Wonder Woman! [You have to have watched the series to really get the voice modulation right on that one]

Makeover for Wonder Woman at 69

In the reimagining of her story, Wonder Woman, instead of growing up on Paradise Island with her mother, Queen Hippolyta, and her Amazon sisters, is smuggled out as a baby when unknown forces destroy her home and slaughter its inhabitants.

Mr. Straczynski, who created the television show “Babylon 5” and wrote the screenplay for “Changeling” in 2008, starring Angelina Jolie, said in an e-mail message that he wanted to address “the wardrobe issue” as soon as he took the job.

“She’s been locked into pretty much the exact same outfit since her debut in 1941,” Mr. Straczynski wrote. “If you’re going to make a statement about bringing Wonder Woman into the 21st century, you need to be bold and you need to make it visual. I wanted to toughen her up, and give her a modern sensibility.”

He added, “What woman only wears only one outfit for 60-plus years?”

[Image of Wonder Woman © by DC Comics]

Okay, let me just say, I kind of like the new outfit. I'm not so sure of the slaughter of the Amazons; it seems like everyone's got to have a horribly angsty backstory these days, and Diana actually represented the superhero (or in this case superheroine) with a relatively happy family life as opposed to being placed into a spaceship and shot to another world because your entire planet was being destroyed (Superman, who nevertheless, managed to be found and had a relatively normal upbringing) or having your parents killed in a horrible mugging gone bad (Batman, who always had enough angst for everyone else). But I've liked Michael Straczynski's other work, so I'm willing to give it a go.

Still, it really is hard to run and fight in a bustier (although the lovely Lynda Carter perfected that). And it looks like all the weapons/protections are still there.

I have to admit I'm intrigued. I am reasonably sure that YKWIA will be horrified, especially over the demise of the Amazons; he hates change. Together we ran a comic store for a friend back in the 90s, so we both have experience with the business. I've always been a DC girl rather than a Marvel one (although I've never collected Wonder Woman--I was more into Sandman and Legion of Superheroes). I may have to stop by my nearby comic shop and ask Tony to reserve this issue for me, if for no other reason than the history of it.)