In a message dated 97-11-11 11:04:24 EST, Maryelizabeth Hart wrote:
> >Barbara Benesch
> >BJBenesch@aol.com commented:
>
> >As well as reading science fiction, I have a weakness for comic books
> >(particularly DC superhero-type comics), and I've always maintained that
> >Superman wouldn't be quite so "super" if he had to do all his heroing in
> high
> >heels like Wonder Woman and other female superheroes do. There has,
> however,
> >been a larger number (okay, 2-3 as opposed to zero a few years ago) of
> female
> >superheroes who wear non-high heeled boots with their costumes.
>
> Barbara:
>
> Not to pick nits, but I thought WW actually wears sandals, something like
> Mercury's. Could be mistaken. Actually, what I always worry about with
> Wondy, and a number of other female Super Heroes (and some males in their
> recent incarnations) is how they can see in battle with all that gorgeous
> hair falling in their faces. :)
>
> Since you are also a comics reader, what do you think about SF in comics?
> (I think Julien was the original poser of that question)
Wonder Woman these days is wearing the boots, although I admit sometimes the
boots are drawn as flats. I guess for a while in the '70s she wore the
sandals you mention (in fact, *the* Sandals of Hermes), but for the most part
nowadays she wears the boots. She does, however, wear sandals when she's
"out of uniform" on Themyscira (Paradise Island). When she was wearing The
Sandals of Hermes, it was because that particular version of the character
wasn't able to fly on her own, and in fact was a far less powerful hero than
she is now. Recently (until Superman's costume and powers changed, and prior
to changes in Wonder Woman within the last couple of months [see below]), in
the DC Universe she was second in power only to Superman.
For those interested, actually, about two or three months ago, DC killed
Princess Diana of Themyscira (in a creepy coincidence, the issue came out
within a week of the death of Princess Diana of Wales, and the cover art was
a newspaper headline proclaiming "Princess Diana is dead"). The mantle of
Wonder Woman seems to have been picked up by her mother, Hippolyta, and Diana
herself has been lifted to Mount Olympus as the newly-created Goddess of
Truth. I personally am kind of upset by this development, as it seems like
yet another marketing ploy by DC, much like the "Death of Superman" a few
years ago (who, wonder of wonders, came back), and the "breaking" of Batman,
who also recovered and came back.
As far as the hair, I agree. Both the hair and the capes (how exactly *does*
Batman keep swinging around Gotham without the cape tangling in his line?),
are often "somehow" flowing in just the right direction without getting in
the hero's (please, everyone take that as gender-neutral, which is how I mean
it when I say it) way. However, fewer and fewer heroes wear capes these
days, just like more female superheroes are in flat shoes. There are always
the throwbacks, like the female superhero whose hair was approximately twice
as long as she was tall, and she wore it in a ponytail that was always
swirling dramatically around her, and yet she never pulled it or tripped over
it!!
Regarding SF in comics, I know of few "true" SF comics, although most comics
do contain many SF elements, including missions in space, amazing scientific
advances, and plenty of time travel. I can't remember what else was
addressed in the original question, but I am interested in further discussion
if anyone else is.
Barbara Benesch
BJBenesch@aol.com
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