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Quoting from From here:
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000226134&tstart=0
Another problem is that no matter how powerful she was, little boys weren't going to buy or play with her merchandise. (Well most anyway!) She's a girl!!!!!! The issue of gender in this regard can't be over looked. What little boy would be caught with a Wonder Woman doll or comic book? We know what that entails. Also, comics and cartoons about superheroes are largely considered the boys area of the playground. That's why movies about super heroines are such a tough sale to a large audience. The female properties that are hero like and cater to girls are mostly marketed directly to them. (Sailor Moon, Power Puff Girls, Kim Possible, etc.)
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Look at those examples of successful female action/superhero franchises.
Sailor Moon. Powerpuff Girls Kim Possible.
Each of those franchises ARE basically Wonder Woman, bisected into various concentrations of her mythos.
Mythical/Magical Princess.
Action packed no nonsense tough Grrrl powerhouse.
Adventurous Espionage Agent against Criminal Masterminds and Terrorists.
Wonder Woman is EVERYTHING that each of those franchises has in one multifaceted package.
Look at some other popular female adventure franchises. Buffy. Lara Croft a few years back.
Why can't she have what they have without sacrificing who she is to post-modern 90's throwback nonsense?
Simple.
HER PERSONALITY. She's viewed as too perfect. Haughty. Stuck up. Un-relatable. Hypocritical. Guys fans are often intimidated by her in a way that Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk don't because they are at their core normal women. There is a perception of anti-male ideology to her mythos which turns off most mainstream men and boys. You need to balance between her being an Ideal and a human being with hopes, dreams, flaws, INSECURITIES that are consistent with her role and iconic status yet make her understandable.
Superman for one had a strong element of tragedy and loneliness even during what some called the 'perfect super-god' days. Survivors Guilt, Over-Confidence, and even a seemingly Cruel Trickster aspect (for Jimmy and Lois and Lana's own good, of course...)where all part of the classical superman personality.
Diana needs to be marketed to GIRLS and Young women currently enraptured in the current Twilight/Vampire phase and balance that 'dark' edgy side of supernatural adventure with a more positive, life-affirming, yet cool and spunky vibe. She needs to have a sense of HUMOR. One of her patrons is Hermes the trickster she should understand more than most the persuasive power of humor, she is a ambassador and negotiator of peace after all. I'd also like to see her SPUNK. her SPIRIT. New adventure new locales, new cultures, vast vistas to explore (along with injustices to fight against and people to inspire via her example, natch)? She's ALL for it!
The other thing is--yep, get ready for it-- ROMANCE and SEX. Wonder Woman is a romance character. Yeah you heard me. Just like Superman is a Romance character--except even more so. Girls/Women like Romance and Relationship stuff a lot more than Boys do. We all know that this is true so let's not BS ourselves about this or argue about self-evident facts for nonsensical Political Correctness purposes. Steve Trevor MUST be restored to his proper place. Nemesis was a terrible half baked replacement and only underscored the need for the authentic Steve to Return. Make him the Elder Steve Trevor's Nephew who is a Iraq War/OWAW/insert various DCU crossover epics/war here*. compatriot and buddy to Hal Jordan. Fellow Espionage Agent. Adventurer and maybe Soldier of Fortune 'Human Target' Style. Adrenaline Addict. Undercover Bondage Freak*ahem* forget that past part
. Don't make him a typical damsel in distress but yeah, Diana certainly helps him out (saves his a$$)when he gets into uber-villain territory. Remember Among Diana's Patrons is Aphrodite the embodiment of Feminine Beauty, Emotional Connection and Romantic and Sexual Desire, every bit as she is a follower of Virginal Warrior/Huntresses Athena and Artemis, respectively.Villains. We need to grow, expand, and re-vamp her Rogues Gallery into one that truly Rivals Batman, GL, Flash territory. Political Strife. Religious Oppression, Environmental Terrorism. Economic Hardship. In the real frigging world we have a complex network of Religious ?Extremists who oppress women having economic, ideological, religious and violent warfare against the West. HOW in Gods name is that not rife with potential for allegory within the DCU again? Whatever happened to the refugees from Jarhampur and the Rama Khan from Kelly's JLA run?
Why doesn't Diana encounter Brother Blood- a blood-sacrificial death cult? Kobra, a Hindu snake-god worshiping cult bent on creating a New World Order with him at the head after the Kali Yuga.
Why can't you take the Classical Diana, incorporate elements from William Moulton to Kagngiher to O'Neil to Perez to Jimenez to Rucka to Simone and make it WORK in an integrated way.
It's NOT that hard, people.
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