The Big Picture: Wunderpants - Wonder Woman's New Clothes

[Saltyk]

All I can think.

If they do Wonder Woman like in those clips Bob showed, she'll be good.

I don't care about the costume. She'll likely be little more than a cameo, so we probably won't get much character out of this. But if they get her skill, strength, and general persona down, this will be a good outing for Wonder Woman.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Yeah, I don't think the jacket is a particularly good idea, but I don't mind the pants. Personally I think sexualization has more to do with how the character behaves than how the character is dressed.

 

[Grace_Omega]

I gotta say I actually really liked that jacket design for the character. Or at least, I really liked that one promotional image that Bob was showing, her actual appearances in the comic varied wildly by artist.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Love the jacket. It works perfectly with the rest of the costume as it was designed. There's nothing out of place about it.

The real problem? The design itself. It doesn't say "Wonder Woman, Greek Warrior of Amazonia" to me. In fact it kind of reminds me of what Wonder Girl might wear, being more in line with an outfit that was inspired by Wonder Woman.

I also like Injustice's design as well, but I find myself preferring how they portrayed her in the Justice League: War movie:

Spoiler: I really do love this costume design...

 

[RA92]

All this talk of the jacket got me thinking this should calm everybody down:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3MExgf6mwdU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>
I'll be back when I have something more intelligent and relevant to the "Wonder Woman costume and sexual implications thereof" issue, because right now, nothing really comes to mind yet.

EDIT: Oh, for fuck's sake, why did the YouTube video for "Jacket" not get embedded?!

To embed videos in the forums, type out the YT link within a pair of "" brackets and get rid of the 'www.' and '.com/watch?v' portion. Quote me to see the syntax of this embed:

<youtube=3MExgf6mwdU>

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Wait, people give a shit if she has pants or not? 0_o

Maybe it's just because I'm not a comic fan, but I don't get it. It's just pants.

I mean, I'm a bit irritated with the new design they're giving Knuckles in the new sonic TV show, since he looks overly beefy and makes me think they'll make him a totally brinless beefstick, but that's a total redesign.

Pants....doesn't exactly change much...

 

[PhiMed]

I think the discussion of whether this will be a disaster is already over. They've already selected a waif for the role. If you can look at Gal Gadot and tell me seriously that she belongs in the role of wonderwoman, I will eat any article of clothing you have. Even the unsavory ones.

Jesse Eissenberg doesn't belong in the role of Wolverine (and you know what, he shouldn't be Lex Luthor, either, but that's for another discussion). We can say that. That's okay to say.

But it's not okay to say this, though, is it? "Gal Gadot should not be Wonderwoman." I'm okay saying that. But it's not okay to say that, is it?

Paul Giamotti should not play f'ing BLADE at this juncture. I don't know... maybe don't cast Nightwing as Sean Bean.

Maybe somatotrophism isn't the worst thing in the world, when applied to FICTIONAL,NEVER HAVE EXISTED, NEVER WILL EXIST CHARACTERS.

I just expect a little more "umph" to someone who is capable of taking supes in a fistfight. Skinny chicks get enough roles. Let this one go to a girl who's eaten a sandwich this year.

Call me crazy.

 

[octafish]

snip... DC's problem has always been that their characters have been about as dull as dishwater.

DC's flagship characters maybe.

The secondary heroes, Animal Man, Hitman, Doom Patrol, Amanda Waller, Moon Knight, The Question, the Hal Jordan and Oliver Queen team-up, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle (just Ted Kord) are far more interesting than Marvel's angsty teenagers.

I haven't really read Marvel since Kraven's Last Hunt though.

Oh and lets not forget that DC has the better villain roster, and geniuses like Ostrander knew how to use them, even the goofy ones like Captain Boomerang, to great effect. Suicide Squad had a lasting effect on DC villains.

MovieBob... Animal Man, Margaret Attwood... Respect!

 

[octafish]

I think the discussion of whether this will be a disaster is already over. They've already selected a waif for the role. If you can look at Gal Gadot and tell me seriously that she belongs in the role of wonderwoman, I will eat any article of clothing you have. Even the unsavory ones.

Jesse Eissenberg doesn't belong in the role of Wolverine (and you know what, he shouldn't be Lex Luthor, either, but that's for another discussion). We can say that. That's okay to say.

But it's not okay to say this, though, is it? "Gal Gadot should not be Wonderwoman." I'm okay saying that. But it's not okay to say that, is it?

Paul Giamotti should not play f'ing BLADE at this juncture. I don't know... maybe don't cast Nightwing as Sean Bean.

Maybe somatotrophism isn't the worst thing in the world, when applied to FICTIONAL,NEVER HAVE EXISTED, NEVER WILL EXIST CHARACTERS.

I just expect a little more "umph" to someone who is capable of taking supes in a fistfight. Skinny chicks get enough roles. Let this one go to a girl who's eaten a sandwich this year.

Call me crazy.

Eh, skinny girls can put on muscle. Compare Linda Hamilton in Terminator to Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2. That kind of physical presence, while still not super muscular would be sufficient I think.

That said, I too would prefer WW to be a physically larger woman, that said I thought Morrena Baccarin was very good casting when that was the rumour.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

Likes women in jackets... feels bad now. THANKS BOB!

But I have always been a strongly against the lazy censoring, thus equals we don't have to do any more work today boys thing. Id take a deep floozy over a shallow girl next door personally.

Also which cartoon is that, there's a quite a few out there before I could potentially find it, is it just about Wonder Woman or is it a Young Justice kinda schtick?

 

[SAMAS]

Bob sez, "Jacket off".

...Wait, that came out wrong.

I agree with you, Bob. But I do think pants means there one step in the right direction in making Diana into a character.

She's a character whether or not she wears pants.

Pants are just a little more sensible in her line of work (realistically speaking).

 

[Deimir]

Well I'm off to watch Fast & Furious 5 and 6, and apparently Knight And Day, so I can get acquainted with this actress and maybe weigh in on the discussion the next time it (inevitably) is going to come up.

On the topic of the costume, I don't care what it looks like. If I can see a screencap and say "Hey, it's Wonder Woman!" then everything is fine. Bonus points if it looks like something someone could actually move and fight in, though we are talking about a comic book character here.

 

[Satosuke]

hmm. Is emphasis of sexuality pro-feminism or sexist? Gauh I don't know. It's so personal. For me I lean towards de-emphasis and blurring the lines of the sex's. In other words putting a woman in a military uniform doesn't make her more manly it just makes everyone more the same.

When I think about it no matter how hard I try I can't take power girl seriously. She'll always just be a set of boobs. Wonderman gets a break because she's just like this mom character. It's hard for me to see her as a sex object. Again this is all personal eye of the beholder stuff.

I prefer Wonderman in a suit. It's just more logical. I know she isn't really affected by weather but I just don't know any girls who spend all day like that so she doesn't relate like that anymore.

I also like the jacket.

I think emphasizing sexuality is entirely dependent on the intent and execution; Think Bayonetta vs. the sorceress from Dragon's Crown.

Bayonetta is a carefully crafted shot across the bow of the 'male gaze', since it's clear she dresses however the fuck she wants to because she likes it, and treats her weapons (phallic symbols) like disposable tools. And she's an interesting, well thought-out character.

The sorceress, however, has a tiny frame and gigantic boobs because...well, because boobs. There's no intent to her design other than 'lol big boobs are hawt'. Bayonetta's sex appeal is smart and empowering. the Sorceress is nothing but another shallow attempt to appeal to guys' boners.

 

[Baresark]

It's strange to me, but the debate on how a woman dresses seems pointless to, at least in places like America. This isn't the same era where Dick Van Dyke's wife, Laura, is considered super progressive because she is wearing pants. Pants don't mean anything. Plenty of women are happy not wearing pants at all. We live in a world that a person can essentially dress how they want so long as they are not offensive. Hey lady, you wanna wear a dress? Go for it. Hey dude, you wanna wear a dress? Go for it. Wonder Woman is fictional! If she wears pants or does not wear pants is meaningless. In the words of John Green, "Looking for truth in fiction does a disservice to fiction". It's made up, don't look for real world truths in it. If she does not wear pants, it isn't saying she is there for the sole purpose of putting another woman in a mans "spank bank". As an empowered woman, she can be sexual and strong if you want. Once again, fiction.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

Honestly I'm more concerned about the actress/character than anything else, first they need to at least get THAT right and THEN we can focus on costumes.
I won't be able to make up my mind about what looks "good" until I actually see it in action.

The 2009 animated moviehas Wonder Woman rocking her original attire which was perfectly awesome (the one I prefer her wearing) but I don't know what will happen if that particular costume was brought to life.

This is the one I'm talking about:

 

[Combustion Kevin]

I actually dig the hoplite look, greeks knew where it was at, yo!

 

[nightazday]

Can I just say that the cartoon Justice League and its ilk are far in a million times better than almost every single super hero film to date.

I will even go as far as to say that the cartoon Avengers series is miles above its movie counterpart, no matter how good the Avengers movie was.

Ok back to the topic at hand, cant really say I am all that bothered. The jacket look, looks trendy at most but I get what Bob is going for , The leggings version just doesn't make her seem like a Amazon goddess, and the swim suit costume is my favorite cause I am a guy and yeah she just looks bad ass in it. Her legs as much as it makes me sound sexist is a focal point for the character. Bat man is black, superman has underwear on the outside and women wonder has wonder legs. Notice how the movie where superman didn't have his underwear on the outside sucked ass? Coincidence?

I would like to point out that I think the X Men have for a long time got this whole costume thing right. Everyone has a 1 size fits all same style costume and what attracts you to them is their powers( NOOO don't bring that Jubilee crap around here I don't have time to say how that character just doesn't work in any sense).

Gabbit has flaming stuff, cyclops shoots lazors and even Storm is frikken awesome cause she fires heaven smiting lightning from her hands not because her outfit looks like power girl.

I dunno I think Avengers is the better. But everything Bruce Timm made is a close 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc.

 

[roman gnome]

I want a girl with a short skirt and a looooooong jacket.
Actually I don't have much of an opinion except to agree with Bob that Wonder Woman should wear whatever Wonder Woman would want to wear... once they've decided exactly who Wonder Woman is this time around.

And I have a theory about Power Girl: I think when she's in costume she keeps her phone in there.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Personally I liked Wonderwman without the pants and with the skirt. No real reason why, just like the look.

... well, actually its probably cause I love when wonderwoman goes all ancient greek inspired and either struts it in a toga/gown or just goes full spartan armour.

 

[Redd the Sock]

I generally don't have a preference to the look, but given the visual style the movie seems to be aiming for, the pants thing would probably work a bit better.

As for the main issue, I've been saying that for years now. It's depressing how much judgement gets passed on characters for how they look, but downright bizarro world when the side telling us not to can be so harsh and dismissive of a character if they can also serve as a pin up, ending on very frustrating when criticisms for "better female characters" get almost anxious to cross current potentials off the list of what's acceptable due to nothing but how the character is dressed. Any anime fan can probably list fanservice characters that are fleshed out and motivated by their own goals and dreams, and their "traditional beauty" counterparts that may dress modestly, but have no character, personality, or any dream but make their doofus boyfriend happy, which to me is a lot more sexist and backwards.

Maybe it's time to start judging female characters with our eyes closed.