman

GalGadotIt has finally happened. Wonder Woman is going to appear in a major motion picture. Gal Gadot wasn't on my short list for the part. She wasn't even on my long list for the part. To be honest, she hadn't crossed my mind at all. I was hoping for Lynn Collins, who screamed Wonder Woman with her performance in John Carter. Lynn has the look and the acting chops to bring Diana to life, despite the fact that she'd need an apple box and some movie magic to make her appear taller. In contrast, I really don't know anything about Gal except how she looks physically, because she's never been in anything that required much acting.

The movie I have been dreaming of has arrived, and I am filled with a mixture of joy and fear that only comes with being a fanatic... er... fan.

JOY: DC movies are really well cast.
I may not like all the choices or stories, but I have almost always liked the casting in DC movies. Every time I nerd-rage out about someone being cast, I have (almost) always been proven wrong. I ate my words with both Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker, and Ann Hathaway's spot-on Catwoman. Man of Steel and Green Lantern were both well cast, and their actors did their best despite terrible scripts. The casting people at Warner's B&Jobviously have a good eye for this, so maybe Gal will knock it out of the park.

FEAR: DC movies have really crappy scripts.
DC movies have a history of terrible scripts that are filled with cornball jokes or gaping plot holes. I think George Clooney could have been a Batman for the ages if he had been given the right script. Ditto for Jim Carrey as the Riddler. Can you imagine him playing a creepy, puzzle-crazed Riddler in a more realistic way like Heath Ledger's Joker? These problems have continued into more recent projects. Batman Begins started the new DC movies off strong, but both The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel suffered from bad pacing, lack of character development, and moments that simply didn't make sense! I am terrified they will completely miss the mark with Diana's appearance in Batman & Superman, which will be the death sentence for any Wonder Woman movie in the works.

JOY: Gal has actual military experience!
I love this! My sister joined the US Army a few years ago, and even her weeks of boot camp gave her an impressive amount of training. Israel is the only country in the world where service KidsandWWis compulsory for both women and men, and two years of military service in the Israeli Defense Force is nothing to sneeze at. Women can be assigned to infantry combat service and be directly in the line of fire. Even if Gal didn't experience that, Israel is far from a peaceful place and the training would have prepared her for all possibilities. She has been closer to real combat than most action stars in Hollywood.

FEAR: Gal isn't built like Wonder Woman.
Yes, I'll admit that this is a bit shallow, but Wonder Woman's physique is part of what drew me to her as a child. I was always one of the tallest kids in my class. Combine that with my athletic build from years of competitive swimming and the rude comments prepubescent boys made, I could often feel out of place. Wonder Woman helped young Kimi deal with that. She showed me that a woman could be physically imposing, while still being feminine! While there is certainly a lot of depth to Wonder Woman, her physical build shouldn't be ignored. I hope Gal hits the gym.

JOY: Zack Snyder's movies look cool.
There is no disputing that Zack Snyder has great style. Man of Steel and Watchmen were visually stunning interpretations of comic publications. Most importantly, 300 proved that a movie based Suckerpunchon ancient stories/myths (like Wonder Woman herself) could succeed and be accepted by the modern audience.

FEAR: Zack Snyder sucks at creating good female characters.
This is the director who HONESTLY thought Sucker Punch was a story of female empowerment. That's right, the movie about girl who is trapped in an insane asylum and repeatedly raped, but mentally escapes to a fantasy world where she is a sex slave, who mentally escapes to another fantasy world where she is a scantily clad fighter trying to find random objects, but in reality, she just gets lobotomized in the real world and stays a victim. Wow. Way to empower women Zack. Create a Russian nesting doll of victimization and assault for your female characters on all levels of their psyche. While I have no doubt that Mr. Snyder will make fight scenes that will be worthy of Wonder Woman (just look at Faora in Man of Steel), I believe he is utterly incapable of capturing her character and motivations.

When it comes right down to it, the actress is not my biggest worry with Wonder Woman appearing on film. I'm much more concerned about the writers, and the director. That being said, I'm trying not to judge too harshly until there is something to be judged. I can't wait to see the costume they come up with... or can I?

*worry*

wonder-woman-migraine

 


Rainfall's Wonder Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XATiV3gmy-Q

A few months ago, I was asked to help bring my hero to life. I thought I was dreaming when Sam Balcomb of Rainfall Films brought the initial idea to me. Was it possible that Wonder Woman might finally be represented well on screen? Would I really get to help make that dream into a reality?

Rainfall Wonder Woman sketch
Sketch by Sam Balcomb

Since that fateful day, I've been able to talk about Wonder Woman even more than usual. Breaking down everything from Diana's history and motivations, to classic comic poses and ancient Greek myths. We decided to heavily base our short on the Perez-era Wonder Woman, complete with ThemAmazonsyscira and monsters out of Greek mythology. We poured over my collection of Wonder Woman comics to capture all the details, even if they would go unnoticed by most of the audience. Through it all, the Rainfall team was adamant about being true to the character, and making a truly kick-ass female superhero.

Then there was the most daunting task of all: designing the outfit. Costuming is a huge part of my life, and I've tried my hand at Wonder Woman's costume before, but we really wanted something unique that would pay homage to Diana's Greek and warrior roots. It had to be functional, but still capture the iconic look that is so familiar to pop culture. We finally settled on two distinct looks, a more armored suit for the flashbacks to Paradise Island and a sleeker look for the city scenes. Our incredible costuming team, Heather Greene and Sarah Skinner, were able to create the entire costume from scratch, including the leather armor and steel scale maille. Yours truly braided the Lasso of Truth!

On Rainfall SetThe days on set were incredible. Everyone was thrilled to be a part of the project. Rileah Vanderbilt, who plays Wonder Woman in the short, was incredibly dedicated and a huge Wonder Woman fan! The stunt team was incredibly talented and we all watched in amazement as Wonder Woman, with their help, flew for the first time. America Young, Clare Grant, Alicia Big Barda and Wonder WomanMarie, Christy Hauptman, and myself filled out the rest of the Amazons. It was so much fun getting to know these wonderful women while dressing up and playing with swords. It was even more fun to reconnect with all of them at Comic-Con 2013 a few weeks after shooting. Rileah and I even hit the convention floor cosplaying as Wonder Woman and Big Barda, also from DC Comics.

This was truly a labor of love. By combining our talents and passion for this character, I believe we were able to create something worthy of the Amazon Princess. I will be posting more info about this project in coming weeks, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy our passion project!


Letter from a DC Fangirl

Dear DC Comics,

I know this is harder on me than it is on you. I am just one woman among countless fans, and it's starting to be pretty apparent how much you care about your fans. So, after more than twenty years of loyalty and love, I'm going to be frank with you. Our relationship is in trouble.

1464_400x600 I was so young when my cousin introduced us, and I'd sneak looks at you until I was old enough to get an allowance and have you for myself. I loved your late 80s and early 90s style. I still have some copies of Wonder Woman, The New Teen Titans, Justice League (America, Europe, International, and New_Teen_Titans_Vol_1_28even Task Force), and Batman & the Outsiders to remember the good times. Through all the changes, I stood beside you. I was there when Eclipso attacked, when Gotham was declared No Man's Land, and I hung in there for every "crisis" you could come up with. I watched Superman die and Metropolis try to cope with his loss. I followed along as Dick finally took up the cowl, and then put it down again. So many stories. Some were good, some were bad, but through it all I still felt like part of something wonderful.

Then you had some work done. The new 52 hit, and you became a hot ticket item. Suddenly, my friends who had never read comics before had a lot to say about you! It was nice to feel like my passion was spreading to new people. Like always, some stories were great and some sucked, but there were a lot of our old friends who weren't happy. I went to bat for you. I defended you to my friends and family! I pointed out all your good qualities, and whitewashed the bad because I wanted you to do well. Sadly, it was soon obvious that you didn't care about my feelings.

Justice-LeagueGreat characters never reappeared, and fan favorites started acting completely counter to their normal behavior. Quality character arcs fell by the wayside in favor of shock value and company profit. It was clear that the bottom line and the big bosses' ideas were more important than treating your creators well. Lots of amazing creators disappeared for a variety of reasons which reflected very badly on your management. Your choices didn't make sense and started driving away the writers and artists who kept us reading! Fans read a comic when the character they love is well written and drawn. Your talented creators make your company, not the other way around.

Most upsetting is your overall attitude CTW_Cv0_PREVIEWStowards women readers and female characters. Comics have always been over-sexualized, but your unending trail of insults over the last few years has gone beyond what we've come to expect, even from this industry. Many great characters' personalities were tweaked and flattened so that they can fit into what you thought was a sexier mold. The fact that you assume that women need a Superman/Wonder Woman Twilight-inspired romance to become interested in comics is just one recent example of how your female stereotyping has reached ridiculous levels. Finally, when you asked thousands of amateur artists to draw one of your most prominent female characters about to commit suicide in a bathtub, it's flat out insulting. Can something like that harley-quinnbe part of a tasteful storyline? Sure, but asking non-professionals to take on such sensitive subject matter is inappropriate. I cringe just imagining some of the entries you must have received. AND THEN some of your big-wigs took to social networking to make excuses and play down the incident. Jim Lee (who I basically hate at this point) blamed US for not waiting around to see the rest of the story. I don't care how the panels fit into the (unexplained) context of the story, you could have easily gleaned their drawing abilities from a more appropriate panel. You picked a horrendously irresponsible topic for this contest. It's downright disgusting. Apologize like an adult, hire a PR department, and move on.

Grow up. Stop blaming your audience for not liking your choices, and start making choices your customers will like.

I don't really know where this leaves us. I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm still with you when I'm in public. I've always flirted with Marvel, Dark Horse, and others, but now I'm seriously considering ending my monthly commitment to you. It breaks my heart, but even the good memories from our early days aren't enough to make up for the choices you are making. Shape up, or it's over.

Sincerely,

Kimi
A DC Fangirl
www.goldenlasso.net


Surviving Comic-Con

SDCCsignComic-Con. Everyone, from cosplayers to comic publishers, is frantically preparing for one of the biggest pop culture events of the year. It's a huge gathering of people on the scale of Mardi Gras or the Super Bowl. Here is my list of tips to having a great time at such a chaotic event. (If you're a cosplayer, you may also want to read my Cosplay Must Haves article!)

1. Have a Plan & Update the Plan!
Spend some time at comic-con.org and make a rough-draft plan before you even leave for San Diego. Figure out what panels are MUST-SEE for you, if there are any exciting events or meet-ups, where your favorite creators are holding signings, and where your favorite booths will be. After you have your rough-draft, highlight your three top choices for each day.

When you get to SDCC, be sure to check updates online and to check the programs they hand out for updates and changes to the schedule. Twitter is also an awesome tool for staying on top of adjustments to scheduling.

YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE HARD CHOICES. You will never get to everything you want to see. Be prepared for this.

SDCCFloor2. Bring Provisions
You should always carry water, food, hand sanitizer, and painkillers with you. Food and water are incredibly expensive, and you could easily lose an hour standing in line at the Starbucks in the convention center. Bring a backpack or messenger bag full of power bars, trail mix, bottles of water, candy. If your feet or head start hurting in the middle of the day it's always better to be able to deal with it immediately, and you want to avoid getting sick when dealing with the (mostly) unwashed masses.

PRO TIP: I love collapsible water bottles for conventions. They are easy to refill at water fountains and take up less space in your bag when they are empty.

I also recommend bringing a cooler of food with you to leave in your hotel, especially if you are staying anywhere near the Gaslamp district. It's much cheaper/easier to make yourself a sandwich for lunch, or have some milk and cereal in the morning than dealing with the waits and upped prices of local restaurants for every meal. Requesting a fridge is ideal, but those are usually limited and gone unless you arrive on Monday or Tuesday before the Con.

Con-Bag Check List:
- Snacks & Water
- Sharpies to get autographs
- chargers & power strip/ extra batteries
- maps
- painkillers
- hand sanitizer
- cash (many booths don't accept cards!)
- iPod/handheld gaming device & headphones to combat line boredom
- Travel stick of deodorant & mints/gum
- camera/phone that takes pictures

3. Stay Connected
The massive amounts of people really put the strain on technology at SDCC. All cell networks are stretched within an inch of their life, and it's often hard to get service in parts of the convention center. If you are splitting from your party, or want to meet up with specific people, plan it ahead of time or early in the morning before everyone starts using the network. You will waste less time if everyone knows to meet at the outside stairs at 10am, instead of texting and calling and trying to round people up on the fly.

Pack extra batteries for your camera, phone, and even your laptop if you are able. If not, be sure to bring your charger with you and a surge protector. You will be the most popular person in your line if you share the charging power with those around you. It will also guarantee that you are allowed to use the outlet, even if someone's already plugged into it. While you're in the convention center turn off GPS and other non-essential functions on your phone to save battery life. Most of that stuff doesn't work within the heavy concrete walls anyway.

line 4. Be Comfortable
If you're a cosplayer, you're screwed. Everyone else, dress as comfortably as possible. Comfortable shoes are the most important thing. You will be on your feet ALL DAY. ALL DAY and maybe most of the evening!!! Wear something with support that is made for running or walking and be sure they are already broken in.

Dress in something that breathes (cottons, natural fabrics) so that you stay comfortable and sweat can evaporate instead of getting sticky. You will probably want to sit on the floor at some point due to exhaustion and lack of seating, so be sure your outfit can handle that. Wear a sweatshirt around your waist, even if it's a warm day. Some of the panel rooms or outside areas can get pretty chilly with the air blasting.

Bring a backpack or messenger bag to carry swag in. If you really like free stuff, bring an extra empty one with you! They bags they hand out are cumbersome and can be hard to carry in crowded areas.

5. Have A Map
Actually, have a few maps. You will want a map of the show floor and convention center. You can print these out early at the Comic-Con website or pick them up on site. A map of the downtown San Diego is really handy as well. With internet/cellular service somewhat unreliable at times, it really helps when you are trying to find events away from the convention center. These are usually available for free from your hotel, or you can print one out before you leave home.

AVOID DRIVING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! Walking, even to something many blocks from the convention center, will be faster since most of downtown is at a perpetual standstill. You can always hire the bike carriages that are all over the place if you don't feel like walking. If you are driving in each day, GET THERE EARLY!

6. Wear Sunscreen
It's San Diego for heaven's sake! You never know when your panel's line might end up outside, or if you'll be stuck sitting by a window. You don't want to become a french fry if the walk from your hotel takes longer than expected.

7. Be Prepared for Panels
hall-h
Panels can be a nightmare. There are whole survival guides written about attending SDCC panels, and you still wouldn't know everything that you need to know. Here are the basics:

There are lines for the panels, and the more popular something is, the longer the line will be. Hall H has the longest lines (see picture of Hall H line to the right), but with good planning it is usually doable. Some people sleep overnight to get into Hall H, and rumors of famous stars visiting the line late at night abound. If you're planning to spend lots of time in the Hall H line be sure you only have one normal sized chair or sleeping bag and are not saving spots for people not in the line (bathroom breaks are ok). It is also outside, so be ready.

The big thing to know is that they don't clear the room after each panel. So people will sit through many panels to guarantee that they see the one they want in a few hours. Hell, many people just hang out in Hall H all day and never see the rest of the convention. This can be frustrating for people in line because sometimes the room hits max capacity before the whole line is allowed in. Again, if something is really popular, go early and politely sit through the panel(s) before it.

Before spending all your time trying to get into a panel, check to see if it will be posted online. It's a great way to see a panel without dealing with the crowds or when there is a scheduling conflict. You might have to do a little hunting around, but thanks to YouTube, a huge amount of panels are available to watch later. If you go to a panel and want to participate, PLEASE ASK GOOD QUESTIONS. Nobody wants to hear a rant about your feelings on their work for the last 10 years. Make sure your asking something that involves the panel topic and doesn't make the panelists hate you.

SDCCoutside8. Be Early For Everything
Leave yourself extra time to get everywhere. No matter how well you plan your day, there will be issues that come up. This is most important with getting to and from the convention center at busy times. The shuttles can sometimes get off schedule, so catching an early one will ensure that you don't miss your favorite stuff and give you more time on the convention floor. Arrive early for signings, panels, and screenings. There are always lines and the sooner you arrive, the better chance you have of actually getting to participate.

There is no real rule of thumb for this, but it will easily take you two or three times as long to get anywhere.

9. Hygiene
There is a massive number of people at Comic-Con. I don't want to stereotype our subculture, but I've attended enough gaming and comic conventions to know better. PLEASE SHOWER EVERY DAY! PEOPLE NOTICE!! Parts of the convention center get very warm and everyone sweats. I don't care how worn out you are, SHOWER. I highly recommend packing a small travel stick of deodorant in your bag to freshen up throughout the day, especially cosplayers who are wearing bulky or heavy outfits. Please also be sure to brush your teeth daily since you will most likely be conversing with other humans at some point. Mints or gum are a great way to stay fresh throughout the day.

By Sunday, many parts of the convention center develop a distinct odor. If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

10. Interacting with Cosplayers
Comic-Con 2011The people who are dressed in costume are called "cosplayers," and they are people too. In fact, they are fans just like you! They are not paid by the convention, and they buy their tickets and hotel rooms just like everyone else. Cosplayers are there to enjoy themselves, not to entertain you. Be respectful. They come from all walks of life and you never know when a cosplayer might be an off duty cop with a passion for sewing. DO NOT TOUCH A COSPLAYER WITHOUT ASKING FIRST! COSPLAY DOES NOT EQUAL CONSENT!

Most cosplayers do love to pose for pictures because we are incredibly proud of the outfits we have made and love the characters. It's always great to meet another fan and very flattering to be asked for a photo. Ask first, and it's always great to have you pose in the picture with us. If you are planning on posting the picture online, please talk to the cosplayer about it first. Most have Facebook pages or DeviantArt pages that you can easily credit.

Be careful of our costumes! We put hundreds of hours and often hundreds of dollars into making them. Some pieces may look very sturdy, but often they are very fragile. Grabbing something or touching something can seriously damage it. Ask before grabbing a prop to pose with or before putting your hand on their shoulder armor.

11. Have Fun
Comic-Con is an amazing experience, and a yearly tradition for many fans. The most important thing is that you enjoy yourself. Take time to soak in the experience and appreciate how cool it is to have so many geek brothers and sisters all in one place!


Batgirl's Doctor is In: Dr. Andrea Letamendi

swteeAndrea Letamendi is one of the most interesting figures on the convention scene. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and puts her knowledge to geeky use by speaking about the psychology of Superheroes, Science Fiction, and Cosplay. When she isn't speaking on panels, Andrea works as a researcher at UCLA, does work for Marvel and DC, and creates amazing cosplays of her own.

Kimi: You’re known as @ArkhamAsylumDoc on twitter, do you have a favorite Arkham inmate in the Bat-verse?

Andrea Letamendi: Oh yes, I have many favorite Arkham Baddies. I can’t deny the power that the Joker has psychologically–he is such a mesmerizing and puzzling character because his acts of villainy and destruction do not always seem rationale or explainable. My favorite villain from Gotham’s Rogue Gallery is the Penguin, because of his tragic story. He seems to frequently try to reach out and connect with others, perhaps just looking to be understood, and that is incredibly relatable.

latemendi_batgirlK: You were recently depicted in  Batgirl #16 as Barbara Gordon’s clinical psychologist. Why did Gail Simone immortalize you as part of DC cannon?

AL: Last year, before the Batgirl annual, Mrs. Simone reached out to me to ask some questions about trauma recovery. Essentially she was writing about an important time in Barbara’s life during which she was recovering–both physically and psychologically– from the severe injury from a gunshot wound when the Joker attacked her (See: The Killing Joke). As a Batgirl reader and DC fan, I was more than thrilled to answer anything she wanted to know. My background in treating soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with psychological and physical injuries best prepped me to give anecdotes and explain the relationship between the therapist and the healing client. Little did I know that Mrs. Simone would not only write some of my suggestions into her comic, but also include me as a character! It was truly a surprise– and I feel the honorary gesture was not just toward me but for the psychology community as a whole.

K: In addition to being an adviser for Marvel and DC, you are also well known as a cosplayer. What pushed you to start cosplaying?

AL: I have essentially been cosplaying since I was a teenager, if you count “dressing up as a Jedi character that you made up” cosplay. I’ve always felt drawn to dressing up as characters I love, but it truly wasn’t until I started attending conventions in 2006 that I initially became involved with cosplay and the cosplay community.

tumblr_m8l6lqxB8k1rslvxlo1_500K: Which costume is your favorite to wear to conventions?

AL: My favorite costume is probably my Steampunk Huntress costume, although I have  a Battlestar Galactica costume in the works and it may quickly become one of my favorites!

K: You’ve found a way to bridge the gap between your love of psychology and your love of comics, are you trying to do the same with psychology and cosplay?

AL: I’ve found that my love of cosplay has led me to ask questions like “what draws us to certain characters?” and “why do we feel fulfilled or content when we’re wearing someone else’s clothes?” I also believe there’s something empowering and psychologically inspiring when we dress up as a superhero that we look up to, even if they are fictional. In my mind, it was inevitable that these two universe’s collide, which is why me and my colleague created a Cosplay Survey and plan to continue exploring the motivations, expressions, and backgrounds of cosplayers. I also believe that we can use real-world data to debunk or disconfirm myths about cosplayers. I feel as though psychological science can tell a story that allows people to see how adaptive, healthy, resourceful, and social cosplayers really are.

K: What conflicts have you faced between your geeky hobbies and your career?

AL: Actually, even though I initially felt distanced and a bit misunderstood in my field, I’ve recently discovered that people are generally interested–and even quite inspired–by some of the work I’m doing in the comics and cosplay community. I have to say that I was surprised by this and it reminds me that people just want to get to know you and that the field of Psychology can be particularly open and supportive of these other hobbies. I’d like to think that goes with other social sciences disciplines.

WCpsychLEFTIMG_5276K: Briefly, what have you learned about the Cosplay community through your surveys and your Psychology of Cosplay panels?

AL: We have learned that cosplayers represent a very diverse and social group. I think the single most important thing we have learned is that we simply do not have any evidence that cosplayers share any one feature or characteristic beyond their passion for costuming and performing. Stereotypes about cosplayers, therefore, are not currently supported by anything other than bullies on the internet.

You can visit Andrea's blog at Underthemaskonline.com or follow her on Twitter @ArkhamAsylumDoc.


Superheroine Costume Controversy

newpowergirl An adorable collection of illustrations have had the cosplay and comic community in a tizzy this week! They are by Michael Lee Lunsford and show female comic characters with redesigned outfits that are much more modest.  The skimpy clothes that female characters wear in comics have long been a controversial topic, especially among female fans. Some fans feel that the skimpy clothes are a way to pander to the young male demographic. Others feel that a woman should be free to wear whatever she likes and that there is nothing wrong with skimpy clothes. These pictures have rekindled the debate on how females are depicted in comics, and in turn, how cosplayers represent those characters in the real world. As an avid comic reader and cosplayer, I also had a very strong reaction to them.

 

catwoman52I agree that women have the right to wear whatever they want, but most comic book characters are being designed and drawn by men. There is no women's choice involved. The lithe female character poses and convenient camera angles of many panels only serve to further objectify the female characters in a way that simply doesn't happen with male characters. The impracticality of the designs is what annoys me the most. Yes, it's easier to do gymnastics in a leotard, but is it the most practical thing to wear when you are being shot at? It's really the last straw when you see a design as ridiculously exaggerated as Catwoman's unzipped suit.  Is it really that important that her breasts are exposed as she's trying to sneak through Gotham unseen? WHY THE HELL WOULDN'T SHE JUST ZIP IT UP? In an era where many male characters are moving from spandex to body armor, it's hard to continue to excuse the amounts of skin showing on many female characters.

newelecCosplayers are a completely different situation because they are REAL PEOPLE and who can make their own choices. If someone makes a woman wear a skimpy outfit without any choice, she becomes objectified and loses power. If a woman chooses to wear that same outfit because it makes her feel good, she has the power. The freedom of choice makes all the difference! The element of choice is why I have a problem with male artists designing skimpy female outfits, but do not have an issue with cosplayers creating and wearing those outfits. I often see cosplayers of both genders tweak character designs to be more flattering or comfortable for them to wear in public. Sometimes their self-expression means adding fabric to make it more modest, sometimes it involves showing more skin. Neither choice is "better" because it all depends on the individual cosplayer. Original designs are just as valid a form of cosplay as exact replicas of character outfits.

newWWThese pictures are a great artistic exercise, and I love the conversation they have started on this topic. That said, I'm not a huge fan of all the designs. I think Electra is amazing and easily my favorite, with Psylocke coming in a close second. Many of the designs are very interesting, but I'm not a fan of the baggy look that many of them are sporting. The khaki pants on Wonder Woman don't seem to match the rest of her design, but I really like how he altered the upper half of her outfit. Michael has a great artistic style that shows the unique personalities and beauty of each character, without focusing on their ass-ets.

WonderCon!

I made it safely back from Scotland!  I had an amazing time, saw beautiful places, drank too much, and lost a few pounds (haha... get it... they use the UK pound.... sorry). I have several great posts in the works and am ready to catch up, but first...

Golden Lasso Wonder WomanWONDERCON!

I will be attending Wondercon on Friday only, due to Renaissance Faire obligations. I'll be dressed as Wonder Woman at a convention for the first time since 2011! My armor is all polished and my golden lasso is ready!

For those of you who haven't attended WonderCon, it's a wonderful event and I highly recommend it to old-school convention lovers. It's growing fast, but is usually compared to SDCC before it became the pop-sensation that it is today. It's much smaller than SDCC and that leads to really great interactions between fans, creators, artists, cosplayers, and staff. The parking can still be difficult, but it's do-able and there are probably even hotels still available in the area if you decide you want to head down there this weekend. It's also right down the street from Disneyland, so it's a great weekend destination for the whole family or Disney-lovers. The convention even arranged discounted Disney tickets for convention attendees!

For all my panel-loving friends, I highly suggest attending The Psychology of Star Trek vs. Star Wars, Friday at 1:30pm. Dr. Andrea Letamendi, you may know her as the Huntress from my Steampunk DC group, is an amazing panelist and is sure to make a great case for Star Wars! Brian Ward, the steampunk Green Arrow and copper-working genus, is going to be refereeing... er... moderating the discussion.

I hope to see you there! Follow me @GoldenLassoGirl to find me or to get in touch!

 


Goodbye Gail Simone

GailSimoneThis past weekend, comic book writer Gail Simone let the news drop on Twitter that she had been removed from DC's New 52 Batgirl title. It's shocking that DC would give Gail the boot after the acclaim that Batgirl has received since the reboot, but the most shocking part of this story is how they broke the news to Gail. The fired her VIA EMAIL.

I have been a DC fangirl since before I can remember. Batman and Wonder Woman helped to shape my childhood and created a lifelong loyalty to Detective Comics. I've followed the story lines of every major event, each retcon, each death and inevitable resurrection, and I even stood by them through the New 52 reboot. Hell, I DEFENDED them to scores of my fellow fans. I kept the faith!

I cannot express how disappointing it is to learn that DC has less class than some of my asshole ex-boyfriends. At least they had the courtesy to pick up the phone to end things.

barbara-gordon-oracle-geek-draftGail has done an incredible job with Barbara Gordon for many years. She created an incredibly strong character in Birds of Prey who rose above her physical disability and continued to be a hero. As Oracle, Barbara showed the world that knowledge and smarts were the most powerful tools a crime fighter had, and she became an icon for fans with disabilities themselves.

When DC rebooted their universe, Gail was given the chance to write Barbara again, but there was a catch. Barbara was to be returned to her original role as Batgirl, and taken out of her now-trademark wheelchair. Fans were in an uproar. Some were thrilled to see Babs' red hair under the cowl again. Others were furious to lose an idol with an incredible story of courage that impacted so many characters in the DC universe. Amid this controversy, Gail wrote Batgirl_Vol_1Babs brilliantly. She embraced Barbara's history, and wrote Batgirl to show the struggles of someone recovering from life changing injuries and PTSD. Gail even researched Barbara's conditions by seeking the advice of Dr. Andrea Letamendi, an avid comic book fan and doctor of psychology (and my cosplay friend!), to insure that Barbara's recovery was accurately depicted. Gail's incredible respect for Barbara won over fans in both camps and turned Batgirl from one of the most hated reboots in the New 52, into one of its best selling titles.

I'm a huge fan of Gail's writing, her outspoken views about how women are depicted in comics, her support of cosplaying, and her amazing relationship with her fans. I've only met (read:seen) her briefly in line at conventions, but she is always smiling and kind to her fans... and she liked my steampunk Batgirl cosplay!! It's hard to think that she was so difficult to work with that they had no other option than to fire her. It makes me sad to think that she may never write my favorite DC heroines again.

No official reasons for her termination have been released. I can see her refusing to put "women in refrigerators" despite what her DC superiors wanted, and indeed, there have been some tweets hinting that is exactly what led to her getting fired. Regardless of the reason, after an average of 40,000 Batgirl copies sold each month, DC and Brian Cunningham (the new editor of Batgirl) owed Gail a phone call at the very least.

Shame on you, DC.

 UPDATE 10/21/2012: Today, Gail Simone has announced that DC has rehired her as the writer for Batgirl. I think it's safe to say that the fan's voices were heard on this issue. I wonder if they notified her via email...


Justice League Dark: The Answer to DC's Movie Problem

News of a Justice League Dark movie emerged last week, linked with director Guillermo Del Toro. I have really enjoyed the Justice League Dark book (despite the lame title) since it was introduced with the New 52, and it includes some of my favorite characters, including John Constantine and Zatanna. They really have captured the disjointed team of misfits well, with love triangles, mistrust, temptation, and heroism. It is an occult team, drawing their power (and villains) from magic and religion rather than super strength or speed. It may also be the answer to DC's superhero team movie problem.

Guillermo Del Toro is the PERFECT director for this project. He is no stranger to comic book movies (Hellboy, Blade II), and he is a master with directing the supernatural (Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone, Cronos). I think he would be able to balance the humor and sarcasm of the Justice League Dark team with the dark flavor of horror needed to put the audience in suspense. He is also really good at directing fight scenes. My only misgiving is his tendency to take on too many projects at once. If he sees the project through to the end, he will make it something worth our box office money.

Obviously, this team is full of the B and C list characters in DC's lineup, but despite the lack of mainstream heroes this movie could be the perfect start to DC's superhero team movies. Yes, the Justice League is easily identifiable, but so were The Avengers. Marvel knew better than to just toss their audience into a full blown team of incredibly super-powered characters without taking the time (via other movies) to set the stage. Warner Bros and DC should use Justice League Dark as the introduction to their world, in much the same way that Marvel used Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America to set the stage for The Avengers. It will set up the universe's rules, and start us off with a team that the mainstream audience will have an easier time identifying with.

The biggest advantage that Justice League Dark has is that all the characters are human. This may seem like a small matter, but when you are trying to get an audience to relate to your team, it can be a big deal. This team doesn't wear spandex (other than Deadman who wears his old circus uniform), and if they were walking down the street you probably wouldn't notice them (again, except for Deadman). They all deal with personal desires, flaws, and pain in every issue, and we can relate to all their emotions because they are feelings we all share. Superman, Wonder Woman, while more familiar, are harder for the normal audience to identify with because of their extreme powers and strange origin stories... and the crazy outfits. The Justice League Dark can tap into the super natural, but they also have to go to the supermarket if they want to eat or buy a pack of cigarettes. This team can gently introduce the mainstream audience to the DC Universe, setting us up for the more extreme spandex and cape wearing Justice League team we all know and love.

The timing may not work out, and Justice League may end up setting the stage for Justice League Dark, but I hope that both teams hit the big screen in coming years.


DC's New 52: Who is Wonder Woman?

DC can't seem to make up its mind about Wonder Woman. It took their artists a few months to unify her costume design across all their titles, and it seems like Wonder Woman and Justice League take place in completely different universes, but that isn't my biggest problem with the rebooted Amazon princess. My biggest problem is that Justice League can't seem to give Diana any personality at all! As someone who has been a die-hard Justice League fan (Europe, America, International, all of them) since I was a kid, it's really pissing me off.

Now, it can be argued that there are problems with a lot of the newly rebooted characters in Justice League, however at least they are stand alone characters. Justice League's Wonder Woman is completely defined by her male relationships, starting with Steve Trevor. At first, she was an ignorant meat-head looking for a fight and eating ice cream. Only Steve was able to keep her from smashing everything Hulk-style, despite the fact that none of the other heroes need a handler. Why does a character as smart as Diana (should be) need a man to constantly remind her that it's not ok to go wandering around swinging a sword in public? Even after growing up on Paradise Island, she should be able to figure that out after a few days. Somehow they managed to make her vastly powerful and completely dependent on a non-super-powered man, all at the same time.

Unlike the Diana in Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman run, the Justice League Wonder Woman seems to be completely lacking in emotional depth. Azzarello shows us an edgy Diana who likes to hang out at rock concerts, is bitter about being teased as a child, cares deeply for her companions, and bravely faces the gods to protect the innocent. The only thing we have seen from her in Justice League is a sudden, desperate concern for Steve in Issue #11, which seems to come out of nowhere despite their prior relationship. Diana has shown almost no emotion on the matter up to this point, unlike Steve, who has been driven to drink because of their breakup. Why is it that a side character without powers, and who has been in significantly fewer panels than Diana, has so much more emotional depth? We have gotten more personality information out of Green Lantern's one liners than from all of Diana's lines combined, but we are CONSTANTLY reminded that all the men in the world envied Steve for being Wonder Woman's boyfriend. Her defining characteristic, and certainly her most mentioned attribute, seems to be her hot body.

Now she is hooking up with Superman. The relationship makes sense from an outside standpoint, but it has completely baffled many people who are actually following the comic. A few panels before the now-infamous kiss, Diana was desperately trying to save Steve, then decided to put even more distance between them to keep him safe. There have been hints that she cares about Steve and that she only left him to protect him from her dangerous lifestyle, but this tiny bit of character development is thrown out the door. BAM! The same night that they get home and Steve is laying in the hospital, Diana ends up making out with Superman on a rooftop. Can we say "pathetic PR stunt?" I'm not against a Superman/Wonder Woman relationship. I LOVED them in Kingdom Come, however this time they didn't bother with the character development to back it up. We've all suspected they'd become an item since the reboot because they were both suddenly single, but there should be flirtations, hesitations, lingering glances, emotional commonalities... SOMETHING to back it up. A two page conversation about how they are different than normal people because of their powers, which I believe is the first one-on-one conversation between them since the reboot, and then a dramatic final panel kiss is just lazy writing and bad character development. But DC got tons of press, so who the hell cares about the characters, right?

I think the worst part of the Justice League reboot (yes, worse than the only female character's complete lack of personality or ping-ponging her from man to man) is that this Diana is so inconsequential. She is completely reactionary, like so many female comic book characters before her, and seems to serve little or no purpose other than being the token woman of the group. She never comes up with ideas or shares opinions. She doesn't stand up for the weak, or worry about the civilians when the team is busy leveling cities to take out bad guys. She hasn't displayed any powers or characteristics that are indispensable to the team, and, despite devoting her life to warrior training, Batman still makes all the tactical decisions. There was a time when Diana was an undeniable part of DC's trinity, but now even I, a life-long Wonder Woman fan, have to admit she'd be the first one I'd cut if I ran the team. Azzarello's Diana faces the gods single-handedly, and you really believe that she could win. He even threw in some new powers to match with her electrifying new back story. Like the changes or not, at least she is bad ass enough to stand on her own.

I am constantly surprised by Azzarello's Wonder Woman run, and although I don't like all the changes he has made, am really enjoying the unexpected darkness of his universe. His Wonder Woman is an edgier Diana, who has some surprises up her sleeves... or bracelets! She is smart, complex, and proactive. Even without mentioning her powers, she is an interesting character. I hope that the Justice League writing team takes their cues from Wonder Woman and starts to rethink their approach to the most famous female character in comics.